TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY
businesswire | April 10, 2023
Officials of HEI Hotels & Resorts, a leading hospitality investment and management company, today announced the company was awarded a Vibe Vista award for “Best Beverage Menu” at this year’s Questex Vibe Conference, the premiere on-premises beverage conference for executives. This marks the second consecutive year in which HEI was recognized, winning for Best Overall Beverage Program in 2022.
“Vibe Vista Awards recognize the top performers in the beverage industry through the creation, training, execution, management and on-going positive results of beverage programs, and we are humbled to be recognized from among this year’s outstanding participants,” said David Miller, corporate director of beverage operations, HEI. “It is important to our entire F&B team to work with hotels individually to create beverage menus that add to the experiential nature of our properties. While our mixologists are experts in what they do, it takes that extra property-level knowledge to create something unique that stands out from the crowd. This award is a testament to the hard work done by our executive team comprised of Rachel Moniz, Aliya Kritzler and me, as well as the individual hotel teams and beverage partners who helped us achieve this amazing goal.”
Vibe Vista Awards entries were reviewed by a panel of Johnson & Wales University beverage faculty, staff and alumni and were judged on positive beverage sales initiatives, efficient operational innovations and training and service programs producing high quality standards.
As an example of its beverage program, HEI worked with the F&B associates at the Westin San Antonio’s recently remodeled Zocca Bar to create “The Paloma Rossa,” a cocktail derived using Blanco tequila, grapefruit, Big Red syrup, torched rosemary and lime to create a similar taste to a popular local soda. “San Antonians are in love with Big Red Soda, but people from outside the 210 and 726 area codes likely aren’t that familiar with the drink,” Miller noted. “By working with our on-property bar teams, however, we were able to create a truly unique cocktail for our guests that takes a casual drink to a truly localized experience we find visitors prefer.”
ABOUT HEI HOTELS & RESORTS
HEI Hotels & Resorts, headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., is a leading hospitality investment and management company that owns or operates 100+ luxury, upper-upscale and upscale independent and branded hotels and resorts throughout the United States. HEI’s branding partners include Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Choice and Wyndham. The company is renowned for its commitment to its associates under the culture of HEI Loves, its revenue management, profit contribution and empirically based real estate value creation, driven by a full complement of proprietary software tools to set and exceed targets on a fully integrated basis. HEI works hand-in-hand with institutional capital partners on existing assets under management as well as sponsored acquisition opportunities. The company has ample equity capital and strategically co-invests with its partners on many transactions.
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BUSINESS TRAVEL
prnewswire | May 03, 2023
Travelpass Group, a leading provider of travel technology and booking solutions, announces the launch of its new trip-planning platform, a wanderlust-inspired site that delivers both public and private discounted room rates and curated experiences for all explorers. By leveraging a multi-supplier network of hotels, Travelpass.com unlocks lodging prices and serves up support, inspiration and community along the journey.
The Travelpass platform provides users with tools that simplify and enhance the trip-planning experience. Anyone visiting the site will have access to discounted hotel rates within North America. To browse its extensive inventory pool, travelers can create a free member log-in for access to lodging deals that are otherwise not publicly available. A 24/7 team of agents are also reachable via phone to unlock the deepest discounts possible and provide customer support. Once a traveler finds the just-right destination, bookings are processed directly on the Travelpass site.
"The modern traveler demands a straightforward platform that delivers transparent pricing and customized trip-planning tools, so they can efficiently book an incredible getaway," explains CEO Ryan McCoy. "The travel industry is known for its lethargic approach to innovation we haven't seen major disruption since the advent of rideshare apps. What sets Travelpass apart is our access to multiple supply channels, allowing us to provide insider rates as well as technology-enhanced, personalized trip-planning tools."
With summer travel starting to heat up, certain cities are already experiencing an influx of bookings by travelers attempting to get ahead of the inflation and availability curve of hotel rates. Travelpass Group found the top five most popular U.S. cities being booked between May 1 to Sept. 30 this year are:
Las Vegas
Orlando, FL
Nashville, TN
Seattle
New York
No matter where you choose to explore this summer, Travelpass is creating better travel experiences with transparent pricing and easy-to-access support. According to 2022 data from Google, 43% of travelers stated that the length of the research cycle before completing a booking was at least one month. The company's platform streamlines the typically arduous trip-planning process so travelers can plan their whole vacation in one place, with 59% of summer travelers opting for the ease of booking over the phone with the support of the Travelpass team.
