Travel Technology
Fareportal | November 08, 2023
Fareportal, featuring brands such as CheapOair and OneTravel, delivers online travel solutions focusing on global bookings through OneTravel.
OneTravel's 'Going Places' blog suggests paying tribute to veterans by visiting parks, memorials, and museums on Veteran's Day.
Veteran’s Day has undergone historical changes in its name and date, from its origins as Armistice Day to the fourth Monday in October and then its restoration to November 11.
On the occasion of Veteran's Day, Fareportal's travel agency, OneTravel, is offering valuable insights for those seeking to commemorate this significant day and pay tribute to the individuals who have served in the armed forces.
According to an article published by OneTravel's 'Going Places' blog site, there are several ways to observe Veteran's Day following its spirit, which include visiting various parks, memorials, and museums dedicated to honoring veterans. These locations encompass Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant (South Carolina), Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg (Pennsylvania), Navajo Nation Veterans Memorial Park in Window Rock (Arizona), National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago (Illinois), Liberty Memorial in Kansas City (Missouri), Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington (Virginia).
Werner Kunz-Cho, Chief Executive Officer of Fareportal, stated, "At Fareportal, travel is our mission. We feel it is our responsibility to provide readers with useful information to aid in their travel choices."
[Source – Fareportal]
Furthermore, he emphasized that the 'Going Places' article offers excellent recommendations for destinations that align perfectly with the spirit of Veteran's Day, and whether one chooses to travel by air or road, there is an encouragement for all to explore these captivating destinations.
The history of this observance is intriguing, encompassing its original name and the date on which it was observed. Initially established as Armistice Day shortly after the conclusion of the First World War, the holiday's appellation underwent an official transformation to Veteran's Day in 1954. Subsequently, in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, primarily aimed at creating three-day weekends for federal employees while stimulating travel and tourism. This legislative action resulted in the moving of the observance of Veteran's Day to the fourth Monday in October. The American populace exhibited a mixed response to this alteration of the date. In 1978, President Gerald Ford decided to reinstate the observation of Veteran's Day to its original date, November 11. This year, since it's a Saturday, Veteran's Day will be observed on the preceding Friday.
Fareportal, a company hosting consumer travel brands like CheapOair and OneTravel, facilitates customer bookings through various platforms, including online and mobile applications, and provides airline partners with access to a broad customer base for booking international and domestic flights, hotels, and additional services. OneTravel, a part of the Fareportal family, is globally recognized for delivering comprehensive travel solutions to meet diverse traveler needs. With OneTravel, customers can find budget-friendly flight options, including business and first-class fares, make reservations for hotels and car rentals, and plan vacations to top global destinations.
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Travel Technology
Spirit Airlines | September 13, 2023
Cover Genius announced entering into a partnership with Spirit Airlines.
By integrating the company's XCover, Cover Genius empowers its partners to provide personalized protection options during the checkout process.
Through this partnership, Spirit Airlines' passengers enjoy a top-tier experience, featuring straightforward protection options during booking and seamless digital claims processing.
On September 12, 2023, Cover Genius, a leading insurtech for embedded protection, providing a global distribution platform for any insurance or other type of protection, announced a partnership with Spirit Airlines, a market leader in offering customizable travel options starting with an unbundled fare.
This integration with Cover Genius' award-winning global distribution platform, XCover, will offer Spirit Airlines' non-US and non-Canadian citizen passengers the opportunity to purchase personalized embedded protection. This coverage comes with the added benefit of a swift claims process, marking the first time such an option is available to them.
Cover Genius, selected as the insurtech partner for some of the world's largest airlines, empowers its partners to provide customized protection options during the checkout process. These options can be flexibly bundled or unbundled to cater to each customer's specific requirements. With licenses or authorizations spanning over 60 countries and encompassing all 50 US states, Cover Genius enables partners to effortlessly extend protection to customers from any location, facilitating international expansion.
