In corporate travel, sourcing is all about negotiating deals with airlines, hotels, car rental companies and other suppliers. Of course, organizations want to get the best value, but travel procurement is about more than price. It’s also about using data to monitor performance on both sides, working with intermediaries, building deeper relationships and exploring new technologies that improve processes.
After making a “modest” investment in corporate sales during the past 10 years, Southwest Airlines expects to significantly increase its numbers. It’s also taking a fresh look at its toolkit and contemplating ways to make bookings more efficient. Southwest started 2017 with 18 field account managers. Senior director of business development Matt Smith, who leads…
Festive Road is a travel consultancy for the social media age. It’s got excellent communicators. Heck, it has The Company Dime as a partner. [UPDATE, 2019: Festive Road was a marketing and content partner for The Company Dime’s 2016-2019 Teleconference series.] When it comes to TMC sourcing, the U.K.-based firm’s announcement this week of a simpler…
GBTA will consider “all forms of accommodations” for a forthcoming update to its hotel request for proposals template. Aiming to complete the update in time for 2019 rate negotiations, GBTA will establish a volunteer task force to determine which new elements to incorporate, according to an association official. Bringing home-sharing into the annual hotel RFP…
Executives at American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines are optimistic. For corporate buyers, many of whom are now in the throes of budgeting for next year, that may mean higher airfares into 2018. Determining which way airfares will move is never easy. On top of the upward and downward pressures that observers routinely…
The reception to some hotel chains’ new 48-hour cancellation rules has been “perfectly fine,” according to Hilton Worldwide CEO Christopher Nassetta. “Nobody likes incremental restrictions on the flexibility of reservations, but I think most customers understand that we’ve got a need to manage our inventory and avoid walking people,” said Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson. “As a…
Airbnb’s continued buildout of corporate travel capabilities has awoken the sleepy serviced apartments sector. New investment capital supports startups for bookings, sourcing and property management. Traditional operators are creating their own distribution platforms. Design norms are shifting along with client expectations for something interesting. Useful for relocation, internships, project work, insurance services and emergencies, serviced…
[UPDATE, Dec 22, 2017: Hyatt’s new “default” cancellation policy, effective January 1, 2018, will require customers of its various brands to cancel at least 48 hours in advance of their planned stays to avoid a fee. “Because each Hyatt hotel may continue to set its own cancellation policy based on local market dynamics and expectations,…
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