American Express Business Travel announced enhancements to two of its marquee traveler security and benefit programs…
American Express Business Travel announced enhancements to two of its marquee traveler security and benefit programs: the company`s TrackPoint global security solution and its acclaimed Preferred Extras Hotel Program. Effective immediately, TrackPoint, a web-based application, designed to help travel managers as well as risk and security departments to quickly and globally locate their business travelers beset by unexpected events and crises, such as severe weather or terrorist acts, will be made available to the company`s U.S.-based clients. Furthermore, the Preferred Extras` special savings rates and amenity offers, first introduced in 2004, will now apply to nearly 10,000 hotel properties located in 3,400 cities and 140 countries worldwide. Preferred Extras is currently available globally.
American Express is committed to helping business travel program managers gain greater control over and savings from their employees` travel itineraries, said Andy McGraw, senior vice president and general manager, American Express Business Travel. With TrackPoint and Preferred Extras, American Express Business Travel continues to ensure that its clients not only receive the most rigorous traveler security solutions but also the best negotiated travel deals.
By helping companies to quickly identify and locate their travelers in the event of an emergency and by delivering additional corporate savings, these two solutions also align with travel manager efforts to motivate and improve compliance with established travel policies and designated travel plans.
American Express understands how critical it is to command broad adherence to a company`s travel policy and we are constantly working with client to help them develop the most enticing and effective programs available to drive greater compliance, added McGraw. TrackPoint and Preferred Extras, specifically, provide business travelers every reason they`d need to book within corporate policy: be located more quickly should the unexpected calamity strike; receive value-added hotel perks; shave T&E line-item costs.
TrackPoint Global Security Solution
Residing within the American Express Online web environment, as a component of the American Express @Work reporting suite, TrackPoint employs an intuitive, point and click graphical user interface to enable its user to quickly drill down to the country, state / province and city level, and then view an individual traveler`s itinerary. By speeding such global traveler locater searches, TrackPoint aids and better informs decision-making when crises affecting traveler security and well-being break.
Additionally, by leveraging pre-travel data and updating traveler information every four to six hours, TrackPoint ensures that evolving itineraries are captured upon booking, ticketing or change. Furthermore, by allowing its user to view travel data eight days in advance of the travel start date TrackPoint improves pre-travel planning and analysis. Notably, data culled by TrackPoint can also be exported into easy-to-share and read Excel and CSV programs to support more collaborative decision-making.
With this announcement, TrackPoint will be offered to the company`s U.S.-based clients and made available globally over the coming months.
Preferred Extras Hotel Program
American Express Business Travel`s Preferred Extras Hotel Program (PEHP) offers travel managers and frequent travelers more choice in best available unrestricted rates from 29 hotel chains, including well-known chains for business stays such as Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Hilton Family, Omni Hotels, Preferred Hotel Group and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. These and other PEHP participants also may include add-on amenities such as free high-speed Internet access, fitness facilities and access to exclusive club rooms, helping travelers stay productive and feel comfortable while on the road. Additionally, and unlike the restricted offers of certain online travel agencies, with Preferred Extras travelers can continue to accrue points, miles and/or rewards from their hotel loyalty programs.
American Express has negotiated hotel arrangements in 95 percent of worldwide cities where our clients travel for business, ensuring that our clients, no matter where they go, will not only get the best room available, but also the best deal for their stay, said McGraw.
Tricia Tor, director of global travel for TJX Companies, said, I was blown away by the savings identified through the American Express Preferred Extras Hotel Program.
To take advantage of the enhanced PEHP, travelers need to ask for the Preferred Extras rate when booking travel via American Express Online or with an American Express travel counselor. PEHP is currently available to the company`s global client base.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
