Hilton announced two new digital “innovations” designed to create “a more seamless travel experience” for small and medium-sized businesses. The two are Hilton for Business and Small Meetings and Event Packages via Events.Hilton.com.

Hilton for Business, currently in a test phase with select customers and slated to launch globally early next year, will feature a new booking website designed especially for small and medium-sized businesses, along with targeted benefits including:

• Portfolio-wide discounts: Small and medium businesses that join will gain access to a discounted rate on Hilton.com and on the Hilton Honors app across Hilton’s global portfolio of more than 7,000 properties.
• Loyalty benefits: To recognize loyalty, businesses will earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for program registration and travel milestones. Hilton Honors members will continue to earn points each time they stay.
• Rapid onboarding: Hilton for Business registration is built to enable a quick and seamless enrollment for businesses online without complicated forms or processes.
• Program management: In addition to enabling travelers to easily book discounted rates, each Hilton for Business program account can be set up with varying permissions across a designated team. Business owners will have full control — or can delegate to others on their team — over the program management system, built to be simple and intuitive with tools and resources.

Small Meetings and Event Packages via Events.Hilton.com is an expansion of Hilton’s events booking capabilities, enabling customers shopping for meeting packages for up to 35 attendees to book guest rooms and meetings or event spaces, with or without 10 to 25 guest rooms, directly on Events.Hilton.com without a separate contract or phone call. This enhancement, said the announcement, is especially valuable to small and medium-sized businesses that need to plan small in-person meetings and events quickly without staff or third-party support.

Chris Silcock, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said that even as the global pandemic significantly impacted global travel, “small and medium-sized business travelers never slowed down.” He said Hilton “used that opportunity to listen and learn how we could solve long-running pain points and deliver what these businesses need most — simple booking and travel management tools and recognition and rewards for their loyalty.”

Image: Hilton/Shutterstock/josefkubes