Web Reservations International (WRI) has revealed it is creating 50 new jobs as part of an expansion of its online platform into key global markets.
The company, which currently employs 100 people, said that it is to grow its workforce by 50pc – 25pc this year and 25pc between 2011 and 2012.
The online accommodation booking player is responsible for up to €350m worth of accommodation and has revenues of €38m.
It was acquired by affiliates of private equity investment firm Hellman & Friedman LLC last November.
The majority of the new roles are within the IT and software development departments, showing that despite the recession there is still strong global demand for online travel services.
“Our strategy is to aggressively grow our business through key initiatives, including localisation of our unique content network, further expansion in growth markets such as South America and South East Asia and the opening of a new data centre to drive further online performance,” explained Feargal Mooney, WRI’s CEO.
“Essential to that growth is the continued recruitment of a high calibre and talented team to create ongoing synergies and value as our vibrant and passionate online community who use our services, continue to advocate our brands.
“A major initiative for this year has been the re-launch of our flagship website Hostelworld.com, enhancing site performance and further improving the customer search experience.”
Mooney continued: “While the majority of the roles we are creating are within our software development team, we also have some exciting opportunities within our business development and account management teams, as we continue to grow our unrivalled choice of properties, which currently stands at over 24,000 worldwide.”
WRI is an Enterprise Ireland client company. Kevin Sherry, Enterprise Ireland’s head of Internationally Traded Services said: “Enterprise Ireland’s strategy is to promote the development of innovative world-class companies and support them to achieve a strong foothold in international markets. WRI are an excellent example of this.
“WRI is a global company, headquartered in Ireland that has successfully carved out a leading position in global markets, particularly in Australia, China and more recently South America. They are a prime example of the type of internationally-focused companies that will be at the forefront of Ireland’s future economic prosperity,” Sherry said.
