The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the voice of the business travel industry, announced that it will endorse the postponement of the 2020 Hotel RFP until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on the travel industry.

This decision comes after several weeks of discussions among GBTA’s US and European accommodations committees, top travel buyers, suppliers, and more than 50 hotel companies representing thousands of hotels worldwide. Along with the recommended RFP postponement, it encourages hotels to roll all 2020 rates for 2021.

“GBTA usually does not get involved in the Hotel RFP process, but we made a special exception this year in light of the widespread effects of the pandemic,” said GBTA CEO Scott Solombrino. “We got involved at the request of top travel buyers and the top 50 hotel brands. Our hope is that all parties can agree to roll rates for this year and then negotiate new rates in 2021, once we all have a better sense of the pandemic’s longer-term impact on the industry.”

“We really see this as a common sense intervention. GBTA is uniquely positioned because of our ability to forge partnerships between buyers and suppliers,” Solombrino continued. “Such partnerships are central to the success of the business travel industry.”