In a move that demonstrates the ever-growing importance of online bookings, Michelin has announced a major strategic partnership with Livebookings, the biggest player in the online bookings market in Europe.
The long term, multi-year, multi-country partnership comprises the complete integration of Livebookings’ reservations and bookings technology into Michelin’s popular restaurant search service, Michelin Restaurants (restaurant.michelin.fr), as well as a minority investment into Livebookings.
The Michelin Restaurants site will offer diners instant table reservations at thousands of restaurants in France and Germany, with a plan to massively recruit bookable restaurants in all key European markets. Michelin will also resell Livebookings’ product suite (restaurant availability management, booking solutions, customer relationship management) to restaurants in selected territories.
About the partnership, Michelin Travel Partner chief executive Alain Cuq commented:
“Michelin has made this exciting move forward after a full evaluation of all options available. Livebookings’ proven, innovative technology is uniquely placed to provide the scale and flexibility we need to propose new value added services to the restaurants and expand into new markets.”
Livebookings’ chief executive Colin Tenwick said:
“Today’s announcement marks the perfect marriage of technical innovation in restaurant management with one of the most recognisable brands in the world. We are extremely proud to be providing such a successful and well recognized company with our market-leading platform.”
Livebookings is the fastest-growing company in the online reservations sector in Europe, working across 23 countries, and is currently growing its bookings by approximately 45% every year. The Livebookings system processed more than 18 million bookings in Europe in 2012 alone.