The Week, That Was – June 2020 Week 3

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

Moving the distribution landscape beyond ‘hotel room only distribution.

Total distribution will allow hospitality brands to enhance the full guest journey, while providing more unique and customized experiences for their first-time and repeat visitors, and in turn, capture brand loyalty to improve their bottom line.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4099189.html

The future of hotel design after coronavirus, according to hospitality architects.

Hotel designers are reworking existing projects and starting new ones with a focus on social distancing and contact-free systems. Expect fundamental changes to hotels’ meeting spaces, lobbies, guest rooms, and food and beverage options.

https://www.businessinsider.com/future-of-hotel-design-after-coronavirus-hospitality-architects-2020-6?international=true&r=US&IR=T

Analysis by McKinsey and trivago: Corona is changing German travel habits

New data by hotel price comparison site trivago shows that Germans are avoiding long-distance trips this year.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/06/16/2048493/0/en/Analysis-by-McKinsey-and-trivago-Corona-is-changing-German-travel-habits.html

Travel corridors offer path to Europe’s rebound

Confidence in a recovery is growing among European hoteliers due to lockdowns being lifted and travel corridors being established between member nations and even some non-European destinations.

https://hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/303131/Travel-corridors-offer-path-to-Europes-rebound

Google: Travel-related searches are slowly increasing again.

Using Google search data, a Joint Research Centre team has created a set of indicators to analyze how the worries of EU citizens change as the coronavirus pandemic evolves.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-google-insights-eu-citizens-coronavirus.html

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The Week, That Was – June 2020 Week 2

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

Hospitality experts organize Fireside Chat to discuss Reopening of Travel and New Strategies

With experts from across 4 countries, this one’s going to be interesting. Join the conversation on Tuesday 16 June 2020 to hear from hoteliers on their reopening strategies and how technology can support them. Register today – https://lnkd.in/gFZvUwi

TripAdvisor study outlines five-stage hospitality recovery

TripAdvisor’s latest study, “Beyond COVID-19: The Road to Recovery for the Travel Industry,” outlines a five-stage recovery for the travel and hospitality industry: Decline, Plateau, Emerge, Domestic Travel, and finally, a return to International Travel.

http://ir.tripadvisor.com/news-releases/news-release-details/tourism-during-covid-19-tripadvisor-releases-findings-staged

Hotel Guest Expectations in the time of COVID-19

For a traveler, a hotel room is like a home away from home. The one main exception however is that hundreds of strangers would have used that hotel room in the past. Hence maintaining cleanliness is very important in the hospitality industry, but with the spread of COVID-19, in which it is said that the virus can live on surfaces for a few hours to days, proper sanitization of guest rooms has become paramount.

https://www.erevmax.com/blog/index.php/2020/04/hotel-guest-expectations-in-the-time-of-covid-19/

What does ‘travel freely’ mean in the new era?

Travel, the luxury most of us took for granted up until March, has never felt more needed, with many of us desperate to swap the four walls that kept us safe in isolation for the white-washed stone of a Spanish villa. But from self-cleaning hotel rooms to temperature checks at airports, what will holidays actually look like post-coronavirus lockdown?

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/travel/a32809787/travel-holidays-after-coronavirus-lockdown/

 Transparency key to provide service to future tourists.

Transparency will be the key to provide service to the future tourists. During this COVID-19 pandemic, many aspects of future travels have been labelled as ‘uncertain’. Intermediaries offering more information and clearer policies will indisputably be at an advantage in terms of restoring consumer confidence, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

https://www.globaldata.com/travel-intermediaries-need-to-increase-transparency-to-restore-consumer-confidence-says-globaldata/

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The Week, That Was – June 2020 Week 1

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

45% of Chinese willing to travel overseas.

A recent PATA survey found that 60% of Chinese intend to travel in 2020 and 45% are willing to travel abroad.

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/TTN_368536.html

Japan considering a travel bubble for overseas business travelers.

The country plans on prioritising entry for business people from China, South Korea, Australia and, surprisingly, the US to help boost the economy.

https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/japan-is-considering-a-travel-bubble-for-overseas-business-people-and-tourists-060120

HUC offers software development, project management and other services

Whether it is through short term projects or one-off development requirements, HUC offers a ready pool of skilled resources that can get your project up and running at the earliest. Contact with your requirements today on marketing@hospitalityunited.com.

https://www.hospitalityunited.club/information-hub/

HSMAI: Revenue management experts discuss strategy.

