Hilton has launched a new platform to encourage group bookings for small businesses.
The Hilton for Business “Digital Forward Program” is free to join and promises discounted rates across the group's portfolio, as well as milestone bonuses within the Hilton Honors scheme.
Companies that register on the new platform will receive 7,500 bonus points after a program member completes their first hotel stay, and 5,000 bonus points for every 10 nights a program member stays.
Bonus points “are stored within the company’s corporate account and can be used to distribute to yourself and/or Hilton for Business program members.”
Individual travelers, including owners and employees, will continue to accrue individual Hilton Honors Points and benefits for each stay, as stated on the Hilton for Business website homepage:
“All multi-room reservations are considered one room for Milestone Bonus, Room and Night Credit purposes only. To get the most benefit, we recommend that members make individual reservations on their Business Profile.
Once a company is enrolled in the Hilton for Business platform, individual travelers can create separate personal and business travel profiles within their Hilton Honors account, and business owners can delegate program management to any number of administrators.
The platform also allows businesses to track future spending and review past spending.
The creation of Hilton for Business follows data showing that 75% of small business customers book their own business trips and manage their own travel without outsourcing.
Commenting on the news, Chris Silcock, Hilton's President of Global Brand and Commercial Services, said:
“At Hilton, we listen to our guests’ needs and then innovate to deliver exceptional hotel experiences for every stay situation.
“This includes small and medium-sized business customers looking for travel platforms and loyalty benefits that meet their unique needs and reduce points of friction, from booking to billing.
“We are thrilled to officially launch Hilton for Business today as a strategic solution to enrich the business travel experience for our guests and employees.”
In October, American Airlines launched AAdvantage Business, which offers companies and employees AAdvantage miles and loyalty points when booking business travel.
American Airlines unveils loyalty program targeting corporations
hilton.com/HiltonforBusiness