Hotel Express International

What Hotel Express International does

Hotel Express International AS is a privately held Norwegian company headquartered in Kristiansand that operates HEI Online, a white-label hotel booking platform originally founded in the USA in 1987 and relocated to Norway in 1997. The company provides access to 400,000+ hotels across 187 countries under negotiated rates that average 20% below public booking sites (up to 70% in some cases), with no booking fees charged to members. Its core product is a fully branded booking site hosted under the client's domain, supplemented by branded iOS and Android mobile applications and ancillary services including car rental (via Sixt) and airport lounge access (via Dragon Pass, 1,400+ lounges). The platform's architecture is a web-based booking engine with mobile clients; the inventory is aggregated from global hotel suppliers and the rates are private, contractually negotiated rates unavailable to the general public.

The company serves three primary customer segments: corporate enterprises (e.g., employee travel benefits), membership organizations and trade associations (e.g., IDA, ISIC), and media/publishing subscriber clubs (e.g., Schibsted, Aftenposten). It monetizes through a hybrid model combining white-label licensing fees, per-booking transaction commissions, and distributor/franchise fees from a network of exclusive-territory operators across 30+ countries. Go-to-market is multi-channel: direct enterprise sales, a franchise/distributor program, and OEM/embedded white-label deployment. Notable channel partners include Schibsted (since 2004), Tesla, Bupa, Edenred, Swedbank, and Benfica. The company is small (1–10 employees), profitable-seeming (no funding rounds disclosed), and has been operated under private Norwegian ownership since 1997.

Name

Hotel Express International

Legal name

Hotel Express International AS

Website

https://hotelexpressonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hotel Express International operates HEI Online, a white-label hotel booking platform providing private, negotiated rates across 400,000+ hotels in 187 countries to corporate enterprises, membership organizations, media subscriber clubs, and franchise distributors worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Technology Software

NAICS

All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Lodging & Vacation Rental Booking Platforms (BPAMAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lodging Booking & Accommodation Management (HSACAKAC), Accommodation Contracting & Bedbank Services (Local) (THAKAEAI)

Keywords

• White-label hotel booking
• Corporate travel discounts
• Membership accommodation benefits
• Hotel booking platform
• Employee benefits platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Kristiansand

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. White-Label Licensing: Revenue from licensing the HEI Online platform to organizations under white-label agreements. Organizations receive a fully branded booking site with custom pricing based on their size, territory, and requirements.
2. Transaction/F booking Commission: Members book hotels through the branded portal and pay the hotel rate directly. Hotel Express International earns commissions on bookings made through the platform. No booking fees are charged to members.
3. Distributor/Franchise Fees: Revenue from franchise arrangements where distributors sell white-label hotel booking solutions in exclusive territories. Distributors pay for rights to promote and sell the product in their local markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hotel Express International provides a white-label hotel booking platform (HEI Online) that organizations can deploy under their own brand, giving their employees or members access to privately negotiated hotel rates unavailable to the general public. The platform covers 400,000+ hotels across 187 countries and includes branded iOS and Android mobile apps, with ancillary services such as car rental and airport lounge access.

