ReserveDirect travel booking engine targets tri-lakes area

The chamber is offering members access to a Web reservation system through ReserveDirect, an online booking engine similar to Travelocity or Expedia that focuses on smaller destinations, said Holly Brown, marketing coordinator for the Table Rock chamber in Kimberling City.

The chamber first introduced its plans to partner with ReserveDirect at a presentation to members in March.

The system went live April 15 at http://visittablerocklake.reservedirect.com.

“(We’ve) had a positive response,” Brown added. “About 98 percent of the people we introduced it to want to get involved.”

The reservation system is available as a free membership benefit to about 100 of the chamber’s members who sell tickets for shows and attractions or accept lodging reservations. Chamber officials would not disclose how much the chamber pays for the service.

The chamber plans to focus on key demographic areas until the program has been introduced to all of its lodging facilities, attractions and marinas.

Brown said about 20 members have completed training to use the reservation system.

“Training consists of showing how the program works and how to put inventory into it,” Brown added.

According to a news release issued by the chamber, ReserveDirect President John Johnson first launched his reservation system in July 2001.

He has since started several Internet reservation sites aimed at various travel destinations including Branson; Eureka Springs, Ark.; Orlando, Fla.; and Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg, Tenn. The Table Rock Lake site is modeled after these Web sites that have brought more than $10 million in tourist revenue to the Branson market alone, the release said.

ReserveDirect has a corporate office in St. Louis and a regional office in Branson.