Grow your business with the leading B2B travel marketplace

Disclaimer: This article was first featured in our annual MarketHub Pulse magazine, published prior to October 2025. For this reason, there may be some discrepancies in details, such as job titles. Access your complimentary copy of MarketHub Pulse Review by clicking here.The MarketHub is an excellent incubator for ideation: from quality keynotes from thought leaders to cross-cultural networking opportunities, HBX Group’s flagship event is a must-attend for those seeking fresh perspective, and the solutions to support business growth. Moreover, the MarketHub serves as a launchpad for new products and partnerships – and at the MarketHub Americas, attendees were introduced to Civitfun, a hospitality tech innovator specialising in digitalising hotel operations. Why Civitfun? Acquired by HBX Group in May 2025, the company’s tech infrastructure and integrations will further the Group’s mission to simplify the travel ecosystem. Civitfun’s offering spans 60 PMS platforms and more than 3500 clients across 36 countries – combined with HBX Group’s portfolio of 250,000 properties, the ability to reduce operational headaches for hoteliers (and to enhance the guest experience) is multiplied significantly. The streamlining of the end-to-end travel experience a sought-after goal of many, and not limited to travel players alone: with 70% of travellers desiring a fully-digital journey, but only 1 in 4 hotels able to offer such an experience, reducing friction at check-in has fast emerged as a priority. Coupled with the fact that 80% of hoteliers report struggles with staff shortages, intervention ought to come fast and affordably. In Panama, Civitfun’s founder, Mariano Oleza de Espana, took to the stage to share his view that solutions don’t necessary call for intervention, but integration…and true partnership. Likening the perfect end-to-end travel experience to other facets of the tourism industry (‘Why can airports deliver a seamless digital experience, but hotels can’t?’), Oleza de Espana’s belief is that all systems should ‘talk to each other’: one platform, to connect all systems in real-time. Or, true digital partnership. It’s through Civitfun’s integrations that such an experience can be brought to life, but takes more than a product to further simplification: it takes an ecosystem. The acquisition of Civitfun by HBX Group underscores the Group’s position as an ecosystem partner, driven by a commitment to simplify travel for all. In addition to removing friction, this ‘ecosystem’ approach’ – in which constituents from all areas of the travel sector and even beyond can ‘plug in’ and share resources – grants seamless access to the sum of the industry’s greatest parts: powerful technology, a world-best product portfolio, data, and so on. HBX Group’s Chief Growth Officer, Mark Antipof, further outlined the benefits of partnering with an ecosystem player, with HBX Group itself bringing together those from the FinTech, InsurTech and Marketing space to drive growth, not only for those in traditional tourism spaces, but those who seek to benefit from one of the most lucrative industries on earth. ‘All of these elements exist today,’ shared Antipof, ‘either in their specific domain, or in another industry. So, why not here [in travel]?'In many ways, HBX Group is paving the way: within its ecosystem offering, the Group drives partnerships between tech houses, banks and insurers, to name a few, as well as traditional travel players such as hotels, wholesalers, travel agents and airlines. In all regions where the MarketHub 2025 was held, representatives from each sector took turns to contribute their views across a range of keynotes and panels: InsurTech and FinTech players exchanged perspectives on their products’ roles in the ecosystem (‘What is the Future of Payments and Insurance in Tech?’); hoteliers, airlines and experience providers shared their unique experiences of working with a TravelTech partner, and the benefits of ‘leaning in’; while not to forget the essence of the MarketHub as a whole: to invite businesses across all sectors, to shape the future together – and that includes discovering new partnerships, and new revenue streams.Across all events, Group CCO, Carlos Muñoz, revealed that the travel and tourism sector is said to be worth $11 trillion USD – leaving little wonder why financial institutions, employee benefits providers, and other such industry players might seek to partner with those more traditional members of the travel sector, for example, in order to start selling travel products via white label solutions. For those already within the travel sector, a growing product portfolio – including mobility and experience, insurance, and digital payment solutions – only strengthens their own offering. In all, ecosystem partnerships are evidentially a strategic lever: to lead the charge towards crafting the connected trip, to diversifying revenue streams, and to remain competitive, secure, and supported. Sam Alamillo (Outpayce by Amadeus) concurred: ‘Our philosophy of how we work with our partners is one based on our relationship and trust. Even being here [at the MarketHub Americas], everything seems to be driven so much around relationships, and this mutual goal of all of us being successful. Those are the key principles [of partnership]: who is in it to make sure that you’re successful? Who is in it for the long run? And who can you trust to make that success a reality?’ Ready to unlock partnerships in the travel industry? Register with HBX Group, the B2B travel marketplace of choice.See more from the MarketHub in our exclusive magazine, featuring travel insights, interviews with thought leaders, and hot topics from our regional events. Click to access your free copy now.

