Travel Firms Launch MaXvantage

Two travel companies have launched an alliance they hope will help stem the tide of meeting cancellations.

American Express Business Travel and Maritz Travel have a preliminary agreement to launch MaXvantage, which will provide end-to-end meetings management services, according to company officials.

The companies are launching MaXvantage to offer expense management capabilities, sourcing expertise and participant experience to combat the scrutiny corporate meetings and events have been facing.

“Against the backdrop of the current economic environment, managing corporate and incentive meetings has become more important than ever,” said Herve Sedky, vice president and general manager of global business partnerships, advisory services and corporate meetings solutions for American Express Business Travel.

American Express Business Travel and Maritz Travel are planning several key components to offer clients in North America:

• For companies that use meetings, events and incentive travel for key objectives, MaXvantage will manage the meetings process, negotiate cost savings and favorable contract terms and design meetings.
• Procurement professionals who manage costs and mitigate risk will be able to use MaXvantage to develop transparent spending policies to increase accountability while controlling costs. The service also will track, measure and benchmark purchasing behavior.

“Executives know that meetings, events and incentive travel are critical components to executing their business strategy, but these activities have been under tremendous scrutiny since last fall,” said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of Maritz Travel. “MaXvantage is designed to enable corporations to feel confident continuing their investment in these programs.”