In a move to break free from the growing power online travel agencies have over the hotel booking process, the owner of The Standard is launching a recommendations-based app for customers. The new “Benny” mobile app, set to launch in October, gives guests the ability to earn commissions by recommending stays for friends at any Standard International property—located primarily in the U.S., with the exception of a handful of international offerings. The app is said to make guests feel like a travel agent, the same way Airbnb made people hosts and Uber made regular pedestrians drivers, Standard International CEO Amar Lalvani told the Financial Times. The initiative has also received an undisclosed investment from SWaN & Venture Legend Partners, which invests in tech-enabled consumer brands, according to its website. Some of the venture firm’s more notable investments include Airbnb, mobile payment company Square, and Pinterest. Earlier this year, Standard International spun off its prior tech venture One Night. The startup recently announced Series A funding of $5 million in March led by aforementioned SWaN & Venture Legend Ventures. One Night, first incubated by Standard International in 2016, was designed to be a same-day booking app for independently owned hotels. At launch, there were more than one dozen founding hotel partners. The company now has more than 200 hotels available on its platform in 15 U.S. cities., with ambitions of growing that number to 300 properties in 30 U.S. markets by the end of the year. Standard International did not immediately respond to requests for comment. See full article Photo Credit: Shown here is The Standard, High Line hotel in New York City. The chain's parent company is set to launch a new tech initiative in October. Skift
US boutique hotel chain The Standard is to launch a recommendations app for customers in October. The commission-based Benny app will allow users who recommend the company's properties to their friends to earn rewards. Most of the hotels are located in the US. The aim is to turn guests into travel agents, much like Airbnb converted individuals into hosts and Uber turned people into drivers for hire, Standard International CEO Amar Lalvani previously said. Coupled with an undisclosed investment from SWaN & Legend Venture Partners, the hospitality chain aims to disrupt the increasing influence of online travel agencies.