TripBAM to test ‘cluster’ booking tech with major clients

Technology startup TripBAM is to work with BCD Travel and a number of its major corporate clients over the coming months to test hotel shopping and booking technology.

Technology startup TripBAM is to work with BCD Travel and a number of its major corporate clients over the coming months to test hotel shopping and booking technology.

The Texas-based firm, which uses patent-pending “cluster” technology to help corporates, travel management companies (TMCs) and travellers find and book the cheapest available hotel rates, made the announcement at the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) convention in Los Angeles this week.

Its technology is used to book the cheapest available hotel rates, and then automatically monitor inventory for rate drops or cheaper at the same property or at nearby properties until the check-in date.

If a better deal is found, the system automatically cancels the original transaction and rebooks the new cheapest available rate.

“TripBAM addresses two current challenges,” said April Bridgeman, senior vice president of strategic marketing at BCD Travel.

“It makes hotel rate fluctuations visible and actionable to business travellers, and also makes them more informed hotel shoppers by exposing them to relevant lower cost alternatives through its cluster capabilities.

“With increasingly sophisticated hotel revenue management practices driving frequent rate changes, this service helps us discover opportunities to achieve same hotel savings as well as to steer travellers to preferred hotels.”

The World Independent Travel Network (WIN), which is headquartered in London, has already demoed the technology to a number of its agency members.

Chief executive Neil Armogie told Travolution sister-site Travel Weekly that pilot programmes would start once the technology was able to display fares in sterling.

He said: “The tool could provide TMCs and their clients with enormous value. It automatically shop for hotel rates, and enables the TMC to ensure it is buying the best possible rate for the client while keeping all bookings in policy and through the company’s preferred hotels.”