Hospitality Trends

Sonder Holdings Inc. More Than Doubles Footprint in Boston with Addition of 264-key Hotel

businesswire | June 02, 2023 | Read time : 03:04 min

Sonder-Holdings-Inc-More-Than

Sonder Holdings Inc, a leading next-generation hospitality company that is redefining the guest experience through technology and design, today opened The Arcadian, its sixth live property in Greater Boston. It becomes the largest hotel in Sonder’s portfolio, and one of its highest key-count properties alongside Battery Park in New York City and Business Bay in Dubai.

Sonder is now operating The Arcadian hotel, which has 264 rooms and occupies a prime location in Brookline. The property is close to Boston University and Fenway Park stadium, with easy access to Harvard University, Boston College, and several leading medical institutions. It is the perfect base for exploring the city and discovering hidden local spots.

“We’re excited to operate this large hotel in an unbeatable location, more than doubling our key count in Greater Boston. Our signature design-forward, tech-enabled experience appeals to the next generation of travelers, and will help us maximize the potential of this incredible asset. We bring deep operating experience with over 40 markets worldwide, and look forward to welcoming business and leisure guests in the heart of Brookline,” said Gregg Klein, Regional General Manager at Sonder.

The Arcadian features food and beverage on site, parking, and a fitness center. It joins Sonder’s five existing properties in Greater Boston, including the 907 Main hotel in Cambridge and The Pierce serviced apartments in the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood.

“Sonder leases, manages and operates hotel and multi-unit apartment buildings in prime locations. Properties which already align with Sonder’s brand can be quickly and efficiently integrated into Sonder’s portfolio. This enables property owners to start benefiting from Sonder’s operational expertise, brand and distribution, revenue management technology, and RevPAR initiatives to maximize NOI. Additionally, Sonder works with property owners on ground-up new developments, as well as conversions from office to hospitality use,” said Jenna Jacobson, Regional Director of Real Estate at Sonder.

Sonder operates in 40+ cities across ten countries and has approximately 18,200 live and contracted units worldwide as of Q1 2023. The company distinguishes itself in the hospitality industry through modern design and by infusing technology into its guest experience. This app-driven experience puts guests in full control of their stay. They can access everything they need – from booking, to interacting with guest services, to check-out – via their own mobile device from anywhere and at any time, using the Sonder app.

In Q1 2023 Sonder reported 50% year-over-year revenue growth, as the company continued on its path to achieving sustainable cash flow positivity. Sonder continued to expand its corporate travel business, including signing new GDS partnerships and working with leading travel management companies. The company rolled out improved pricing algorithms allowing it to better capture demand throughout the booking window, and continued to implement its elevated merchandising strategy with a reimagined art direction and photography leading to a conversion uplift.
 

About Sonder

Sonder is revolutionizing hospitality through innovative, tech-enabled service and inspiring, thoughtfully designed accommodations combined into one seamless experience. Launched in 2014 and headquartered in San Francisco, Sonder provides a variety of accommodation options from spacious rooms to fully-equipped suites and apartments found in over 40 markets spanning ten countries and three continents. The Sonder app gives guests full control over their stay. Complete with self-service features, simple check-in and 24/7 on-the-ground support, amenities and services at Sonder are just a tap away, making a world of better stays open to all.

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

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

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Business Travel

Selina and Globant Announce a Strategic Global Alliance Offering Unique Benefits to the Globant Community

