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HOSPA Conference, UK


HOSPA (formerly BAHA), the UK’s leading organization in financial management, revenue management and IT in the hospitality industry, organized its Annual Conference in November at the Sofitel Hotel – London Heathrow.

The theme for the event was “Taking Investment Forward”, in terms of investing in people and businesses to create more value.  The one-day conference was kept very crisp targeting the major investment issues to help industry professional understand how to face these crucial challenges related to funding. Russell Kett, President, HVS – specialists in hotel valuations, opened the session involving experts and professionals through a debate aimed at finding solutions to the doubts of hoteliers located away from the big cities and beyond. The lack of interest from investors, along with the problems associated with re-financing in 2013, is one of the main reasons that blocks the revival and promotion of tourism in the UK, and especially in outlying areas such as provinces.

“Boosting investment in the world’s hotel sector is the single biggest challenge facing the industry today. Despite strong buyer interest in the global hotel market and plenty of equity available, not least from the Far East and Middle East, there are few hotel transactions taking place outside key locations and gateway cities across Europe. In the UK, there is little investor appetite in the provinces where hotel trading continues to languish in all but the best-run hotels. Obtaining debt finance for hotel acquisitions is tough and a number of re-financings due in the next year will prove challenging to accomplish in the current environment without a significant chunk of fresh equity and an understanding bank,” said Rassel Kett – President, HVS.

Following the topics on finance, there were discussions on the trends and developments in Revenue Management, and how it could affects hotel sales and revenue. Casey Davy, VP – Sales, EMEA & Canada and Cristina Blaj, Sales Manager, UK & Ireland, attended the event as delegates representing eRevMax and shared their inputs on these topics.


To view pictures from the event, please click here.

Domenico Defina is Sales & Marketing Intern at eRevMax and is based out of London. He can be reached at domenicod@erevmax.com

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eRevMax Christmas Party in London


The eRevMax UK team took time out on Thursday 13th December to get together for an afternoon lunch at an Argentine restaurant. The EMEA sales team descended on the London office, armed with Secret Santa gifts and their best festive spirits. 
The team ate as much meat as they could before simply crossing the road in London Soho for a traditional English pub, where we spent the evening exchanging gifts, and stories fueled by great beer (and for some whiskey). 
We spent most of the evening on our feet dancing to an eclectic mix of music ranging from pop, to rock, and classic Christmas records chosen by our own Caroline Faries who pestered the DJ until he gave in and rammed up the volume to drown out our singing. 

Here is our message for everyone this Christmas –

Ryan C Haynes is VP – Marketing Communications at eRevMax. He presented ‘The Distribution Challenge’ research findings during ‘The 3 Ps of Hotel Sales’ session. Ryan is based out of London and can be reached at ryanh@erevmax.com
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Spanish Congress of Hoteliers, 2012

Spanish Hoteliers’ Congress, one of the most important travel trade event in Spain, is held every two years and took place from 21st to 24th  November 2012 in Las Arenas hotel, Valencia. It is a professional four-day event  to discuss the trends and issues concerning Spanish tourism and hospitality industry.

The event was very well organized, thanks to the Spanish Confederation of hotels and tourist accommodations (CEHAT), the Union of hotels in the province of Valencia, the hotel association of Benidorm and the Costa Blanca (Hosbec). The attendees included a good mix of hoteliers, entrepreneurs, hospitality operators and technology providers and the event offered a great platform for professional networking.


Cristina Hernandez, Regional Sales Manager – Spain, Portugal, Germany & Austria, represented eRevMax and pushed forward the discussions on innovative hotel technology and online distribution trends. Other topics at the event revolved around the economic crisis in Spain and ways to tackle it. The attendees discussed the various issues involving the tourism sector and were critical of the government in respect to the measures taken to deal with the problems in the hospitality industry.

The event was attended by over 300 participants and it presented a great opportunity to meet fellow industry members to discuss trends and business. 
Domenico Defina is Sales & Marketing Intern at eRevMax and is based out of London. He can be reached at domenicod@erevmax.com
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E-marketing & Revenue Management Conference, Prague

The two day E-marketing & Revenue Management Conference held in Prague in October 2012 turned out to be a great platform to promote online distribution channels and instruments of hospitality industry with reference to the latest trends in e-marketing and software for revenue management.

With a participation of over 100 representatives and professionals from all over Europe, the conference witnessed interesting arguments seeking to improve sales processes through e-commerce and to increase the visibility of businesses through the use of social media.

eRevMax was represented by Casey Davy, VP Sales EMEA and Aldona Kaczmarczyk, Sales Manager Eastern Europe. They shared a presentation on ‘The changing world of channel management’ which was taken very well by the attendees.  The audience comprised of Hotel Managers and Revenue Managers from Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Casey and Aldona stressed on the fact that in today’s world of multi-channel marketing and distribution, hotels have various new revenue-building opportunities. But they must ensure that all channels are managed according to a planned strategy. Leveraging correct technology tools for the various aspects of communicating with customers is extremely important to keep rooms full and maximise revenues.

