On January 31, 2023, Plusgrade, the premier provider of ancillary revenue solutions for the global travel industry, announced its acquisition of UpStay, a flourishing provider of upgrade and ancillary revenue services for the hospitality sector. UpStay, founded in 2019, operates in 17 countries assisting numerous hotels to augment their ancillary income. They were awarded the 2021 People's Choice Innovation Award at the Phocuswright Travel Awards and the title of the 2022 World's Best Hotel Tech Startup at the World Travel Tech Awards. Plusgrade's CEO, Ken Harris, articulated the acquisition's significance in enhancing their objective to emerge as the "Global Ancillary Revenue Powerhouse." Harris highlighted Plusgrade's rapid advancements in 2023 and welcomed UpStay's innovative contributions to their vast portfolio that caters to over 200 global partners, spanning airlines, hospitality, cruise, rail, and financial services. Tzafrir Blonder, UpStay's CEO, expressed enthusiasm about the merger, emphasizing a four-year trajectory of impressive growth. He remains optimistic about collaborating with Plusgrade to refine product offerings and bolster ancillary revenue by promoting additional amenities and services. This move follows Plusgrade's 2022 acquisition of Points, a dominant player in loyalty commerce. The integration positions Plusgrade to offer an expansive range of ancillary revenue and loyalty products, now enriched by UpStay's hotel upgrades. In the forthcoming weeks, UpStay will assimilate into the Plusgrade brand and operate under its banner.