What’s New in Hotel Online Distribution and Tech Trends? W2, April 2023

Here is your weekly industry news round-up. Check out the short snippets here and follow below for more details. 

  • ATM 2023 to shape the future of sustainable tourism 
  • Westin and AbbottWMM collaborate for race-ready travelers 
  • Greek PM sees tourism performance going strong in 2023 
  • St. Regis signs new hotel for Xiamen, China 
  • Spree Hospitality adds fifth property in Bengaluru 

Reach out to us for discussions regarding connectivity, direct booking, rate intelligence, website design, and digital marketing requirements – we are happy to explore new possibilities with you for your property – contact us today. 

Enjoy the read! 

Newshound w2, April 2023

Travel leaders set to discuss the future of sustainable tourism at ATM 2023 

Travel professionals and policymakers from across the globe will explore how the tourism sector is ‘Working Towards Net Zero’ at the 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from Monday 1 to Thursday 4 May 2023. Exhibitor participation in ATM 2023 will be 27% higher than last year, with growth across all show sectors. If you are here, don’t miss the chance to meet RateTiger at Booth – Sheikh Saeed Hall 1, 𝐓𝐓𝟏𝟎𝟕𝟐.  

https://shorturl.at/hizIN

Westin targets marathon travelers with Abbott World partnership 

Underscoring the brand’s newly reimagined and beloved WestinWORKOUT® Gear Lending program, Westin Hotels & Resorts – part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary hotel brands – is teaming up with Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM), the series of six of the most renowned marathons in the world, for a first-ever, multi-year hospitality partnership to champion race travelers – and their supporters – during AbbottWMM significant weekends. 

https://shorturl.at/kxyFX

Greek PM sees tourism performance going strong in 2023 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that he expected tourism this year to maintain its upward trend and the focus to be on protecting destinations and the environment. “If the signs we have so far are confirmed, it will be even better than last year’s excellent year. In 2022, we had record revenues but also a 10% increase in spending per capita from 564 euros in 2019 to 619 euros in 2022. This means we are now attracting more quality tourism generating more revenues,” he said addressing a ministers’ meeting. 

https://shorturl.at/ejmIM

Marriott to open first St. Regis hotel in Xiamen, China, in 2027 

Marriott International, Inc. announced it has signed a management agreement with Shengyuan Cultural Tourism to bring the iconic St. Regis brand to Xiamen in 2027. This signing will debut the first St. Regis hotel in Fujian Province, which is expected to feature the brand’s celebrated rituals, glamorous spirit, storied heritage, and signature Butler Service. 

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article125863.html 

Spree Hospitality adds fifth property in Bengaluru 

Spree Hospitality is a hotel company owned by leading travel company EaseMyTrip. It will open its fifth hotel in Bengaluru by the end of this month. Featuring 60 rooms, Zip by Spree Hotels Purple Orchid is a property with 4-star facilities. The hotel located near Hope Farm in Whitefield Bengaluru has the most modern interiors and facilities to make guests feel comfortable and relaxed. 

https://shorturl.at/klnw7

That’s all folks!  

 

What’s New in Hotel Online Distribution and Tech Trends? W4, February 2023

Here is your weekly industry news round-up. Check out the short snippets here and follow below for more details. 

  • Newly launched happy paws room at UAE’s beach resort 
  • BOLD by Wyndham program signs 18 hotels in six months 
  • Kimpton Hotel to undergo a top-to-bottom renovation 
  • AITCAP conference at the city of Gold Coast, Queensland 
  • IHCL expands its presence in the Mumbai 

Reach out to us for discussions regarding connectivity, direct booking, rate intelligence, website design, and digital marketing requirements – we are happy to explore new possibilities with you for your property – contact us today. 

Enjoy the read! 

Newshound w4, Feb 2023

Hilton Ras Al Khaimah beach resort launch happy paws rooms 

Take your furry four-legged friend to Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort as it becomes the first five-star property to launch a series of dog-friendly rooms in the Emirate. Hilton hotels, globally, are known for offering the perfect pet-friendly stays from barktastic beaches to tail-wagging tours. The rooms are designed to cater to a maximum of two dogs per room within a combined total of 25kgs. Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort has assigned eight dog-friendly rooms with direct access to a 500m-long private back beach area. 

https://www.hotelnewsme.com/hotel-catering-me/happy-paws-at-hilton-ras-al-khaimah-beach-resort/ 

