Travel Technology
Expedia Group | September 11, 2023
Expedia Group has launched the TAAP Autumn Sale, offering substantial savings to meet the rising demand for fall travel in 2023.
US travel advisors can provide travelers with 20% or more savings on global hotel bookings until September 24, 2023, making travel more affordable.
Expedia TAAP provides access to over three million properties, 200,000 activities, 175 car rental options, and 500 airlines. For streamlined booking and support, travel advisors can utilize tools like Virtual Agent and Live Agent Chat.
Expedia Group has launched the Expedia TAAP Autumn Sale, aimed at helping travel advisors meet the growing demand for fall/autumn travel in 2023 and boost bookings. This sale allows US travel advisors to provide travelers with 20% or more in savings on thousands of hotels worldwide for bookings until September 24, 2023. Travel under these offers is valid through March 31, 2023.
Expedia TAAP offers travel advisors an extensive inventory featuring over three million properties, 200,000 activities, 175 car rental options, and 500 airlines. It provides access to Expedia Group tools, including a Virtual Agent for quick assistance and a Live Agent Chat for more in-depth support, streamlining the booking process and enhancing the advisor's capabilities.
Travel advisors interested in the TAAP travel agent affiliate program can access comprehensive program details on how to become part of this extensive network on the official Expedia TAAP website. With the expansive range of resources available through Expedia TAAP, travel advisors can deliver exceptional service and options to their clients. Expedia Group's extensive family of brands, including Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Orbitz, and many others, ensures that travel advisors have a wide array of offerings to meet various travel needs and preferences.
Robin Lawther, Vice President of Expedia TAAP, mentioned,
"We are pleased to offer our advisors easy access to our travel offerings to help them drive more business.”
[Source – Travel Pulse]
Robin also mentioned that thousands of discounted properties are available for last-minute summer getaways, fall city trips, or early winter sun bookings. This gives travel advisors the flexibility to meet the needs of their travelers.
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Travel Technology
PR Newswire | October 06, 2023
United Airlines today announced new technologies and policies to improve the travel experience for customers who use a wheelchair, including a new digital filter on united.com that helps determine which aircraft can accommodate different sized chairs, and refunding the fare difference if a higher-fare flight is needed to accommodate a specific wheelchair size. United expects to launch these new tools early next year.
"By offering customers an easy way to know if their personal wheelchair fits on a particular airplane, we can give them the peace of mind they deserve when they fly with us," said Linda Jojo, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for United. "Plus, collecting this information ahead of time ensures our team can handle these special items with proper care and attention."
New Flight Filter and Fare Reimbursement
The new flight filter on united.com will enable customers to enter the unique dimensions of their personal wheelchair as part of the flight search. The search results will then prioritize flight options on aircraft with cargo hold doors large enough to accommodate the wheelchair dimensions. The size of aircraft cargo hold doors varies, so some aircraft are better able than others to handle larger motorized wheelchairs, which must travel upright.
If a customer is unable to take a preferred flight because their wheelchair will not fit through the aircraft's cargo door – and takes a United flight with a higher-fare that can accommodate their wheelchair on the same day and between the same origin and destination – the customer may seek a refund of the fare difference. Customers seeking a refund of the fare difference will need to follow United's process, including completing a short form after they've traveled. United will promptly ensure they receive the difference in fare after review.
Airport Experience Improvement Program
Later this year United will begin a six-month pilot program at George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport to explore ways to better accommodate customers in the unlikely event their wheelchair was damaged or delayed while traveling. The program will focus on the timeframe between a customer's arrival and when United returns the wheelchair or provides an appropriate loaner wheelchair if the original is damaged. United will collaborate with its Accessible Travel Advisory Board to explore several initiatives aimed at improving the airport experience during this challenging period, including providing specialized seating onsite and reimbursing the customer for transportation expenses should they choose to wait at a location other than the airport.
United entered an agreement earlier this month with the U.S. Department of Transportation to deliver these initiatives through a mutual commitment to increase accessibility and improve the travel experience for customers who require the use of a wheelchair. United carried about 150,000 wheelchairs in 2022.
United's other recent measures to improve accessibility include:
Providing ramp agents new mobile technology that indicates when a wheelchair is on a flight to ensure they are prepared to receive and load it. The technology also inhibits ramp agents from closing out a flight until they acknowledge that they've loaded all wheelchairs.
In August, United became the first U.S. airline to add Braille to aircraft interiors, helping millions of travelers with visual disabilities more easily navigate the cabin independently. United expects to outfit its entire mainline fleet with Braille by the end of 2026.
The United mobile app was recently redesigned to make it easier to use for people with visual disabilities with increased color contrast, more space between graphics and reordering how information is displayed and announced to better integrate with the screen reader technologies like VoiceOver and TalkBack.
United's latest Inflight Seatback Entertainment screens offer a wide range of accessible features such as closed captioning, text-to-speech controls, magnification, explore-by-touch capabilities, audio-described movies, and adjustable and high-contrast text and color correction. As part of United Next, the airline's historic growth plan, the carrier expects to take delivery of about 700 new narrow and widebody aircraft by the end of 2032, all of which will include the latest in seatback screen entertainment options.