Product overview

Hotel Express International operates a white-label hotel booking platform (HEI Online) for companies, distributors and member organisations worldwide since 1987. The core offering consists of the HEI Online Platform with white-label branding capabilities, supported by branded iOS and Android mobile applications as add-on modules. The service portfolio also includes hotel bookings (400,000+ hotels in 187 countries), car rental, airport lounges (1,400+ worldwide), and tourist guides. Companies can implement the platform as a company-branded website, mobile app, or loyalty programme benefit, with Hotel Express providing the technology, inventory and support while clients maintain their brand identity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HEI Online Platform A private, members-only white-label hotel booking platform providing organizations with access to negotiated hotel rates unavailable to the general public. Covers 130,000+ to 400,000+ hotels in 187 countries with average savings of 20% versus public booking sites, up to 70% in many cases. Presented entirely under the client's brand with their logo, colours and domain.
• Branded Mobile Application White-labeled iOS and Android mobile apps that enable an organization's members to search and book hotels on the go at the same negotiated rates as the web platform, presented under the partner's brand.
• Hotel Bookings Core hotel reservation service giving members access to 400,000+ hotels in 187 countries at up to 70% below public rates, ranging from budget properties to 5-star luxury, with no booking fees charged.
• White-Label Solutions (Company-Branded Website) Fully white-label hotel booking website hosted under the client's own domain name, branded with their logo and colours, enabling organizations to offer branded hotel booking without building their own platform.
• Car Rental Competitive global car rental rates through major suppliers (including Sixt) integrated into the Hotel Express booking platform as an ancillary travel service.
• Airport Lounges Access to 1,400+ airport lounges worldwide via partner Dragon Pass, providing comfort and amenities for frequent travellers booking through the Hotel Express platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 20% savings vs public booking sites, up to 70% in many cases
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Schibsted Media GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004Schibsted Media Group, owners of major media brands in Norway and Sweden, has been a partner of Hotel Express since 2004 and are very happy with their services and the benefits it gives to their employees.
• IDA - The Danish Engineer AssociationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIDA is a good partner for Hotel Express, with HEI Online offering members a great benefit by giving IDA members up to 65% discount on hotels worldwide. The solution is user friendly and works out perfectly for members.
• SixtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSixt provides competitive car rental rates through major suppliers integrated into the Hotel Express offering, complementing the hotel booking platform.
• Dragon PassminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDragon Pass provides access to 1,400+ airport lounges worldwide, an ancillary service offered through the Hotel Express platform.
• BenficaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBenfica is listed as a sports partner, offering hotel booking benefits to their members and fans through the Hotel Express white-label platform.
• PregominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrego is a corporate partner utilizing Hotel Express white-label hotel booking solutions for their organization or members.
• AllstarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAllstar is a corporate partner utilizing Hotel Express white-label hotel booking solutions.
• FundaysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFundays is a corporate partner utilizing Hotel Express white-label hotel booking solutions.
• BupaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBupa is a corporate partner utilizing Hotel Express white-label hotel booking solutions for their organization or members.
• TeslaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTesla is listed as a corporate partner utilizing Hotel Express white-label hotel booking solutions for their employees.
• ISICminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorISIC (International Student Identity Card) is an association partner utilizing Hotel Express hotel booking benefits for student travelers.
• EdenredminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEdenred is a corporate partner offering Hotel Express hotel booking solutions as part of their employee benefits offerings.
• SwedbankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwedbank is a corporate partner utilizing Hotel Express white-label hotel booking solutions.
• AftenpostenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAftenposten is a media partner offering Hotel Express hotel booking as a subscriber benefit. Members receive good prices and wide hotel selection.
• Bergens TidendeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBergens Tidende is a media partner offering Hotel Express hotel booking as a subscriber benefit.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Booking.com for Business: Corporate travel arm of Booking Holdings targeting businesses and organizations. Operates at much larger scale with broader inventory, but competes for the same corporate hotel booking wallet share as HEI.
• Egencia (Expedia): Corporate travel division of Expedia Group serving enterprise customers. Provides corporate hotel booking technology comparable to HEI's white-label platform, with extensive global inventory and corporate rate programs.

Direct peers

• HRS Group: Leading corporate hotel booking platform focused on enterprise clients. Operates a similar B2B/wholesale hotel booking model with negotiated corporate rates and platform technology serving businesses and member organizations.
• TravelPerk: Corporate travel management platform offering hotel and travel booking to businesses. Targets similar B2B customers (corporations, member organizations) with technology-enabled booking solutions, though with a broader travel focus.
• Hotelbeds: Major B2B bedbank and global accommodation wholesaler. Provides hotel inventory and rates to travel agencies, OTAs, and member organizations through a distribution platform comparable to HEI's white-label offering.
• WebBeds: Global B2B travel marketplace distributing hotel inventory to travel trade partners. Comparable to HEI as a wholesale accommodation platform serving downstream distributors and branded resellers.
• Corporate Traveller: Corporate travel management company specializing in SME and mid-market business travel. Offers hotel booking services to corporate clients with negotiated rates, analogous to HEI's enterprise offering.
• Juniper Travel Technology: B2B travel technology provider offering white-label booking platforms for travel agencies and distributors. Similar white-label architecture to HEI Online, serving travel trade customers worldwide.

Emerging players

• Roamwork / HotelEngine: Corporate hotel booking platform offering discounted rates to businesses and membership organizations. Competes in the same B2B/wholesale accommodation space targeting corporate and association clients.
• Bonotel Exclusive Travel: Specialized hotel wholesaler offering exclusive rates to travel agents and member organizations. Comparable distribution model and customer base to HEI's white-label program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hotel-express-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hotel Express International