BUSINESS TRAVEL
Eola, Pentech Ventures | April 07, 2021
Eola, the operating system for experience providers, has raised $2.8 million in a fundraising round led by Pentech Ventures, with support from Techstars and other travel and technology business leaders.
Eola delivers cutting-edge operations technology to experience providers in the UK and around the world. Eola provides them with the tools they need to run their entire business, from hiking tours in Scotland to watersports centers in Cornwall to hot air ballooning in New Zealand. The Eola system saves companies time and money by automating booking and payment procedures, making scheduling and resource management simple, and offering features such as memberships and rentals.
During 2020, Eola's revenue increased five times when their client base tripled. During last year's changing conditions, the importance of automated processes, online accessibility, and real-time adaptability became much more evident. Using Eola's proprietary technology, their average partner more than doubled online bookings in 2020 over the previous year. Eola now anticipates much stronger success in 2021, as people are ready to get back outdoors. The new funding will be used to expand the company's technology, team, and commercial footprint.
Eola CEO Callum Hemsley: " We are pleased to have this group of investors on board for the next step of our expansion. The performance we've had so far is a testament to our team's and customers' tremendous tenacity and resilience. 2020 was a challenging year but seeing how everyone handled it was so inspirational. I'm grateful to be on this path with them all. Now, we're looking forward to assisting more established businesses in growing alongside us.
Sandy McKinnon, Pentech Ventures partner: " The Eola team has created a fantastic operating system for running experience-based businesses. It is impressive that a business will expand during a lockdown in this market, and it speaks to the value they deliver to their clients. We are excited to help them and assist them in expanding even more."
Eamonn Carey, Managing Director of Techstars London: "Building products that people want is the most successful way to build a scalable, category-defining business. That is just what Callum, Dan, and the rest of the Eola team have done. I'm consistently impressed by the reviews and referrals they get from their clients, as well as the positive effect Eola has on their businesses. I know it's happening, and I can't wait to see those clients, as well as millions of others, benefiting from Eola's operating system."
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BUSINESS TRAVEL
Hyatt Hotels Corporation | August 31, 2021
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, announced a collaboration between the Hyatt Place brand and Gopuff, a go-to platform for consumers’ immediate everyday needs, such as drinks, snacks, over-the-counter medications, home and baby products and more, including alcohol in select markets.
Starting today at more than a dozen Hyatt Place hotels, this pilot program will create an added layer of convenience and comfort for travelers, providing guests at participating properties with fast, free delivery of thousands of everyday items. Guests at participating hotels can receive items in just 30 minutes delivered from Gopuff’s local micro-fulfillment centers. The collaboration will expand the Hyatt Place brand’s Necessities program, which offers guests a wide range of essentials to keep, borrow or buy, such as toothpaste, cellphone chargers or headphones.
In a recent survey, Hyatt learned that 60% of travelers have forgotten to pack an item (e.g., toiletries and first aid) for a business or leisure trip*. Leveraging data from the same survey, Hyatt and Gopuff identified the most-often-forgotten and most-likely-to-purchase items and collaborated to create in-app categories such as Travel Essentials, Spa Retreat, Movie Night, Office on the Go, and more, to ensure guests have easy, quick access to the items they need most while traveling.
“As both business and leisure travelers adjust their travel routines and seek new ways to travel safely, it’s important for us to keep the needs and wellbeing of our guests at the forefront of everything we do,” said Emily Wright, Global Brand Leader, Hyatt. “Every detail of the Hyatt Place experience is designed around innovation and intuitive design to make guest stays as seamless and comfortable as possible. Our collaboration with Gopuff is just another way the brand is helping guests get the most out of their stay, regardless of their reason for travel.”
Through this collaboration, Hyatt Place guests at participating hotels may enjoy the following benefits:
Free delivery on every Gopuff order for all Hyatt Place guests at participating properties.
Access to quick and free delivery of thousands of products, including drinks, snacks, over-the-counter medications, home cleaning and baby products, alcohol in select markets, and pet products for those guests traveling with their furry friends.
