Here's our roundup of the people, product and partner news from the global travel industry this week.
bnbfinder rebrands to Savvy
Direct booking marketplace bnbfinder has rebranded to be called Savvy and has launched a new price comparison tool.
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Savvy, which offers bookings for professionally hosted short term rentals without service fees, will show through its new tool the savings a traveler can take advantage from when booking through Savvy as opposed to major platforms such as Airbnb.
"We believe travel should be about creating unforgettable memories with the people you love — not worrying about being taken advantage of by major corporations tacking on service fees," said Eric Goldreyer, founder and CEO of Savvy. "The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) new 'Junk Fees' rule, which requires businesses to disclose all mandatory fees upfront, is a step in the right direction, but at Savvy, we've always led the way with upfront pricing and no platform service fees."
Sabre, Nok Air
Sabre will add content from Thailand's Nok Air to its global distribution system. By joining Sabre, Nok Air will have enhanced visibility among travelers, corporate buyers and travel agencies, which may improve bookings and revenue.
“By adding Nok Air to our growing portfolio of budget carrier content, we’re expanding the range of options available through Sabre’s multi-source content platform and enabling the airline to connect with new audiences through our global travel marketplace," said Brett Thorstad, vice president of agency sales and airline distribution, Asia Pacific, Sabre.
The partnership marks the first time Nok Air will offer its content through a GDS.
“We’re thrilled to bring Nok Air’s extensive route network and service offerings to a wider audience through Sabre,” said Wutthiphum Jurangkool, CEO of Nok Air. “By making our content available via Sabre’s GDS, we’re broadening our global and market segment reach and ensuring both leisure and corporate travelers have more ways to discover and book our flights.”
Hong Kong Airlines, Accelya
Hong Kong Airlines is seeking to optimize operations and reduce distribution costs through a partnership with Accelya.
The agreement sees the carrier implement Accelya’s BIDT Audit system to go through millions of transactions across multiple global distribution systems to recover lost revenue.
“The ability to recover revenue while identifying and mitigating inventory abuse is essential for our operations,” said Esther Chan, revenue system development at Hong Kong Airlines. “Accelya’s expertise and innovative technology made them the clear choice for us. We’re already seeing positive results and look forward to further collaboration as we continue to optimize our operations.”
Travel Ledger, Revolut
B2B payments platform Travel Ledger is integrating its billing and settlement capabilities with Revolut.
The API integration means Travel Ledger customers can use their Revolut Business accounts for business banking activities including payment collection, merchant services and foreign exchange transactions, while settling payments through the B2B travel payments platform.
"We are excited to offer this integration to our customers,” said Roberto Da Re, CEO of Travel Ledger. “We’ve listened to requests from SMEs seeking a banking solution that consolidates their financial needs while still benefiting from the automation that Travel Ledger provides. This is a significant step toward our vision of making Travel Ledger an integral tool within the business banking ecosystem of the travel industry."
Beyond, Booking.com
Beyond, a revenue management specialist for the short-term rental sector is integrating with Booking.com following a deal between the two companies.
The partnerships provides rental home owners with access to revenue management technology and pricing tools helping them to maximize occupancy and remain competitive.
"This partnership with Booking.com is a pivotal moment for Beyond and the vacation rental partners we serve," said Maria Flores Portillo, chief revenue officer at Beyond. "By aligning our advanced revenue management solutions with Booking.com's unmatched global traveler reach, we're creating new possibilities for hosts and property managers to boost their revenue and fill their calendars. Together, we're simplifying how hosts manage their listings while opening doors to untapped markets and more bookings. It's a collaboration that will help our customers thrive in today's fast-evolving short-term rental industry."
Flighthub AI assistant
Online travel agency Flighthub has unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered travel agent called Mila.
Mila can handle multiple languages and aims to help with travel inquiries, booking and cancellations and improve customer service.
“The intention behind Mila’s creation was to leverage artificial intelligence to establish a collaborative approach to customer service,” said Henri Chelhot, CEO of FlightHub. “She works alongside our team, removing tedious tasks and empowering agents to focus on complex, high-priority customer needs. This symbiotic relationship ensures our travellers receive the best possible service at every touchpoint.”
Valpas enters Japan market
Valpas, which provides pesticide-free anti-bedbug technology to hotels, plans to expand into Japan as part of its ongoing partnership with Canon MJ, a Japan-based technology company that invested an undisclosed amount in Valpas in June.
“We are honored to not only have such an iconic brand as Canon – with its long-standing commitment to innovation – invest in our company but additionally become our partner for expanding the Valpas network into popular Japanese destinations like Tokyo and Kyoto,” said Martim Gois, co-founder and CEO of Valpas.
Through the partnership, 2017-founded Valpas will have access to Canon MJ’s B2B clients in Japan to assist with market entry. Valpas aims to grow its customer base with the number of hotel beds using Valpas by 50 times to hit 2 million by the end of the year 2030.