Hotels.com, a leading online accommodation reservation website announced a partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland to showcase exciting travel options near the Great Barrier Reef.
The pair used a deep sea diving adventure video to illustrate the ease of use of the popular mobile booking app from Hotels.com. The new video features Ben Southall – winner of Queensland’s popular “The Best Job in the World” competition – booking a room on the Hotels.com mobile app while deep sea diving in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
What’s more, Hotels.com and Tourism and Events Queensland are also hosting a Twitter contest via @hotelsdotcom and #HotelsDownUnder that will send one winner and a companion to Queensland, Australia to tour the Great Barrier Reef. The winner will receive round-trip airfare for two and all transfers, two-night hotel stays at the Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort and Spa and the Green Island Resort, along with access to the region’s top excursions, including a voucher for two to experience a guided day trip in the Daintree Rainforest.
Taylor Cole, Director of Public Relations and Social Media for Hotels.com, told Loyalty 360 that the partnership came about because Queensland offers some of the most stunning sights in all of Australia.
“We felt this destination would give us an ideal canvas for showcasing the depth and variety of hotel options on our site,” Cole said. “The Great Barrier Reef also served as a perfect visual backdrop for highlighting the ease-of-use and flexibility of our mobile booking app.”
Since the launch of the Hotels.com mobile app in 2011, it has now reached more than 25 million downloads.
“Consumer travel booking behavior is shifting to the smaller screen and we’re striving to meet this demand by offering exclusive mobile deals and an easy-to-use interface that allows travelers to book rooms instantly,” Cole explained.
She said the main goal of the partnership is to illustrate the on-the-go booking capabilities of the Hotels.com mobile app while showcasing the beauty of Queensland Australia and its natural treasures like the Great Barrier Reef.
Cole said Hotels.com has had success with a number of Twitter-based promotional giveaways.
“This initiative represents one of our biggest prizes yet,” she explained. “Even those who don’t vie for the prize can get in on the conversation at #HotelsDownUnder and share their tips, dreams, and aspirations to travel to Australia to explore the beauty of Queensland.”
The Hotels.com app is now available for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, Windows Phone 7 and Windows 8 and has achieved more than 25 million downloads. Users can manage their Welcome Rewards® accounts, access up to 20,000 last-minute hotel deals based on their search and current location, read seven million traveler reviews, as well as get quick and easy access to upcoming reservations, thanks to a contextual home page, which changes based on the user.