Revenue Managers, System Operators and Data Scientists share their perspectives on how to best prepare for the recovery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w5_LiGspKw&feature=youtu.be

US hotels win backing for ‘Stay Safe’ reopening

The Global Business Travel Association called on hotels to discuss the opportunities for collaboration and a joined-up approach to the recovery period, as properties around the world look to reopen and start welcoming guests.

https://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/373215/us-hotels-win-backing-for-stay-safe-reopening

How Travel Has Changed Since The Pandemic — And How It Should Change

The travel industry’s recent changes may have saved their businesses for now, but adjusting a few refund policies and cleaning rooms more thoroughly has not ensured their long-term survival.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherelliott/2020/05/31/how-travel-has-changed-since-the-pandemic—and-how-it-should-change/#8024d384d641

How do you know if your hotel room is really clean amid coronavirus?

It’s almost impossible to find a hotel that hasn’t introduced a new sanitation program, promising its rooms are squeaky clean and will be coronavirus-free. How do you know if your hotel room is really clean?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2020/05/29/hotel-rooms-during-coronavirus-pandemic-how-know-if-theyre-clean/5275952002/

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The Week, That Was – March 2020 Week 3

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

Webinar: Path to Recovery for Travel Businesses – United We Can

The ultimate extent and duration of the COVID19 outbreak is still unknown – what steps can we as travel businesses be taking to weather the storm? HospitalityUnited.Club invites industry leaders to join us for a Webinar to discuss best practices and new strategies to help your business stay buoyant and come out stronger with a defined path to recovery.

REGISTER NOW: https://lnkd.in/fPucm5J

The coronavirus crisis is making travel cheaper

Fifty-five percent of American travelers have canceled upcoming travel plans, primarily through May. Travel deals are emerging amid the chaos of the global coronavirus outbreak. Many people are probably wondering if now is the right time to buy, whether for an out-of-town jaunt or a big summer vacation.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/17/heres-why-you-should-resist-the-urge-to-grab-cheap-travel-deals.html

UK: Empty hotels will be turned into makeshift hospitals

BRITAIN’s empty hotels will be turned into makeshift hospitals and operating theatres will be transformed into wards to help the NHS cope with the coronavirus.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11177679/coronavirus-britains-empty-hotels-will-be-turned-into-makeshift-hospitals-to-help-nhs-cope/

Travel industry slashes ad spending in half amid coronavirus

Marketers need to be prepared for the possibility that demand for travel-related services might snap back as the traditionally busy summer travel season gets under way from mid-June through August.

https://www.marketingdive.com/news/travel-industry-slashes-ad-spending-in-half-amid-coronavirus/574257/

OTAs overwhelmed by Coronavirus cancellations

The entire travel industry is struggling to keep up with a wave of cancellations related to coronavirus. But OTAs are hit especially hard. As hotels tell their customers they can’t help process cancellations, sending them right back to the OTA they booked with, both Expedia’s and Booking.com’s customer service is nearly impossible to reach.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/third-party-booking-sites-coronavirus/index.html

Sojern: Insights on COVID-19 travel impact

With more than 127,000 infected as of March 12th, COVID-19 is having and will continue to have a significant impact on many industries. The travel industry is no exception, and in fact, maybe the hardest hit as hotel bookings drop and airline ticket sales take a plunge.

Download Sojern’s latest COVID-19 travel insights – https://www.sojern.com/blog/covid-19-insights-on-travel-impact/

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The Week, That Was – January 2020 Week 4

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

Infographic – Hotel Revenue Management Trends 2020

Revenue managers are now leveraging artificial intelligence to make smart pricing decisions. Check out our latest Hotel Revenue Management Infographic – discover key trends that can help shape hotel revenue strategies in 2020 – https://lnkd.in/fhS3E-R

4 tips for better hotel sales and marketing

The world of hospitality sales and marketing is always evolving, and selling to customers requires a good PR message, collaboration among teams and creating loyalty experiences for high-tier members. During three different sessions at the 2020 HSMAI Marketing Strategy Conference, speakers gave their advice on how to succeed in different disciplines in the sales-and-marketing space.

http://hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/299960/4-tips-for-better-hotel-sales-and-marketing

