www.fairmont.com

solutions:

• Akamai Dynamic Site Accelerator

• Improved end-to-end transaction response time by 90%
• Increased year-over-year bookings by 40%
• Improved site performance in Asia Pacific region by 132%
• Supported 40% more page views in a single month
• Supported 20% month-over-month traffic increase
• Gained confidence in pursuing business internationally

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (Fairmont) is a leader in the global hospitality industry with a worldwide reputation for excellence. With over 50 distinctive hotels worldwide, the Fairmont portfolio is an extraordinary collection of luxury hotels that includes well-known landmarks like The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont Banff Springs, and New York's Plaza Hotel. Fairmont's Web site Fairmont.com—with more than one million unique site visitors per month—services travelers and travel professionals in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, and generates the highest booking rates of all the company's booking channels. The site has been recognized on many occasions for its excellence in the digital marketplace and was named the World's Leading Hotel Brand Internet Site at the World Travel Awards in 2006.

"Travel agents and travelers will not wait long to complete an online booking—if the site and booking application are slow, they will pick up the phone to make their reservations," explains Gupta. In addition to upgrading its online booking platform and streamlining the reservation process, implementing the Akamai solution was critical to improving performance. With Akamai, online booking transactions—including searching for availability and rates – occurred dramatically faster, putting Fairmont in the top quartile of Gomez's industry benchmark. "Shortening our site's response time is key to fulfilling guest booking and pre-arrival expectations. We've essentially improved our end-toend response time by 90%, which in turn enhances the overall guest experience," says Gupta.