Chicago, 8 January 2019: RoomIt by CWT, the global hotel distribution division of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, and SiteMinder, the global hotel guest acquisition platform, today announced a strategic partnership in the corporate travel distribution chain. The two industry-leading companies are teaming up to integrate their services and provide hotels with additional access to RoomIt travelers under Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s multi-billion-dollar corporate travel programs umbrella.
The new partnership will give eligible SiteMinder hotel customers access to RoomIt premium business travelers by offering more choice.
“RoomIt is committed to connecting hotels to business travelers and business travelers to the right rooms,” says Yon Abad, Vice President Suppliers at RoomIt by CWT. “We are pleased to fulfill this commitment together with SiteMinder, a globally premier guest acquisition platform. Hotels want more rooms booked and business travelers want more choice; it’s a win-win.”
As the business travel landscape changes, the lines continue to blur on what business travelers look for when booking business trips, making the demand for more choice a table stake for corporate hotel programs. In fact, according to new research by RoomIt and GBTA, 60% of business travelers report they most often stay at upscale or higher properties, opening up a highly-lucrative market for hotels.
SiteMinder’s managing director, Mike Ford, says, “The hotel industry is witnessing an unprecedented rise of direct connections, be that to guests or, now, a travel management company. This partnership is about rewriting the rules to provide hotels choice as they look to tap into the booming corporate travel market.”
The connection is being piloted to SiteMinder’s hotel enterprise customers in the UK and Italy, and expected to be offered to other SiteMinder hotel customers globally later this year. To be eligible, the properties of hotel groups and chains must currently be centrally located in a business travel destination, have more than 10 rooms, and provide amenities and services that cater for business travelers, including last room availability, in-room WiFi and same-day cancellations. For more information on RoomIt’s supplier offerings, please visit www.roomit.com/suppliers.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people connected. We provide their travelers with a consumer grade travel experience, combining innovative technology with our vast experience. Every day, we look after enough travelers to fill more than 260 Boeing 787s and 100,000 hotel rooms - and handle 105 events. We operate in around 150 countries, and in 2017 posted a total transaction volume of more than US$ 23 billion.
RoomIt by CWT
RoomIt by CWT is the hotel distribution division of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a long-standing leader in business travel. Every day we match travelers with the right room at the right rate, and every minute we book over 30 hotel rooms. We also provide travelers with the amenities and loyalty programs they want; while helping organizations control their budget and improve travel oversight. Follow us on LinkedIn.
SiteMinder
In an age of rising choice and accessibility for curious travelers, SiteMinder is the name synonymous with the belief that technology can empower any hotel to win in a consumer-led world and unleash their potential. SiteMinder is the global hotel industry’s leading guest acquisition platform, ranked among technology pioneers for its smart and simple solutions that put hotels everywhere their guests are, at every stage of their journey. It’s this central role that has earned SiteMinder the trust of more than 30,000 hotels, across 160 countries, to generate in excess of 80 million reservations worth over US$35 billion in revenue for hotels each year. For more information visit www.siteminder.com.