Wyndham’s BOLD program reaches 18 signed hotels 

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced the expansion of its BOLD by Wyndham program. In just over six months, the program has signed deals for 18 hotels across the United States, including 10 under its newly launched ECHO Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham brand. The program is built around two key pillars: promoting hotel ownership as a vehicle for potential wealth creation and accelerating the path to hotel ownership. 

https://lodgingmagazine.com/wyndham-hotels-resorts-expands-bold-by-wyndham-program/ 

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City announces top-to-bottom renovation 

The Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City, located in the heart of downtown, announces a bold, top-to-bottom renovation today, bringing an enhanced level of modern sophistication to Salt Lake City. The design will highlight original and historical details, all while incorporating natural textures and art inspired by the surrounding mountains and scenery. Monaco will remain open throughout the process. 

https://www.shorturl.at/gruAZ

Queensland: first destination in Australia to host AITCAP 

Over 200 tourism industry professionals are expected to converge on the Gold Coast for the AITCAP Conference in April 2023.  The event will feature an intensive 1-day in-person conference on April 28th, a 1-day virtual conference on May 11th, as well as a diversity of Side Events.  Queensland will become the first destination in Australia to host The Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Conference, after two years of being an entirely virtual event. 

https://www.shorturl.at/wLTW4

Indian Hotels Company signs Vivanta branded hotel in Thane 

India’s largest hospitality company today announced the signing of a Vivanta branded hotel in Thane in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Thane is a leading business and industrial hub for the state of Maharashtra, being a part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. This signing is in line with IHCL’s focus on expanding its presence in key emerging markets of India. We are happy to partner with BK Holidays and Resorts Private Limited. 

https://www.hotelierindia.com/operations/ihcl-signs-another-vivanta-hotel-in-thane-mumbai 

That’s all folks!

What’s New in Hotel Online Distribution and Tech Trends? W3, January 2023

Here is your weekly industry news round-up. Check out the short snippets here and follow below for more details. 

  • Travel Trends 2023 to help you plan a mesmerizing holiday 
  • Accor launches platform for branded residences 
  • Grand Opening for Atlantis The Royal with massive fireworks
  • Marriott International go live with instant booking with Groups360 
  • Agoda introduces a shopping cart function for travel bookings 

Reach out to us for discussions regarding connectivity, direct booking, rate intelligence, website design, and digital marketing requirements – we are happy to explore new possibilities with you for your property – contact us today. 

Enjoy the read! 

Newshound W3, Jan 2023

The biggest travel trends – 2023 

In 2023, travellers will be going one step further as we look to deepen these experiences by having a lasting positive impact on the places and people we visit. After a year of travel for fun, relaxation and reunion post-pandemic, 2023 will be the year we travel for personal betterment. Whether you are seeking to overcome grief, identify your life’s mission or discover what your body is physically capable of, there will be a Transformation Retreat that caters to it. 

https://www.cntraveller.in/story/the-biggest-travel-trends-for-2023/ 

Accor introduces the One Living platform for branded residences 

Accor has now launched Accor One Living, its own real estate arm. Through One Living, expert teams in each region will sit with developers, ensuring design, service and Accor-backed benefits are aligned with the needs of specific “targeted homebuyers.” Accor One Living expects to open more than 125 new branded residence communities over the next several years, including standout flagships.

https://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/business/accor-one-living-the-hotel-groups-own-branded-residence-company 

Dubai’s Atlantis, The Royal – All set for the grand opening 

The opening of Atlantis – The Royal on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah is arguably the biggest hotel event of the decade. This weekend (January 20 to 22, 2023), the luxury resort will open itself up to hundreds of VIPs, celebrities and media for its Grand Reveal party. The exclusive, invite-only weekend takes place before the resort opens to the public on February 10 and has a whole host of activities and performances throughout the weekend. 

https://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/properties/atlantis-the-royal-what-will-happen-at-the-grand-reveal-party 

Marriott announces instant booking solutions for meetings & events with Groups360 

Marriott International and Groups360 today announced the launch of Instant Booking for Marriott’s portfolio of hotels in the United States and Canada. Marriott International is the first brand to have a direct integration with Groups360 to offer the “Instant Book” functionality for both guest rooms and meeting space at scale on GroupSync Marketplace, providing planners with a streamlined booking process at the click of a button.