Rana Ghosh, Vice President of Omnichannel Sales at Spirit Airlines, said,
We are committed to providing our Guests with the best value in the sky, unbundled fares and customizable travel options.
[Source – Globe Newswire]
Partnering with Cover Genius enables them to augment the Guest experience. It allows them to provide customized travel protection for various regions and destinations, added Ghosh.
Through the partnership, Spirit Airlines' passengers enjoy a best-in-class experience with straightforward protection options while booking and seamless digital claims processing. The management of Guests' requirements, starting from the initial sale to administration and claims, is efficiently handled by Cover Genius' consumer brand, XCover.com. This exceptional service has led to an industry-leading post-claims Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +65. Furthermore, the award-winning service design has demonstrated a remarkable 7x reduction in support tickets.
Angus McDonald, CEO and Co-Founder of Cover Genius, stated,
We are thrilled to partner with Spirit Airlines to help international travelers feel more confident in their booking.
[Source – Globe Newswire]
While embedded protection in travel is a common practice, many airlines provide customers with a standard one-size-fits-all policy that fails to address the varying needs of different travelers. The approach has been changed to offer customers flexible protection, customized according to their itinerary or destination, and supported by real-time data. Additionally, customers benefit from a hassle-free claims process that includes instant payments in more than 90 currencies, said McDonald.
International Guests with Spirit Airlines now have the choice to acquire embedded protection supported by XCover. Notably, Spirit Airlines presently serves 27 destinations spanning 14 countries outside of the United States.
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Travel Technology
HEI Hotels & Resorts | October 13, 2023
Courtland Grand Hotel, under HEI Hotel & Resorts, officially joins the esteemed Trademark Collection by Wyndham.
This collaboration integrates the hotel into Wyndham Rewards, with over 100 million members and enhances its reservation system.
The Courtland Grand Hotel's strategic affiliation with Trademark Collection by Wyndham reflects the brand's appeal to three- and four-star hoteliers, preserving their unique character.
Courtland Grand Hotel, a prominent hospitality investment and management company in a significant development, operated by HEI Hotel & Resorts, has formally joined the prestigious Trademark Collection by Wyndham. This strategic partnership seamlessly integrates the former Sheraton hotel into Wyndham Rewards, a highly acclaimed hotel rewards program boasting over 100 million enrolled members. It also grants access to Wyndham's robust reservation system, enhancing its reach and services.
Marilyn Yelle, the director of sales and marketing for the Courtland Grand Hotel, expressed,
"Joining the Trademark Collection by Wyndham affords us the best of all worlds, allowing the Courtland Grand Hotel to retain its independent allure while providing access to brand tools that ultimately benefit our guests."
[Source - Business Wire]
The hotel has been operating since 2017, and its affiliation is seen as both a celebration of independence and an essential step toward the continued mission of providing unparalleled guest experiences. The move also enables the hotel to pay higher commissions to third-party reservation partners and intermediaries, which is expected to further benefit the hotel's bottom line.
The affiliation of the Courtland Grand Hotel with the Trademark Collection by Wyndham underscores the brand's appeal to three- and four-star hoteliers seeking to leverage the scale and resources of Wyndham while preserving their hotels' distinctive character. Trademark Collection, a global brand, boasts over 185 hotels across nearly 25 countries, encompassing premier locations such as Atlanta, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Montreal, Berlin, Zurich, Athens, Istanbul, and other notable destinations.
The Courtland Grand Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta at 165 Courtland Street NE, has upheld an impressive four-star rating on TripAdvisor since 2016. Guest accommodations feature spacious layouts with floor-to-ceiling windows and convenient in-room refrigerators. The hotel boasts a range of appealing amenities, including a 24/7 fitness center and a picturesque garden courtyard with a heated pool covered by a retractable glass dome. Guests can savor American cuisine and specialty cocktails at Fandangles Bar & Restaurant or indulge in a delightful breakfast buffet at Collage. The hotel also presents an extensive event space, offering nearly 100,000 square feet, including two grand ballrooms and an expansive exhibit hall.
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