Hyatt concierges go Travel 2.0

April 01, 2008 | Hospitality Industry

yatt'it, the new online travel community from Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is the first travel site to offer expert insight and tips from Hyatt concierges in more than 40 destinations around the world along with advice from confirmed frequent travelers.

yatt’it, the new online travel community from Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, offers travelers an essential combination of credible, candid, fellow-traveler advice, lively discussion forums and direct-booking options. Designed for members of the Hyatt Gold Passport loyalty program, but rich in benefits for all travelers, yatt’it is the first travel site to offer expert insight and tips from Hyatt concierges in more than 40 destinations around the world along with advice from confirmed frequent travelers. Among the featured concierges will be Majda Azzoumi from Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and Rich Esparza from Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport.

In addition, partnerships with well-trusted sources like Frommers.com and FlightStats.com will quickly establish yatt’it as the best online forum for worldwide travel tips.

“We are very excited that two Hyatt properties and concierges from Orlando will be featured on yatt’it as an authentic travel expert,” said Paul Tang, general manager of Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and vice president / managing director for Global Hyatt Corporation. “We feel that travelers all around the world will benefit from her guidance before planning a trip to Orlando.”

Only Hyatt Gold Passport members can create profiles, post advice and book travel through yatt’it, but all travelers will benefit from the site’s extensive content, knowing that all advice has been provided by confirmed, well-seasoned business and leisure travelers in a forum open to honest comments and ratings.

“Hyatt has always made its guests’ needs a priority,” said Tom O’Toole, Chief Marketing Officer for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. “With yatt’it, we are continuing that tradition by providing a community that offers the most relevant and authentic first-hand travel information from seasoned travelers and expert Hyatt concierges. This advice, coupled with our partnerships with Frommers.com and FlightStats.com, promises to make yatt’it a credible and trustworthy online resource for all travelers.

For destination research and at-a-glance overviews, Frommers.com provides direct links to its Fast Facts pages, along with entry-requirement information to assist first-time visitors. “We are excited to expand our long-standing relationship with Hyatt and provide trusted travel advice to yatt’it,” said Craig Schickler, Director, E-business Development, Wiley Publishing.

“We are pleased that Frommer’s was chosen as an expert resource for travel tips for this innovative new site. Frommer’s has created original content specifically for yatt’it based on its unique needs to ensure a great experience and high quality content for all of its members.”

A partnership with FlightStats.com offers real-time airport updates to help fliers avoid unpleasant surprises at the airport. From the yatt’it site, travelers can check essential information such as arrival and departure times for all airlines, estimated wait times for security checks at any airport, and weather or local transportation delays. yatt’it also offers users a mobile download feature at mobile.yattit.com, accessible anytime and anywhere in the world for travelers on the go.

“The partnership between yatt’it and FlightStats greatly improves the quality of travel for Hyatt guests by providing valuable information and timely data,” says Meara McLaughlin, Conducive Technology’s VP of Marketing. “Hyatt’s commitment to service makes the company an ideal partner for FlightStats, and we look forward to working with them on this innovative new project.”