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

eRevMax Football Tournament 2012


Honestly speaking I am not a sports addict, so definitely not the best person to be writing this post. Infact I have a love for aesthetics and am better off writing or painting! But for a change I was very glad to be a part of the Football tournament this year. You will ask why? Well there was so much excitement around this event – everyone was so charged up and the canteen buzzed with talks of who is in which team etc and I was missing out on all the action, so I enrolled myself to see what the fuss was all about.

And guess what? It paid. Well fortunately for me, I was part of the team which won the runners-up trophy! And I won an individual medal – my first sports win ever!

The match took place in the nearby HIDCO Ground located just behind our Kolkata office complex. There were five teams who participated – Teams A, B, C, D and E. The tournament started with the league matches and after a series of qualifiers, the top two teams went on for the finals. The ultimate face-off was between Team C efficiently captained by Ranjit Shaw and Team D led by Sumanta Sen. Team C emerged as the Winners and Team D (including me) was announced Runners-up.


Given that I played for hardly 5 -6 minutes (given my disposition with sports!) and was mostly in the outfield I managed to get a birds-eye view of all the incidents on-field. Well this happens only if you are one of the lucky few!

So here I am sharing the most memorable and comic moment of the event in one of the qualifiers, my friend Sourav Das was so excited that he forgot which side he was playing for! His teammate Gopal Das managed a great shot and might have scored a goal if it were not for Sourav who saved it – forgetting that he was not the defender of the opponent team but the striker for his own team!

Further, this event helped me stumble upon other ‘sports gems’ like me who manage to mesmerize the audience with their stunning performance and skills – my friend Sujay Ghosh (who played for 8 minutes then returned injured – he was seen on the ground face-down, before he returned) and another friend Alok (who played for 3 minutes then returned injured). Of course I was leader of the gang as I ended up being the 12th man (who played for 4 minutes and returned – touched the ball just once 😉

What I want to mention is that the idea of these events are not just playing or showing great football skills, instead we were there to have some fun. I am sure everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. So – come one come all – play next year and you might get as lucky as me!

Truly a day with a difference!

For photos of the event, click here

Abhisek Gupta is Executive – Human Resource at eRevMax and is responsible for recruitments and HR operations. Abhisek is based out of Kolkata and can be reached at abhisekg@erevmax.com

Team eRevMax @ Kolkata Cyclothon 2012

Kolkata’s biggest ever cycling event ‘Avon Cycles India Cyclothon‘ took place on 18th March 2012 at Salt Lake Stadium. Cycle enthusiasts from across the city flocked to the stadium on Sunday morning with helmets in place and sporting cool white tees. The participants ranged from age group of 8 to 60 and the event witnessed a turnout of over 3,500.

Team eRevMax was represented by 14 members who rocked the show. The company’s CTO & MD Udai Singh Solanki led the team and his infectious enthusiasm got others interested; Rajib Roy, AVP – Administration took on the task of organizing the company’s representation and soon we saw 14 participants of which one was a visiting member from our sister company Lunar Logic Polska.

 

Krzysztof Knapik has only been on cycle trips with friends along the Baltic seaside in Poland. He says, ‘I had a really good time and I’m happy that I could participate since the event took place while I was in Kolkata. I didn’t expect it would be so much fun. It was amazing to see so many people in one place, driving all possible kinds of bikes who were happy because they were part of this grand event.’

The concept of promoting cycling through such events is popular worldwide but it takes a lot of effort to organize, that too when it gets as big as this one was. The event was absolutely thrilling for me as this was my first ever cycling event. The idea that this was happening in my own city was enough to get me going. To be very honest I was very amazed, I did not expect such huge participation. Every participant present there was eager for the Cyclothon to begin! It was overwhelming. Infact Team eRevMax was so high on spirit and enthusiasm that I would give us a 10 on 10!

Kudos to the organizers and the Bidhannagar Police for having pulled this one off so smoothly!

Pooja Joshi is Market Manager at eRevMax. She is based out of Kolkata and can be reached at poojaj@ratetiger.com

Holi @ eRevMax


Like every year, this spring festival of colors was celebrated in our Kolkata campus on 7th March. Holi – the festival of colors – is undoubtedly the most fun-filled and boisterous of Indian festivals.


At eRevMax we organize an annual event called Rang Barse meaning ‘Let the Colors Rain’ to commemorate this festival. Various activities and competitions take place which gives way to unadulterated joy, fun and play, music and dance, and, of course, lots of bright colors! The icing on the cake is lip smacking food and chance to win prizes in different competitions!