Guests who are using Gopuff for the first time will also receive $10 credit for their first two orders ($20 total)
Guests staying at participating Hyatt Place pilot hotels in Nashville and Phoenix specifically may also take advantage of fresh meals, such as pizza, breakfast sandwiches, cafe style coffee and matcha drinks, and more.
“As a customer-first business, we’re excited to work with Hyatt to bring a one-of-a-kind, convenient experience to their guests,” said Marshall Osborne, Gopuff’s Head of Business Development. “As we continue our mission to become the world’s go-to solution for immediate everyday needs, we're excited to leverage our unique model to innovate yet another industry – travel. We look forward to collaborating with Hyatt to improve the way we travel and to enable Gopuff to deliver to more customers in new ways."
Through February 2022, Hyatt Place guests at the following pilot locations can simply scan the QR code placed in their rooms and common areas to take advantage of the offer during their stay or visit Gopuff.com/r/gohyattplace for more information. Once registered as a new Gopuff user, guests can shop across various product categories and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
About Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company offering 20 premier brands. As of June 30, 2021, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,000 hotel and all-inclusive properties in 68 countries across six continents. The Company's purpose to care for people so they can be their best informs its business decisions and growth strategy and is intended to attract and retain top employees, build relationships with guests and create value for shareholders.
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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Travelner | February 10, 2022
The pandemic in general, and the outbreak of Omicron recently, have created a much broader awareness of travel insurance. “What happens if I get Covid during travel?” is for sure the most frequently asked question by travelers worldwide. The answer is in fact, very simple: “Insurance".Many travel insurance companies are now offering travel insurance packages that include the medical coverages of Covid-19. But would it benefit travelers in light of the new Omicron variant or any variant that may potentially appear? And how to find the best online travel insurance amongst so many options out there? Follow these top tips recommended by Travelner experts - a top-class travel agency - to get travel insurance online that can fully protect you and your loved ones when traveling abroad.
Find a credible provider to get travel insurance online
It is indisputably essential to check your insurance provider’s credibility before processing any further transaction since it will directly affect your benefits. “The best way to thoroughly examine your insurance provider is by looking at their state licensing, claims process, and complaints. And don’t be afraid to ask the provider about how they handle claims and how they arrive at a claim award ", said Tyler Wong of Travelner. These questions will help you choose which insurance company can support you to get travel insurance online and assist you in the event of an emergency.
Don’t forget to check your provider’s terms and conditions to make sure that the procedure is transparent and trustworthy. An insurance company’s financial strength is a valid proof of its ability to secure your benefits in case of any incidents. Travelner is proud to be a strategic partner with Trawick Insurance - recommended by Forbes as one of the best online travel insurance companies so that we can ensure travelers can fully experience their holidays when traveling with us.
Compare plans, prices, and benefits of cheap online travel insurance packages
Although most travel insurance packages do include Covid-19 medical expenses, some of them might not. Therefore, Travelner experts suggest travelers should read the policies carefully and look out for those that exclude pandemics. Travelner is currently providing a travel insurance package that covers medical expenses for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and any mutation or variation of SARS-CoV-2.
Most travel insurance plans with medical benefits now treat Covid like any other illness. So when comparing prices to find the best online travel insurance, make sure that you are considering packages with the same plans and benefits. Keep in mind that cheap online travel insurance doesn’t mean it is the best option for your trip abroad. Moreover, note that to make a claim, you must have had travel insurance before becoming ill since insurance is designed for unforeseen issues.
Check on the claims process of the travel insurance provider
People often overlook the importance of claims process transparency, while in fact, it is one of the determining factors to distinguish between an ordinary and the best online travel insurance company. An ideal claims process should be transparent and fully guided so that you should know who and how to contact to make an insurance claim.
With Travelner’s insurance, travelers can rest assured that the claim procedure is clearly instructed and all claim forms can be found easily on the Travelner website. No more tedious process to get your family and yourself fully protected from the pandemic when traveling abroad with our insurance package.
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