Booking.com launches global rating system for non-hotel accommodation

Booking.com has developed what it claims to be the world’s first rating system for alternative non-hotel accommodation. The world-leading booking platform says it wants to see the classification system become globally accepted, like star ratings for hotels.

https://www.travolution.com/articles/113822/bookingcom-launches-global-rating-system-for-non-hotel-accommodation

Get ready for an even stronger Google in 2020

Brands need to monitor and respond to reviews to improve their online experience because customers will vote with their search behavior. And Google continues to influence search behavior.Here’s what happening in the coming year:

https://searchengineland.com/get-ready-for-an-even-stronger-google-in-2020-327941

2020 Airbnb Update

Airbnb is powered by our community. As co-founder, CEO and Head of Community Brian Chesky has said, we are committed to serving all stakeholders in the Airbnb community. Indeed, we believe that our success depends on a series of shared commitments that balance the interests of our stakeholders.

https://news.airbnb.com/2020-update/

 KAYAK Launches “Trip Builder”, Making it Easier to Plan Multi-City Travel

KAYAK, the world’s leading travel search engine, is testing a new product feature that makes planning your next multi-city trip even easier. A helpful tool designed for anyone traveling to more than one destination, the new feature calculates the cheapest routes between multiple cities for the biggest savings.

https://bit.ly/2RELmPq

Consumer Report: Nearly Half Of Travelers Book Through 3rd Parties

As consumer demands for personalized service and competition for consumers’ attention continue to increase, travel and hospitality brands are challenged to stay ahead. To help marketers succeed, Yes Marketing surveyed more than 1,000 travelers on their priorities as they progress along their journey with travel and hospitality companies, from the first time they hear about a brand, to becoming a loyal customer.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4096603.html

THE HOTEL INDUSTRY HAS EVOLVED, BUT HAS YOUR TOOLKIT?

Gone are the days when RevPAR and occupancy was enough. Today’s growth and profitability are driven by channel mix, customer acquisition costs, consumer review scores, length of stay trends, loyalty programs, and leveraging the booking curve.

https://bit.ly/2RNqK7M

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Thanks and have a good day!

The Week, That Was – January 2020 Week 3

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

What are the Best Practices for Creating a Google Hotel Ads Campaign?

Google Hotel Ads has emerged as an important distribution channel for hoteliers to improve online revenue. Manage Google Hotel Ads directly from RateTiger.

https://bit.ly/2TljLp6

Will the definition of a hotel be different by 2025?

The traditional hotel stay might have to make room as other industries enter the hospitality business, sustainable lodging and alternative accommodations become more mainstream and guests continue to chase unique experiences.

http://hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/299784/Will-the-definition-of-a-hotel-be-different-by-2025

Business travel is set for radical change

In 2020, businesses will need to learn from the seamless processes within consumer travel – like intuitive mobile experiences and AI-backed personalized offerings – to fulfill expectations of both traveling employees and enterprise leaders managing travel programs.

https://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?news_id=2040963&c=setreg&region=2

Travel SEO: Competing in organic search in 2020 & beyond

In order for smaller travel brands with lesser budgets to be competitive, they need to be more strategic with their efforts and resources and start to do SEO in the way right for their business model and offerings.

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/travel-seo-competing-organic-search/340459/

Booking.com’s Travel Review Awards 2020 spotlight the best in travel

39% of global travelers prefer to stay in a holiday home or apartment over a hotel. While hotels came in as the second most-awarded accommodation type yet again,three quarters of all the winning properties are homes, apartments and other unique places to stay, including everything from boats and igloos to homestays and country houses.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/booking-com-spotlights-best-travel-172800590.html

 Experts predict RevPAR growth for Europe hotels in 2020

Hotels in European markets are expected to record RevPAR increases across 2020 due to mega events and a robust transactions-volume market.

http://hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/299733/Experts-predict-RevPAR-growth-for-Europe-hotels-in-2020

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The Week, That Was – January 2020 Week 2

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

Is your PMS enough for distribution?