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article124429.html 

Agoda introduces a shopping cart function for travel bookings 

Agoda is one of the first online travel agencies to offer this functionality for its travel products with the aim of optimising trip planning and offering greater value to its customers. Agoda customers will soon also be able to add flights, activities tours, attractions and more. The shopping cart is the first of many upcoming launches from Agoda that aim to create a seamless, one-stop travel booking experience for customers. 

https://eglobaltravelmedia.com.au/2023/01/19/agoda-launches-shopping-cart-function-for-travel-bookings/ 

That’s all folks! 

 

What’s New in Hotel Online Distribution and Tech Trends? W2, January 2023

Here is your weekly industry news round-up. Check out the short snippets here and follow below for more details. 

  • Expedia Reports says, 96% of travellers want to do nothing on their vacation  
  • Top 7 Tech & Travel Trends that will shape 2023 & beyond 
  • Multiverse is the future of the travel & tourism industry 
  • Siliguri gets new luxury address – Fortune Hotels  
  • Sunset Hospitality Group, Dubai launches Azure Beach and Attiko in Vietnam 

Reach out to us for discussions regarding connectivity, direct booking, rate intelligence, website design, and digital marketing requirements – we are happy to explore new possibilities with you for your property – contact us today. 

Enjoy the read! 

Newshound w2 Jan 2023

Expedia reports 96% of travellers want to do nothing on their next vacation 

New research from Expedia reveals the over-scheduled holiday season has prompted many Americans to plan a “nothing-cation,” a trip where warm weather and relaxation are the main attractions. Expedia internal data confirms January is one of the top months for researching and booking beach vacations, which is a favourite trip type for nothing-cationers. On average, about a quarter of getaways planned during the first month of the year is to beach destinations, and many hotspots including Cancun, Riviera Maya, Punta Cana and Oahu are already seeing double-digit increases in demand compared to the same time in 2019. 

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article124316.html 

Top Tech & Travel Trends that will shape the tourism industry in 2023 

2022 was something of a rollercoaster for the hotel industry. While travel demand surged from its pandemic lows, hoteliers faced new challenges such as persistent labour shortages, and new ways of interacting with technology and their guests. According to a survey by Bankrate, rising prices caused 79% of U.S. travellers to alter their travel plans during the 2022 holiday season, with many travellers opting to travel fewer days, enjoy less expensive activities and cheaper accommodations, or travel shorter distances. 

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4114401.html 

Metaverse: Shaping the future of the tourism industry  

Definitions of the metaverse differ, but a commonly held view is that a true metaverse – one that’s perhaps decentralized, ungoverned, universal and in which anyone can interact with anyone – is probably still years away. Hotel company Leven purchased its first property in the metaverse using virtual currency and unveiled it last year. Designed by an architect, the virtual hotel is “rich and organic. It doesn’t have any hard edges. It’s a very curved, almost seductive building” that incorporates nature and botanicals into its design, according to Griffin. 

https://shorturl.at/bgsw0 

Fortune Hotels expands its step in Siliguri 

Fortune Hotels, a member of ITC’s hotel group announced the signing of a new property in Siliguri, West Bengal. Situated at a 15 min drive from the Siliguri airport, the upscale ‘Fortune Select’ hotel is surrounded by breathtaking views of majestic tea gardens and mountains. Commenting on Fortune Hotel’s India expansion spree Samir MC, Managing Director, Fortune Hotels said ‘With the Siliguri signing we further our footprint into the East. This is a greenfield project and our third hotel in the State of West Bengal.   

https://www.hotelierindia.com/business/fortune-hotels-expands-its-footprint-in-siliguri 

Sunset Hospitality, Dubai announces two projects in Vietnam 

Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG), a leading hospitality group renowned for creating lifestyle hospitality experiences, expands its global footprint to Southeast Asia as it prepares to launch Azure Beach and Attiko in Vietnam. Both venues will mirror their Dubai-based presence, replicating the already tried and tested model. Azure Beach is nestled among the heavenly white sands and shimmering blue waters of the South China Sea, serving up exotic beverages and mouth-watering Asian fusion cuisine – the perfect destination for a luxury and relaxing daycation with friends and family. 

https://shorturl.at/fsBLU 

That’s all folks! 

What’s New in Hotel Online Distribution and Tech Trends? W1, January 2023

Here is your weekly industry news round-up. Check out the short snippets here and follow below for more details. 