Through Bridge, United's Business Resource Group for people of all abilities, employees help create a workplace environment where all can strive to achieve their maximum potential and support our commitment to being an ally for customers with disabilities.
For the eighth-straight year, United was recognized as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion and earned a top score on the Disability Equality Index benchmarking tool, a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN, to advance the inclusion of people with disabilities.
About United
At United, Good Leads The WaySM. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
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Travel Technology
Business Wire | October 30, 2023
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake, a timeless urban haven on the east bank of Kuncheng Lake and one of the highest hotels in Changshu, with panoramic lake, city, mountain and sunset views.
Located a one-hour drive from Suzhou, Wuxi and Shanghai, with convenient access to Changshu’s intercity train network, the hotel offers the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle. Changshu is hailed as the blessed land in the south of Yangtze River, a destination of spectacular natural beauty where green mountains stretch into the city and water flows to the sea. With a history dating back more than 3,000 years, it is also an important birthplace of Wu culture, which is characterized as being delicate, graceful and refined, having preserved many unique cultural traditions nonextant in other regions of China.
“We are excited to welcome guests to Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake, an ideal destination for discovering the unique historical, cultural and natural richness of Changshu,” said Frank Chen, general manager, Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake. “With modern guestrooms, delightful culinary experiences and flexible event spaces accompanied by thoughtful service, our hotel offers a vibrant new stay experience in Changshu and a premier gathering venue.”
Contemporary Design
Owned by fashion and textile giant Bosideng, the hotel is designed as a modern reflection of Yushan Mountain’s cultural heritage infused with Bosideng’s dynamic spirit of creativity and innovation. The result is a distinctive contemporary edge including décor inspired by feathers and the timeless charm of the traditional guqin instrument, which creates a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. The harmony of modernity and tradition expressed in artwork, murals and motifs around the hotel transforms every space into a gallery of sophistication.
Spacious Accommodation
Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake offers 289 spacious guestrooms and suites ranging from 430 to 1722 square feet (40 to 160 square meters), furnished in contemporary style with plush fabrics, marble bathrooms, a work desk and floor-to-ceiling windows offering memorable lake or city views. Thoughtful amenities such as high-speed Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth sound system and satellite TV ensure guests stay well connected and entertained, while Regency Club access in premier rooms provides complimentary privileges such as afternoon tea and evening cocktails.
For families and guests with longer stays, the hotel offers two-bedroom suites with additional space for added convenience. Meanwhile, the Presidential Suite on the 33rd floor provides a residential-style retreat with a dining room, kitchen and study.
Culinary Experiences
Surrounded by sweeping views from the 36th to 38th floors, the hotel’s four distinct dining venues indulge guests in a variety of culinary experiences ranging from local street food to international fusion cuisine. Market Café satisfies appetites throughout the day with an array of international flavors, including abundant buffet selections. Xiang Yue showcases local cuisine and Zhejiang Chinese specialties crafted with fresh seasonal ingredients and offers eight exclusive private dining room settings for business dinners, social gatherings and celebrations. At Yinxiu 36, guests can savor the authentic teppanyaki cooked right before their eyes in an interactive journey of gastronomy. Come evening, The Lounge is the perfect place to unwind, enjoying signature canapés and cocktails in a social ambience with live music.
Recreation and Wellness
A 24-hour fitness center and an indoor swimming pool with stunning lake views make it easy for guests to relax and recharge after a day of business or sightseeing.
Guests can also enjoy Changshu’s pleasantly mild climate while immersing in lakeside activities such as cycling and kite-flying. The hotel is also well placed for guests to explore Changshu’s stunning landscapes, whether hiking up its most prominent peak at Yushan Mountain National Forest Park or taking a scenic boat ride through Shajiabang National Wetland Park.
Meetings, Weddings and Events
Offering over 25,994 square feet (2,415 square meters) of versatile spaces, Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake provides an exceptional setting for business and social events and once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, whether on an intimate or large scale.
Its largest venue is the Regency Ballroom, one of two pillar-free ballrooms, spanning 9,149 square feet (850 square meters) with a separate lounge area, built-in LED screen and French windows. The hotel also boasts ten meeting rooms and boardrooms equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, as well as exclusive spaces suited for private parties and VIP events. Coupled with the support of its event specialists and catering experts, Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake is set to become a go-to gathering place for a successful and stress-free event experience.
World of Hyatt Gives Members 500 Reasons to Stay Somewhere New
To provide World of Hyatt members even more ways to be rewarded, World of Hyatt is offering members the opportunity to earn 500 Bonus Points for qualifying nights at Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake, from November 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024, part of World of Hyatt’s new hotel member offer. Additional participating hotels and their offer stay periods can be found at worldofhyatt.com/newhotelbonus. No registration is required and members can earn on top of other offers.
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