With inter-connectivity being one of the key focus for 2020, hoteliers need to get the distribution basics right. Are you getting real-time reservation updates directly into your hotel system? Do you get a bird’s eye view of your inventory status at all times? Are you struggling with overbookings or manual entry errors? It’s time you connect your PMS to your channel manager for seamless updates.

https://www.erevmax.com/blog/index.php/2019/12/is-your-pms-enough-for-distribution/

Google now includes taxes and fees in hotel searches

Google launched features intended to make finding, comparing, and booking hotels less stressful. Starting this week, guests will be able to browse personalized search results and narrow down properties by neighborhood, and view hotel receipts that reflect the actual amount you can expect to pay for a given stay (including taxes and fees).

https://venturebeat.com/2020/01/08/google-now-includes-taxes-and-fees-in-hotel-searches/

Four key trends the hotel industry can’t ignore during 2020

Now that we’re all back at work, attention is turning to the year ahead. Dori Stein, CEO, Fornova shares his predictions for the main trends that will influence hotel chains’ success in 2020.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4096435.html

Hotel Technology Trends 2020

When adopting hotel technology, the hospitality industry is like an elephant. Interestingly it also favoured elephants in its partners as well. Same as the animal, hotels preferred to spend time with those the same as them.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4096402.html

Could subscription travel be the new way to holiday in 2020?

A new company promises insider knowledge and free hotel stays via its subscription concept.

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/travel/a30440445/subscription-travel-trend/

Is Personalization in Hospitality Dead or Alive?

Personalization of the customer experience – from digital marketing and website experience, revenue management and pricing, CRM and loyalty marketing, and on-property guest experience – has become a buzzword at industry conferences, webinars and in the hospitality media. So… is personalization dead or alive in hotel digital marketing, website experience, revenue management, CRM and on-property guest experience?

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/panel/125000035.html

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Is your PMS enough for distribution?

Channel Managers and Hotel Property Management Systems have been around for quite a few years now. Whether you are a real estate agency, a hotel, a B&B manager or the owner of some family properties, there are chances that you are looking for the type of software that can help you out the best. Here are some differences between Channel Management systems and Property Management Systems, which can let you understand such platforms better and take an informed decision.

Is your PMS enough for distribution

Purpose

Property Management Systems are a type of software system that is created to make daily operations management easier for real estate companies, hotels or rental agencies. The aim is to assign, schedule and organize tasks and these are especially helpful for reporting, accounting and staff management. Channel Managers, on the other hand, specialize in distributing short-term rentals to listing websites, whether it comes to wholesalers, GDS, Metasearch, Vacation Rental sites or OTAs.

Capability

PMS systems are created originally in the form of front desk hotel software, and are made to follow trends in the market and can redirect them to vacation rentals or some other expanding sector. With the use of this type of system, you can spend less time in dealing with business and get more time to concentrate on guest experience and guests.

A PMS channel manager can let you deal with time-consuming operations of managing a vacation rental business. A PMS channel manager updates information automatically across every booking channel and can automate payments and online reservations. Dedicated channel managers, however, are online distribution specialists and can frequently offer much more connections across many channels.

Sophistication

When you choose a property management system integrated with a channel manager, it can help you in online property management and can ensure listing distribution for you across many websites. A PMS or company has several advantages. Property management systems offer automated guest communication services, business performance analytics, in-built accounting services and many more.

PMS coming with an in-built channel manager can be very useful for your own business. A dedicated channel manager is useful in all those cases where there is a drop in the functionality of a property management system. There are more sophisticated capabilities of dedicated channel managers, which can let you create a very complex type of pricing model as per your wish. While PMSes and channel managers tend to vary in nature, the former lacks the sophisticated features that are part of dedicated channel managers – such as pushing right property specs and dealing with a complicated pricing model.

Support

A few property management firms have a team comprising of local employees that care for on-site upkeep and maintenance. But you can expect a built-in expert team with dedicated channel managers, which come with the support of a team comprising of expert distribution professionals. The team of experts of the developer company has a direct communication line with booking websites as well as other channels, due to the fact that a high volume of properties is offered by dedicated channel managers to listing websites.

 

The Week, That Was – December 2019 Week 3

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

Is your hotel channel manager doing what you expect of it?