  • What is the future of the Indian Hospitality Sector in 2023? 
  • Opening of Iceland Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton in Iceland 
  • Why Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai is the game-changer? 
  • Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Kingsland, GA hotel for sale 
  • The Sustainable Hospitality & Tourism alliance partners with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council 

Reach out to us for discussions regarding connectivity, direct booking, rate intelligence, website design, and digital marketing requirements – we are happy to explore new possibilities with you for your property – contact us today. 

Enjoy the read! 

W1, January 2023

Future of the Indian Hospitality Sector in 2023 

Over 200 G20 meetings are expected to be held across 55 destinations in the country during India’s G20 presidency till November 2023. The Indian hotel sector stands to gain significantly from this development, as there will be substantial incremental demand for hotels in the cities where the meetings will be held. The G20 presidency has coincided with India’s efforts to establish itself as a global MICE destination, and the smooth organization and completion of these high-profile 200+ meetings will support those efforts. 

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4114276.html 

Iceland Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection opens in Iceland 

New construction, reconstruction, and careful preservation maintain the important heritage of the building, presenting irresistible class to the cityscape. This new hotel is offering 163 guest rooms, family rooms, and suites – each equipped with a 55-inch HDTV, espresso machine, and mini-fridge – the hotel is a feat for design where the seven rebuilt and new buildings reflect the different eras of Icelandic history, making the Iceland Parliament Hotel a visual landmark in the city center. 

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article124205.html 

Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai – Game-changer for the emirate 

As we overlook the super-stylish Nikki Beach pool, filled with people enjoying the winter sun, Hanna Azzi is buzzing with excitement about what the future holds for his property.  Azzi has been general manager of the Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai and this, the famous beach club, since 2018. A tour from Azzi includes descriptions of all the fine details that have gone into making the space what it is – a true Celebration Suite. 

https://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/people/why-nikki-beach-resort-spa-dubais-celebration-suite-is-a-gamechanger-for-the-emirate 

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Kingsland for sale 

The property is less than seven miles from Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, one of the U.S. Navy’s most important nuclear submarine bases, employing approximately 9,000 active-duty civilians and contract personnel. Its annual economic impact on the local economy is over $1.2 billion. The hotel has a stable operating cash flow and is offered unencumbered by management. There is a significant upside opportunity from completing the Marriott PIP which will allow it to lead the competitive set and exceed historical performance. 

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article124236.html 

GSTC have formed a partnership to concentrate on best practice in sustainable hospitality & tourism 

This new partnership will bring together the Alliance’s hospitality industry reach and measurement expertise, with the GSTC’s experience in sustainability standards and assurance, to enhance the industry’s understanding of sustainability criteria and the need to capture robust sustainability data. Together, the Alliance and the GSTC share a vision of hospitality and tourism companies working to not only meet but exceed core sustainability criteria – using consistent tools and initiatives to produce globally comparable data. 

https://shorturl.at/bfnvW

That’s all folks!
Happy New Year! 

 

What’s New in Hotel Online Distribution and Tech Trends? W1, November 2022

Here is your weekly industry news round-up. Check out the short snippets here and follow below for more details.

  • “Focus on the food industry” is the latest trend in the hospitality industry that hotels are looking up to.
  • Indian Hospitality Industry finally finds its feet after the pandemic with a 4-6% increase in their RevPAR.
  • Westgate Resorts to Give Away 1,000 Free Vacations to U.S. Military Families.
  • Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring quick wins for conversion for hotels this holiday season.
  • Six Senses to offer a wellness resort to wildlife lovers within Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls National Park.
  • Unlocking network efficiencies for the hospitality industry for contactless guest experiences.

Reach out to us for discussions regarding connectivitydirect bookingrate intelligencewebsite design, and digital marketing requirements – we are happy to explore new possibilities with you for your property  – contact us today.

Enjoy the read!

Trends in hospitality – Focus on the future of the food industry

Food has always played an essential role in the hospitality industry. The most glaring example that illustrates this fact is the growing importance of the culinary tourism market. By 2032, it is expected to surpass US$ 4,530.9 Bn according to Future Market Insights, which means a compound annual growth rate of approximately 16.6% per year. Moreover, new trends are emerging when it comes to culinary tourism. Indeed, travelers are reconsidering the impact of their consumption, “vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians are gaining immense traction in food tourism”.

https://insights.ehotelier.com/insights/2022/11/02/trends-in-hospitality-focus-on-the-future-of-the-food-industry/