This year saw us participating in T-shirt painting competition which was a lot of fun as people created impressive designs with imaginative themes. People turned up in multi-hued attires to compete for the Most Colorfully Dressed prize. Further there was a Fun Quiz on Holi and there were interesting gifts up for grab.

Once the competitions were underway, multi colored ‘Gulal’ became the target and soon everyone were into the act of putting colors on each other with Holi songs creating the perfect ambience.

Three of our colleagues from Lunar Logic in Poland happened to be in Kolkata during the event and witnessed all the fun and colors. They loved it and participated whole heartedly – painting T-shirts, playing with colors and dancing to Holi tunes.  Infact they took the Kolkata team by surprise when they answered Holi questions (thanks to technology ;-)!! They captured a lot of colorful pictures and also gorged on the local delicacies and sweets.


It was fun to see the happy faces, colored in hues of red, green, orange, yellow, purple, pink & so on …barely recognizable.  People were jiving in the festive spirit!! On occasions like these we get an opportunity to feel the warmth and significance of being a part of the beautiful eRevMax family ”. We hope to enjoy many such events that keep on adding the zing to celebrate life. Happy Holi!

For more pictures, click here.

Neha Ginoria is Sr. Executive- Marketing Communications at eRevMax and is responsible for driving the company’s PR and Marketing activities in APAC. Neha is based out of Kolkata, India and can be reached at
nehag@erevmax.com

ERevMax International Appoints VP-Human Resources to Drive Corporate Development and Indian Expansion

eRevMax International, a global software and services company, has appointed Ms. Anupama Dasgupta as Vice President-HR, to spearhead its Indian and international expansion plan.

As the Head of Human Resources in India, Anupama will be responsible to further develop the recruitment, HR and training strategy to continue eRevMax’s strong commitment towards nurturing future leaders within the industry sector. In a career spanning 14 years, she has been associated with firms across a range of industries leading HR programmes that contribute to organizational change to meet expansion and growth targets.

Announcing the appointment, Mr. Udai Solanki, Managing Director – India, eRevMax International said, “With increasing demand for our products, services and expertise, it is essential we continue to further invest in our internal processes to help execute our growth plans over the next few years. As we proceed to scale up our Indian and global operations, we are pleased to have Anupama in our leadership to oversee this endeavor. Her vast people management experience will contribute to our overall recruitment strategy and develop the training tools, initiatives and internal employee support networks to grow our people in-line with the growth of the business.”


eRevMax Anniversary Celebration – 10 years of innovation

The official corporate eRevMax 10th Anniversary celebration took place at the Nutfield Priory Hotels & Spa in Redhill Surrey. The evening event with VIP guests, business associates and partners was abuzz with discussion and interaction.

An exclusive meal followed a champagne reception in an elegant reception suite at the hotel accompanied by a string quartet of classical music. The founding presidents, Reuel Ghosh and Andrew Morsi, with the CEO, Sascha Hausmann delivered a speech reminiscing on a decade of eRevMax and RateTiger, recounting some of the more hilarious business encounters and silly mistakes all small businesses experience as they grow.

Following the dinner and it being Guy Fawkes Night in the UK it was the perfect opportunity to bring out the fireworks. We were entertained by a 15-minute firework display brightening the dark and dry cool night sky. After, we finished the evening in the bar to a soundtrack of light jazz music by band – Delta Detour.


To round the evening, our guests stayed the Nutfield Priory Hotel & Spa, enjoying everything the exquisite hotel has to offer. We’re now looking forward to celebrating many more successful decades in business.

Ryan Haynes is VP – Global Marketing at eRevMax and is responsible for driving all PR and Marketing activities of eRevMax and its various product brands globally. Ryan is based out of London and can be reached at
ryanh@ratetiger.com

eRevMax – RateTiger Marks Its 10th Anniversary

eRevMax International, global software and services provider and owner of RateTiger, SimpleDistribution and Lunar Logic Polska, today celebrates its tenth corporate anniversary.  The company has specialized in revenue and distribution solutions for the hospitality industry for a decade, having launched one of the very first electronic, online and hotel website room rate shopping services in early 2002.

The lead product brand, RateTiger, was one of the first to focus on bookings and revenue from the internet. The channel manager launched within a couple of months of incorporation and was built to specifications requested by hoteliers. RateTiger today is setting a standard in the online revenue maximization market with the largest and most diverse distribution network of over 700 connect channels worldwide.

“Over the last ten years, eRevMax has seen significant growth as the company has strictly adhered to the founders belief in innovative and qualitative solutions,” said Sascha Hausmann, CEO, eRevMax International, “I would attribute this success to our focus on deploying only the best high-quality technology and the dedication we’ve had from our employees over the last 10 years, especially from our founding CTO, Udai Singh Solanki. Reaching this milestone in our company’s history is a true testament to everyone who’s been involved, from the technicians to our customers – who have really helped shape the technology that it is today.”

