Through a new partnership with RoomIt, the hotel distribution arm of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, SiteMinder is giving its hotel customers direct access to a travel management company’s clients for the first time.
The arrangement will allow SiteMinder’s hotel users to surface their best available rates, corporate negotiated rates, consortia rates and promotional rates directly to RoomIt’s travelers.
SiteMinder says, for accommodation providers that meet certain criteria, the direct connection serves as an alternative to traditional corporate travel distribution channels, such as global distribution systems.
In addition to connecting to CWT’s corporate travel network, SiteMinder customers will have the opportunity to reduce guest acquisition costs as well as the ability to market to business travelers located in cities not supported by a GDS connection.
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Eligible properties must be centrally located in a business travel destination, have more than 10 rooms and provide business traveler-specific services including in-room Wi-Fi, last room availability and same-day cancelations.
“The hotel industry is witnessing an unprecedented rise of direct connections, be that to guests or, now, a travel management company,” says SiteMinder managing director Mike Ford.
“This partnership is about rewriting the rules to provide hotels choice as they look to tap into the booming corporate travel market.”
“RoomIt is committed to connecting hotels to business travelers and business travelers to the right rooms,” says Yon Abad, vice president of suppliers at RoomIt. “Hotels want more rooms booked and business travelers want more choice; it’s a win-win.”
SiteMinder’s hotel enterprise customers in the United Kingdom and Italy are currently piloting the connection; it will be available globally to additional customers later this year.