Indian hotels experienced 4-6% higher revenue in September 2022

The hospitality industry generated 4 to six percent higher revenue per available room (RevPAR) in September 2022, compared to September 2019. Besides, hotels were able to demand a 7-9 percent higher room tariff in September 2022, compared to the same time in 2019. At the same time, room occupancies dipped 1-3 percentage points, compared to that in 2019, with only 62-63 percent of the rooms being occupied.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/hospitality-sector-finds-its-feet-after-pandemic/article66092069.ece

Westgate Resorts honors U.S military families at its 11th Give Away anniversary

This Veterans Day, Westgate Resorts is thrilled to honor 1,000 active-duty U.S. military members, veterans and Gold Star families with a free three-day, two-night action-packed Orlando vacation at the Westgate Salutes Military Weekend 2022 celebration. This year marks Westgate’s 11th year of giving away vacations to the incredible military personnel who have served this nation and their families, totaling more than 26,000 complimentary vacations gifted since starting this initiative.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4113325.html

How to score more bookings this holiday season?

From discounted rates to special inclusions, there are many ways that hoteliers can tempt potential guests and encourage them to book a stay.  Along with generating buzz about travel and hotel rooms being sold, creating urgency for booking and adding personal touchpoints to your ad campaigns are the best marketing efforts to hit on the right notes this season.

https://bit.ly/3hcUxag

Wildlife lovers to book their stay at Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls National Park

Six Senses enters into its first sub-Saharan African project, which will front Princess Elizabeth Island on the approach to the largest waterfall in the world. The resort is part of The House of Chinhara initiative to recover the majesty of Zimbabwean tourism by elevating the available accommodation count and quality for visitors to the Victoria Falls National Park, a UNESCO protected area.

https://insights.ehotelier.com/global-news/2022/11/04/six-senses-victoria-falls-to-offer-wildlife-lovers-stilted-eco-lodges-on-the-zambezi/

Guests’ Wi-Fi, IoT and LTE networks to become top hotel amenities

Post pandemic workation has become the new normal raising raise the bar to meet customer expectations of a seamless guest experience. With the shifting guests’ demands, the hospitality industry’s reliance on technology-enabled services have substantially increased.

https://hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/speaking-heads/unlocking-network-efficiencies-for-hospitality-industry/95269377

What’s New in Hotel Online Distribution and Tech Trends? W5, September 2022

Here is your weekly industry news round-up. Check out the short snippets here and follow below for more details.

  • The tourism industry is on its comeback post covid. As per UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism has recovered 60% of the pre-pandemic level from January-July 2022
  • Integrating Photo API into your hotel channel manager is the key to boosting your hotel’s listings with the medium of images that narrates your hotel’s story.
  • Though World Cup 2022 expects to drive mass tourists to Qatar in November & December, STC reports the same level of bookings as last year.
  • Keen on their determination to go non-plastic and Net Zero Carbon organization by 2050 Avani hotels commit to a greener future of sustainable tourism.
  • OYO World Tourism Day study reports June 2022 was the biggest travel month in India since the pandemic.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to streamline the workflow between the front end and back end of the hospitality service, cutting down the labor cost and reducing manual errors.

Reach out to us for discussions regarding connectivitydirect bookingrate intelligencewebsite design, and digital marketing requirements – we are happy to explore new possibilities with you for your property  – contact us today.

Enjoy the read!

Tourism Industry on its comeback to the pre-pandemic level

The international tourism industry shows a strong sign of recovery in 2022. Europe and the Middle East showed the fastest recovery in January-July 2022, with arrivals reaching 74% and 76% of 2019 levels respectively.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4112618.html

Boost the best of your property with Photo API

An image speaks a thousand words. And when it comes to securing guest attention, visuals give hotels the power to tell their property’s story. Photo API gives you the power to create that impact on traveler’s mind to make a booking in your hotel. All you need to do is integrate the API with the hotel channel manager or CRS. To know how visit:

https://ratetiger.com/photo-api-upload-edit-manage-your-hotel-images/

World Cup Bringing the Region Together in Dubai

The World Cup 2022, to be held from mid-November to December, is the largest high-profile event of 2022 to take place in Qatar. With the entire world looking forward to it, new infrastructures and hotels have been developed and other GCC nations bringing a direct impact on the contribution of the travel and tourism industry towards the local economy of Qatar. It will be exciting to see the growing impact of the event on Qatar and surrounding countries as the event nears in the next few weeks and months.

