Big cuts on tourism board are impairing small businesses

Travel and Tour World | May 23, 2019

Cenotes, cultural sites and adventure tours are sensing the ache because of the government’s drastic cuts at the Mexico Tourism Board.As important destinations like Cancun still get some marketing aid from leading hotels and resorts, independent tour operators in smaller destinations are mainly facing the challenge, reports Skift.Tulum, the only Mayan archaeological site in Mexico built on the waterfront, is mainly known for suffering, stated city native Manuel Rodriguez, whose scuba tours went from boom to bust.At present, Rodriguez travels to international tourism fairs, like the ones in Berlin, Spain, and London, all by his own to endorse his company with videos, postcards, and posters.

Spotlight

Explore cutting-edge revenue strategies in the hospitality industry. Adopt the latest hospitality management trends to optimize the revenue stream.

Spotlight

Explore cutting-edge revenue strategies in the hospitality industry. Adopt the latest hospitality management trends to optimize the revenue stream.

Related News

Travel Technology, Hospitality Trends

Collinson Announces Partnership with Blue Sky Group to Enhance Lounge Access for Priority Pass Members in Indonesia

PR Newswire | July 05, 2023

Today, Collinson, a global leader in the provision of airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement solutions, and owner and operator of Priority Pass, announces a new partnership with Blue Sky Group, a hospitality provider in Indonesia that manages premium executive lounges in airports across Indonesia, alongside hotels and restaurants. This partnership will allow Priority Pass Members to access 13 airport lounges, eight of which are exclusive to Priority Pass Members, in Indonesian airports. This includes Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK), Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport (BPN), and Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport (PLM). Blue Sky Group's airport lounges offer comfortable spaces for travellers to relax pre-flight, as well as VIP rooms for informal meetings. Lounges at Balikpapan (BPN) and terminal 2 of Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) airports provide complimentary buggy services that transport guests from the lounge to immigration. In addition to curated lounge spaces, members will be able to enjoy Ippolito coffee – Blue Sky's in-house brand, roasted locally – as well as sample Indonesian cuisine, such as Pisang Goreng and varieties of Jajanan Pasar. "This is an exciting time for the travel industry in Indonesia, as the country has set a goal of attracting nearly 7.4 million international arrivals in 2023; almost double the number of arrivals when compared to last year," said Todd Handcock, Global Chief Commercial Officer and Asia Pacific President at Collinson. "We are delighted to partner with Blue Sky Group, one of the top hospitality providers in Southeast Asia, to vastly enhance our Priority Pass Members' experience when visiting Indonesia, through inventory that both provides a taste of the local culture, and a memorable airport experience." Linan Kurniahu, CEO of Blue Sky Group said, "We are thrilled to partner with Priority Pass to provide their members with access to our premium airport lounges in Indonesia. Our airport lounges combine the best of local culture and cuisine with the highest levels of international travel service. This partnership represents a significant milestone for us as we continue to expand our footprint across Asia Pacific's travel industry." Indonesia has a rapidly growing economy and is fast becoming a major international business and leisure travel destination. Recognising the importance of this market to Priority Pass Members, together, both partners will make travel to and within the Indonesian archipelago more comfortable and relaxing than ever before. About Collinson Collinson is the global, privately-owned company dedicated to helping the world to travel with ease and confidence. We work with the world's leading payment networks, over 1,400 banks, 90 airlines and 20 hotel groups worldwide. We deliver market-leading airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement, and insurance solutions for over 400 million end consumers. About Priority Pass Priority Pass is the world's original and market-leading airport experiences programme. We provide travellers with access to 1,300 airport lounges and travel experiences in over 650 airports in 148 countries. Members can access an ever-growing range of premium experiences – from spas to sleeping pods to dining – that help elevate every journey into something special. By building partnerships with other leading brands, we help to bring a better travel experience to the world. About Blue Sky Group A nationwide company focusing on hospitality, property services and restaurant management, Blue Sky Group started in 1973 as one of the few hotels in Balikpapan, Indonesia. Since 2003, Blue Sky Lounges serve in major cities in Indonesia, such as Balikpapan, Jakarta, Pekanbaru, Pontianak, etc. We are the sole privately owned brand with multiple outlets that have partnership with major banks and corporate & government entities in Indonesia. Our aim is to continue to be the destination for travellers before their journey, with the goal of going to international market in the future.