"Travelpass is for the explorer-at-heart. We are passionate about enriching people's lives through travel and that sentiment drives every aspect of this company," says Austin Lowe, Travelpass President. "This platform opens new doors while gathering a growing community of curious and fun travelers who want to inspire one another through their experiences. The adventure is just beginning."
Travelpass plans to roll out several new tools in the coming months, including an itinerary planning tool and a travel management app, as well as booking options for destination activities, such as concerts and sporting events. The platform will also host personalized travel agent support and complement its domestic inventory of hotels with international offerings. Explorers hankering for trip-planning guidance can turn to Travelpass for AI-fueled travel recommendations leveraging ChatGPT. Users will have the option to create and save draft itineraries and share them with friends and family to collaborate on.
About Travelpass
Travelpass Group unlocks adventure for all explorers, changing the landscape of travel planning by delivering a vast inventory of hotels and vacation experiences worldwide. Our mission is to open new doors and enrich people's lives through travel. We're not afraid to challenge ourselves and the status quo in order to create a better travel experience, and we love the thrill of finding the best possible value. We promise the straightforward, inside scoop on every destination, starting with great rates and supporting travelers throughout the journey.
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BUSINESS TRAVEL
prnewswire | April 11, 2023
Spirit Airlines is offering frequent travelers a fast-track to the best benefits of the Free Spirit program, including free carry-on and checked bags, seat selection, onboard snacks and drinks and other valuable perks. The airline today announced a new partnership with StatusMatch.com, which allows elite members of more than 30 loyalty programs to apply to receive Free Spirit Gold® or Free Spirit Silver® Status for one year.
Free Spirit Status rewards the airline's most loyal Guests with valuable, enhanced benefits and flexibility.
Guests who hold frequent traveler status with 16 airline and 16 hotel loyalty programs throughout the Americas are eligible to match their status to Spirit. To view the full list of qualified programs and apply for this limited-time offer, visit Spirit.StatusMatch.com.
"Spirit offers convenient, nonstop routes for Guests who are regularly crisscrossing the country, and we're excited to offer road warriors the opportunity to continue enjoying the benefits they're accustomed to while flying Spirit," said Rana Ghosh, Vice President of Omnichannel Sales at Spirit Airlines. "We're incredibly proud of our Free Spirit program, which offers Gold and Silver members a long list of perks on every flight."
Guests who invest $49 to match to Free Spirit Silver Status receive valuable benefits including Shortcut Security & Boarding, free seat selection at check-in and fee waivers for award redemptions and overweight bags.
Perks of Free Spirit Gold Status, for a promotional rate of $99, include the benefits of Silver Status plus a free carry-on and checked bag, Flight Flex, free seat selection at booking and a complimentary drink and snack on board.
"With many airlines and hotels downgrading elite members, this is a great opportunity for members of the eligible airline and hotel programs to switch to Spirit Airlines," said Mark Ross-Smith, CEO of StatusMatch.com. "This is an amazing value for frequent travelers. We encourage eligible travelers to compare the affordable investment of the status match with the great benefits associated with Free Spirit Status."
The Free Spirit program makes it easy for elite members to requalify for Status and continue enjoying their valuable benefits. Participating Guests earn Status Qualifying Points (SQPs) on fares and À La Smarte® options and can earn additional SQPs by using an eligible Free Spirit credit card.
Invest in the Guest
The expanded program is Spirit's latest commitment to Invest in the Guest, which entails a number of initiatives aimed at delivering the best value in the sky:
Upgraded, wider seats with added cushion and headrests will debut on 26 new planes projected for delivery in 2023.
The Big Front Seat® offers more space, extra legroom and no middle seat. It's the best deal in the sky.
Spirit's Fit Fleet is one of the most fuel-efficient fleets in the industry.
Fast onboard Wi-Fi that allows Guests to watch content from streaming services.
About Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines is committed to delivering the best value in the sky. We are the leader in providing customizable travel options starting with an unbundled fare. This allows our Guests to pay only for the options they choose like bags, seat assignments, refreshments and Wi-Fi something we call À La Smarte®. Our Fit Fleet® is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient in the United States. We serve destinations throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, making it possible for our Guests to venture further and discover more than ever before. We are committed to inspiring positive change in the communities where we live and work through the Spirit Charitable Foundation. Come save with us at spirit.com.
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