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article122832.html

Avani Hotel Commits to A Greener Future of Sustainable Tourism

Announcing its decision to support the global travel ecosystem, Avani adds over 30 properties across the globe to the list of signatories to the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge. In its pledge to become a Net Zero Carbon organization by 2050 Avani is introducing science-based targets for energy and has pledged to reduce the usage of single-use plastic by 75% by 2024.

https://eglobaltravelmedia.com.au/2022/09/27/avani-hotels-commits-to-a-greener-future-of-sustainable-tourism/

June 2022: The Biggest Travel Month in India post-pandemic

Booking data studied by OYO from January 2022 – September 2022 highlights a 62 percent uptick in leisure tourism between January -September 2022 as compared to the same period last year. This growth is attributed to high consumer confidence combined with unprecedented pent-up demand in travel across India.

https://hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/travel/june-2022-was-the-biggest-travel-month-since-the-pandemic-oyo-world-tourism-day-study/94479640

Robotic Process Automation to fill the shortage of manual labour

Hotel operators are facing intense pressure to mitigate rising labor costs while still providing exemplary customer service. May 2022 AHLA survey, 97% of hotels indicated they are experiencing a staffing shortage, 49% severely so. Survey respondents indicated they had hired an additional 23 employees per property in the last three months but were also trying to fill an additional 12 positions. Searching for solutions, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) comes to the rescue.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4112663.html

Latest News on Travel Technology, Tourism and Hotel Distribution – W2, May 2022

Here is your weekly industry news round-up. Check out the short snippets here and follow below for more details.

Booking.com recognised RateTiger as a Premier Connectivity Partner. Learn more about our high-quality connection and how we can empower your business growth. Check out this in the first news piece below.

Middle East hospitality industry is booming. It is important for hotels to continue focusing on building a strong network of channel partners to get a share of the incoming demand. Know the top 5 Trends in Online Travel Bookings in Middle East and strategize your hotel business.

Airbnb sees nights booked for summer travel to unique homes have grown 80% in first three months of the year.

Number of people searching on hotel websites is now well above pre-pandemic levels, with bookings close to 2019 levels too. Its time for hotel revenue manager to know the future booking landscape.

Expedia’s One Key program will allow loyalty members to earn and burn points across all of Expedia Group’s brands, such as Expedia, Vrbo, Hotels.com and Travelocity, for any travel product including air, hotel, vacation rental, car and cruise.

As the industry powers back into life with a busy calendar of meetings and events, the RFP process evolved and is playing a crucial role in the sector’s recovery.

Reach out to us for your hotel channel manager, rate shopper, booking engine, website development or digital marketing requirements. We are happy to have a discussion to see how we can help you achieve your property’s occupancy and revenue goals – contact us today.

Enjoy the read!

RateTiger has been recognised as a Premier Connectivity Partner by Booking.com

The status is a testimony to RateTiger’s robust connectivity, advanced technology and outstanding performance in providing high-quality connections. We take this opportunity to thank the Booking. com team as well as the RateTiger Connectivity team for the continuous collaboration to create new APIs and features for making online distribution more seamless and profitable for our hotel partners. Read more – https://lnkd.in/giw9R8Vp

Top 5 trends in online travel booking in Middle East in 2022

World Travel & Tourism Council predicts a year-on-year increase of 28% in 2022 in the Middle East travel sector. With the pandemic, the online travel trends have changed with the change in guest booking behavior. To know more on what is happening in the sector and the top 5 online booking trends in Middle East, read further – https://lnkd.in/gVj9CGeG

Airbnb sees 30% more nights booked for summer travel compared to pre-pandemic

Airbnb, which has seen a significant boost in business over the pandemic, is already seeing a surge in summer travel bookings across the United States.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/airbnb-travel-summer-2022

What hotel revenue managers need to know now

The number of people searching on hotel websites is now well above pre-pandemic levels, with bookings close to 2019 levels too.

https://www.triptease.com/blog/the-future-booking-landscape-what-revenue-managers-need-to-know/

Inside Expedia Group’s new unified loyalty program

By uniting the programs under One Key, travelers can earn more, while partners stand to see revenue gains and increased brand loyalty.

https://www.phocuswire.com/inside-expedia-group-new-unified-loyalty-program

The evolution of the RFP

As the industry powers back into life with a busy calendar of meetings and events, the RFP process evolved and is playing a crucial role in the sector’s recovery.

https://insights.ehotelier.com/insights/2022/05/11/the-evolution-of-the-rfp/

 

 

 

How Hotels Can Serve New Age Business Travelers Better?

