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The association Verband Internet Reisevertrieb e.V. (VIR) represents the core themes security on the internet, trust, transparency, and quality standards. It is a speaker for the internet tourist business and a point of contact for consumers, the media and the industry itself. Among its members are eight of the leading online travel portals in Germany (abindenurlaub.de, ebookers.de, expedia.de, holidaycheck.de, jt-touristik.de, lastminute.de, opodo.de and weg.de), which jointly generate a turnover of about one billion euros and employ more than 500 people. The travel portals were visited online by an average of 3 million people per month during the first half of 2009. |
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- Who we are
- How we are
- What we do - for the consumer
- What we do - for the members
- What we do - for the media
- What we do - for the industry
- Why we do what we do
The VIR is the parent association of German online travel portals, counting among its certified members eight of the largest online travel companies in the country. VIR member companies commit themselves to maintaining the highest standards: secure online bookings, transactions and customer care. Member companies and their services are certified by the neutral TÜV, thus setting benchmarks for the entire travel industry. Environmental responsibility furthermore plays an important part in all activities. Through these commitments the customer can rest assured that he is booking more than just a holiday; he surfs safely on to holiday!
The VIR, as well as its member companies, aim to engage with each other as partners, act exemplary in the market and with integrity in all their offers and services. Membership in the VIR is voluntary.
The VIR establishes obligatory quality standards that provide certainty for the consumers that they will receive sincere, competent and customer-friendly advice, care and service on any VIR member portal.
By committing to the VIR obligations, VIR members pledge themselves to high standards regarding offers, services and performance in the market. Beyond that, the VIR and its members collaborate with the certified climate care initiative ‘Atmosfair', so that every customer is given the option to make a donation for protection of the environment when making a booking. The donation, which is a voluntary option during the booking process, goes directly towards environmental projects - certified by the Kyoto Protocol - in Germany and developing countries.
The VIR is the joint voice representing all its member companies with regards to politics, media and the public. The association provides its members with a forum for skills-exchange, and a platform for making connections and reconciling diverging interests.
At the centre of it all is always the customer, who will profit from these efforts.
The VIR initiates, organises and finances competent market research regarding the subjects of travel and online security, the results of which the media are given exclusive access to. Thus, the VIR acts as a central source of information for journalists enabling fact-based, objective reporting on all current tourism subject matters.
The VIR combines the long-term interests of Internet users with the know-how of its members. On one hand ensuring exemplary standards of secure booking, which, on the other hand, leads to increased customer satisfaction, thus benefiting both customers and online travel companies alike.
However, the efforts of the VIR go much further: The VIR and its members drive new developments and sensitise the entire travel industry to important issues as for example data protection or environmental problems.
Furthermore, the mutual clarification and communication with local service providers in respective destinations is a matter of great significance. The "Destination Meets Online" initiative provides an ideal platform to strengthen online sales in direct co-operation with the destinations. This way, the VIR achieves an improvement in quality of online offers that the online sales as well as the destination itself profit from. All these efforts benefit everyone involved - not least the customer!
The VIR and its members are of the conviction that the Internet stands for more than attractive rates, reliable service and secure online bookings and transactions: It is the future of the tourism industry and the medium to make holiday dreams a reality. It is therefore of particular importance to us to provide Internet users with a secure, service-oriented, price- and environmentally conscious online travel product. Additionally, the VIR and its members continually work to develop all aspects of the online travel booking process. Through this collaboration, they develop new standards to the benefit of customers. This goal can only be achieved by working together and in open communication by all its members, so that also in the future the customer will be "surfing safely on to holiday!"
