Marriott International has launched Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy, a comprehensive online travel booking program designed as a direct channel for small to medium-sized businesses.

The Program combines an expanded booking experience with benefits and rewards available only through Marriott Bonvoy’s award-winning travel program and portfolio of brands.

The talk of this week’s (Jul 21-22) GBTA Convention 2024 in Atlanta, Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy is available to small to medium-sized businesses based in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America and is anticipated to expand to other regions.

According to a global survey commissioned by Marriott Bonvoy and conducted by Wakefield Research among business travelers at small to medium-sized businesses in the U.S., UK, Canada, and Mexico, 75% report experiencing frustrations with their travel booking platforms.

56% say they are difficult to use, 27% are unhappy with the inability to book travel and hotels from the same place, and more than a quarter (27%) express disappointment with the platforms’ lack of integration with their travel expense programs.

In fact, 58% are so unwilling to work within their current programs that they would rather ask for forgiveness than permission for booking outside their companies’ travel management platforms.

With Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy, companies have the ability to book hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio at a discounted rate, as well as flights, rail, and rental cars, within one easy-to-use multilingual tool.

The Program includes additional features that satisfy business needs, such as access to live traveler data, real-time reporting, and expense management.

“We recognize the significant value small businesses provide to the hotel industry, which is why we’re excited to combine the benefits of our award-winning travel program with a comprehensive suite of tools in Business Access by Marriott Bonvoy,” said Marriott International Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue and Technology Officer, Drew Pinto.

“Whether small to medium-sized businesses are looking for convenient online booking capabilities for their employees or better expense management solutions, the all-in-one platform, merged with our portfolio of hotel brands around the world, provides everything they need to manage their business travel needs.”

ESSENTIALS: GETTING TO ATLANTA

The best way of getting to Atlanta in comfort and style.

United’s brilliant Polaris Business Class cabin

WAYFARER flew to the GBTA Convention 2024 in Atlanta on United Airlines, which offers daily flights to the city from across America (including Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco) and around the world.

Book a ticket on the long-haul sector in United’s Polaris Business Class cabin, which features flatbed seats, pyjamas (on flights over 12 hours), all-new Saks Fifth Avenue bedding and onboard amenities from Therabody – including a kit that features an eye serum, face spray, hand cream and cleansing towelette exclusive to United customers – alongside fantastic inflight food and drinks (including an a new, brilliant wine menu), premium noise-reducing headphones and fantastic inflight hospitality.

It’s an exciting time for United, with the carrier dramatically increasing Asia-Pacific and European services and debuting new United Clubs across the network.