Airbnb decides to ban bookings in the U.K. after all

PhocusWire | April 09, 2020

Airbnb has temporarily halted bookings on the platform in the U.K., except for key workers and those with "essential stays." The closure of bookings until at least April 18 has yet to be extended to other countries. The decision comes just days after the company said it would be relying on hosts to ensure guests were not contravening government guidance on non-essential travel. Patrick Robinson, director of public policy at Airbnb, says in a statement: "Hosts across the UK are playing a vital role in housing NHS and other medical staff as they continue their critical work. We’ve also heard from hosts who want to help others follow the rules and keep people safe during these unprecedented times.

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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY

Healix launches innovative Travel Safe tool to evaluate individual business travel risk

globenewswire | May 25, 2023

Healix, the global provider of travel risk management and international medical, security and travel assistance services, has officially launched Healix Travel Safe. This unique online tool supports employers in protecting employees who are traveling for work. Following the huge success of Healix’s COVID Travel Safe product (launched in June 2020), the team has developed this offering to provide automated assessments of the medical, logistical and security risks posed to people who travel for work. The Healix Travel Safe tool provides a comprehensive assessment based on an analysis of the employee’s unique profile and relevant medical history, as well as the proposed itinerary and destination location(s). This assessment identifies those who may be at an increased risk of encountering various dangers and provides insight on potential impacts. Upon completing a confidential, user-friendly online questionnaire, employees will receive an assessment instantly. They can then download this personalized assessment along with guidance on steps they can take to mitigate any risks that they are likely to face if they proceed with the trip. A dedicated portal also enables employers to access a report that details assessment outcomes for all employees in the form of a traffic light system. With work-related travel set to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, employers need the right tools to holistically assess and manage the wide-ranging risks impacting business travel. These risks include rising geopolitical tensions and natural disasters as well as the unique and personal risks that individual employees may face. Healix Travel Safe hits the market at a critical time for business travel. Organizations are focused on ensuring compliance with the new ISO 31030 standard while simultaneously working to reassure employees that their safety and well-being is top priority. Healix Travel Safe ensures that 1) all aspects of travel are properly assessed for risks and security, 2) appropriate safety measures are taken and 3) your organization remains aligned with the global best practice standard. Charlie Butcher, CEO at Healix International, comments: "Travelling for work can be an apprehensive venture in the context of the current climate of geopolitical volatility, recent natural disasters and other risk factors. By aligning with the latest ISO standard businesses can ensure the safety of their people, but to do so requires a thorough assessment of both the health of the traveller and their end destination. It is only with a clear understanding of which employees are more vulnerable and what threats certain locations can pose that a clear plan can be built to ensure the safety of their workforce. “After the success of the COVID Travel Safe tool in addressing Covid-related risks, we have built out the original product to create Healix Travel Safe. This will provide employers the ability to plan and mitigate risk, in line with the global standard, but also gives travelling employees peace of mind and the knowledge that their employer is doing all they can to protect the safety of their workforce.” About Healix Healix is a global provider of travel risk management and international medical, security and travel assistance services. We work on behalf of multinationals, governments, NGOs and insurers they look after the welfare of expatriates, travellers, offshore workers and local nationals in every country of the world. Healix provides a comprehensive, integrated range of solutions to help safeguard the health and security of their client's employees, providing a single point of contact to access the expertise and help they may need, wherever they are in the world, 24/7.

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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY

