UATP has added corporate hotel and payment platform HRS as a UATP merchant, giving the network its first "widescale" acceptance within the accommodation sector.
As a UATP merchant, HRS now can accept UATP as a form of payment for business travel and meetings booked through its platform, while HRS is providing invoice automation, billing and reconciliation to UATP.
Alexander Olsen, HRS’s VP of spend management and payment consulting, said: “By joining forces, we’re creating a truly complete ecosystem for business travel - bridging the complexity of procurement and booking quality hotels with seamless payment and financial reporting.
“Our combination of innovative automation and hotel expertise also provides a new option for travel suppliers as they seek more cost-effective, streamlined accommodation options for their global workforces.”
UATP has been broadening acceptance beyond its traditional airline market, including being used for payment in categories such as rail and travel management company fees.
“HRS’s expertise, particularly when it comes to the automated payment processes that govern expedient payment to hotels from corporate enterprises, makes them the perfect partner for our expansion in the hotel and meeting sector," added Zach Ornelas, UATP’s SVP of commercial.
The announcement of the deal was made as UATP prepares to hold its Airline Distribution 2025 conference in Budapest this week. UATP chairman, president and CEO Ralph Kaiser will discuss the new partnership with HRS’s CEO Tobias Ragge on stage on Wednesday (19 March).