About Us
Worldhotel-link.com Limited (WHL) is owned and operated by a team from Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, Switzerland, the USA and Vietnam. WHL started life as a development project in the Mekong region trying to find a way to get travel product from the developing world online and able to be transacted just as it is in the West. We ended up (after several false starts) with the franchise type model we have today.
With this model we have local partners in the destinations who do all the things best done locally (including working directly with the local accommodation providers and with travellers) and WHL does all the things best done centrally (technology, web marketing etc.).
The result ......we're having a great time building this truly unique family of passionate and caring people around the world. Generally we seek out experienced local tour operators as our local partners, although occasionally we also work with local industry associations or NGOs. In every case they are people with an intimate knowledge of tourism in their destination and people we are proud to be working with. You can read their stories on the destination sites in the "your local connection" box.
Our Vision: To be the e-marketplace of choice for independent travellers and travel service providers globally.
Our Mission: Offering a unique online booking service to both travellers and travel service providers by marrying the best of what can be done locally (local knowledge, local relationships, respect for local environment) with best practices in global marketing, technology and information systems that are appropriate for use in all countries.
Our Values: WHL is committed to win-win-win outcomes for all stakeholders, including staff of WHL and member marketplaces, travellers and local communities. In seeking good outcomes and sustainable practices, WHL policies are in accord with the principles of win-win-win and doing no harm based on:
- Respect and care for individuals
- Respect for cultures
- Respect and care for the environment
- Open and honest management
- Ongoing learning and transfer of capabilities
A bit more background
The business has grown from a project initiated by the Mekong Private Sector Development Facility (MPDF) - part of the IFC/World Bank group - in 2002 to assist small and medium scale local accommodation providers to access the Internet. High costs and lack of skills had kept these providers in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam from being able to leverage the Internet to market their properties.
The solution was to create a local e-marketplace in each case that shared the costs, centralized the necessary skills and, most importantly, acted as the interface between the local accommodation provider and the independent traveller. These local e-marketplaces collect and maintain travel product information on the web, and also process bookings (working in English with travellers, and in the local language with providers). In this manner, the local owners / operators of the e-marketplaces earn commissions which stay in the local region and assist in the development of the local industry.
The results of the pilot in the Mekong were very encouraging and led to WHL being spun off as a private company in March 2006. Since then, WHL has launched a new platform incorporating tour and activity bookings, bookings from allotment as well as bookings on demand.
The network of destinations around the world serviced by WHL has grown rapidly also as more local tour operators come to hear of what WHL is doing. Because of WHL's unique ability to get travel product from the developing world into global distribution channels, WHL continues to enjoy active support from many development organisations and tourism consultancies including groups like the World Bank/IFC, GTZ, SNV, the EU, and AusAID.
Importantly for you, the traveller, it is now possible to access and book these erstwhile little heard-of hotels, guesthouses and hostels plus local tours and activities via one e-marketplace network.
Meet the team
