Plusgrade continues to scale across travel industry verticals and takes another major step forward in its mission to be the global ancillary revenue powerhouse
Rantilla and Hiza will lead hospitality ancillaries business development, expanding Plusgrade’s portfolio of innovative solutions that drive higher revenue
Their new roles took effect as of June 1, 2023
MONTREAL, June 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Plusgrade, the global leader powering ancillary revenue solutions for the travel industry, is proud to announce the appointment of Paul Rantilla and Dan Hiza to lead its growing hospitality ancillaries business development team. The appointment of the hospitality technology veterans underscores Plusgrade’s commitment to creating exceptional experiences and driving revenue for air, hospitality, cruise, rail, and financial services companies worldwide. It also allows Plusgrade to further enhance and invest in its hospitality solutions to redefine the guest experience, unlock new revenue streams for partners, and foster innovation within the thriving hospitality industry.
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Paul Rantilla assumed the role of Senior Vice President, CRO – Hospitality Ancillaries, and Dan Hiza stepped into the position of Vice President, Business Development – Hospitality Ancillaries as of June 1, 2023. Their combined expertise and strategic vision will play a critical role in shaping the future of Plusgrade as the global ancillary revenue leader.
“Paul Rantilla and Dan Hiza’s impressive backgrounds, deep hospitality industry knowledge, and drive for tech innovation will undoubtedly accelerate our growth trajectory as we continue to expand our transformative portfolio of products and solutions within the global hospitality industry,” said Plusgrade CEO, Ken Harris.
“I am both honoured and excited to welcome Paul and Dan to the Hospitality Ancillaries Business Development team,” said Tzafrir Blonder, Plusgrade’s Vice President of Hospitality Ancillaries. “Their leadership and strategic insights will be instrumental in driving our growth and solidifying our position as the global leader in ancillary revenue solutions within the hospitality industry.”
Rantilla is an accomplished executive bringing over 30 years of experience in hospitality management, market penetration, sales strategies and marketing leadership. He previously served as the Chief Commercial Officer at Birchstreet Systems where he led the sales and marketing teams and oversaw all hospitality contacts and sales with the world’s leading brands. Prior to that, Rantilla was the Executive Vice President of Global Sales at Amadeus Hospitality where he optimized sales and led all revenue and bookings forecasting globally. Rantilla will lead Plusgrade’s hospitality go-to-market strategy and be responsible for building a world-class sales team focused on driving one-of-a-kind outcomes for hospitality partners.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Plusgrade team. The opportunity to leverage the company’s innovation in air, cruise, and rail, coupled with the Points loyalty platform, will bring a unique and unprecedented offering to hospitality. There couldn’t be a better time to partner with the leaders in hospitality to bring tremendous value to their guests, brands and owners,” said Paul Rantilla.
Hiza holds over 30 years of operations, sales, and business development experience and has a strong background in delivering enterprise-level hospitality software globally. He most recently served as the Managing Director for EMEAI & Asia at Birchstreet Systems where he was responsible for leading SaaS revenue growth and bringing new solutions to hospitality businesses. Prior to that he held the position of Managing Director & VP Business Development EMEA at Amadeus London where he grew commercial relationships with strategic accounts across the hospitality industry. Hiza will focus on growing strategic relationships across EMEA and Asia to further improve guest engagement and satisfaction and drive ancillary revenue for partners.
“Joining Plusgrade to help revolutionize the traveler journey, set higher benchmarks for guest engagement and satisfaction, and drive new ancillary revenue for hospitality partners in EMEA & Asia is a role I’m thrilled to step into. Together with Plusgrade and its incredible portfolio of partners, we have a real opportunity to help shape the future of travel and the time to do it is now,” said Dan Hiza.
Plusgrade continues its expansive growth in the hospitality industry after acquiring UpStay earlier this year, which added hotel upgrades for guests and enabled hoteliers to drive higher ancillary revenue through multiple value-added revenue streams. With the addition of these senior leaders to its hospitality business roster, Plusgrade is poised to reinforce its position as the powerhouse for the global travel industry which includes its now 200+ airline, hospitality, cruise, rail and financial services partners around the world.
About Plusgrade
Plusgrade powers the global travel industry with its portfolio of leading ancillary revenue solutions. Over 200 airline, hospitality, cruise, passenger rail, and financial services companies trust Plusgrade to create new, meaningful revenue streams through incredible customer experiences. As an ancillary revenue powerhouse, Plusgrade has generated billions of dollars in new revenue opportunities across its platform for its partners, while creating enhanced travel experiences for millions of their passengers and guests. Plusgrade was founded in 2009 with headquarters in Montreal and has offices around the world.
MEDIA CONTACT: Carrie Mumford, Director, Brand & Communications, Plusgrade, pr@plusgrade.com
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