This year also marks the expansion of eRevMax International to new territories in Australia, New Zealand, China and South Africa. Earlier in the year the company acquired Lunar Logic Polska, a Poland-based web and digital development company to spur channel management, rate shopping and strategy technologies into the next generation. 

http://www.etravelblackboard.com/article/122877/erevmax-8211-ratetiger-marks-its-10th-anniversary

http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=11641&sid=1

http://zeenews.india.com/biz/businesswire/28090news.html 

http://www.technology4hospitality.com/2011/09/erevmax-%E2%80%93-ratetiger-marks-its-10th-anniversary/

eRevMax Expands its Global Footprint in America, Africa & Asia


eRevMax International, a global software and services house, has announced further expansion of its brands RateTiger and SimpleDistribution. The company has opened sales offices and representations in Australia, South Africa, South America and China.

The new offices will strengthen eRevMax International’s global market leadership in the hospitality and travel industries while enabling the company to enter new markets in Asia Pacific and South America. This will help keeping up with the growing demand of its products as well as its commitment to customers to provide local presence and support.

The two lead product brands, RateTiger and SimpleDistribution, have positioned eRevMax International as a thought leader of online distribution and revenue management. The solutions offer channel management technology and services to enhance hotel’s sales capabilities that have been recognized with the European Seal of e-Excellence for the Marketing of Innovation for the last three years (2009, 2010 & 2011).

http://www.mydigitalfc.com/news/erevmax-buy-two-more-hospitality-tech-firms-738

http://orientalhospitality.com/erevmax-expands-its-global-footprint-in-asia-america-africa

http://www.htrends.com/article57011ERevMax_Expands_Its_Global_Footprint_in_Asia__America___Africa.html



Newshound: Trends and Reports – Hotel Online Distribution


Defining success in revenue management

The best revenue managers are those who can not only mine the most data but those who can present it in the clearest, simplest way to support agreed-upon organizational goals.
http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/6082/Defining-success-in-revenue-management

Corporate Travel Volume Hints at +15% Growth through August

The corporate hotel market saw global bookings increase +8.8% in June, according to data released today from Pegasus Solutions in The Pegasus View. Reinforcing healthy gains made overall in the first half of the year, the growth in business travel bookings could potentially climb to +15% through August, and possibly higher into the third quarter.
http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2011_3rd/Jul11_PegasusViewJune.html

Google Launches Hotel Search Tool With Room Price Data

Google has launched Hotel Finder, an experimental search tool, which enables users to define key lodging preferences in hopes of finding the perfect hotel for their travel needs.
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/external/4052400.html

Hotels Must Adapt to Shorter Booking Windows

Meeting planners have limited time to get their jobs done. And, if they can’t find outside space quickly enough, they just may hold their meetings at corporate headquarters. Hotels can keep the business if they’re prepared to help meeting planners hit their deadlines, says Mike Mason, ZEO and founder of Winter Garden, Florida-based, technology startup Zentila.
http://lhonline.com/news/hotels_adapt_shorter_booking_windows_0727/

The Price Is Right – Maybe

Pricing is a powerful and proven strategy for improving profitability, yet few organizations know how to do pricing well. “Pricing and Profitability Management: A Practical Guide for Business Leaders,” a new book released today by Deloitte, helps organizations to better understand and implement effective pricing management.
http://4hoteliers.com/4hots_fshw.php?mwi=6210

Java SE 7 Event in Kolkata

Live demonstration of Java SE7 from the one of the developers himself?? 
 
Can it get better than this?

We, the eRevMax Java User Group, had the opportunity to learn and discuss the new Java SE7 features and functionality ahead of its global official release on 28th July, 2011. Chuk-Munn Lee, from Oracle Singapore, was the speaker at the pre-launch event organized jointly by Oracle and eRevMax.

Udai Singh Solanki, CTO & MD, eRevMax was instrumental in organizing this event and played the perfect host. Chuk did a great presentation and explained the upcoming features and specifications of Java SE7 and answered our never ending questions with a smile.

Chuk proved to be a great orator and was a pleasure to listen to. He seemed to radiate a very positive energy and his affable manners made him the star of the event. Listening about Java never seemed so interesting earlier!

With all of us participants bombarding him with questions, Chuk almost missed his flight. But not before Udai has presented him a nice ethnic Bengal memorabilia. There was something for us too. We got to take home Java branded T-shirts sent by Oracle especially for the event.

Swarnadeep Mondol is Sr. Software Engineer at eRevMax. He is based out of Kolkata, India and can be reached at swarnadeepm@erevmax.com