Travel management’s top priority for a long time was cost control. Now, duty of care and traveler safety are front and center. Traveler satisfaction continues to rank a bit lower (1, 2). Nevertheless, corporate travelers seem to be a pretty satisfied bunch, at least according to 2017 industry research. It sounds counter-intuitive. Business travel is grueling. The list of headaches and… Read More »
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 consequence, the response… Read More »
Measuring lodging’s environmental impact is less straightforward than for air travel or car rental. All three contribute to a business trip’s carbon footprint, but hotels also use lots of water and electricity, and deal with a lot of trash. When deciding which properties to work with, most companies don’t consider environmental data. Many, though, ask for it. More… Read More »
Hotel Buying Oct. 13, 2016 Thanks to all our attendees and speakers! The recording from this event may be purchased here or gifted here for $10. Grab the slides below. On Teleconference 2, The Company Dime and expert guests examined the dynamics of the ongoing 2017 hotel rate negotiating season. ABC Global Services CEO Eric Altschul, Hilton executive director for… Read More »
Hilton Worldwide is no longer considering reduced commissions on its member rates, according to sources. Hilton press officials did not respond to requests for comment sent Thursday morning. This a relief for travel agents and their business customers. Yet, concern about exposure to changes in supplier revenue — especially from hotels — will remain. “We do worry about… Read More »
Hilton Worldwide declined to comment, but several sources said it’s planning to reduce agency commissions on its new HHonors rates. Those are the discounted rates that Hilton revealed in February as part of its “Stop Clicking Around” marketing campaign, designed to compete with online travel agencies. Other travel agencies at first worried they also would not have access… Read More »