HTS, the B2B division of Hopper, has expanded its partnership with Virgin Australia to launch a hotel booking portal via its HTS Stays vertical.
Virgin Australia is the first to integrate HTS Stays into its direct channels. In February, the airline partnered with HTS to introduce Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR), giving customers the option to cancel Economy Lite and Choice fares for a fee.
HTS described HTS Stays as “a modern accommodation solution for airlines to accelerate their cross-sell capabilities.” The marketplace will be integrated into Virgin Australia’s digital ecosystem and allow the airline to “offer customers a seamless booking experience encompassing flights and hotels.”
The portal is now available on the Virgin Australia website and app. When using the portal, members of the airline’s loyalty program (Velocity Frequent Flyer) can earn three points for every Australian dollar spent.
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“We pride ourselves on building modern marketplaces that meet the evolving needs of modern travelers,” said Dakota Smith, president and co-founder of Hopper. “By pairing our award-winning mobile and web UX with our innovative approach to rewards, we are steadfast in our mission to elevate the travel booking and trip-taking experience for travelers globally.”
Rob Pickering, general manager of direct and ancillary at Virgin Australia, called HTS “a strategic and critical partner for modernizing and enhancing our sales channels.”
“By enhancing our accommodations offering with HTS, we are excited for our customers to enjoy a more seamless and personalized booking experience for their whole trip,” Pickering said.
In an email to PhocusWire, Smith said that HTS currently accounts for 75% of the Hopper business, and the company is continuing to grow and add new partners.
“We use our data advantage and AI-driven travel technology to help travel brands, airlines, hotels, and financial institutions address modern traveler needs,” Smith said. “Virgin Australia is our first HTS Stays partnership to launch, and we are thrilled with the initial results.”
Last month, HTS announced a partnership with Jazeera Airways to launch CFAR and Disruption Assistance For Any Reason (DAFAR) across its direct channels, as well as a partnership with Lloyds Bank to launch a travel booking platform, Lloyds Travel Booking powered by Hopper, for Lloyds’ cardholders in the United Kingdom.
“HTS has several other partnerships in the pipeline, as we partner with travel providers to integrate fintech products, uplevel e-commerce solutions and develop world-class marketplaces,” Smith said.