SDL International (London Stock Exchange: 'SDL'), the world’s leading provider of translation services and technology solutions, and Best Western International, the world’s largest hotel brand, today announced an agreement to deploy the SDL Knowledge-based Translation System™ (SDL KbT System™) to provide local language web content worldwide. In the second largest technology solution contract ever signed by SDL, Best Western will use the SDL KbT System to save an estimated $2 million over the cost of traditional translation within the first year of operation.

 Best Western hopes to increase online booking revenues by providing its more than 4,000 worldwide members with hotel features, local amenities information and booking capabilities in multiple languages. Implementation will involve translation of more than four million words on four thousand web sites plus daily updates into four languages: French, Spanish, Italian and German.

SDL KbT System is a unique solution within the translation industry. It ensures faster time to market, accurate high quality translation and systematic workflow for high volume jobs. It can achieve savings as high as 60% when compared to traditional localization processes.

“We are very excited about the potential of the SDL KbT System,” said Ric Leutwyler, senior vice president brand quality & member services at Best Western. “SDL partnered with us as we identified and developed our overall commercial strategy. We are now able to achieve high quality translations in half the time and at substantially lower cost than traditional translation processes, which are simply too expensive and time-consuming. We have every confidence in the success of this partnership and the value the SDL KbT System will return to our global business goals.”

“No longer do global businesses have to accept that translation is expensive, slow and difficult to manage,” commented Terry Lawlor, vice president worldwide marketing at SDL. “The SDL Knowledge-based Translation System is revolutionizing our industry, allowing global content delivery to be aligned with modern business practices and pressures. We have made it possible for Best Western to achieve its quality and time objectives at substantially lower cost, which is fundamental to the success of its business case for the localization work.”


About Best Western
Best Western International is THE WORLD’S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN® with more than 4,100 hotels in 81 countries and territories.  It is a membership association of independently owned and operated hotels that provides marketing, reservations and operational support to its members. For more information visit www.bestwestern.com/newsroom.