businesswire | August 28, 2023

Selina Hospitality PLC ("Selina"; NASDAQ: SLNA), an emerging lifestyle and experiential hospitality company serving millennial and Gen Z travelers, is proud to announce a global corporate brand partnership with Globant (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native company focused on reinventing businesses through innovative technology solutions. Launched on August 17th, this thoughtfully constructed cultural alliance offers unique benefits and enhanced travel experiences at Selina's locations worldwide for Globant's vast network of 27,000 employees (“Globers”), as well as Globant alumni, their friends, and family. At the heart of Globant lies the individual journey of each Glober. This partnership, acknowledging Globers' shared love for exploration and discovery, aligns with Globant's dedication to fostering unique personal experiences. In tandem with Selina, a leading brand in experiential hospitality, the partnership aims to extend unforgettable experiences that transcend boundaries. The alliance offers Globers exclusive hospitality discounts, encouraging adherence to Globant's core values, wherever they travel. “In our rapidly globalizing world, professional expectations are shifting. Today's workforce seeks more than just comfortable accommodations with standard workspaces. They are increasingly drawn to authentic experiences, a sense of community, and a connection with local culture,” states Sam Khazary, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Development of Selina. “In partnership with Globant, we rise to meet these evolving needs, positioning Selina as a gateway to unique local experiences tailored to the Globant community.” This innovative program, embracing over 27,000 Globers and the vast Globant Alumni network, serves as a portal to an array of bespoke Selina benefits. With access to preferred rates for our globally dispersed accommodations, Globers can immerse themselves in the breadth of Selina's curated experiences, network of co-working spaces, wellness Mantra by Selina retreats, and the unique explorations of all our offerings. This partnership caters to diverse preferences, from global cities to remote destinations, luxury suites to glamping tents. Benefits include exclusive discounts on local tours, packages, and on-site restaurants, as well as access to recreational activities, wellness areas, and Selina events worldwide. “Selina is more than a hospitality company; we have established a global platform designed for remote working professionals and digital nomads,” adds Khazary. “In a competitive landscape where businesses are vying to attract and retain top talent, our alliance with Globant fortifies our commitment to transforming traditional corporate benefits, asserting Selina as a prominent player in experiential corporate travel.” “At Globant, our mission is to forge strategic alliances that serve as powerful catalysts for our Culture's growth, scalability, and impact. By crafting extraordinary and meaningful experiences, we aim to make each Globers' journey feel as exceptional as they truly are. As we unite our values and foster stronger engagement, we embark on #TheEpicalJourney, redefining possibilities,” said Globant’s People Experience Director, Pablo Bumaschny. “Our partnership with Selina stands as a testament to our commitment to innovation, as their customer demographic seamlessly resonates with ours, making this alliance a harmonious stride towards the future we envision.” The collaboration between Selina and Globant sets a new precedent for each company, demonstrating how businesses can creatively enhance the value proposition for their employees. “We're introducing a new standard that marries hospitality and corporate benefits to empower the modern workforce,” says Khazary. “By extending these opportunities to Globant's employees, alumni, and their network, we aim to cultivate professional interaction, cultural exchange, and access to inspiring workspaces, enhancing job satisfaction, employee motivation, and ultimately, Globant's overall success.” The shared vision for the future between Selina and Globant fortifies this partnership as a key step in shaping how businesses support and reward their talent. “This is more than a partnership; it's a mutual commitment to fostering community spirit, nurturing talent, and enhancing professional growth,” concludes Khazary. “We're eager to welcome the Globant community and invite them to join us on this transformative journey, experiencing first-hand the benefits of community-based experiential travel that Selina champions.” About Globant We are a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves and unleash their potential. We are the place where innovation, design, and engineering meet at scale. We have more than 27,000 employees and we are present in 25 countries and 5 continents working for companies like Google, Electronic Arts and Santander, among others. We were named a Worldwide Leader in AI Services (2023) and Worldwide Leader in CX Improvement Services (2020) by IDC MarketScape report. We were also featured as a business case study at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. We are active members of The Green Software Foundation (GSF) and the Cybersecurity Tech Accord. About Selina Hospitality PLC. Selina is one of the world's largest hospitality brands built to address the needs of millennial and Gen Z travelers, blending beautifully designed accommodation with coworking, recreation, wellness, and local experiences. Founded in 2014 and custom-built for today's nomadic traveler, Selina provides guests with a global infrastructure to seamlessly travel and work abroad. Each Selina property is designed in partnership with local artists, creators, and tastemakers, breathing new life into existing buildings in interesting locations in 24 countries on six continents – from urban cities to remote beaches and jungles.

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Destination and Tourism

Virtuoso reveals all the need-to-know details on fall and festive travel and where the affluent will be heading next

prnewswire | August 18, 2023

Global luxury travel network Virtuoso reveals when, where and how the affluent are traveling for the remainder of 2023. Respected as an industry-leading trend forecaster, Virtuoso gathered data and insights from its network of travel advisors, preferred partners and high net worth/ultra-high net worth clientele based on its data warehouse of more than $63.6 billion in transactions and an ongoing series of surveys. The results were shared at luxury travel's leading event, the 35th annual Virtuoso Travel Week. Running August 12-18 in Las Vegas at Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel & Spa, the event is recognized as the Fashion Week of luxury travel for its presentation of the latest news and trends affecting the industry before thousands of industry leaders, as well as the multi-million dollars in travel sales it drives. The lead story: travel shows no signs of slowing down, despite inflation and global economic challenges. In the first half of 2023, Virtuoso reported a 69 percent uptick in sales versus 2019 numbers, with hotel and cruise segments leading the way, up 173 percent and 122 percent respectively. Luxury hotels in the U.S. have seen a 57 percent increase compared to 2019, while luxury international hotels have soared to a 58 percent uptick. Future leisure travel sales leading into 2024-2025 are equally strong. When comparing sales leading into 2020 from 2019, considered to be luxury travel's highwater mark, 2023's future sales are pacing 107 percent higher. Future sales for 2023 into 2024 are also pacing 44 percent higher than they were in 2022 leading into 2023. Likewise, 2023 future cruise sales are 44 percent higher than they were in 2022 and 106 percent higher versus 2019. Travelers are heading abroad in record numbers. Paris, London and Florence ranking among the most-booked cities this fall. When it comes to the hottest travel trends, Virtuoso advisors have noted continued demand for exclusive-use experiences, such as private aviation and yachting along with itineraries that incorporate next-level stimulation and engagement (think scientific expeditions in Antarctica). The wellness sector continues to thrive, with 94 percent of travelers incorporating self-care into their travels and a rising interest in programs that incorporate creative and performance art. Iceland has emerged as a wellness destination, as has Thailand, as travel to Asia returns. What hasn't changed, but is even more pronounced following the pandemic, is the importance travelers place on genuine, personalized service and their willingness to invest in collaborating with a travel advisor to arrange VIP treatment and access, to have reassurance, accountability and save time, and to ultimately have the experience they want. An overview of the information is below, with complete findings here. Booking analysis is based on transactional data sourced from Virtuoso's travel agency members; wellness and culinary travel insights were based on surveys conducted with Virtuoso advisors; and sustainability findings are the result of a recent in-depth analysis of Virtuoso partners resulting in its Virtuoso Impact Report, Sustainable Travel, 2023. AboutVirtuoso Travel Virtuoso is the leading global network of travel agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel, with more than 20,000 travel advisors. We partner with over 1,800 of the world’s best companies such as hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, and more. Our advisors use their personal connections and firsthand expertise to craft bespoke trips for clients, including unique experiences, special values, complimentary perks, VIP treatment and rare access.

