Website offers bargain accommodation for Euro ’08

Most hotels are already booked out for Euro 2008, however, it is not difficult to find a room… with prooms (‘Private Rooms’). At www.prooms.com private landlords offer available rooms and apartments, or even a simple couch for the night! Customers who cannot find a suitable hotel, or who would rather stay in a private room, can quickly find the right accommodation close to any of the Euro 2008 venues in both Austria and Switzerland.

Being a Web 2.0 platform prooms is based on a simple user-friendly interface that is both organised and maintained by those who use it. Anyone

with a room or a bed to offer can participate, however they must be over the age of 18 and possess a Visa or Mastercard. Both supplying and searching are free – only once a booking has been made a commission is due. Background information, photographs and ratings help with the selection and a Google map shows the location and the surrounding area.

Already over 1.000 beds to be found

prooms went online in February 2008. Since then, more than 1.000 beds have been registered. The website is constantly growing. At the end of March 2008 the English language version was launched widening its customer potential even more. The options for describing the accommodation have been expanded: for example, minimum occupancy or price scaling for longer stays can now be defined.

Simple tool for website owners to offer free room search

A completely new feature is the proomsblog which offers a search-widget: owners of a website or blog can integrate this tool allowing visitors to search for private accommodation. You don’t have to be a Web wizard to do this: just two clicks will create an individual search screen and a simple copy and paste places it onto the fansite or football blog. The search widget can be found at http://blog.prooms.com.

prooms: extra room instead of extra time!

Managing Director Christof Hofstaetter came up with the idea for prooms during a one year round-the-world trip. He worked for several years in the international hotel business, at the same time completing his tourism studies at a college in Salzburg. He is fascinated by youth tourism and the opportunities presented by the internet and other new media.

Together with the online agency ovos media counsulting, Hofstätter began the project at the beginning of 2007 with the aim of providing a cheap, user-friendly alternative to the conventional tourism market for Euro 2008. prooms will continue after the tournament, creating greater capacity during big events and giving private landlords the opportunity to earn money during the holiday season.