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Best Western iPhone app launches with social media features

January 05, 2010 | Hospitality Industry

The “Best Western to Go” iPhone application marks a first for the company, which plans to launch applications for multiple mobile platforms in 2010 that cater to the growing number of travelers staying connected via smart phones.

Best Western International today announced its debut in mobile offerings with the unveiling of its free iPhone application, titled “Best Western to Go.”

“Best Western to Go” features include:

- Search and Book: Find and book reservations at more than 4,000 Best Western hotels in over 80 countries worldwide.

- Program: Create an itinerary and input addresses of attractions and restaurants. Once these have been entered, users can easily find their location using the app’s GPS-enabled map.

- Personalize: Capture and categorize favorite locations in specific destinations. Travelers can also upload photos and descriptions to remember the locale.

- Socialize: Stay connected with family and friends by sharing an experience, such as a lunch at a kitschy diner or a souvenir purchase. Travelers can push this information directly from the app to their Facebook page, email or to other iPhone users.

The “Best Western to Go” iPhone application marks a first for the World’s Largest Hotel Chain®, which plans to launch applications for multiple mobile platforms in 2010 that cater to the growing number of travelers staying connected via smart phones.

“We pride ourselves on being available to travelers no matter their location, which is why mobile accessibility was a natural next step for us,” said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Best Western. “We can now be even more of a resource for our guests, particularly those who are making decisions on the fly.”

Best Western plans to unveil multiple upgrades to its iPhone application throughout 2010, as well as introduce applications for other mobile platforms including Blackberry® and Android™. The hotel chain will work closely with application users to incorporate helpful features that best meet their travel needs.

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