INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Travelner | February 10, 2022
The pandemic in general, and the outbreak of Omicron recently, have created a much broader awareness of travel insurance. “What happens if I get Covid during travel?” is for sure the most frequently asked question by travelers worldwide. The answer is in fact, very simple: “Insurance".Many travel insurance companies are now offering travel insurance packages that include the medical coverages of Covid-19. But would it benefit travelers in light of the new Omicron variant or any variant that may potentially appear? And how to find the best online travel insurance amongst so many options out there? Follow these top tips recommended by Travelner experts - a top-class travel agency - to get travel insurance online that can fully protect you and your loved ones when traveling abroad.
Find a credible provider to get travel insurance online
It is indisputably essential to check your insurance provider’s credibility before processing any further transaction since it will directly affect your benefits. “The best way to thoroughly examine your insurance provider is by looking at their state licensing, claims process, and complaints. And don’t be afraid to ask the provider about how they handle claims and how they arrive at a claim award ", said Tyler Wong of Travelner. These questions will help you choose which insurance company can support you to get travel insurance online and assist you in the event of an emergency.
Don’t forget to check your provider’s terms and conditions to make sure that the procedure is transparent and trustworthy. An insurance company’s financial strength is a valid proof of its ability to secure your benefits in case of any incidents. Travelner is proud to be a strategic partner with Trawick Insurance - recommended by Forbes as one of the best online travel insurance companies so that we can ensure travelers can fully experience their holidays when traveling with us.
Compare plans, prices, and benefits of cheap online travel insurance packages
Although most travel insurance packages do include Covid-19 medical expenses, some of them might not. Therefore, Travelner experts suggest travelers should read the policies carefully and look out for those that exclude pandemics. Travelner is currently providing a travel insurance package that covers medical expenses for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and any mutation or variation of SARS-CoV-2.
Most travel insurance plans with medical benefits now treat Covid like any other illness. So when comparing prices to find the best online travel insurance, make sure that you are considering packages with the same plans and benefits. Keep in mind that cheap online travel insurance doesn’t mean it is the best option for your trip abroad. Moreover, note that to make a claim, you must have had travel insurance before becoming ill since insurance is designed for unforeseen issues.
Check on the claims process of the travel insurance provider
People often overlook the importance of claims process transparency, while in fact, it is one of the determining factors to distinguish between an ordinary and the best online travel insurance company. An ideal claims process should be transparent and fully guided so that you should know who and how to contact to make an insurance claim.
With Travelner’s insurance, travelers can rest assured that the claim procedure is clearly instructed and all claim forms can be found easily on the Travelner website. No more tedious process to get your family and yourself fully protected from the pandemic when traveling abroad with our insurance package.
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HOSPITALITY TRENDS
Rakuten, Cloudbeds | August 04, 2021
Cloudbeds, the fastest growing hospitality management platform today, announced a partnership with Rakuten Travel Xchange, the hotel wholesale and travel technology division within the Rakuten Group. The collaboration connects Cloudbeds with Rakuten Travel, the highly ranked OTA in Japan, and 400+ B2B partners connected worldwide through API connections, travel agent portals, and websites. The unique and diverse distribution channels allow Cloudbeds to extend its reach to the extensive Rakuten Travel Xchange customer base through a single connection. In addition, Rakuten Travel Xchange adds the Cloudbeds inventory of properties that use its award-winning technology platform to manage all aspects of their business, from booking engines to payments.
“We are always seeking high-value partners to complement our expanding platform, “says Anna Tsujihata, Head of Hotel Contracting and Connectivity, of Rakuten Travel Xchange. “With Cloudbeds now part of our global distribution platform, we expand our offerings to travelers seeking unique properties with superior guest experiences.”
“As global travel reopens, we want our properties to be available to the largest customer base possible,” says Sebastian Leitner, VP of Partnerships for Cloudbeds. “By partnering with Rakuten Travel Xchange, a major global player and distribution channel in Japan; we significantly increase our global footprint. We are excited to partner with them.”
The announcement comes as the pandemic wanes and travel demand is increasing. Since the beginning of the year Rakuten Travel Xchange has seen bookings increase month after month, with strong demands coming from the United States and Mexico in particular. As restrictions have started to lift in other markets, travel in these geographies has followed similar trends. What is clear is that there is a large amount of pent-up demand. Rakuten Travel Xchange is seeing this demand in real-time across its global distribution network.
About Rakuten Travel Xchange
Rakuten Travel Xchange is a hotel distribution service providing travel retailers around the world owned by the Rakuten Group, Inc., a global leader in Internet services. It enables accommodation partners to distribute their inventory through an extensive global distribution network that includes Rakuten Group’s branded sites, other online travel agents, wholesalers, airlines, app-only players, loyalty programs, and an assortment of offline retailers including travel agents and call center operators.
About Cloudbeds
Founded in 2012, Cloudbeds is the fastest-growing hospitality management platform in the world. Its SaaS platform provides tools to manage better properties of all types and sizes, allowing property managers and owners more time to focus on their guests while building revenue, driving bookings and increasing operational efficiencies. Trusted by more than 20,000 hotels, hostels, inns, and alternative accommodations in more than 157 countries, the Cloudbeds suite is a fully integrated platform of capabilities designed to help properties unify their management, reservations, and booking systems, grow revenue, and automate workflows with confidence and ease. For more information, visit www.cloudbeds.com.
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COMMERCIAL TRAVEL
Snowfall | December 03, 2021
Snowfall, the travel technology company, has announced the launch of Junction – the next-generation travel platform that enables suppliers, resellers and partners to deliver the next generation of travel.
Junction provides travellers with more control, choice and confidence, making it possible to book multiple modes of travel door-to-door in a single ticket and supports the traveller throughout the entire journey. By offering a wide range of content, services and enhancements, the platform introduces a new way of connecting all the participants in the ecosystem and disrupts the way to book and experience travel.
Junction arrives at a time when outdated infrastructures and legacy systems are leaving major gaps in the consumer experience. The online research and booking process for travellers has become a maze, difficult to navigate. With an increasing focus on sustainability - Booking.com's 2021 Sustainable Travel Report found 81% of travellers want to stay in sustainable accommodation - Junction simplifies the complexities of booking and leads the way to more sustainable modes of travel, empowering conscious choices every day.
Junction empowers suppliers, resellers and partners to offer more choice to the traveller, by incorporating all modes of travel in a single operating system and removing legacy complexity. Junction is powered by four cloud-based modules: Exchange, Pay, Boost and Plus. These technologies ensure:
Cost effective distribution (Exchange)
An open architecture app store for ecosystem collaboration (Boost)
Seamless payments (Pay)
Revolutionising industry workflows and traveller experience (Plus)
These four modules modernise the way to connect, interact and increase value across the ecosystem, creating a new standard for the industry.
"We created Junction because when it comes to travel, we believe there's a better way. Junction unlocks the power of technology and delivers travel that is accessible, flexible and straightforward. By incorporating all modes of travel in a single, dynamic operating system, we are bringing simplicity to the complex travel industry and empowering suppliers, resellers and partners to change the way people experience travel for good. Connected to Junction, suppliers and resellers can provide their customers with a new generation of offers through the channels their customers prefer."
-Stefan Cars, Snowfall CEO and Founder
About Snowfall
the company behind Junction, is a UK-based travel technology company delivering products, services and partnerships. Snowfall is leveraging its experience from all major multimodal travel verticals, one of the few companies who can bring this extensive expertise. While partnering with over 40 top tier travel companies, Snowfall's solutions, such as ticketless travel, have consistently led the way for travel innovation on a global scale.
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