This includes a heightened focus on Duty of Care, Safety and Security, Meetings & Events and Wellbeing 

London, 24 September 2020 – WIN Global Travel Network, the international network of corporate travel experts, of which the UK’s Advantage Travel Partnership is majority shareholder, has relaunched its Global Accommodation Programme, simplifying the process and injecting many new features and now invites accommodation providers to apply for 2021 inclusion. The programme will be launched to WIN partners in 75 countries, the 200-plus Advantage Travel Partnership travel management company (TMC) UK members, plus extensive user groups in January 2021. The 2020 programme included 35,000 hotels worldwide and more than eight million rooms were booked through the programme in 2019.

As well as a new name, the Global Accommodation Programme 2021 by WIN, the programme has been aligned to market conditions and delivers flexibility. It is remodelled and streamlined, with more choice to suit budgets, as the market prepares for recovery. The objective of this programme is to be able to buy global availability at the right price and it has been designed to create further programmes, specifically for groups, as well as Meetings and Events.

Accommodation providers can apply for inclusion by completing an RFP detailing accommodation and meeting facilities and, to satisfy corporate travel policies, respond to questions surrounding mental health, safety and security, which is aligned to ISO 31030 Travel Risk Management accreditation or certification; CSR, diversity and inclusion. Strict Covid-19 precautions are paramount and in order to build traveller confidence questions are included to ensure the appropriate protocols are in place.

This simpler programme has also introduced a new rate code WLW, in light of Covid-19. This light rate is a room only rate, excluding breakfast but including wi-fi and is based on distressed inventory, with a discount off Best Available Rate.  

Leigh Cowlishaw, Global Supplier Partnership Director, The Advantage Travel Partnership said: “Being included in the Global Accommodation Programme 2021 by WIN puts accommodation providers in front of a massive global booking force of travel management companies across 75 countries.  This programme is part of our recognised Global Business Travel offering and is set to continue to evolve with the securing of additional rich content, across commodities, for member and user advantages.

“When evolving this mature programme, we have continued to review the market and challenges this sector face today and how we can rebuild for the future. The opinions of Advantage and WIN travel management company members and partners, streamlining the programme and in response to the Covid situation, introducing new product and features, has been our objectives that underpin this programme.  Reacting to a member survey, 81% predicted an increase in demand for more choice to enable guests to social distance and every respondent agreed it was increasingly important for accommodation providers to have accredited policies in place for cleaning standards, wellbeing, safety and security.  Flexible cancellation policies continue to be key. We have acted on the feedback, reviewed landscapes as well as setting performance metrics within this new programme and put ourselves in the shoes of the end customer, as well as trying to embrace corporate cultures to ensure that this programme is fit for purpose, and aids recovery of this sector. We are also opening up our rich content to other new users, which enables us to further aggregate the spend on our chosen platform and provide deeper benefits to all.”