Business & Technology
Roomex launches Insights Pro for hotel spend scrutiny
Roomex has launched Insights Pro, an analytics tool for hotel booking spend that is now live for UK customers.
Aimed at finance and procurement teams, it is designed to show whether hotel bookings were made at the best available rate at the time of purchase. The tool uses search and booking data captured during the booking process, allowing users to compare the chosen stay with other options available at that moment.
Insights Pro presents two measures. Actual Savings shows when a booking delivered savings against other options available at the time. Potential Savings highlights cases where a lower-cost, like-for-like hotel was available during the search but was not selected.
Comparisons are based on factors including location, hotel rating and cancellation terms. Users can also examine the data by city, hotel, policy and individual booker.
Spend scrutiny
The launch comes as companies face closer scrutiny of travel costs and seek clearer evidence for booking decisions. In many travel programmes, questions about whether a cheaper option could have been secured often arise after a trip has been booked.
Using data recorded at the time of search and booking, the system is intended to give travel, finance and procurement teams an audit trail for those decisions. This allows companies to assess whether savings were achieved and where spending patterns may need attention.
The paid feature sits on top of Roomex Insights, which is available to customers on the platform. Insights Pro costs £99 per month per company, while the standard version provides higher-level savings totals.
Internal analysis from Roomex shows some customers using its Savings Suite have saved an average of 18% on workforce travel. It did not disclose how many customers were included in that analysis.
Broader offer
Founded in Dublin in 2004, Roomex operates globally as part of Corpay. The business focuses on travel booking, expenses and reporting for companies with mobile workforces, including hotel and rail bookings.
The new tool is intended to help users move from broad travel spend reporting to more detailed analysis of individual decisions. It can also rank actions by impact so teams can focus on bookings and behaviours with the greatest effect on costs.
Keith Watson, President of Roomex, said: “Businesses are under growing pressure to prove that travel spend is controlled, but those conversations often happen after the booking, without a clear record of what was available at the time. Insights Pro shows exactly what was available when a decision was made. That gives finance teams confidence in the savings already achieved and helps identify behaviours that can reduce costs further.”
South Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet will consider a targeted, one-off reduction in business rates in July, aimed at easing pressure on pubs across the district.
The move follows growing concern that many venues are struggling with rising costs despite their importance as community hubs, rural assets and employers.
Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker, Cabinet Member for Finance and Property Assets, said: “Everyone knows that pubs are experiencing significant financial pressures.
“These venues play an important role in the economy and are vital for ensuring a thriving local community.
“We’re carefully considering how best to provide targeted support for pubs in South Oxfordshire which will both help to strengthen our local and rural economy and safeguard employment in our hospitality sector.”
Council leader Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers said: “While this support can’t fix everything, it’s a step in the right direction.
“We’re staying focused on collaborating with our local pubs and partners to provide the practical support and guidance they need right now.”
Details of the proposed business rates support are set out in a report to cabinet on July 2, when a decision is due to be made.
The popular shopping centre in Oxford’s Queen Street already has an exciting mix of shops on offer, from first-class dining options to familiar high street favourites and world-renowned brands.
Now, the Westgate has welcomed the latest addition to its retail offering, as David Clulow opticians opened on Friday, June 26.
READ MORE: All train lines closed out of Oxford for works from tonight
The eye health specialist store showcases the brand’s modernised retail format, with state-of-the-art testing rooms and improved accessibility.
It’s broad product range also includes designer frames from the likes of Chanel, Prada and Ray-Ban.
The store is the latest edition to David Clulow’s store collection which is hosted in nearly 30 cities and shopping centres across the UK.
The introduction of the new shop is the latest in a long line of recent Westgate comings and goings in recent months.
Shoe chain Russell & Bromley has departed its ground-floor store, leaving the unit empty, after the brand fell into administration.
READ MORE: Abingdon police seek to identify man who ‘frequents’ park
Similarly, Claire’s has also closed at the Westgate after the beauty and accessory brand also collapsed into administration.
Last month, the new Lego store opened on the ground floor of the centre, welcoming queues of shoppers at its grand opening event.
Oliver Bonas also recently moved from its home on the ground floor to a much larger unit on the middle floor, near the Queen Street and Bonn Square entrance.
The scheme, designed to support attendance at Armed Forces Day events, will be in effect across the UK on June 27 and June 28.
It applies to all Stagecoach services except those operated by Megabus, Transport for London and the Bee Network.
To access free travel, serving military should wear uniform or present a valid military ID card, and veterans should present a veteran’s badge or military medal.
Martin Gibbon, managing director of Stagecoach West, said: “Our Armed Forces have given so much to protect our country, and offering free travel over this weekend is just a small gesture of our immense gratitude.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for our service people, past and present, to attend local events and celebrate with their communities.”
Stagecoach’s ongoing support for the military community includes similar free travel schemes on Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday.
The company’s Veterans Network also offers a platform for veterans and service families within the business to connect and shape a more supportive workplace.
Stagecoach was awarded the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award in 2024 in recognition of its commitment to supporting the military community.
Mr Gibbon said: “Through our Veterans Network, we are dedicated to ensuring Stagecoach remains a deeply supportive environment for the military community, both as passengers and as valued colleagues.”
Stagecoach has backed the Armed Forces Covenant since 2015.
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