BookaBed has further boosted its offerings to the travel trade with the launch of its new online group booking engine – and as an incentive BookaBed is offering a place on the company’s forthcoming fam trip to Miami to the agent who makes the first group booking to the USA! A dedicated UK website is also being launched and moves into Australia and the USA are planned.
The revolutionary booking technology allows agents to access their current requests, speeding up the hotel bidding and negotiations process for discounted group rates. The technology used links travel agents to over 1,000,000 global group co-ordinators and their 40,000 hotel supplier partners. The system also sends requested proposals to group co-ordinators who process the requests to hotel sales contacts in the requested destination. The co-ordinator then receives offers from hotels in compliance with BookaBed’s lowest rate guarantee (often receiving rates as low as 70% off the prevailing hotel guest room rates) in real time. Travel agents are then able to accept or reject hotel offers, either beginning a dialogue with their hotel sales contact directly or requesting a more competitive offer.
This technologically advanced system continues to improve its offerings to increase the efficiencies of travel agents. Groups can take time to obtain rate proposals, however the ability to co-ordinate directly with the hotel for any other requirements such as meeting rooms, dining options and local attraction prices makes it more effortless. This system takes the burden away from the co-ordinator and agent, and can return availability immediately.
Karl Tyrell, BookaBed Managing Director, said: “Because our system is obtaining real time bids directly from sales managers at hotels, the response time has been greatly reduced and this is a vital factor in determining which hotels and agencies ultimately get the group business. We are very excited to see thousands of hotels already using this new platform. I believe this is definitely a game changer for group hotel sales, and I am delighted that we are the first in Ireland to have this offering for our trade partners.”
Booking a group event at a hotel has never been easier. Travel agents will now be able to provide quick turnaround quotes and confirmations for their groups. For a demonstration or for further information, contact Lee Osborne, [email protected] or Beverleigh Fly, [email protected] who will be happy to assist.
Dedicated UK Website
BookaBed is also launching a dedicated website for the UK travel trade, with Darren Hall, former Head of Sales for Funway Holidays International, joining the company as Head of UK Sales. The company is also planning to expand into Australia and the USA this year.
Karl Tyrell said: “For the past 12 months we have been redeveloping our online trade-only booking engine in readiness to launch to the UK trade. Furthermore we are in the final stages of XML integration with all leading partners to maximise distribution reach.”
Darren Hall said: “A great deal of time has been spent developing the website and what we are able to provide travel agents is a very robust booking engine with multi-room booking facilities, last room inventory and flexible markup earnings and we are offering a ‘one stop shop’ booking solution for all travel agents’ accommodation and transfers needs.
