TRAVELPORT has introduced a new hotel booking programme that gives Travelport GDS-connected travel agents guaranteed access to the lowest publicly available rates from a wide range of international hotel groups.
Agents booking via Travelport’s Lowest Public Rate Programme have the ability to source and book the lowest public rate of the day offered anywhere by the participating property, including pre-paid rates and special promotional offers, regardless of whether the rate is flexible or has restrictions.
“By offering complete rate parity, hotels participating in ‘Lowest Public Rate’ stand to boost their brand awareness and loyalty among travel agents, many of whom prefer booking through the GDS channel,” said Niklas Andreen, group vice president, Hospitality & Partner Marketing, Travelport.
“This is a win-win partnership that enables our hotel partners to expand their sales opportunities, while giving agents confidence that they have secured the lowest rate of the day.”
Launched recently on both the Galileo and Worldspan GDS, the programme has already roped in more than 40 participating hotel brands, including InterContinental Hotels Group, Preferred Hotel Group, Leading Hotels of the World and Marriott International, with other chains expected to join by year-end.
The introduction of the programme follows the launch in July of Travelport Rooms and More (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 29), a hotel booking engine that allows agents to compare deals and commissions across multiple aggregators.