Our goal is to help you better understand the benefits that our powerful extranet can bring to your property. That’s why, throughout this article, we’ll walk you through the main features and advantages of our renowned tool — recently revamped and optimised — which will be gradually rolled out to all our hotel partners over the coming weeks. In addition, you’ll have access to our newly redesigned Help Centre, where you can find everything you need to make the most of your experience with the Partner Portal (formerly known as MaxiRoom). Curious to see what it has to offer? Keep reading! What’s the Partner Portal?Once you join HBX Group, your journey to boost bookings and maximise revenue will begin. This means you’ll gain access to a wide range of tools that will make your daily tasks easier.  One of the first platforms you’ll be able to leverage from the beginning will be the Partner Portal. The Partner Portal is a free platform designed to simplify property management. Every hotel with a contract with HBX Group has access to our all-in-one tool. As soon as you receive your HBX Group's login credentials, you'll be able to log in for the first time and explore its interface. Our Partner Portal has recently been renovated, improving key areas to ensure a better experience for our hotel partners. In a nutshell, these are some of the enhancements you’ll see in the platform very soon: More autonomy: View your availability, rates, and inventory directly in the HBX Group Partner Portal. Create and manage users with the right permissions, without relying on HBX Group teams.  More simplicity: The platform has been redesigned with intuitive navigation and improved usability, allowing you to manage your property quicker and easier than ever before.  More security: Manage your property in a robust, secure, and scalable environment that protects your business and supports your growth.In addition, for hotels connected via a channel manager or FIT partners, you’ll now experience greater speed and efficiency. Launch new rate plans, seasonal promotions, and evergreen contracts in just minutes. Faster updates mean more chances to capture demand and increase bookings. Want to start your onboarding process with us and get access to it? Register your property now. How can our Partner Portal help you?Our extranet has been specifically designed to help hoteliers like you with daily operations and booking management. This is why we offer a variety of features to assist you: Update your hotel profile easily at any time. You’ll be able to revise a wide range of facilities, entertainment options, meals, and other services shown; upload high-quality pictures showing your property (be sure to choose the best photo as the lead image); and add engaging descriptions about your property’s unique selling points. View your inventory, rates, availability, and prices. Retrieve your bookings independently. Check out today's arrivals, bookings, and cancellations. You'll be able to view bookings with check-out dates up to one year in the past. Easily monitor your connectivity with your channel manager, as well as manage its registration, cancellation, or modification.  See financial information and payment methods* such as Virtual Credit Card (VCC) or Wire Transfers, and edit as necessary. Contact us via the webform located in the menu. With our webform, you can identify the category you need help with in just a few clicks. All the information can be viewed in 15 different languages, such as Spanish, German, Thai, Japanese, and Chinese. Plus, FIT partners and hotels with channel manager connectivity can take advantage of new promotions each month, only available on the Partner Portal's platform. The promotions are designed according to customer behaviour and needs, taking into account a variety of variables, like popular dates in the main markets, and offers that perform well at different times of the year (such as early bookings and long-stays). *This feature is available based on user role and access permissions. Restricted to Finance and Admin profiles only. How does our Partner Portal complement a channel manager?Are you currently using a channel manager, or are you interested in incorporating one into your distribution operations? A channel manager is a key partner to streamline your daily work and increase revenue. At times, it can be difficult to understand how an extranet and a channel manager can work together. However, which may seem complex at first glance, is much simpler in reality. Our Partner Portal is a complementary tool to the channel manager. While channel managers enable a comprehensive rate and availability strategy across all distribution channels, the Partner Portal is designed for more targeted, B2B-specific actions. Use the Partner Portal to launch focused campaigns or special offers that boost sales and visibility within your B2B network. You can also tailor your property descriptions and content directly in the portal to better engage B2B partners, helping them promote your hotel effectively to their high-value clients. As mentioned above, there’s a section on the Partner Portal where you’ll be able to consult all your connectivity data, and manage channel managers' deactivation, registration, among others.  Frequently asked questions about the HBX Group's Partner PortalSince we want you to be able to work independently and confidently with our tool from the get-go, we’ve put together several articles, how-to videos, and useful information exclusively designed for extranet users. This way, we’ll accompany you on your journey to explore and discover all that the Partner Portal has to offer.  