1
Exhibit 99.1
[GRAPHIC OMITTED]
800 TRAVEL ENTERS STRATEGIC MARKETING ALLIANCE TO BROADEN PRODUCT LINE
RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT WITH FIRST INTERNET TRAVEL WILL OFFER HOTEL RESERVATIONS
TAMPA, FL, JULY 5, 2000 - 800 TRAVEL SYSTEMS, INC. (NASDAQ: IFLY, IFLYW), a
leading provider of travel-related products and services through its website
www.LowAirfare.com and call centers, today announced it has signed a one-year
marketing alliance with First Internet Travel, L.L.C., a general partner of VTS
Travel Enterprises, the tenth largest travel management company in the United
States. The reciprocal pact will broaden 800 Travel Systems' product line to
include discount hotel reservations worldwide.
Under the strategic marketing alliance, both 800 Travel's online and call center
customers will be offered discount hotel reservations to be fulfilled by First
Internet Travel. 800 Travel Systems will also use its discount air fares to
fulfill air travel requests from First Internet's online customers. Revenue from
sales made through the strategic marketing alliance will be shared by the two
companies.
Peter Sontag, CEO of 800 Travel, commented, "Our agreement with First Internet
Travel, with its extensive list of over 46,000 hotels, represents an important
step in our growth strategy to offer new products and services to our customers.
This diversification, combined with the significant advantages our interactive
www.LowAirfare.com website offers, illustrates the progress we are making to
transform 800 Travel into a premier, full service, online travel provider. We
are also very pleased that this reciprocal arrangement will make our discount
air fares and the instant messaging capabilities of www.LowAirfare.com available
to First Internet Travel's significant customer base."
Edward Vitti, President of First Internet Travel, added, "Our marketing alliance
with 800 Travel Systems will help promote the growth of both of our companies by
strengthening our already extensive Internet presence. We look forward to making
our global reservations network available to 800 Travel Systems' clients."
ABOUT 800 TRAVEL SYSTEMS
800 Travel Systems is a leading provider of low-priced travel related products
and services through its nationally recognized http://www.LowAirfare.com web
site and through its easy to remember toll free numbers "800-LOW-AIR FARE"
(800-569-2473) AND "800-FLY-4-LESS" (800-359-4537). A distinguishing feature of
the www.LowAirfare.com web site is its ability to connect live reservation
agents directly with on-line travel consumers in an instant messaging format
that allows consumers to book air travel, on-line, in real time. 800 Travel
Systems is headquartered in Tampa, Florida and employs more than 350 people,
combined, in the Company's 33,000 square-foot data communications center in
Tampa and a similar center in San Diego, California.
2
ABOUT FIRST INTERNET TRAVEL AND VTS TRAVEL ENTERPRISES
First Internet Travel, L.L.C. is a general partner of VTS Travel Enterprises,
Inc., the tenth largest travel management company in the United States.
Headquartered in Mahwah, NJ, VTS Travel Enterprises has been providing
exceptional value, technology and service to its clients since 1935. VTS Travel
Enterprises, Inc. is located on the World Wide Web at www.vtstraveldirect.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS:
This press release contains statements which may constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. This
press release may include forward-looking statements that do not refer strictly
to historical results or actions, which although believed to be reasonable, are
inherently uncertain and difficult to predict. Such statements are subject to
certain risks and uncertainties inherent in 800 Travel Systems' business and
investors, and prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking
statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and
uncertainties and that actual results may differ materially from those projected
as a result of various factors as set forth from time to time in the Company's
filings with the SEC, including its recently filed form 10-KSB for the year
ended December 31, 1999. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise the forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect
events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events.
INVESTOR RELATIONS: MEDIA CONTACT: PUBLIC RELATIONS:
Lisa Lettieri Elissa Grabowski Rod Caborn
Lippert/Heilshorn & Assoc. Lippert/Heilshorn & Assoc. YP&B
(212) 838-3777 (212) 838-3777 (407) 875-1111
or lisa@lhai.com or elissa@lhai.com or rod_caborn@ypb.com