HILLGATE TRAVEL has taken charge of the Houses of Parliament travel office, an account formerly held by Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
The new three-year contract follows a competitive tender involving all major UK TMCs. Hillgate will be responsible for the travel requirements of the members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and their staff. Jeremy Bull, Hillgate's chairman and chief executive, said: "We are delighted to be working for such a prestigious new client at such a high profile moment in its long history.
Keeping travel costs down and introducing new technology were key drivers of the tender process and we are delighted to be able to deliver both with immediate effect."
Houses of Parliament contract manager, David Weir, added: "Hillgate joins the two Houses at a challenging time for parliament and the public sector in general, and we look forward to working with them to ensure we continue to get the best value for money when MPs and Lords travel on their parliamentary business."
Hillgate has already introduced its FreeWay online booking tool, while another proprietary tool - Hillgate Approver, which automates pre-trip processes - could be introduced this year.