Overall the event concluded on a positive note and there was constructive exchange of ideas and experiences. Congratulations to the organizers for the great show!

Domenico Defina is Sales & Marketing Intern at eRevMax and is based out of London. He can be reached at domenicod@erevmax.com

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Newshound: Trends and Reports – Cost of Distribution


Cost of Distribution: Out of control or a real expense

2013 could be a turbulent year for the hotel industry should the price-fixing fiasco take a further step forward. Proving yet again, following the collapse of the financial markets in 2008 and 9/11, that while hospitality maybe an old industry dating 1000’s years, the environment of online sales is still in its infancy and terribly immature.
http://hotelexecutive.com/business_review/3210/cost-of-distribution-out-of-control-or-a-real-expense

Best Practices for Optimizing Online Reputation and Reviews

Can hotels really over-respond to reviews? The review page for a given property on, say TripAdvisor, is a social space in its own way. If the host of the party (the hotel) is crowding out the conversation with a lot of jabber, it appears to turn people off from participating in the conversation, with the end result of guests writing fewer reviews.
http://blog.digitalmarketingworks.com/2012/12/best-practices-for-optimizing-online.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DigitalStreetSmarts+%28Digital+Street+Smarts%29

Automated RM: a game changer if you avoid some common mistakes

True revenue optimisation takes place when one is able to accurately assess the overall contribution from customer micro-segments towards overall profitability. In the absence of an automated revenue management system (RMS) such decision-making and assessment is not possible, nor practically viable. With an automated RMS, however, one is able to process a volume of historical and future reservation data which allows you to forecast in a granular way by customer segment and be able to recommend actions that lead to much greater profitability.
http://www.eyefortravel.com/revenue-and-data-management/automated-rm-game-changer-if-you-avoid-some-common-mistakes

Re-Evaluating Your Hotel’s Social Media Strategy For 2013

2013 is just around the corner and now is the perfect time to re-evaluate your hotel’s social media strategy and have it ready to roll out January 1st. If your strategy includes ways to convert more business through your social channels then ask yourself the following questions.
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4058765.html

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Newshound: Trends and Reports – Hotel Online Distribution


Indian Vacation Ownership Leader increases occupancy with RateTiger

Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Ltd., the leader in the Vacation Ownership space with over 147,000 members, has installed RateTiger to automate and streamline its revenue management and online distribution process across its multiple sales channels.Twenty-three Club Mahindra resorts have increased occupancy in the last six months as a result of increasing online exposure through third parties.

http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com/article/88090
http://www.traveldailynews.asia/news/article/51108/indian-vacation-ownership-leader-increases
http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=15315&sid=41

TripAdvisor reveals some secret sauce for hoteliers to increase user engagement

TripAdvisor has crunched a heap of data to find out what increases the interaction between a hotelier and guests that leave reviews on the site. The study conducted by looking at North American hotels, TripAdvisor claims, shows a link between hotels with a “greater number of reviews, photos and videos” and a notable increase in interaction with their respective pages.
http://www.tnooz.com/2012/12/04/news/tripadvisor-reveals-some-secret-sauce-for-hoteliers-to-increase-user-engagement/#W4H9pewPRf3LSHry.99

What is in the ultimate tool kit for hotel revenue managers?

We thought it would be interesting to compile a list with the tools that a revenue manager should have at his disposal. Let’s call it the Ultimate Hotel Revenue Management Toolkit. We have done some digging through our Excel reports, yield tools, systems and technology and come up with quite an extensive list of tools and gadgets any revenue manager requires to do his or her job well.
http://www.tnooz.com/2012/11/30/how-to/what-is-in-the-ultimate-tool-kit-for-hotel-revenue-managers/#9sEpOr7aBOU03Vci.99

Hotel Promotions in a Multi-Channel Marketing Interview with Max Starkov

We live in a multi-channel marketing environment. We are dealing with increasingly hyper-interactive travel consumers who switch channels on an hourly basis (e.g. desktop during the day; mobile device during lunch break and after work hours; a tablet when lounging in front of the TV in the evening).
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4058674.html

Infographic: Time spent on the internet every month

Ever wondered consumers are doing with their time spent on the web, especially as social networks such as Twitter and Facebook have become intrinsic parts of the modern life of millions. Socially Aware has pulled together a range of data sources to create a decent infographic outlining the above and a lot more.
http://www.tnooz.com/2012/12/04/news/time-spent-on-the-internet-every-month-infographic/#V8RIzorTT6r3ZQ4I.99

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WTM 2012 – Hoteliers really ready for maturing channel management technology


While in parts WTM 2012 seemed quieter than in previous years, attendees were much more ready to develop more sophisticated revenue management strategies as their pricing structures and sales environment becomes more complex. Hoteliers are much more aware of channel management and the functionality required to optimise the performance of their sales channels.

As they look further into how to improve their RevPar through direct selling, better commissions and improved visibility they realise the importance of having the right tools to support them. Channel management is an outgoing, but if used right the cost can be covered in a matter of months, while also helping the revenue manager to yield more.

Our partners Xotels, just prior to WTM, explained the key to deciding on the right channel manager for your hotels .