Read More

Business Travel

Hotel Engine Announces Limited-Time Promotion for Summer Business Travel

Hotel Engine | July 20, 2023

Travel technology leader Hotel Engine today announced a first-of-its-kind promotion for new customers to save big on future bookings. Beginning July 19th, 2023, new customers who sign up and book $500 or more before the end of July will receive 25% back on their spend to use on future stays in the form of Hotel Engine Travel Credits. To qualify, new users must: Be a new Hotel Engine customer and sign up to join the platform with their business email here Book at least $500 in rooms before July 31, and complete the stays before October 1, 2023 “We’re on a mission to radically simplify trip management and are confident that our platform offers businesses and travelers the best solution on the market,” said Elia Wallen, Hotel Engine founder and CEO. “We hope this promotion will help new customers experience how Hotel Engine can save them valuable time and money on their lodging programs, especially in this economic environment when every dollar counts.” Trusted by more than 40,000 businesses of all sizes, Hotel Engine is a free-to-use hotel booking engine for businesses focused on securing the best possible rates, delivering exceptional customer service and providing intuitive, flexible bookings tools. Key attributes of the platform include: Cost Savings: Hotel Engine offers up to 60% off rates through relationships with direct hotel partners and wholesalers. And with its free cost savings calculator, Hotel Engine helps customers estimate the potential cost advantages of booking accommodations through its platform. Secure, Consolidated Billing: All reservations at any hotel are consolidated into a single monthly statement, eliminating both the need to chase down endless invoices and the potential for fraud. Rewards & Loyalty Pass-Through: Customers have access to Hotel Engine’s robust rewards program and their favorite hotel chains, including Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy and more. With more than 700,000 hotel partners worldwide, customers don't have to compromise on the hotels they want to stay at or the rewards programs they want to maximize. Intuitive Booking Insights: Data-driven reporting and customized visibility into every company's travel program is available to help companies make more informed decisions. Free Live Support: Hotel Engine's in-house team provides 24/7 support, with virtually no wait times. Last month the company announced significant enhancements to Groups, the platform’s intelligent group booking solution, making it easier for member companies to save time and avoid hassle when booking large or complex reservations. Hotel Engine also released FlexPro, a first-of-its-kind industry subscription that provides companies with complete flexibility to cancel or modify any reservation. About Hotel Engine Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Denver, Hotel Engine is one of the world’s fast-growing hotel booking engines. The company is on a mission to radically simplify trip management for businesses through rapid innovation and customer obsession. Its Double-sided marketplace connects ~40,000 member companies to a growing portfolio of 700,000+ global partner hotels to create a smarter and more rewarding business travel network.

Read More

Business Travel

Airbase and TravelPerk Partner to Enhance Travel Expense Management for Businesses

businesswire | June 28, 2023

Airbase, the leading software provider that helps companies procure, pay, and close their books with ease, and TravelPerk, the fastest-growing global travel management platform, today announced an integration that will enable businesses to seamlessly manage their travel expenditure with less effort. This partnership brings together TravelPerk’s vast travel inventory and reporting insights, and Airbase’s complete spend management platform — which handles all non-payroll spend, including corporate cards, bill payments, purchase orders, and employee reimbursements. “We are excited to announce our collaboration with TravelPerk, a critical step in our quest to help companies manage all of their non-payroll spend,” said Airbase Founder and CEO, Thejo Kote. “This seamless integration automates workflows, reduces manual errors, and provides improved control over travel spending, facilitating rapid reimbursements and a superior user experience for our customers.” With this integration, businesses can effortlessly connect to TravelPerk from their Airbase account, define travel policies, set booking cost limits, and assign Airbase-supported virtual or physical cards for travel bookings. This leads to unprecedented visibility and control over travel expenses in addition to optimizing cashback rewards. Kevin Permenter, Research Director, Financial Applications at IDC, commented on the initiative. “The fusion of Airbase’s spend management platform with TravelPerk’s travel inventory and travel policy controls provides businesses with an enhanced level of control over their business travel expenses. This partnership helps enhance efficiency and bolster compliance for users. This integration will be a welcomed addition to the corporate spending and expense management landscape.” An early user of the integration, Ben Watiwat, VP Finance at Immutable, praised its benefits. “The automatic matching of receipts to expenses and seamless syncing to our general ledger has been a significant time-saver. This integration has been a game-changer, offering efficiency and ease of use that we cannot recommend highly enough.” The integration with TravelPerk elevates Airbase’s standing in the spend management sector, offering a smoother reconciliation process and allowing businesses to stay within budget. Airbase and TravelPerk are poised to redefine business travel and expense management, showcasing the immense potential of an integrated solution. About Airbase Airbase modern spend management combines Guided Procurement, Accounts Payable Automation, Expense Management, and Corporate Cards. Airbase provides the best way to control spending, close the books faster, ensure compliance, and make teams more productive. Airbase brings efficiency to approvals, accounting, and payments with a procure, pay, close process that employees and accounting teams love. About TravelPerk TravelPerk is the next-generation business travel platform pioneering the future of business travel. TravelPerk’s all-in-one platform gives travelers the freedom they want whilst providing companies with the control they need. The result is saved time, money, and hassle for everyone. TravelPerk has the world’s largest travel inventory alongside powerful management features, 24/7 customer support, state-of-the-art technology, and consumer-grade design, all of which are enabling companies and organizations worldwide such as Wise, Revolut, Monzo, Farfetch, Just Eat, GetYourGuide and Skipthedishes, to get the most out of their travel. Backed by world-class investors like General Catalyst, Kinnevik AB, DST Global, Greyhound Capital, Target Global, Felix Capital, Spark Capital, LocalGlobe, and Heartcore — investors in some of the most disruptive companies in tech including Airbnb, Slack, Twitter, Trello, Farfetch, Zalando and Delivery Hero — TravelPerk is reinventing business travel with an end-to-end solution that works.

Read More