Hilton dips toe in "sharing economy" with Uber partnership
Hilton (HLT) is hailing the ride sharing service Uber to help guests reach its hotels and then explore the city where they are staying.
The companies said Tuesday that Hilton guests will be able to set up automatic notifications to request Uber rides to and from the chain's hotels worldwide. Members of the company's HHonors program also will be to use a digital guide of restaurants and nightlife spots most frequented by Uber riders.
The companies plan to launch this option later this month in 20 U.S. cities as a feature within the Hilton HHonors mobile app.
Uber connects riders and drivers through a smartphone application and has launched in more than 300 cities.
It's a staple of the rapidly growing "sharing economy" that involves newer businesses that aim to use the Internet to make it easier for people to earn money by sharing property like cars or homes. Businesses like Airbnb, which arranges for people to rent rooms or apartments, have faced opposition from traditional service providers that complain about being undercut.
Terms of the deal between Hilton and Uber were not disclosed.
McLean, Virginia-based Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.'s brands include Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, and Homewood Suites.
Shares of Hilton slipped 55 cents to $24.28 in midday trading Tuesday, as broader indexes also fell. The hotel chain's stock had slipped nearly 5 percent so far this year, as of Monday's market close.