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Travel Technology

Emburse Acquires TRIPBAM to Extend Leadership in Business Travel Spend Management

businesswire | July 25, 2023

Emburse, a leader in travel and expense (T&E) management, has acquired TRIPBAM, the industry’s only provider of fully automated, always-on auditing technology to track and review corporate travel pre-trip spend, corporate negotiated discounts, and supplier contracts. TRIPBAM’s technology constantly tracks and compares current prices with customers’ travel reservations and automatically rebooks a flight or hotel room if a lower price is available. It has tracked more than 30 million corporate travel bookings to date, representing over $30 billion in spend. TRIPBAM’s solutions have helped more than 2,000 customers, including Aon, Elevance Health and Microsoft, to automatically save in excess of $500 million. The acquisition of TRIPBAM makes Emburse an even stronger partner for travel and finance leaders, supporting their efforts to better manage spend and proactively control travel costs. With TRIPBAM, Emburse’s 18,000+ customers can add flight and hotel rebooking to the T&E process, providing the lowest prices for their travel plans. “On the heels of the pandemic, businesses are seeing a strong desire for more employee travel, but a turbulent economy has CFOs and finance leaders looking for ways to keep those costs down without slowing the business, which is exactly what Emburse and TRIPBAM enable," said Eric Friedrichsen, CEO of Emburse. "I'm excited about this acquisition because our combined solution puts the power of automation, AI and data in the hands of our customers so that they can focus on their business instead of the busywork of trying to manage spend manually." “When looking for the best way to help bring TRIPBAM to the next stage of its journey, we knew that we needed to join an organization that has a strong track record of global growth and could support the world’s biggest brands,” said Steve Reynolds, CEO and founder of TRIPBAM. “In Emburse, we found a similarly entrepreneurial, customer-centric organization that is challenging the status quo with new ways of thinking and a great suite of products. With Eric’s leadership and Emburse’s team and resources, we can continue to expand our global reach and find new ways of saving our customers money.” Friedrichsen added, “With TRIPBAM’s innovative solutions and talented team onboard, we can further accelerate the pace of innovation, which is good for both our business and our customers. I see this union driving significant value for everyone, and am very pleased to welcome Steve and his team into Emburse. The future of our business has never looked better!” “Our goal at MSTravel is to make business travel employee friendly, while minimizing environmental impact and delivering financial value to Microsoft,” said Eric Bailey, Global Director - Employee Travel and Devices at Microsoft. “Emburse Go Premier allows our employees to manage every aspect of their trip through a single app, while TRIPBAM delivers savings through rebooking at lower rates. Accessibility and uptime are critical, so both of these solutions running on Microsoft Azure gives us peace of mind. I’m excited to see what the future holds for TRIPBAM as a part of Emburse.” About Emburse Emburseis a leader in travel and expense management. Our expense, travel management, accounts payable, and payments solutions are trusted by more than 12 million business professionals, including CFOs, finance teams, and travelers. More than 18,000 organizations in 120 countries, including FORTUNE 100 and Global 2000 corporations, public sector agencies, nonprofits, and high-growth small businesses count on our intelligent automation, sophisticated analytics, and unmatched spend control to streamline processes, increase spend visibility, enhance compliance, and deliver positive financial outcomes. We eliminate manual, time-consuming tasks, so our customers and their teams can focus on what matters most in their personal and professional lives. We humanize work. About TRIPBAM TRIPBAM is the leading travel technology provider for reducing hotel costs and optimizing hotel programs. TRIPBAM's advanced analytics, benchmarking, and contract auditing capabilities empower companies to save on travel spend without compromising on corporate culture. More than 2,000 companies across the globe trust TRIPBAM’s technology to stay on top of supplier agreements, boost compliance, negotiate new contracts, and save both time and money.

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