Throughout the years, we’ve detected the main doubts regarding our platform, and have responded to these frequently asked questions in our Help Centre. There, you’ll find the solutions to queries such as: How to update your availability and rate plans, how to create a new plan, how to add rooms to your rate plans, and so forth. How to get your content and images ready to attract guests. How to manage your bookings, including providing the Hotel Confirmation Number (HCN), and searching for a booking. How to charge your VCC or financial info, how to invoice your bookings, how to update your bank details, among others. These are just a few of the topics covered in our resources hub. This space will be constantly updated, so you'll always have access to the most updated information and help. Visit our Help Centre now and get answers to your most frequently asked questions! This has been just a small preview of all the exciting changes coming your way — changes that will greatly help you streamline your day-to-day property management with HBX Group. Over the next few weeks, you’ll gradually gain access to this new, optimised platform. We hope you make the most of everything it has to offer! Finally, the Partner Portal is just one of the fantastic advantages you’ll enjoy when joining HBX Group. If your property isn’t yet listed with us, now is the perfect time to join and gain access to over 60,000 travel distributors worldwide — helping you attract more high-value bookings. Register your property today and start your onboarding journey with us. JOIN US TODAY

London, 21 October, 2025–HBX Group (HBX.SM), a leading independent B2B travel technology marketplace, takes a decisive step forward in global customer service with the launch of a new version of its chat tool, ‘Olivia’, which incorporates real-time (RTT) two-way translation powered by artificial intelligence. The new feature allows any customer to start a chat in their local language at any time of day. When a native agent is available, the conversation is assigned directly. If not, an AI system is automatically activated: customers write in their language and receive automatically translated responses, while agents respond in English. The result is a smooth and natural interaction. The customer receives responses in their own language, without any complications. At the same time, a label appears indicating that the conversation is being automatically translated, reflecting HBX Group's commitment to the transparent and responsible use of AI. With ‘Olivia’, HBX Group ensures that every customer receives immediate, personalised assistance in their own language, without delays or friction. At the same time, the company strengthens its ability to handle peaks in demand and improves team productivity, thereby supporting its international growth. Global AI Strategy This launch forms part of a broader plan by HBX Group to integrate artificial intelligence across all customer service channels: chat, help desk, email and telephone. The company has already implemented intelligent query classification tools, which optimise case routing, and automation processes for routine tasks such as booking reconfirmations, achieving automatic resolution rates of over 30%. These improvements enable the organisation to move towards a more scalable, efficient and user-experience-focused service model. The two-way simultaneous translation solution designed by HBX Group stands out for being a fully integrated, real-time system, positioning the company as a pioneer in delivering seamless, real-time global service (24/7) in 13 languages. After the initial launch phase in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, French, Greek, Thai and Turkish, HBX Group plans to activate this feature in the rest of its markets in the coming weeks, thus consolidating a truly global customer service offering. The solution has been built with a translation engine trained with travel industry-specific vocabulary and incorporating specific requests from HBX Group customers, ensuring more accurate and efficient communication. “Our goal is for any customer, anywhere in the world, to feel that they are receiving personalised service, without having to deal with language barriers. Real-time translation with Olivia represents a qualitative leap in user experience and proof of our commitment to technological innovation through artificial intelligence,” says Xabier Zabala, Chief Sourcing and Operations Officer at HBX Group. ###About HBX GroupHBX Group is a leading global independent B2B travel technology marketplace that owns and operates Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Roiback and The Luxurist. We offer a network of interconnected travel technology products and services to partners including online marketplaces, tour operators, travel advisors, airlines, loyalty programmes, destinations, and travel suppliers.Our vision is to simplify the complex and fragmented travel industry through a combination of cloud-based technology solutions, curated data, and a broad portfolio of products designed to maximise revenue. HBX Group is present in 170 countries and employs more than 3,500 people worldwide. We are committed to making travel a force for good, creating a positive social and environmental impact.HBX Group International PLC (HBX.SM) is listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange, ISIN:GB00BNXJB679.More information:www.hbxgroup.com HBX Group Media ContactPR & Media Relations media@hbxgroup.com Follow us: LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram.

