A portfolio of more than 65,000 properties in 60-plus countries found on bridgestreet.com will now be offered on all Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) under the BX code.
Speaking at the Business Travel Show, BridgeStreet president and chief executive Sean Worker said the move to the GDSs followed feedback from its 4,000-plus clients and enabled it to “bridge the sharing economy”.
“We asked them how we could make it easier in this sector for them to book. They said you need to be on the GDSs. The demand is saying ‘get it on to a terminal’. The supply is saying ‘that’s very expensive’, so we have built that platform. The most efficient way to do that was to become an OTA built for the business traveller.”
BridgeStreet, he said, had created a one-stop shop for this sector, which is popular with corporations seeking to house employees for long periods.
“Individual apartment owners’ properties may have been on the GDS before, but now it is all under one roof,” Worker explained. The GDS will permit comparisons of serviced apartments, extended stay hotels and rental homes. It will also allow travel managers to programme travel guidelines onto customised portals linked to BridgeStreet.com, enabling agents to ensure compliance with their client company’s requirements.
BridgeStreet has a portfolio of sub-brands, including the five-star Residences by BridgeStreet, the budget Places by BridgeStreet and Mode Aparthotels. BridgeStreet has vetted the content, with each property guaranteeing reliable wireless Wi-Fi access. Local managers ensure that keys are delivered on time and that cleanliness and Wi-Fi is guaranteed.
The brand is keen to seal more agreements with agents. “I can’t tell you how important the travel agency group is to this,” said Worker.
