American Express Business Travel launches tool to manage hotel spend

By Susan Avery -- Purchasing, 10/30/2007 11:16:00 AM

American Express Business Travel has launched AX HotelHub, a tool to help travel managers control hotel spending and manage corporate hotel programs both online and off.

The tool brings together more than 120,000 hotel properties worldwide from a variety of sources, including Global Distribution Systems, the Internet, consolidators and direct hotel connections into one single source. It offers a variety of rates, from rack rates to last-minute Internet offers and exclusive merchant rates. In other words, a full range of a company’s negotiated hotel rates is fully integrated within one network.

Hotels can account for up to a quarter of a company’s total travel spend.

Last week, American Express Business Travel Services released its Annual Global Business Travel Forecast which predicts hotel room rates will post high double-digit increases in 2008. In New York, for instance, travel buyers can expect rates to rise almost 14%, while in Philadelphia the cost of a room will climb 9%.

Priscilla Campbell, practice leader, hotel, advisory services for American Express Business Travel offers tips for corporate travel buyers negotiating room rates with hotels for 2008 in No vacancy: Travel buyers facing a seller’s market.