Thrive With Confidence and Ease: New Capabilities To Support The Everyday of Travel Businesses In a Changing MarketIn a travel industry shaped by rapid change, rising expectations, and technological disruption, staying ahead requires more than adaptation — it demands innovation with purpose. At HBX Group, innovation is about solving real challenges for travel businesses through smarter tools, stronger partnerships, and scalable solutions that make everyday operations more efficient. Over the past quarter, we have introduced a range of enhancements to support partners in strengthening commercial performance, streamlining operations through automation, reaching new audiences, and improving digital resilience. From new commercial programmes and strategic alliances to smarter tech and operational upgrades, these initiatives are designed to deliver tangible value — helping partners drive growth, improve efficiency, and stay competitive in a world increasingly shaped by AI and data connectivity. These improvements reflect HBX Group’s ongoing commitment to building a more connected, resilient, and partner-focused travel ecosystem powered by data and intelligent integrations.1. Unlocking High-Value Distribution Goals with Preferred Partnerships In today’s competitive travel landscape, standing out and driving consistent demand is more challenging than ever. The new Preferred Partnership is designed as a powerful growth engine shaped around hotels' unique needs, helping them to take their B2B distribution strategy to the next level. Whether the goal is long-term growth, operational efficiency, or short-term boosts, this flexible programme adapts to each hotel’s unique needs, enabling smarter decisions and stronger performance. By aligning commercial strategy with individual goals and challenges, it unlocks greater visibility, stronger demand, and sustainable business impact. 2. Boosting Hotel Production with Data-Driven OpportunitiesThe Partner Accelerator Programme equips hoteliers with real-time, data-driven insights delivered via email the moment opportunities arise. With personalised recommendations based on live market trends, hoteliers can: Optimise availability, pricing, and contracting strategiesIdentify missing rate plans and adjust room capacities and board typesEnhance property content and remove setup limitations that may be restricting sales This initiative empowers hotels to sharpen their competitive edge, streamline operations, and unlock higher production — driving growth with confidence in a fast-moving travel landscape. 3. Connecting Hotels to High-Intent Travellers Through Southwest AirlinesA new strategic partnership with Southwest Airlines opens up a high-value distribution channel for hotel partners. Through HBX Group’s role as a preferred B2B accommodation provider for Getaways by Southwest™, properties can now be included in vacation packages that bundle flights and accommodation in one seamless booking experience. This collaboration opens the door for over 140 million annual passengers travelling across the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean to seamlessly access our network of distributed hotels. It creates a unique opportunity to connect with a vast audience of leisure travellers right at the moment they’re planning and booking their trips — maximising visibility and driving meaningful engagement.4. Real-Time Tracking for Seamless TransfersLive vehicle tracking and detailed driver information are now available for eligible bookings through the CheckPickup portal — enabling travel agents to offer travellers greater visibility and reassurance ahead of their transfer. This feature helps reduce friction during pickups and provides travellers with added peace of mind, especially for complex or multi-vehicle journeys. 5. Visibility That Converts: Introducing Sponsored ListingsWith up to 80% of bookings taking place on page one of search results, this new advertising solution offers a strategic opportunity to position properties where decisions are made. Available within the Marketing Suite, these sponsored placements help capture attention when it matters most. Designed to complement long-term distribution strategies, Sponsored Listings provide a tactical boost of visibility, drive incremental bookings, and benefit from a performance-focused marketing tool with clear, measurable ROI. 6. Accelerating Vendor Onboarding Through Smart IntegrationThe Travelgate Aggregator, developed in partnership with Travelgate, introduces a smarter way to onboard vendors through automated, standardised connectivity. Tailored for small Destination Management Companies (DMC) and Third-Party Suppliers (TPS), it shortens integration timelines to just a few days and enables the activation of up to two new vendors per week, all without internal technical overhead. A practical shift that simplifies operations and opens the door to faster, more flexible growth. 7. Strengthening Hotel Cyber Resilience with CybersentialHotels across the UK and Europe can now access Cybersential, a cyber risk assessment service provided by Wallbid. As digital infrastructure becomes business-critical, this tool supports hotels in identifying vulnerabilities, mitigating potential threats, and exploring proactive security measures tailored to their specific systems and operational needs. The service includes system reviews, risk scoring, and expert guidance — helping hospitality businesses better understand their cyber exposure and take informed steps toward resilience.A First Look at What’s Ahead This Quarter: A New Partner Portal for Everyday EfficiencyAs part of the first innovations of the new quarter that kicked off in October 2025, a redesigned Partner Portal is being rolled out. This new platform has been built to make everyday hotel management simpler and more efficient. With improved usability, intuitive navigation, and practical features, it’s designed to streamline daily tasks and offer greater autonomy. This marks the beginning of a new phase focused on smarter collaboration and operational ease. More innovations are on the way — thank you for being part of the journey.Not an HBX Group partner? Register today, and make the most of our powerful suite of products. Register your property