After the pandemic hit, the blow taken by business travel might slowly get back to pre-pandemic levels but it will never look the same. Businesses are re-evaluating their priorities and thinking differently about corporate travels. Statistics show a drop of 61% in Global Business Travel in 2020 due to the impact of coronavirus. Though the eventual scale and shape of corporate life are returning, it is still slow.

Events, conferences and trade shows, which render the most business trips, were happening virtually, but with competition and growth imperatives, business leaders realize the value of face-to-face interaction. This, in turn, is necessitating the resumption of Business Travel.

Below are a few pointers to consider when trying to attract business travelers of the changing era:

1. Communication is a good start

With prevention of Covid, has come along a lot of restrictions which make simple and straightforward journeys, complicated. With the world shifting to normal, business travelers need to communicate to simplify the complexities of the restrictions.

Communicating and understanding the priorities of business travelers can help hotels serve them better. Communication will help rebuild the brand loyalty of hotels for business travelers which might have been affected due to Covid.

2. Touch-less experience is on the rise

During Covid, a lot of hotels have taken help of technology to spread safety precautions and stay well within restriction limits. Some of which includes online check-in/check-out, online payments, mobile solutions for self-service during stay, digital room keys, etc.

Technology has improved safety and simplified customer experience by convenience and faster processes. Business travellers need a simplified booking process that allows them to choose from more property and rate options and provides better availability. The coming years also pose many possibilities for more advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

3. Hybrid events are the tomorrow of Business Travel

Hybrid events are events that incorporate both virtual as well as in-person elements. Where 71% indicated that hybrid events were not included in their program, 65% have stated that they are interested in having an increased number of hybrid events post pandemic. It is important to understand that virtual and hybrid events still need a venue.

Hotels for business travelers should ensure that they have the proper infrastructure to support advanced amenities for hybrid events. Updating safety highlights, offering onsite technical support, utilizing virtual tours and offering personalized hybrid events can cover most Business Travelers need for hybrid events.

4. Provisions for “Bleisure” Traveler

Bleisure is a mix of the word business with leisure. Many business travelers tend to extend their stay beyond business, especially when it is in a leisure travel destination or big cities. Crafting different packages for “Bleisure” travelers could help drive demands and generate additional revenue.

92% of organizations suspended business travel during the early months of the pandemic (National Geographic, 2020). With restrictions for Covid being removed, this number is slowly changing. Offering packages and discounts at restaurants and Spa could excite and encourage business travelers to extend their stay for leisure time.

5. Alternative accommodations are in:

Alternative accommodation is another business travel trend introduced by the new age corporate travelers. It includes all those types of accommodations which are available outside the formal accommodation sector. Home-like accommodations and smaller boutique hotels has increased popularity among hotels for business travellers in this new age.

Alternative accommodations allow more business travellers to prioritize comfort and relaxation during work. Non – traditional accommodations provide such amenities for business travellers which give them the opportunity to explore the destination in a new way.

Discovering and shaping what tomorrow holds:

Although China dominates the business travel market, United States outpaces everyone in spending on business travel by a wide margin (WTTC, 2021). Another report suggests Asia has become the world’s largest business travel market (Hospitalitynet, 2019). According to another survey, international business travelers consider travel as valuable to both personal as well as professional growth. As we can see, although business travel had taken a hard blow from the pandemic, times are shifting and corporate travel is rising again without any doubt.

Businesses are re-evaluating their benefits from business travel. Customer loyalty and market share will go to those hotels for business travelers who can stay relevant and responsive to the varying business traveler needs. Health and safety still remaining the priority, business travel market is on the rise, post pandemic and the growth will be more than ever before.

 

Top 7 Hotel Tech Trends to Watch Out in 2022

Traveler expectations and behaviour keep changing! The hospitality industry for long has always been adapting to changes in the latest technology to be up-to-speed. From the way guests search for a hotel to the booking process, communication, check-in, room service, check-out, after-service; the industry has witnessed tremendous change and upgradation.

To call the last 2 years challenging for the hotel industry would be an understatement.  However the industry has always bounced back and there is a hope that it would emerge even stronger from the present crisis. As we all hope for a successful 2022, RateTiger brings you the latest hotel tech trends to know what is happening in the industry.

