DirecTV Business Solutions has renewed deals with Marriott International and Hyatt to deliver its video product in hotel rooms across the U.S. It’s also bringing Netflix into the in-room entertainment fold, having integrated the streaming giant into its cloud-based Advanced Entertainment Platform.
The AEP hospitality platform enables linear and OTT content viewing in hotel rooms. It’s already integrated other content such as Showtime, Hallmark, Music Choice and an on-demand library with thousands of hours of content from major programmers.
“As millions of Americans hit the road this summer, whether for business or for pleasure, it brings me great pride that they will have access to DirecTV as part of their guestroom entertainment experience across destinations near and far,” said Doug Eichler, SVP of DirecTV Business Solutions, in a statement.
DirecTV has been Hyatt’s preferred free-to-guest entertainment provider in the U.S since April 2016, a status that the new deal upholds within all 50 states. The new agreement aims to expand the pay TV provider’s presence within Hyatt’s portfolio over the next several years, according to DirecTV.
Meanwhile, the multi-year deal with Marriott names DirecTV Business Solutions as a Marriott International approved vendor, while reinforcing the video provider’s presence at hotels across the U.S.
As DirecTV looks to expand its presence for in-room video entertainment, the company also touted less expensive options. It said the agreement with Marriott allows owners and franchisees to streamline their in-room channel lineups to lower costs over options that were previously available.
As part of the move to lower costs, earlier this year DirecTV said it would provide the AEP hardware to hotels at no cost and reduce the per-room price of the cloud-based platform itself by more than 10%.
“Our new agreement with DirecTV Hospitality meaningfully improves our cost structure and positions Hyatt for access to new, innovative services that will enhance our guest experience in the rapidly evolving world of video entertainment and delivery,” said Rohan Jani, Associate VP of Guest Technology at Hyatt.
The hospitality industry took a hit during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, but recent studies projected continued hotel recovery in 2022. In March CBRE Hotels Research raised its 2022 forecast for average daily rate, occupancy and revenue per available room, after stronger-than-expected performance in Q4. The firm projected RevPAR (revenue per available room) to reach 2019 nominal levels by Q3 2022 under its base scenario, rather than previously forecasted timeline of Q3 2023.
DirecTV’s push to get its video entertainment platform in more U.S. hotel rooms comes as domestic travel looks brighter. CBRE’s report anticipated domestic and drive-to resorts to have a strong showing again in 2022, with factors like the war in Ukraine and a Covid resurgence in Asia potentially influencing wealthier U.S. travelers to prefer domestic travel with destinations closer to home.
AT&T last year spun off DirecTV, U-verse and AT&T TV, with the new DirecTV now run by TPG Capital as a standalone company.
Crackle Plus is another streaming service that has a presence at Marriott, boasting availability in about 500,000 Marriott Bonvoy hotel rooms.