ARN’s hotel booking platform Group Productivity Solution adds new industry-leading features designed to simplify the group booking process
ORLANDO, FL, 2019-Nov-08 — /Travel PR News/ — Alliance Reservations Network, which was recently acquired by RCI, the world’s largest vacation exchange network as part of Wyndham Destinations (NYSE:WYND), has added four new feature enhancements to its popular group hotel booking platform Group Productivity Solution (GPS). These new offerings provide attendees with access to make reservation changes directly with the venue right from their devices, while also providing meeting planners enhanced inventory options and customizable cancellation policies.
Group Productivity Solution modernizes the sourcing and contracting process for both small and large groups through streamlining digital hotel requests for proposal (RFP) creation and sending to match planners with the right hotel for their needs. It also offers intuitive room block management access. For each event managed, it also provides group housing managers with a unique link to a customized hotel booking engine that distributes their group block inventory. Through the booking engine, guests book rooms within the group block as easily as they would on any retail travel site.
“We are proud of the efficiencies we have created in the group space,” said Alliance President Peter Strack. “As we leverage our new relationship with RCI and Wyndham Destinations to continue to invest in Group Productivity Solution, we look forward to bolstering our competitive edge in the travel technology marketplace.”
GPS has been gaining market share in group travel since its launch in 2016, specifically in the sports event segment, with large third-party housing companies and events rights holders using the GPS application for a wide variety of professional and amateur sports competitions and events. Beyond the sports segment, event managers reply on GPS to source, distribute, and manage group blocks across a wide variety of hotel brands and offerings.
The platform’s new features help facilitate the booking, communication and execution of large group housing management.
“The new features and diverse offerings within GPS strengthen the group booking platform and, ultimately, allow for a much more seamless travel experience for the end-customer,” said RCI President Olivier Chavy. “Alliance remains at the forefront of customizable travel designs, and we are excited about the increased value to clients.”
New Features
Guest-Initiated Modifications
Event attendees enter their reservation modification requests through a form that they can access through either the hotel booking engine or their confirmation voucher email. The form submits the request directly to the hotel, which is able to respond directly to that email notification and update the reservation in GPS. The guest then receives a notification of acceptance or rejection directly. While the event administrator does not play a role in this transaction, they can see the status of all reservations in real-time within GPS.
Managed Waitlist
This new feature allows event attendees to add themselves to a waitlist for a specific property when the contracted block is completely sold out. The waitlist can be capped to a certain number of guests, and the priority in which guests appear on that waitlist can be changed by the event admin.
When a room at the property becomes available, the event administrator can either set GPS to email guests on the waitlist one at a time, or the event administrator can pick and choose who to offer the available inventory to.
Custom Cancellation Policy
An event administrator can set their own cancellation policy over and above a hotel’s cancellation policy. The cancellation policy text, penalty, and penalty start date can be customized by an event administrator at the event level or at the property level.
Private Inventory
GPS now allows event administrators to set aside room types that are not distributed on the public event hotel booking engine. Private inventory can be set aside for various reasons, such as special room types for VIP attendees, or entry category rooms for event staff.
Available Now
These new features are available now to all new and existing GPS users. Event managers interested in how GPS can scale their businesses can visit www.alliancereservations.com to learn more.
About Alliance Reservations Network
Since 1995, Alliance Reservations Network has created cutting-edge private-label travel booking engine technology services fulfilling billions of dollars in travel revenue from travelers around the world. As one of the first travel booking engine platform providers on the Internet, Alliance has powered thousands of affiliate travel sites and has created proprietary software to service individual leisure, corporate, association, and group and event clients across the globe. Learn more at www.alliancereservations.com.
About RCI
RCI is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange, housing a unique portfolio of brands. RCI pioneered the concept of vacation exchange in 1974, offering members increased flexibility and versatility with their vacation ownership experience. Today, through the RCI Weeks® program, the week-for-week exchange system, and the RCI Points® program, the industry’s first global points-based exchange system, RCI offers its approximately 3.8 million members access to more than 4,300 affiliated resorts in 110 countries. RCI’s luxury exchange program, The Registry Collection® program, is the world’s largest program of its kind with approximately 200 affiliated properties either accessible for exchange or under development on six continents. RCI’s portfolio of brands also includes Love Home Swap, one of the world’s largest home exchange programs, DAE, a direct-to-member exchange company, and @Work International, a leading provider of property management systems. RCI is part of Wyndham Destinations (NYSE:WYND). For additional information, visit our media center or rciaffiliates.com. RCI also can be found on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
About Wyndham Destinations
Wyndham Destinations (NYSE:WYND) believes in putting the world on vacation. As the world’s largest vacation ownership and exchange company, Wyndham Destinations offers everyday travelers the opportunity to own, exchange or rent their vacation experience while enjoying the quality, flexibility and value that Wyndham delivers. The company’s global presence in approximately 110 countries means more vacation choices for its four million members and owner families, with more than 220 resorts which offer a contemporary take on the timeshare model – including vacation club brands; Club Wyndham® WorldMark® by Wyndham, and Margaritaville Vacation Club® by Wyndham– and 4,300+ affiliated resorts through RCI, the world’s leader in vacation exchange. Year after year, a worldwide team of more than 23,000 associates delivers exceptional vacation experiences to families around the globe as they make memories to last a lifetime. At Wyndham Destinations, our world is your destination. Learn more at WyndhamDestinations.com. Connect with us on Twitter: @WynDestinations; Facebook:@WyndhamDestinations; Instagram: @WyndhamDestinations; YouTube:@WyndhamDestinations; and LinkedIn: @WyndhamDestinations.
Media Contact:
Vanessa Picariello
(407) 626-5882
Media@wyn.com
Source: Wyndham Destinations