Trip.com and Amazon Web Services sign MOU to build joint innovation lab

prnewswire | April 27, 2023

Trip.com, an international one-stop travel service provider, today announced it will build a joint innovation lab with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. The joint lab aims to use experts from AWS and Trip.com to develop new technologies that will improve the online travel provider's travel and services. Trip.com and AWS will combine technology resources and knowledge in cloud computing and artificial intelligence to identify and develop new ways to support Trip.com customers. Trip.com, with its unique value proposition, offers an all-in-one suite of diversified travel products and industry-leading customer service, via its mobile-first app to users around the world. Chen Zhang, Executive Vice President of Trip.com Group, said: "We are excited to sign an MoU with Amazon Web Services to build the innovation lab. Trip.com has worked hard to consistently develop technology to improve services and offerings for customers. The innovation lab aims to make travel more accessible and provide the ultimate experience for travellers, using the latest technology, renowned experts, and leading researchers from Trip.com and AWS." "Trip.com is the world's leading one-stop travel service provider and a role model of global development," said Gu Fan, General Manager of Growth Acceleration of AWS Greater China. "We are honored to empower Trip.com through the joint innovation lab with our cloud services and successful practices in the fields of big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to continuously help Trip.com expand its existing business, uncover new growth opportunities and fulfill its mission to 'achieve the perfect journey' for global travelers." The joint lab will focus on five programmes, including Artificial Intelligence, Flight Business, Hotel Business, International Business, and Cloud Technology. In recent years, Trip.com has strengthened collaborations with AWS to improve marketing capabilities and service qualities through its advanced technology. Trip.com has migrated more than 400 of its international business micro services to AWS, proving the model for more departments and mature business component tools to follow suit. After migrating to AWS, Trip.com saw a significant improvement in its air ticket booking system, and reduced overall total memory consumption by more than 96%, achieving major cost savings. During the pandemic, Trip.com successfully launched its innovative live stream campaign 'DreamNowTripLater'. By leveraging AWS services, Trip.com has a robust, high quality, and engaging live stream to showcase true travel destination experiences to customers. AWS has also allowed Trip.com to improve connections with flight and hotel partners, by providing increasingly reliable service for users with a faster and more stable system that reaches millions of global users. In addition, as part of the collaboration, Trip.com leverages AWS to provide training and AWS Certifications to its employees in various fields, such as cloud computing architecture, development, operations, containers, data analysis, database, security, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, which will help them upskill and innovate using cloud computing. AWS and Trip.com also collaborated to develop a four-year training plan and are expected to train approximately 2,000 employees through comprehensive training courses supported by AWS's customer service team. About Trip.com Headquartered in Singapore, Trip.com, a global online travel agency, offers services for flights tickets, hotels booking, train tickets, and the internet. It enhances the travel experience from a short trip to a nearby city to a long adventure across the continent, helping travelers at every step of the journey. It has connected about 1.2 million hotels and over 500 airlines in approximately 200 countries to travelers. With a committed customer service team, it offers services non-stop 24/7 and assists travelers worldwide. It also provides an all-in-one travel application with features like trip coins, app-inclusive deals, easy trip planning, the latest travel updates, and worldwide coverage.

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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY

Airwallex and Expedia Team up to Help Global Business Travelers Travel Easier

businesswire | May 22, 2023

Against a surge in both business and personal travel, global fintech Airwallex and leading travel technology company Expedia Group announced today a joint promotion to help customers save when booking hotel stays. Jessica Chiu, Head of North American Strategic Partnerships at Airwallex said global business and personal travel was regaining momentum and the new partnership with the world’s leading traveler technology platform, Expedia Group, meant existing and new Airwallex customers could enjoy an exclusive 10 per cent discount off hotel stays when booking on the platform, starting from today. The partnership gives Airwallex’s customers access to exclusive perks and highlights the two companies’ shared core value of customer-centricity. “We know the cost pressures many companies are facing in their budgets but we also understand how important work travel can be to building new relationships and growing a business,” Jessica added. “Whether it’s meeting new business prospects, attending a conference or an internal team gathering, we recognize face-to-face engagements help build better connections.” “With so many business travelers looking to book trips amid rising costs and inflation, this partnership with Expedia makes travel more affordable for all Airwallex customers around the world.” Clayton Nelson, Vice President, Retail Partnerships at Expedia Group said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Airwallex to offer their members a way to access discounts across our depth and breadth of global travel supply on our sites. We’re always looking for ways to connect our partners with travelers via our industry-leading affiliate technology.” According to Expedia’s Traveler Value Index 2023, one in three people are planning on business travel in the year ahead. With this increase in demand, and as Covid restrictions are lifted all around the world, Airwallex has been identifying ways to continue to support businesses as they look to travel and grow across borders. About Airwallex Airwallex is a global payments and financial platform for modern businesses. We remove the unnecessary friction and cost inherent in the traditional financial system to help entrepreneurs achieve their global ambitions. Leading companies around the world trust Airwallex to manage everything from payments, treasury, and spend to embedded finance -- all in one single platform. Our purpose is to connect entrepreneurs, business builders, makers and creators with opportunities in every corner of the world. With an international footprint across the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America, we empower businesses to grow without borders.

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