The weekly news roundup: Skyscanner’s new quality ratings feature, Club Carlson’s ‘Members Only Rate’, TripAdvisor’s million dollar pledge to the refugee crisis
TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY: Skyscanner’s partner quality ratings help travellers with flight booking
Quality ratings help travellers decide on their choice of airlines. (Image credit: encrier/iStock)
Global travel search engine Skyscanner has launched the partner quality ratings feature to make it easier for customers to choose the airlines they want to fly with.
Based entirely on feedback from travellers the feature is designed to help consumers make choices based on the quality of the booking site, after sales customer support experience and accuracy of the prices shown.
Skyscanner said the new ratings would enable airlines and online travel agents to differentiate themselves through the quality of their service as well as on price.
Data from over a million travellers using Skyscanner globally is used to calculate a score out of five for the booking experience with each airline and online travel agency.
The ratings are based on travellers’ feedback from the last 91 days. They take into account issues such as price accuracy, additional fees and the booking site’s ease of use, along with the volume of customer complaints. However, they do not reflect the experience on-board the airline.
The data is updated weekly so that customers can be sure they are basing their decisions on the latest information.
“With so many flight booking partners to choose from, we hope this will also give customers confidence in the company they choose to book with. It is important that our customers are also given key information about the experience they are likely to get, so they can make an informed choice beyond simply the cheapest price,” said Skyscanner’s consumer advocate, Jon Thorne.
He added that the ratings were intended to highlight airlines and online travel agencies who strive to offer travellers the best customer experience.
Airline and OTA partners have been given access to a host of analytics including detailed meta-data breaking down the ratings scores from customers, in addition to their current market share on key routes and API performance.
HOSPITALITY: Club Carlson treats its members to special rates
Club members save up to 10% off the lowest available rate.
Club Carlson, the global rewards programme from Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, is making it easy for its members to find good rates with its new members only discount.
The ‘Members Only Rate’ saves guests up to 10% off the lowest available rate at 1,000+ participating Carlson Rezidor hotels worldwide when they book directly on the brands websites, mobile sites, and mobile apps.
The hotel group said this new incentive complements the benefits, services and privileges Club Carlson members already enjoy. These include 20 points per US dollar spent on rooms and food and beverages purchases, free award nights starting at 9,000 points with no blackout dates, food and beverage discounts, bonus points for stays, complimentary room upgrades, and early check-in and late check-out.
Members also have access to partners redemptions such as airline tickets and gift cards.
“We want to save our members the hassle of spending time searching around for the best deal at our hotels, and know that by booking directly through our sites and apps they will be receiving our very best rate,” said Roger Chacko, chief branding and marketing officer of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: TripAdvisor commits US$5 million to help refugees
A helping hand to refugees from TripAdvisor. (Image credit: Anton-Chalakov/iStock)
TripAdvisor has pledged at least US$5 million from the TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation over the next three years to aid the humanitarian refugee crisis.
The announcement was made ahead of the White House’s Private Sector Call to Action Roundtable that took place at the UN Headquarters on September 20.
For its initial contribution the foundation will expand its partnership with The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Mercy Corps. providing US$1 million to each organisation over two years.
Additionally, through its TripAdvisor Media Group, the company has committed to provide in-kind support in multiple areas.
The company’s contribution will address four key focus areas of needs identified as:
- Meeting urgent humanitarian needs in Europe and the Syria region
- Enabling access to critical information via technology solutions for refugees to make smart and informed decisions along their journey
- Providing essential education and empowerment opportunities for refugee youth
- Supporting and strengthening resettlement opportunities in the US and in other host communities
“In the face of one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, we are called to action. Millions of refugees are seeking safe haven, often without safety or clarity around where they will end up, and they truly need our collective support,” said Steve Kaufer, CEO of TripAdvisor.
He added that no single company or organisation could tackle this crisis single-handedly.
“Our donation and in-kind support is only a small fraction of what is desperately needed. With the state of the issue, governments around the world need to do more to find and implement lasting solutions; however, it’s incumbent upon the private sector to leverage our unique expertise, resources and capabilities in partnership with non-profit organisations.”
David Miliband, president and CEO of the IRC, said TripAdvisor was one of the first companies to respond with relief support as thousand of refugees arrived in Greece last summer.
The travel site also raised the profile of the crisis with their subscribers worldwide, he added. “TripAdvisor’s leadership in the travel sector and continued investment will be invaluable in addressing the needs of refugees.”
Neal Keny-Guyer, chief executive officer of Mercy Corps, which spent five years working in Syra, said: “What we’ve learned is that when organisations like TripAdvisor open their hearts and join us we can change lives.”
TripAdvisor began its support of the refugee crisis a year ago through its foundation, donating US$1.4 million to both the IRC and Mercy Corps.
• Featured image credit: ZING-Studio/iStock
