Latest news with #directbookings
Skift
05-08-2025
- Business
- Skift
Booking.com Debuts First U.S. Credit Card With Perks for Direct Bookings
This credit card should help build its U.S. business and attract more direct bookings, both longtime goals. soft-launched its first credit card in the U.S., the Genius Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card, which should help in its push for direct bookings. Rather than offering points and miles that are typical in airline and hotel co-branded cards, the Genius rewards card, which is powered by Imprint, issues travel credits. They are worth $1 per credit. The card's perks should be able to boost direct traffic numbers, which over the past four quarters were in the mid-60% range. That's up from the low-60% range a year earlier. Ca
Skift
28-07-2025
- Business
- Skift
Hilton Pushes Direct Sales by Targeting Small Business Travelers
Everyone in corporate travel is trying to cut out the middleman, which is awkward because half the people in corporate travel are the middleman. Hilton's gained traction with a new program for small- and medium-sized businesses and easier processes for payments. Hilton has shifted its corporate travel strategy in recent years to focus more heavily on small- and mid-sized businesses, aiming to reduce reliance on intermediaries and drive commission-free, direct bookings. These travelers now account for 85% of Hilton's business bookings, up from 76% in 2019 — a shift fueled both by faster post-pandemic recovery among smaller companies and Hilton's targeted outreach. Last year, the company launched Hilton for Business, a platform designed to streamline travel management for these companies and deepen direct customer ties. "A couple hundred thousand accounts have registered," said Frank Passanante, Hilton's senior vice president for global sales. "We launched a partnership with American Express in December 2024 that has accelerated enrollments." Participating companies must join Hilton's Honors loyalty program, creating repeat customers that hotels prefer over traditional commissioned bookings. "It's a
Skift
16-06-2025
- Business
- Skift
Accor Bets on Kylian Mbappé in Loyalty Ad to Cut Out Middlemen
Accor is running ads for its loyalty program that star footballer Kylian Mbappé. The goal is to drive more direct bookings. The backstory is that online travel agencies are incredibly convenient for consumers and incredibly expensive for hotel companies like Accor. Accor is banking on sports superstar Kylian Mbappé, to help solve an expensive problem: too many guests booking through online travel agencies instead of directly. The Paris-based hotel group debuted on June 12 a marketing campaign starring the Real Madrid forward to promote its ALL loyalty program, which now counts more than 100 million members. But the real goal isn't building brand awareness. Instead, it's about getting customers to bypass online travel agencies, which typically charge commissions of 15% to 25%. While Mbappé's ads never explicitly mention companies like Expedia or the film highlights the hotel group's loyalty program. Accor is using data to identify and retarget online travel agency users with ads like the one with Mbappé to encourage more direct bookings. "For customers that have used alternative mean
Travel Daily News
11-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
BWH Hotels GB invests in new website
BWH Hotels GB launches streamlined website to boost direct bookings, reduce OTA reliance, and enhance digital tools for 230+ UK hoteliers. BWH Hotels GB is launching a faster, simpler website as part of a push to help its partners minimise reliance on OTAs. This will impact more than 230 independent hoteliers across the UK. The fully redesigned website is part of plans to improve digital infrastructure and will deliver faster load times, a simplified booking journey and improved image and content functionality. It will also introduce tools to support marketing activity at both hotel and regional level, with future plans to integrate AI. The move follows several years of development and testing and forms part of BWH's long-term digital investment strategy. The platform is underpinned by cloud-based technology, with a focus on improving the guest experience while streamlining operational processes for hotel teams. Chris Bowling, Head of Digital and Consumer Marketing at BWH Hotels GB, said: 'The launch of this new website will provide independent hoteliers with the tools they need to compete with the big players, for advanced tech without the complexity. This launch has been years in the making, with vigorous testing to ensure every part of the journey is optimised and efficient. Our team is here to make sure the tech works for our hoteliers, not the other way around. We are of course invested in helping our members thrive – by taking the pressure off them and providing ongoing expertise that makes their digital presence stronger, more streamlined and ultimately more profitable.' BWH Hotels GB is forecasting improvements in conversion rates and organic traffic as a result of the rebuild, as well as a reduction in OTA dependency. This upgrade will impact all BWH hoteliers, including Angela Burns, CEO of Webb Hotel Group Ltd and owner of three BWH hotels including Moor Hall Hotel & Spa, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Sutton Coldfield Angela Burns said: 'We've been working with BWH Hotels since its inception more than 50 years ago and they've always been a fantastic partner – giving us the freedom to run our businesses while providing the right support. 'With technology evolving so quickly in the industry, it's great to see BWH focusing on solutions that not only boost our direct bookings and reduce our reliance on OTAs, but also deliver what our guests actually care about. 'As a hotel, images are key, but large files can slow down website speeds. This new website launch from BWH provides us with a central hub that lets our properties shine without compromising loading speeds, ensuring guests have the best online experience that mirrors the level of care they receive when they arrive.' Worldwide, BWH Hotels operates out of more than 100 countries with 4,200 hotels and 60 million rewards members which means that partner hotels have the potential to significantly increase their number of overseas guests. BWH Hotels GB, which represents Great Britain's largest group of independent hotels, including Best Western and WorldHotels, allows hoteliers to enjoy global reach without sacrificing their individuality.
Travel Daily News
29-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Boom partners with ICND for short-term rental operators
Boom integrates with ICND, empowering vacation rental managers to boost direct bookings, enhance branding, and optimize operations through AI tools. MIAMI, FL, and OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC – Boom, the AI property management system (AiPMS), has announced its integration with InterCoastal Net Designs (ICND), providing vacation rental managers with best-in-class direct booking websites and new tools to supercharge revenue. The integration enables Boom users to seamlessly pair ICND's high-performance websites and booking engine with Boom's AiPMS. This provides operators a complete end-to-end solution that grows direct bookings, builds brand presence, and increases profitability. ICND helps short-term rental managers create customized, sleek, and user-friendly websites optimized for performance, conversion, and guest experience. This integration allows ICND to plug websites directly into Boom's AI platform, giving property managers ultimate flexibility without sacrificing functionality. Boom places AI at the heart of property managers' operations, handling everything from guest messaging and task assignment to maintenance and review management. Boom's powerful AI also collects data and creates dashboards to allow property managers a 360-degree view of their operations at all times. With this strategic overview and the day-to-day administration out of the way, property managers can focus on truly growing their business, and optimizing their channel mix. Boom's AI sales agent is a key part of that strategy. Operating 24/7, the sales agent negotiates rates with prospective guests in real time, adapting its tone, language, and cultural expectations to make guests feel at home before they even start their trip. This capability boosts booking volumes by 10–30% and increases ADR by securing higher-value guests and personalizing recommendations. Shahar Goldboim, CEO and Co-Founder of Boom, said: 'Direct bookings are a key part of many property managers' revenue strategy, and this partnership supports them to expand their channel mix where it makes sense for them, as well as building their brand to attract new homeowners and grow their brand. This partnership helps operators take control of their brand and guest relationships, while our AiPMS handles the operations in the background.' Brandon Sauls, President of ICND, said: 'For vacation rental managers who are serious about ensuring the longevity of their companies, a powerful and attractive branded website is the storefront they need. Our partnership with Boom is an important step in helping managers to take control of their revenue and booking streams, with cutting-edge AI technology at the fore.'