Reshape the Hospitality Industry In 2022 with hotel technology.

 1. Unified Solution – Here to Rule

For long data silos has been a cause of concern for hoteliers. Revenue and distribution managers use on average 8-10 tech solutions each having its own reporting system. Making data talk to each other would have made things much simpler. Thanks to today’s unified platform hotels finally can have access to integrated analytics. These types of platforms bring all key solutions in one place thereby connecting and delivering real-time insights from all booking channels.

Hotel Channel Manager is the central platform that unites all the properties under a brand and brings them together along with other functionalities of the hotel: restaurant, spa, gym, sports club, pool, etc.

2. Technology is on Clouds

 The world has moved to cloud-based technology and so are hoteliers. A cloud-based technology not only eases the hotel management process for the hoteliers but also gives them easy access to hotel data from anywhere they want. Advanced solutions that uses AI help the hotel owners predict the upcoming trend and be prepared for it in advance. Integrating AI and ML into hotel operations, helps the hotel operators save on manual costs and invest better on user-friendly, efficient and optimized hotel management software.

3. Invest in Booking Engine to Earn More

Booking Engine is a platform that will increase your ROI by bringing in direct bookings to your hotel. Therefore, it has to be flexible and mobile friendly. It should be simple, well-defined and attractive for the customers to browse through and get them to make a booking without investing much time.

Integrating the Booking Engine with the hotel’s PMS, RMS, Channel Manager and other hotel tech solutions will automate the workflow and sales process. Connecting a booking engine to the sales conversion tool will assist the sales team keep a track on lead generation and conversion.

Coming with a variety of features, Hotel Booking Engine allows you to target corporate bookings by displaying different offers and visuals along with room rates and dates. Grabbing more direct bookings saves on commission cost paid to OTAs and other third-parties like travel agencies.

4. Hotel Digital Marketing to Redefine Brand Value

Internet and social media has become people’s daily partner. They can’t imagine a day without it. In the present world, people look for everything online: whether it is which place to go on a vacation to which hotel to stay to where to eat to what activities to do and so on. What they don’t do or like is being bothered by hotel staff for every small thing.

Integrate social media channels like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram to contact and share details over texts instead of calling. Go digital, integrate social media channels, expand your reach and increase your revenue to not only redefine your brand but provide  people with the service they like.

5. Gain Visibility with Google Hotel Ads

Google Hotel Ads is the largest Metasearch channel  that displays your hotel rates and availability in comparison to other OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) displaying clear and real-time status. Being the largest search engine and the epitome of digital marketing, Google Hotel Ads is the best and safest way to present your hotel to a millions at a go.

In March 2021, Google announced waving off fees for hotel booking links to make the booking process simpler and comprehensive. With this they created an organic list of hotels with their intelligence tool providing free visibility to hotels, OTAs, and other booking sites.

To make the most of this all you need to do is create a business profile on Google, list your property, and sign up for Google Adwords. With nearly 4 billion Google users around the world, it is the best platform to start ads on and achieve the maximum leads. Linking your hotel’s website to the Ads, you also increase the website traffic and brand’s visibility.

6. Go Mobile with Responsive view

Mobile optimization is one of the most important aspects of hotel landscape today. 50% of the traffic on the web comes from mobile devices. This makes it crucial for the hotel website, booking engine, OTA to be mobile-responsive. Nearly 77% of the travelers search for hotels on their mobile phone.

With the drastic rise in mobile bookings, focussing on mobile users’ need and tailoring to their convenience will deliver more bookings and better revenue.

7. Check-in check-out Automation

With pandemic being the new normal, both the hoteliers and guests look for contactless travel and stay. Using the SaaS technology, the hotels owners can create an app for the hotel. This app will not only automate the workflow but initiate automated check-in check-out process.

You can hyperlink the app URL to the website for the guests to download it directly from there. Once downloaded, the guests can update their personal details to begin the check-in process. The data is then sent to the hotel’s software system for them to complete the process from their end. This way, having a mobile app reduces risk for both hoteliers and the guests and streamlines the process in less time.

Get Ready to Welcome Your Guests

 2022 is unpredictable and so is the travel and tourism industry, but going innovative and tech-rich is the only solution to survive. If not today, these hotel tech trends 2022 will definitely bring in more bookings and revenue to your property in the coming days. So, what are you waiting for?

It’s time to reshape your hotel and get back to business with RateTiger!