Millions invested in 2008 for future product successes for hotel partners

London - (February 4, 2009) - iBAHN, the worldwide leader in digital entertainment and Internet solutions for the hospitality and meeting industries, today reported its second year of profitable results in its European Middle East and African business unit in 2008, and fifth consecutive year of profitability globally. 

iBAHN has achieved this impressive milestone in an industry where many of its competitors are not profitable and are struggling to survive in the economic downturn.

iBAHN is  recognised worldwide by major customers for its ability to meet the needs of brands on every continent in the world. As more brands demand the ability to create common customer experiences across property portfolios, the importance and value of having a single provider grows. Additionally, partnering with a global provider can significantly reduce costs for brands and property owners.

Emmanuel Clave, Corporate IT Director, The Rocco Forte Collection, comments: “We have a long lasting partnership with iBAHN that consistently delivers the high service levels our guests demand. It is important to the Rocco Forte Collection that as we grow and enhance our offering our partners are able to do the same. This latest news gives us the confidence we can enjoy and benefit from many more years of innovation and continued support as we continue to expand across Europe, the Middle East and Africa."

Graeme Powell, iBAHN’s Managing Director EMEA, added: “iBAHN’s ongoing success, especially in a harsh trading climate, is a reflection of the ability of our international team to meet the needs of our customers. We have invested millions of pounds over the last year in product development which complements our proprietary end-to-end secure managed network. We feel this will stand us in good stead for the future, and allow us to continue building on iBAHN’s strong performance in the EMEA region to date. As shown by these results, iBAHN EMEA’s success is integral to the performance of the overall company.”

Additionally, the company finished 2008 – the tenth anniversary of its founding – in the strongest cash position of its history, and has recently renewed its credit capabilities, all during a period of rough economic conditions in nearly all of its markets.

iBAHN’s profitability is the result of close attention to meeting customer objectives, a service orientated offering and business models that make sense for all parties. The organisation’s financial strength has three main benefits for hoteliers:  IBAHN is likely to be a longer term partner in developing solutions in conjunction with the hotelier; iBAHN has the required resources to invest in new solutions; iBAHN’s global reach means it can share best practices from around the world with its local hotel partners.