The YTL Travel Centre was established in June 2001 as an on-line reservation centre for YTL Hotels & Properties’ exclusive Pangkor Laut Resort and Tanjong Jara Resort.

Based in Kuala Lumpur, the YTL Travel Centre is a unique on-line operation in Malaysia as it focuses solely on fulfilling Internet generated reservations for the resorts and hotels. The objective was to manage on-line (web-based) and phone based enquiries, and reservations received from around the world. Currently, 50% of all enquiries are international.

“After the Travel Centre’s successful opening and initial operations, a need was identified to bring the scope of operations to a higher level, especially with regards to IT aspects. In particular, this was to accommodate the expected volume generated from an aggressive international advertising campaign,” said Carl Kono, VP (Operations) YTL Hotels & Properties.

YTL Hotels & Properties selected forumline to accomplish this task. forumline’s in-depth experience of travel technology in the Airline/Travel sector was able to provide the management and independent consultancy expertise required to stimulate growth in the overall business. The brief to forumline was to identify and improve areas within the Travel Centre to make it a more efficient operating environment.

forumline has addressed three main areas as part of its hands-on, value engineering process:
(i) the enhancement of combined on-line Reservation and CRM system,
(ii) the strategic direction of the Travel Centre, and
(iii) the recruitment and training of management and staff.

The result has been:
(i) an increase in the overall booking revenues by increasing on-line sales conversion by 10%,
(ii) an overall improvement in the booking process by reducing the reservation processing time, and
(iii) a reduction in operating costs leading to an increase in the overall profitability of the YTL Travel Centre.

Working with forumline has given the YTL Travel Centre the advantage of importing travel industry-specific marketing and IT knowledge within a short timeframe. This is because forumline operates with a philosophy of “working with the customer, from within the customer”. For example, forumline worked directly with YTL Hotels’ senior IT and HR managers to deliver the solutions we needed.

The YTL Travel Centre is now strongly positioned to expand its operations to the next stage of managing all of our Internet-based market development for our exclusive resorts and properties.

 YTL Hotels & Properties Sdn Bhd 

YTL Hotels & Properties is the hospitality arm of one of Malaysia's most dynamic conglomerates, YTL Corporation Berhad. The parent company is considered among the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange's bluest blue chips.

YTL Hotels & Properties is involved in both ownership and management of properties and operations ranging from moderately priced hotels to luxury trains. Each one of its enterprises is highly rated in its own right.

Within its portfolio:

• Award-winning Pangkor Laut Resort, with its magnificent Estates and newly opened Spa Village, situated on a private island off the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia.
• Tanjong Jara Resort, a deluxe beach resort with traditional architecture, situated on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia.
• The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur, an award-winning boutique hotel in the heart of the city.
• The JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur, with extensive conference facilities, located on the trendy Bintang Walk.
• The Vistana Hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kuantan. Moderately priced hotels addressing the needs of Malaysian and regional business travellers.
• The Chedi Resort, Phuket, Thailand.
• The Eastern & Oriental Express Luxury Train.

For more information, please visit the websites at
www.ytlhotels.com
www.ytltravel.com

Or contact:
Izan Yusuff
Group Director of Communications
Tel: 2716 8398
Fax: 2715 7002
Email: izan@ytlhotels.com.my

forumline provides independent IT&T Management Consultancy solutions, specialising in the Airlines, Travel & Tourism sectors. forumline is designed to nurture businesses through the precise and cost-effective application of business and technology consultancy.

forumline has over twelve years of international Travel and IT&T experience, and its services include:

• Marketing management & Strategic planning
• Internet Solutions
• Product development & management
• Global Distribution Systems (GDS) analysis
• Data Centre, Hosting & DRS analysis

forumline has an established list of major suppliers from the IT&T and Travel sectors to provide its clients the most appropriate and independently selected solutions to suit their business needs.

For more information, please visit www.forumline.com, or contact:
Meraj K Huda
Principal Consultant
Roaming: ++61-414-654 616
email: meraj_huda@forumline.com