Aven Hospitality, in collaboration with Protect Group, has launched Refund Protect within its booking engine, allowing hotels to offer guests the option to upgrade to a refundable stay at checkout. This initiative, announced on 2 March 2026, aims to enhance the guest booking experience whilst safeguarding hotel revenue.
The integration of Refund Protect is facilitated through the Protect Group Onboarding Platform, which provides a guided setup experience and configuration controls. This platform enables hotels to activate the refund option swiftly, without altering existing policies or adding operational burdens. Ethan Wiseman, Head of Distribution, Product Management at Aven Hospitality, stated, “We are dedicated to ensuring hoteliers’ guests can book with confidence.”
The launch of Refund Protect is significant for several reasons:
- **Direct revenue protection**: Hotels can offer refundability without compromising their rate strategy or imposing stricter booking conditions.
- **Seamless integration**: The Protect Group Onboarding Platform ensures easy activation and configuration, allowing hotels to go live faster.
- **Enhanced guest experience**: Guests receive a clear, flexible option at checkout, whilst hotel policies remain unchanged.
Austin Lopez, Global Strategy Lead for Hospitality at Protect Group, remarked, “This go-live marks an important step in modernising the hotel booking journey.” The initiative reflects a shared focus on retail-led innovation, aiming to improve confidence, conversion, and satisfaction within the hospitality sector.
As Aven Hospitality continues to expand its offerings, the introduction of Refund Protect is poised to modernise the hospitality journey, providing guests with the flexibility they increasingly expect
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