Channel Management: an ongoing challenge for hotels – part 1


During the Travel Technology Presentation, The Three P’s of Hotel Sales, Best Western Belgium explained the benefits of the right data and direct access to various channels for over 55 properties. 


LateRooms explained the challenges faced in the new consumer buying pattern and the points of influence in social media.

While eRevMax identified the opportunities ahead for hotels and how technology must be approached to meet these changing demands.



WTM is an opportunity for hotels to benchmark technology providers and learn about the market, even our own junior team came away inspired and enthused – learning much more about the industry than you can simply by reading articles and making phone calls.


However we have much more education to do, as we launch RTSuite 3 to start optimising and automating channel connectivity solutions for hotels to achieve more bookings at better rates! Check out our new RTSuite 3 in the video below to know more.


Ryan C Haynes is VP – Marketing Communications at eRevMax. He presented ‘The Distribution Challenge’ research findings during ‘The 3 Ps of Hotel Sales’ session. Ryan is based out of London and can be reached at ryanh@erevmax.com


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Newshound: Trends and Reports – Hotel Online Distribution


5 key trends in hotel distribution

The rapidly evolving distribution landscape emerged as a focal point during a panel at September’s Annual Conference for the International Society of Hospitality Consultants. During the conference, John Burns of Hospitality Technology Consulting shared five key trends every hotelier should keep an eye on.
http://hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/9283/5-key-trends-in-hotel-distribution

Semantic search will be standard across online travel by 2020

Technology continues to push the travel, tourism and hospitality industry forward and make it more dynamic than ever before. But the next phase is where it gets REALLY exciting. For background, this week I took part in a panel discussion at World Travel Market in London alongside Nate Bucholz, industry head for travel at Google, and Andrew Jones, head of search account management at Bing.
http://www.tnooz.com/2012/11/08/news/semantic-search-will-be-standard-across-online-travel-by-2020/

Priceline-Kayak deal: Marketing expertise & global footprint at heart of $1.8 billion takeover

Priceline is acquiring Kayak for $1.8 billion in cash and stock. Yes, read it again. While unexpected, interestingly the news does not fundamentally tell us anything about the industry. Unless, that is, aside from Priceline’s willingness to use its strong stock performance to continue its aggressive growth.
http://www.tnooz.com/2012/11/08/news/priceline-kayak-deal-marketing-expertise-and-global-footprint-at-heart-of-1-8-billion-takeover/#mcFwBaR3aTDH0kmE.99

Exploring TripAdvisor as a demand generator

Market Metrix indicated that in 2010 user reviews became the biggest determining factor in why guests chose a specific hotel. Using online consumer panel data from comScore, we illustrate the upstream impact of TripAdvisor on online hotel reservations; specifically we show that the fraction of consumers consulting reviews at TripAdvisor before booking a hotel room has steadily increased from 2008 through 2010. Not only has the fraction of consumers visiting TripAdvisor increased, but also so has the number of reviews they are reading before making their hotel choice.
http://hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/9281/Exploring-TripAdvisor-as-a-demand-generator

Social Travel Infographic

Social Travel becomes a travel-planning trend. With so much information available online, it’s almost impossible to using any kind of social media. Reviews, Facebook, Twitter and blogs are all amazingly helpful in planning travel of any kind. Obviously, you are already doing at least some social travel, since you read this blog.
http://beforeitsnews.com/travel/2012/10/social-travel-infographic-10-26-12-2447076.html

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eRevMax Launches Hotel & Channel Eco-System

eRevMax International, owner of premium hotel channel management application RateTiger, has launched its Hotel & Channel Eco-Systems. The launch will support enhanced and sophisticated connectivity between global OTA’s, Tour Operators and Wholesalers (IDSs) and Hotel Brands’ PMS and CRS.

“We’re forming a stronger bond between demand and supply partners to help them build their business while supporting distribution with scalable connectivity technology.” said Greg Berman, COO, eRevMax International.

The Hotel and Channel Eco-Systems will allow both parties to create more relevant and meaningful business partnerships to enrich the online sales opportunities and streamline reservation management processes. The Eco-System utilizes a powerful XML gateway that enables hotel companies to connect seamlessly with distribution partners and system providers.
For more, please click here
 

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eRevMax Unveils RTSuite 3 for the Best in Channel Management


eRevMax has launched its third full edition of RateTiger Suite with a new user interface and automated inventory distribution controls, at World Travel Market 2012.
Commenting on the launch of the product Vishal Arora, VP Product Management, eRevMax International said, “Our enhanced channel connectivity technology now provides hotels with immediate information on the marketplace; delivering the status of room rates, availability, bookings and any channel related issues. This will make updates faster and resolve issues quicker to prevent the property losing out on bookings and building additional revenue.”

RTSuite 3 has been developed to provide users throughout the hotel property with role responsibility based access, to meet their individual requirements in managing third party channel updates. The third edition also features Allocation Management, an advanced automated pooled inventory distribution system, supported by an intelligent alert mechanism that proactively notifies user of inventory changes. 



For further details, please click here