Travelodge will this week seek to double its share of the £15 billion business travel market in the UK by launching a new Business Account Card. The budget hotel chain is aiming to increase its number of corporate clients by 100% in 2009, capitalising on the need for businesses to cut their travel expenses.
The Business Account Card has been developed in response to requests from the thousands of businesses who have contacted Travelodge in the last six months looking to switch from midmarket hoteliers to the budget sector. This trend has been identified by The Association of Corporate Travel Executives, who surveyed its members and found that 80% are focussing their attention on reducing the outlay on hotels.
Offering Travelodge business customers a credit facility for the first time, the Business Account Card will provide more generous terms than any competitor in the budget sector. With eight weeks credit available, Travelodge will be doing all that it can to assist companies with their cash flow in the current economic climate, as well as offering prices substantially lower than its competitors.
Guy Parsons, UK Managing Director of Travelodge, said:
"An easy way for any business to cut costs is to stop paying a small fortune to stay at over priced midmarket hotels and instead switch to the budget sector. We have been inundated by requests from firms looking to start booking with us and the Travelodge Business Account Card is our way of making it easier for companies to do so".
The launch of the Business Account Card comes only one month after the launch of Travelodges price check campaign. Independently run, the price check compares Travelodge room rates to all of its competitors in every major hotel market in the UK.
Given that the average executive spends 43 nights a year in hotels, the savings that can be made by switching from a midmarket hotel are substantial.
Guy Parsons continued:
"The rip-off room rates offered by our mid-market competitors in the major business markets of the UK show the savings that can be made by switching to budget hotels. By staying with Travelodge you will not get a 10ft swimming pool or a basement gym with three pieces of equipment, but you will make substantial savings.
"With all hotel rooms looking the same when the lights are turned out, the launch of the Business Account Card gives businesses no reason not to turn to the budget sector for their accommodation needs".
Corporate customers will be able to use the Business Account Card to book rooms via the internet, on the phone, through business travel agents and in hotels, as well as be able to use it in Travelodge's BarCafes.
For company travel bookers, the Business Account Card offers an ability to keep on top of travel expenses at all times. An online statement will contain day by day analysis of every cardholders account, enabling close scrutiny of what travel expenses are at any given time. A statement will be issued electronically every month, with a further 30 days for Travelodge payment.
Aside from the value on offer, there is also an added incentive for travel bookers to sanction stays with Travelodge. For every pound spent, bookers will earn Argos Reward points with a quarterly statement being issued showing the value they have accrued.
Guy Parsons concluded:
"The Business Account Card will make the process of booking Travelodge rooms even easier for corporate customers. With the online account management system enabling real time access to the statements of all who have been issued cards by the company, it will also allow business to exercise tighter control over their travel expenses".
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