BETHESDA, Maryland—Marriott International launched Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy, an online travel booking program designed as a direct channel for small to medium-sized businesses. The program combines an expanded booking experience with benefits and rewards available through Marriott Bonvoy’s travel program and portfolio of brands. Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy is available to small to medium-sized businesses based in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America, and is anticipated to expand to other regions.
According to a global survey commissioned by Marriott Bonvoy and conducted by Wakefield Research among business travelers at small to medium-sized businesses in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Mexico, 75 percent report experiencing frustrations with their travel booking platforms. Fifty-six percent say they are difficult to use, 27 percent are unhappy with the inability to book travel and hotels from the same place, and more than a quarter (27 percent) express disappointment with the platforms’ lack of integration with their travel expense programs. In fact, 58 percent are so unwilling to work within their current programs that they would rather ask for forgiveness than permission to book outside their companies’ travel management platforms.
With Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy, companies can book hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio at a discounted rate, as well as flights, rail, and rental cars, within one multilingual tool. The program includes additional features that satisfy business needs, such as access to live traveler data, real-time reporting, and expense management.
“We recognize the significant value small businesses provide to the hotel industry, which is why we’re excited to combine the benefits of our award-winning travel program with a comprehensive suite of tools in Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy,” said Drew Pinto, executive vice president and chief revenue and technology officer, Marriott International. “Whether small to medium-sized businesses are looking for convenient online booking capabilities for their employees or better expense management solutions, the all-in-one platform, merged with our portfolio of hotel brands around the world, provides everything they need to manage their business travel needs.”
The program has the follow features:
- Rates and Awards: Small to medium-sized businesses that join Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy will be eligible to select a discount at hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio around the world (subject to availability) while earning points for future stays at participating hotels, room upgrades, and more. Participating businesses can also receive Marriott Bonvoy Elite status awards after certain companywide usage thresholds are reached. These status awards can be gifted to employees.
- Shopping Experience: The online booking tool serves as a one-stop shop for small to medium-sized business travelers to compare, book, manage, and change Marriott Bonvoy hotel, flight, rail, and car rental reservations all within one integrated platform that supports compliance with their companies’ travel policies.
- Customizable Travel Policies: Travel managers can take control of their companies’ travel policies and ensure compliance with spending limits. From setting clear guidelines for their needs to managing expenses, the self-service tool makes it easy for managers to make changes.
- Global Travel Policy Management and Reporting: Real-time analytics empower managers with insights on travel spend, sustainability reporting, and behavior so they can make policy adjustments.
- Traveler Health and Safety Monitoring: The travel insights tool gives managers the ability to monitor the well-being and safety of employees on the move. Managers can view interactive maps to stay informed of potential disruptions and mitigate risks.
- Expense Management Solutions: Businesses that sign up for Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy will have the option to use an expense management tool. Travelers can choose to integrate the program with existing expense management platforms and submit payments with virtual credit cards. They can also automate expense reports based on set policies, making it easy for managers to approve and reconcile expenses.
- Access to Marriott Bonvoy Benefits: Employees of small and medium-sized businesses who join Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy will have access to the offerings of Marriott Bonvoy.
Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy is powered by Spotnana.
