In addition, there are loose co-marketing agreements between independent hotels that can act much like affinity programs from a large chain. There are many ways to get reduced lodging rates when traveling for business. The first way is to request a corporate rate. In many cases, a traveler can receive special discounts as a member of various organizations or as a trade show or conference attendee. It also makes sense to ask about any ongoing special programs, since these may provide rooms for less than the quoted rates.
Travel agencies can also be a good source for hotel discounts.
Agencies can often obtain more competitive rates for their clients because they book rooms in bulk. This is good news particularly for smaller firms that do not conduct much travel. Negotiating Special Rates Firms that conduct a fair amount of travel may want to consider negotiating specific rates or discounts. Discounts may be available even if your company has not spent all these nights in one hotel chain. Documentation verifying the volume of stays and a promise to consolidate stays with a hotel can be sufficient for negotiations.