TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY
Plusgrade | February 23, 2023
Plusgrade, the global travel industry's premier provider of ancillary revenue solutions, recently announced the acquisition of UpStay, a growing upgrade and ancillary revenue solutions provider for the hospitality industry. UpStay supports hundreds of hotels throughout 17 countries by aiding hoteliers in growing ancillary revenue by delivering numerous value-added revenue streams to their guests.
Since its inception in 2019, UpStay has been acknowledged for its innovative technology, receiving the 2021 People's Choice Innovation Award (Phocuswright Travel Awards) and the 2022 World's Best Hotel Tech Startup (World Travel Tech Awards).
Plusgrade's acquisition of Points, the global leader in powering loyalty commerce, brought together two of the largest ancillary revenue solutions under one umbrella. Now, the company has initiated a new phase of rapid expansion. By adding UpStay, which provides hotel upgrades and other ancillary revenue solutions, to its portfolio, enhances its ability to deliver comprehensive and diverse services to its global customer base.
This move positions Plusgrade to make a more significant impact on travel businesses worldwide, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction. UpStay will be incorporated into the Plusgrade brand over the next few weeks and will operate as Plusgrade going forward.
Ken Harris, CEO of Plusgrade, shared, "The acquisition of UpStay is another step forward for our vision and mission of becoming the Global Ancillary Revenue Powerhouse." He adds, "We have been accelerating this mission through a series of innovations, launches and acquisitions, and have come into 2023 as a powerhouse for the global travel industry. We are thrilled to have the UpStay team join us, and look forward to tapping into their expertise and innovative technology to bring even more value to our now 200+ airline, hospitality, cruise, rail and financial services partners around the world."
(Source – PR Newswire)
About Plusgrade
Plusgrade offers a portfolio of premium ancillary revenue solutions that power the travel industry. With over 200 clients from various sectors, including airline, cruise, passenger rail, hospitality, and financial services, the company creates new, meaningful revenue streams by delivering exceptional customer experiences. As an ancillary revenue powerhouse, it has created new revenue opportunities worth billions of dollars across its platform, enhancing travel experiences for millions of passengers and guests. Founded in 2009 with headquarters in Montreal, the organization has a global presence with offices located worldwide.
Read More
HOSPITALITY TRENDS
Outrigge | February 17, 2023
Solonis, a company specializing in modern property management solutions, has recently announced a partnership with Outrigger® Hospitality Group, a barefoot-luxury brand and management company based in Honolulu that owns/operates resorts, hotels, and condominiums. Outrigger® has selected Solonis to provide its guest engagement technologies and property management system to its 16 Hawaii Vacation Condo properties.
Outrigger® has charted a course of discovery for the past 75 years. It has premier hotel and beach resort properties spanning the Hawaiian Islands, Asia-Pacific, and the Indian Ocean, including Fiji, Mauritius, Thailand, and the Maldives. The company is renowned as an innovator in tourism development, in addition to its meaningful guest experiences. Solonis will now equip Outrigger®'s Hawaii Vacation Condos with customized solutions that meet special operational requirements, enhance guest experiences, and optimize front office and housekeeping efficiencies.
Outrigger® will gain access to Solonis' comprehensive reporting capabilities, revenue management tools, guest and owner portals, and flagship property management system through this partnership. Solonis will also provide several custom development items and oversee the full onsite implementation.
Carly Clement, VP of Hawaii Vacation Condos by Outrigger®, shared, "We appreciate Solonis' thoughtful approach towards innovation and are pleased to partner with them to provide our condo owners and guests with new efficiency and operational visibility while maintaining the personal touch that Outrigger is known for."
(Source – Business Wire)
About Outrigger®
Based in Honolulu, Hawaii, Outrigger Resorts & Hotels is a beach resort company that operates premium resorts and hotels in the Hawaiian Islands, Asia-Pacific, and Indian Ocean. Each Outrigger property offers a compelling guest experience with a distinct sense of place and is associated with local culture and world-class hospitality. With 38 properties and over 7,000 rooms in operation and/or development, Outrigger's multi-branded portfolio includes OHANA Hotels by Outrigger®, Outrigger® Resorts, and Hawaii Vacation Condos by Outrigger®, in addition to managing select properties from top international hotel brands such as Best Western®, Wyndham Destinations, Embassy Suites®, and Hilton Grand VacationsTM.
Read More
TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY,INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Internova Travel Group | January 06, 2023
Internova Travel Group, one of the largest travel service companies in the world, has committed to assisting in the fight against the effects of global climate change and is currently working toward becoming carbon-neutral with its employee travel by the end of 2023.
The company has recently initiated a partnership with Sustainable Travel International. This global organization has more than 15 years of experience developing successful sustainable travel practices and supporting some of the previous year's best carbon offset programs for the travel industry.
To broaden the scope of these efforts, the firm has launched two new programs for clients that will aid them in lowering the emissions caused by their travel.
The first one is the Climate Positive Program, geared toward corporate clients. It intends to assist in evaluating the sustainability initiatives of their businesses, measuring their emissions, formulating strategies to reduce or eliminate those emissions, and effectively communicating with their stakeholders, customers, and employees.
The next one is the Climate Action Program, designed for clients who are interested in leisure travel. It allows them to contribute 1% of the total cost of their trip toward offsetting their emissions. Travelers will also get helpful tips and up-to-date information on the latest efforts to make tourism more sustainable.
The company is committed to giving its travel advisers training on sustainability and holding workshops with travel suppliers to teach them how to make itineraries that are good for the environment. These two initiatives are part of Internova's commitment to the environment.
Internova Travel Group said that as a travel company, it has a special duty to become a strong advocate for the environment. The company intends to protect the world's natural and cultural resources so people can enjoy them for generations.
About Internova Travel Group
Internova Travel Group is one of the biggest travel services companies in the world. It has a number of well-known brands that serve both leisure and business travelers. Its divisions manage leisure, business, and franchising enterprises. The company has over 100,000 travel advisors in over 6,000 company-owned and affiliated sites in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Read More