Travel and accommodations module overview

Introduction / Overview

The Travel & Accommodations module in Sponsorworks provides the ability to efficiently manage travel and accommodation inventory for bespoke hospitality programs. This feature enables you to create and manage various types of inventory items (accommodations, flights, transfers, activities, and event tickets) and assign them to registered guests, ensuring a seamless hospitality experience.

This is an overview article. More in-depth guides on using the new functionality will be available in due course.

This module is particularly valuable for organisations that:

• Offer comprehensive hospitality packages with multiple components.

• Need to track inventory allocation across different package types.

• Manage guest accommodations with varying check-in/check-out dates.

• Handle last-minute changes and guest replacements.

• Require detailed audit trails for all inventory management activities.

Activation & Set-up

Step 1: Enable the Travel & Accommodations Module

1. The Travel & Accommodations module is a paid add-on that has to be enabled by Sponsorworks. If you wish to learn more please reach out to your customer success manager. 
2. Once enabled a new Package Inventory tab will appear with the Guest Management area of the platform. 

3. Only Full Administrators will be able to access the functionality. 

Step 2: Adding Inventory

1. In the Package Inventory tab, click Add Inventory to create inventory items.

2. Select the appropriate inventory type (Accommodation, Flight, Transport, Activity, or Event).

3. Enter a name and type for the inventory item (e.g., "Sheraton Twin Room").

4. Set the capacity per item (e.g., 2 for a twin room) and specify the total quantity available.

5. Enter dates, times, and rates for the inventory item.

6. Allocate the inventory to specific packages/ticket types.

Managing Inventory

Navigation of the module is split into three areas:

1. Inventory Summary

2. Inventory Calendar

3. Guest Summary

Inventory Summary

• Provides a top-level overview of your inventory and utilisation figures.

• Each row in the table represents an inventory item, showing its capacity and assigned status.

• Clickable links allow you to drill down into specific inventory details.

• You can add new inventory via bulk import and edit existing inventory as needed.

Inventory Calendar

• Offers a granular view of inventory and how it is assigned across different dates.

• This is where you assign inventory to guests.

• Each inventory item can be expanded to assign guests individually.

• Flagging & Filtering:

  • Records can be manually flagged for attention.

  • Filter by flagged records to manage priority items.

  • A full audit log tracks all actions taken.

• Extending a Guest’s Stay:

  • Guests’ stays can be extended using their unique ID number.

Guest Summary

• This tab allows you to see what has been assigned to an individual guest.

• Differentiates between Guest Notes (specific to the guest) and Inventory Notes (specific to the assigned item).

• Guests who cancel their registration can be replaced in this tab.

Guest Cancellation & Replacement

• When a guest cancels, the system automatically flags all their records and indicates their place has been cancelled.

• You can use the Replace Guest functionality to transfer selected inventory to another guest

FAQs

Q: Can I use this module for events with both package guests and individual ticket holders?
A: Yes. You can have both package types and standard ticket types in the same event, you will need to select the applicable ticket types when creating inventory.

Q: How does the system handle multi-day accommodations?
A: The system recognises accommodations as spanning nights, not days. For example, a hotel stay from June 9th - 11th is treated as two nights.

Q: Can I modify inventory after it's created?
A: You can adjust names, types, and package allocations. For major changes to dates or rates, you’ll need to delete and recreate the inventory items.

Q: What happens if a guest cancels after being assigned inventory?
A: The guest remains assigned until manually unassigned or replaced, ensuring a complete change history.

Q: Can I customise rates for guests with special arrangements?
A: Yes, you can edit individual inventory items to accommodate special requests with custom dates and rates.

Conclusion

The Travel & Accommodations module provides a powerful solution for managing complex hospitality packages. By using this feature, you can track all aspects of your guests' experience, from flights and accommodations to activities and event tickets. The comprehensive audit trail ensures you always have visibility over guest assignments and changes.