Here are 5 questions that you have to ask about channel management software systems for hotels.

https://www.erevmax.com/blog/index.php/2019/12/5-questions-to-ask-about-channel-management-for-hotels/

Responsible and purposeful travel: the way forward

Technology and consumer preferences are constantly evolving and the threats to the environment and personal data are becoming ever more prevalent, according to Travel Weekly’s Insight Annual Report 2019-20.

https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/travel-weekly-insight-annual-report.html

Five trends shaping the future of customer experience in 2020

As we enter a new decade, customer experience is firmly positioned as a competitive advantage and something most companies are prioritizing. Instead of worrying about new technology, brands need to consider the psychological foundation. Before they even want to use the technology, customers need to feel acknowledged and understood.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2019/12/17/5-predictions-for-customer-experience-in-2020/#1314960e2ec7

Where Airbnb goes, hotels will follow

Luxury hotel brands are stepping into the homeshare arena to compete with Airbnb, and are now making strides in one of Airbnb’s most successful arenas: experiences. When Airbnb launched its Experiences program in 2016, it was a gamble, but one that seems to be paying off as it has resulted in seven times more bookings year-over-year since 2018.

https://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/insights/daily-insights/where-airbnb-goes-hotels-will-follow

Google wants to be your holiday tour guide

Getting dropped into a new city is disorienting, and all the more so when you need to ask for help but don’t know how to pronounce the name of the place you’re trying to get to. Google Maps now has a fix for this.

https://www.blog.google/products/maps/let-google-be-your-holiday-travel-tour-guide/

 How can travel brands remain human in a digital-first world

Travel brands are trying to figure out how to strike the right balance between digital touchpoints and in-person interactions.

https://skift.com/2019/12/16/how-can-travel-brands-remain-human-in-a-digital-first-world/

Is this the future of travel bookings?

With online travel agents, we’ve already seen the way the travel industry has changed. While travel purchases are currently made through online booking agents or directly with the hotels or airlines, it won’t be long before we see new and advanced options come into play.

https://www.iol.co.za/travel/sponsored/is-this-the-future-of-travel-bookings-38980837

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The Week, That Was – December 2019 Week 2

In five minutes or less, keep track of the most important news of the week, curated just for you. We present to you hand – picked news on latest industry perspectives and some general updates. Read on!!

Upscale hotel in Papua New Guinea selects RateTiger for online connectivity

Crown Hotel Port Moresby, an upscale property in Papua New Guinea has selected RateTiger, powered by LiveOS, for increasing their online revenue through optimal distribution. The hotel is using RateTiger’s Channel Manager to manage their rate and room inventory across online sales channels and GDS.

https://bit.ly/35ihcY5

Maldives Travel Trends

Regarded as the epitome of luxury tourism in South Asia, Maldives, with its over 1000 coral islands has emerged as a ‘premier’ brand. Tourism remains the largest economic industry in the country.

https://www.erevmax.com/blog/index.php/2019/12/maldives-travel-trends/

2019 Chinese Outbound Travel Report

Total spending from Chinese travelers covered 158 countries worldwide, and the report suggests that they are increasingly willing to go further afield for the best shopping experiences. Although Japan still topped the list of most-visited destinations, the rest of the top ten overseas shopping locations for Chinese travellers in 2019 dotted the globe.

https://www.moodiedavittreport.com/jing-daily-2019-chinese-outbound-travel-report-key-takeaways/

What is the impact of social media on travel?

Everybody wants to return home with an album full of aesthetic and ‘instagramable’ photos that show off their trip. In fact, 40% of UK Millennial travellers say that they consider how “instagramable” a location is when planning their travels, whether it will look good on their feed and get enough likes.

https://theboar.org/2019/12/what-is-the-impact-of-social-media-on-travel/

How Google is navigating today’s privacy environment

Laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), enacted over a year ago in Europe, and the CCPA, taking effect imminently, introduce new requirements for how businesses collect and use data.

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/data-measurement/google-user-privacy/

How to drive demand during a slow season

Just because a market enters its off-season, it doesn’t mean hoteliers in the area have to halt business. Here are three key ways your hotel can win during a slowdown and maintain a positive revenue stream.

http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/299192/How-to-drive-demand-during-a-slow-season

Younger travelers more likely to consult with travel advisors

Travelport Global Digital Traveler Research 2019, which mapped travel preferences according to age groups, turned a common assumption on its head, finding that younger travelers are more likely to consult with travel advisors and tour operators for assistance in booking.

https://skift.com/2019/12/10/who-loves-travel-advisors-the-most-its-millennials-not-boomers/

Brand.com, OTA bookings continue to grow

Brand.com year-to-date bookings are up +7.7% compared to the same period last year and are growing faster than OTA (+7.1%), according to new Kalibri Labs data.

https://www.hotelbusiness.com/report-brand-com-ota-bookings-continue-to-grow/

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