LONDON, Feb. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HotelPlanner, a leading travel technology platform and hotel booking engine, today announced a new partnership with the British Mountaineering Council, the UK’s leading membership non-profit organization for mountaineering, climbing, and hill walking. The partnership includes a revenue share on member hotel bookings as their Official Accommodation Provider for all BMC events.
Formed in 1944, the BMC is a non-profit membership organisation established to be open to all, and to speak on behalf of mountaineers, climbers, and hillwalkers, while protecting spaces and supporting them in their activities. The BMC campaigns for freedom of access and the right to roam. They fund footpath repairs and run campaigns to revitalize natural landscapes. From rugged peaks to coastal cliffs, the BMC protects and repairs our wild places, collaborates to keep access open for all, and develops emerging climbing talent to create Olympic stars of the future. Nearly 80 years later, the BMC boasts more than 83,000 members.
The BMC also runs GB Climbing, the home of competition climbing in the UK. GB Climbing manages the GB Climbing teams, talent and performance pathways, national and international competition events in the UK, and proudly promotes the future of the sport. In the summer of 2021 in Tokyo, climbing became an Olympic sport for the first time. Climbers competed in the combined event of three disciplines: Lead, Boulder and Speed climbing. Looking ahead to Paris 2024, and beyond, speed climbing will now be a medal event of its own, separated from a combined Lead and Boulder. In September 2022, the BMC hosted an IFSC World Cup in Edinburgh and have ambitions to regularly host events on the world series.
The partnership reflects the need for travel, both domestic and international, as part of the activity range of BMC members, from international expeditions to domestic and regional competitions. It also compliments other services and benefits, including BMC Travel Insurance, providing the opportunity for members to save on their travel costs as well as looking at how they travel as sustainably as possible.
The partnership will run for an initial 4-year period and as part of the agreement the BMC will receive profit-share on any bookings made through the limited-access portals. Meaning additional income is put back into the organisation, playing an important role in supporting the work of the BMC, including recent policy work on the Outdoors For All manifesto to reduce barriers to accessing the outdoors.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership at a significant time for the BMC and the climbing, walking and mountaineering community. To have the support from a brand not traditionally associated with our activities is a strong sign there is alignment across the broad areas of important work we cover," says Paul Ratcliffe, CEO, British Mountaineering Council. “We are focused on maintaining and growing the connection with our communities as we support people to take part in their activities safely, responsibly, and sustainably. We cannot do that alone, and working with like-minded organisations like HotelPlanner who share our values and goals is key. This relationship not only directly supports our work, but it will add value to our members and fits well with other services we provide. We have a clear programme of opportunities for organisations interested in supporting us. We welcome HotelPlanner into the BMC family and look forward to working in collaboration over the next few years.”
“We love partnering with endurance and adventure sports organisations because they bring people together, which is the business we’re in. Before and after conquering the mountains, athletes need a good night’s sleep and a stress-free booking experience. We’re thrilled to be the official accommodation provider for the entire BMC organization. Welcome to the HotelPlanner family,” says Tim Hentschel, Co-founder & CEO, HotelPlanner.
About HotelPlanner
HotelPlanner is a leading travel technology company and hotel booking platform that combines proprietary artificial intelligence, and a 24/7 global gig-based reservations and customer service network. HotelPlanner is one of the world’s leading providers of individual, group and corporate travel bookings. Founded in 2003, HotelPlanner has enduring partnerships with the world’s largest online travel agencies, well-known global hotel chains, individual hotels, online wedding providers, ancillary lodging providers, corporations, sporting organizations from youth to professional, universities, and government agencies. HotelPlanner’s family of brands includes its flagship site HotelPlanner.com, its meetings & events-focused sites Meetings.com; EventConnect.com; and VenueExplorer.com; Lucid Travel, which focuses on sports team travel; Eventsquid, which focuses on corporate and association event registration; and Cleverdis, a mainstay in trade show media. Learn more at https://www.hotelplanner.com.
About the British Mountaineering Council
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is for everyone who loves the mountains and for those who are keen to discover them for the first time. We are proud to champion the interests of climbers, walkers and mountaineers and, with the support of our 83,000 members, are fighting to protect the outdoor environment so that people of all backgrounds can pursue their own adventures - both now and for future generations. GB Climbing is run by the BMC and manages the GB Climbing teams, talent and performance pathways, national and international competition events in the UK, and proudly promotes the future of our sport.
Reference: Outdoors For All
The BMC along with 41 other leading national governing bodies and environmental organisations have joined together to support an Outdoors For All manifesto, seeking to extend responsible access to more green and blue landscapes. The Outdoors For All coalition is calling for new legislation to open up more of our countryside, including waterways, woodland, riversides and downland for public enjoyment.
Following the launch of the document, the BMC will be co-hosting an event in Westminster on Wednesday 6 March to talk to Ministers and MPs from across the country to highlight the importance of the outdoors to the health of the nation and the need for new legislation to focus efforts and ensure progress.
The government has set its sights on getting 3.5 million more people active by 2030, through its Sporting Future Strategy. It has also committed to giving the public access to green and blue spaces within a 15-minute walk of home, through its Environmental Improvement Plan. The Outdoors For All manifesto argues that to meet these targets, rights to responsibly access the outdoors must be expanded.
Media Contacts
Philip Ballard
Chief Communications Officer
HotelPlanner
Philip.ballard@hotelplanner.com
