American Express Global Business Travel unveils ground transportation platform
American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has unveiled a multi-channel ground transportation platform that gives travel managers and travellers expanded flexibility, choice and control.
GBT’s ground platform offers access to more than 750 ground operators in more than 2,000 cities in 18 countries. Integrated options include black cars, taxis, limos, airport express trains and shuttles, plus ride sharing via a recently announced partnership with Lyft − the first integration of its kind between a ride-sharing company and a travel management company.
The platform equips clients with a GDS-agnostic solution that seamlessly captures and manages ground bookings in one place, regardless of whether the booking was made online, offline or via the Amex GBT Mobile app. Customisable at both company and traveller level, the platform can evolve as corporate travel policy requirements and individual preferences change.
Travel managers will now have access to all company bookings in a single location, giving companies comprehensive visibility into their ground program. It underpins GBT booking channels including the Amex GBT Mobile app, and connects to Global Trip Record™ (GTR) – GBT’s single source of accurate, reliable real-time and historic trip data.
Michael Qualantone, Executive Vice President of Global Supplier Relations for American Express Global Business Travel, said, “Traditionally, ground spend has been a blind spot for travel managers. GBT clients saw 95%+ leakage through out-of-policy booking channels for ground bookings in 2017, resulting in lost opportunities for our clients to negotiate on that spend and ensure traveller compliance. Our ground transportation platform is the first solution of its kind for booking via a seamless user experience that meets both the content and choice expectations of travellers and the core needs of travel managers, all in one place.”
The new GBT ground transportation platform offering includes:
- Ability to shop, compare rates and book in one place for black cars, taxis, limos, airport express trains and shuttles, and ridesharing with Lyft
- Access to 24/7 global customer service and negotiated supplier discounts
- Promotion of corporate duty of care through Global Trip Record™ (GTR) integration and connection into GBT’s Expert Care™ travel disruption and risk management platform.
- Flight status monitoring in real-time to ensure smooth and timely transfers
- Attachment of ground bookings to existing trips, so air, hotel and ground reservations are displayed as one itinerary
- Secure data and privacy standards
- Access to reporting and benchmarking data to create visibility into spend and program value
- Advice on program optimisation for travel managers
- Ability for travel counsellors to edit bookings remotely on behalf of the traveller
- Editing and viewing bookings on all portals, including all GDS platforms
The platform is currently in pilot with early adopter clients in North America and EMEA. GBT clients can contact their client managers for more information about the GBT ground platform.
You might also like
Jordan Tourism Board awards Certificate of Appreciation to Pammi Aunty
Think Strawberries, the Jordan Tourism Board Representative office in India along with the Embassy of Jordan in India recognized actor Ssumier Pasricha for his outstanding contribution towards promoting Jordan Tourism
Tourism in Nepal bouncing back to normalcy
The heritage monuments in quake-hit Nepal are being restored to woo tourists. The Himalayan land that shares a century-old civilization with India is Nepal that was recently struck by the
Goa all set to celebrate Bonderam
Bonderam is one of the most unique festivals of Goa celebrated on the fourth Saturday of August every year at Divar Island. The feast takes the form of a carnival
