In the news: Higher stake for Travelport in Locomote, AccorHotels and Samsung partner, enhanced CWT mobile app
Travelport ups stake in Aussie tech start-up, shuffles management team
Travelport redefines digital and mobile services for business travellers with Locomote’s investment. (Image credit: kasto80/iStock)
Travelport has increased its investment in Australian corporate travel technology company, Locomote, to 55% to become its majority shareholder.
Travelport said its investment is “an integral part of its ongoing strategy to redefine travel commerce to address previously unmet needs — in this case through the provision of state of the art digital and mobile services for business travellers”.
The company first invested in Locomote in 2013.
Gordon Wilson, Travelport president and CEO, said the move was in line with the company’s ongoing drive to develop new digital services and mobile capabilities for the travel industry.
“Corporate travel needs and demands content, and the demographic make-up of travellers is changing rapidly. Travelport intends to be at the forefront of these changes as we deploy our content and technology assets to address them.“
Wilson added that Locomote, “which approached the market with a clean slate and a fresh approach, is a key part of how we envision the future.”
Following the increased investment Sandra McLeod has been named as Locomote’s new CEO based in Melbourne. She was most recently Travelport’s group vice president for global accounts and corporate development.
Locomote’s founding investor and CEO, Philip Weinman, steps into the role of vice chairman.
In a related development, Travelport announced a number of changes in its management team, as well as new appointments.
• Scott Hyden, formerly GVP and managing director for Travelport Americas, becomes GVP, enterprise customer group. This newly formed group takes on responsibility for Sandra McLeod’s former role with global TMCs and corporate customers and adds to it responsibility for the company’s largest OTA customers, such as Expedia and Priceline.
• Bret Kidd is the new GVP and managing director for Travelport Americas and will have overall responsibility for the company’s travel agency, TMC and regional OTA customers across the region.
• Dan Westbrook replaces Kidd as vice president and general manager for Travelport’s Air Commerce Technologies business.
“These changes enable an even tighter alignment of Travelport around our desire to redefine travel commerce and fuel the growth of our customers around the world,” said Wilson.
AccorHotels goes to bed with Samsung to transform hotel experience
Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa. (Image credit: AccorHotels)
AccorHotels and Samsung Electronics Co.Ltd have entered into a partnership to roll out Samsung’s SMART Hospitality Display technology across the hotel group’s properties across 92 countries.
Samsung will be the preferred display provider for AccorHotels, and its UHD displays will be available in guestrooms and common areas, including lobbies, bars and restaurants.
“This technology upgrade will provide AccorHotels’ on-site staff with all-in-one tools and extended flexibility to deliver a tailored and visually-compelling guest experience,” said AccorHotels in a statement.
The partnership also enables AccorHotels’ properties, including the Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure and ibis global brands to have access to hotel solutions such as Samsung’s LYNK Hospitality Management technology.
The Samsung LYNK platform makes it possible for guests and staff to have greater control over different aspects of hotel and in-room environments such room lighting and workflow management.
Additionally, the partnership will facilitate the implementation of a cloud-based wireless printing solution, as well as digital content including video-on-demand (VOD) and streaming platforms.
The agreement further extends AccorHotels and Samsung’s partnership to introduce modern and technologically-connected hotel concepts across the world.
The two companies announced plans to design and build an experimental hotel in Seoul, South Korea, featuring state-of-the-art technology and multi-point connectivity for a more interactive guest experience.
“AccorHotels is committed to offering all of our guests-whether they stay with us for business or leisure – a hotel experience that meets their expectations and needs, particularly when it comes to technology and connectivity,” said Vivek Badrinath, deputy CEO for AccorHotels.
CWT upgrades travel app
Improved app with more functionality.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) has released the 11.0 version of its CWT To Go travel app, which includes new functionality.
The improved app makes it easier for planners to monitor their travellers’ trips through automatic data syncing, has enhanced airport maps for easy navigation of airports, and an extension of the click-to-call service to enable travellers to get in touch with a counselor.
CWT is also strengthening the connection between travellers and its counselors in North America by pre-populating the traveller’s local branch number in the app. For example when things, such as flights, change, travellers have easy access to someone who can help, without having to search through paperwork.
David Moran, executive vice president, CWT, said the app’s enhancements came as a result of both focus groups and user feedback, as well as vision for the future of managed travel applications.
“As a leading travel management company, it’s up to us to help travelers be more productive by giving them great tools at their fingertips. That could mean helping them navigate an unfamiliar airport, or giving them easier access to our counselors when they need a helping hand.”
CWT To Go is free to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
