Above & Beyond (AAB), a hotel distribution network, announced a strategic global hotel partnership with Lufthansa City Center (LCC), which calls itself the world’s largest network of independent travel agency franchises. The agreement, which becomes effective Jan. 1, 2023, will enable all LCC members to access preferred rates in over 40,000 hotels worldwide. LLC members in Germany will access the hotel program through global distribution systems (GDS’s). International LCC agencies will be able to book through the GDS’s or the OneWurld platform. Martina Groenegres, managing director of Lufthansa City Center International, said the AAB hotel program “perfectly meets the requirements of global LCC customers.” She said that flexibility, excellent rates, global coverage and easy-to-use booking channels “create an optimized workflow and efficient processes.” The partnership enables participating hotels to seamlessly distribute content to 500 LCC travel agencies and more than 4,000 LCC employees. Travel agencies in turn benefit from preferred rates, greater flexibility, expanded cancellation policies, value added benefits and amenities for customers, last-room availability and hotel loyalty program points where available. In addition, all connected hotels will have access to AAB’s technology that enables hotels to directly market to all LCC agencies.