SHANGRI-LA Hotels and Resorts is investing $3m on new technology, including a revamped company Web site and high-speed Internet access in its hotel rooms.
The $2m new site, which will be launched in April, will be available in three languages, English, Chinese and Japanese.
New facilities will include virtual tours of Shangri-La’s hotels, area maps and a page promoting special deals for the public.
Travel agents will be able to use a password to get into an intranet which gives industry rates and special deals.
Shangri-La chief executive officer and managing director Giovanni Angelini said last year 1% of total bookings were made through the Internet, this was double the 1998 booking figure.
The hotel chain is also installing high-speed Internet access in hotel rooms, through televisions and modems, specifically aimed at the business traveller.
Angelini said: “Existing access is free but guests will have to pay for high-speed access.
“About half of our business travellers have a laptop, but many others still want to access their e-mails. They will now be able to do this through the TV.”