Gekko Brings Personalized Travel Booking to Facebook: New App Turns Friends …

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The First all-in-one Facebook Travel App With a Social Twist

Featuring “Request a Deal” and Highly Personalized Special Offers

SAN FRANCISCO, LONDON and AMSTERDAM, July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

Gekko, the personalized
international hotel booking service, today unveils a one-stop
Facebook application that simplifies travel planning and purchasing
- with the help of friends and trusted sources- via the world’s
leading social network.

The Gekko Facebook app collects and organizes travel
recommendations from friends; introduces a one-click
“Request-a-Deal” button which lets hotels, restaurants and bars
reply directly with personalized offers; allows Facebook-only deals
targeting travelers based on their tastes; and allows users to book
at the best available price.

“Gekko is evolving the hotel discount model,” said Gekko CEO
Michel Cassius. “Consumers get the best price and are offered
highly personalized deals by hotels worldwide and by restaurants,
clubs and bars. And with our full Facebook integration we add the
social layer to the booking process, making it both engaging and
fun.”

The Gekko app optimizes what travelers have always done: turn to
well travelled and like-minded friends for insider information and
tips. According to polling site
Toluna, 40 percent of consumer travel decisions are based on
input from friends and family.

“Gekko understands that the advice of good friends is
invaluable,” said Bas Lemmens, Gekko director and a former partner
at Booking.com, part of Priceline.com. “Now, over 750 million
people on Facebook can turn to their friends for travel advice and
immediately gain access to the best prices available based on these
recommendations.”

More than just a powerful booking tool, Gekko is a fun and easy
way to exchange useful tips and track great travel discoveries.
Members can share lists of favorites and offer personal insights on
any topic, from the general (beachfront hotels) to the specific
(midtown Manhattan sake bars).

Find Gekko here: http://www.facebook.com/gekko

About Gekko

Gekko was founded by Internet entrepreneur Dino van Es, the
co-founder of Zecco, one of the fastest growing online stock
brokerage firms. Gekko is led by CEO Michel Cassius, who co-founded
YoYo Games and has held senior positions at Microsoft’s Xbox and
Electronic Arts.

Gekko has partnerships with Booking.com, Expedia, TripAdvisor,
Hotels.com, TravelIntelligence.com, LateRooms.com, TravelNow.com,
LastMinute.com, Venere and Hotels Combined. Gekko is a
venture-backed company; its initial funding was led by Velocity
Capital.

More information about Gekko on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/gekko
and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/gekko.

SOURCE Gekko.com

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