Peter Friend, Founder & CEO of Global Hotel Card (Moderator)
In 2005, Peter launched the first gift card to the incentive, loyalty, and employee engagement industry powered by an online travel agency for hotels. This was a highly innovative product at the time and the product was quickly offered in 2,000 retail outlets and B2B to over 75 incentive and loyalty agencies worldwide. The company has managed over $80 million in hotel bookings worldwide and currently distributes in 25 currencies and 12 languages. In 2020, the company launched a similar product for tours, activities, and experiences, with Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Global Experiences Card offers 350,000 experiences worldwide in 30 currencies and 12 languages. Peter has been responsible for all aspects of the business model including Technology, Branding, Business Development, Finance and Marketing. He has been actively involved in the IMA for 15 years and serves on the IMA Board and the IMA Europe Board.