TOP NEWS

📌 With 35+ years in the hotel industry, Demand Calendar emphasizes proactive problem-solving, focusing on total revenue management rather than just room revenue, and profit-driven decision-making. It offers an intuitive platform for hotels to analyze customer profitability, manage room bookings, restaurants, bars, spas, events, and activities. By anticipating future needs and incorporating feedback, Demand Calendar evolves into a dynamic business intelligence system, enabling hoteliers to adapt to market conditions and maintain a competitive edge. The platform minimizes manual effort, automates data collection, and provides actionable insights, aiming to drive sustainable revenue and profit growth for hotels.

🏝 Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. acquired Citadines Kyoto Karasuma-Gojo in Kyoto from CapitaLand Ascott Trust for JPY6.18 billion. The 124-room hotel, sold 40.1% above book value, will be transformed into 63 one-bedroom timeshare units with kitchens and a fitness center. Renovations start Q2 2025, with sales beginning the same quarter, and completion expected Q1 2026. CLAS plans to reinvest the JPY4.4 billion proceeds into higher-yielding investments. Hilton Grand Vacations shows continued growth in Japan, with over 72,000 members and expanding since 2012.

📈 Hotel forecasting underpins strategic decision-making and operational efficiency, crucial for competitiveness and profitability. It enables dynamic pricing strategies, adjusting rates in real-time to predicted demand. Forecasts project future room demand and revenue, influencing pricing, inventory, segment mix, and more, across upcoming months or the year ahead. Trends such as increased volatility, shift in traveler demographics, seasonality changes, and competition from alternative accommodations like Airbnb necessitate agile forecasting methods. Advanced techniques include machine learning, real-time data integration, and dynamic pricing algorithms. Pricepoint, an AI-powered dynamic pricing engine, partners with Cloudbeds, boosting hotel revenues by 19% and occupancy by 13.4% on average.

📌 Charleston, SC: SalesAndCatering.com partners with Cloudbeds to integrate STS Cloud event management and sales with Cloudbeds' Property Management System (PMS). This collaboration optimizes group sales, event management, and catering for hotels, preventing overbookings and enhancing guest experiences. Real-time data syncing, efficient event management through mobile devices, and revenue optimization through upsell opportunities are key features. The partnership offers SaaS and on-premise deployment options, aiming to increase hotel efficiency and revenue.

📈 Access to real-time insights and comparative analysis of sales campaigns is crucial for hotel revenue optimization. By analyzing pre- and post-campaign performance, hotels can identify the most responsive customer segments. Data-driven decisions and advanced analytics tools, such as those offered by Thynk, empower commercial teams to craft more effective campaigns and adjust strategies quickly. These tools help hotels uncover opportunities, mitigate risks, and align sales efforts with business goals, making data-backed decisions a necessity in the competitive hospitality industry.

📈 In September, G6 Hospitality agreed to sell its Motel 6 brand to Oyo Hotels for $525 million. Highgate, having acquired a large set of La Quinta properties and Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, anticipates 2025 as a prime investment year with lower interest rates. Sonesta now operates over 1,100 hotels worldwide and emphasizes flexible brand standards for franchisees. Wyndham’s CEO highlighted long visa wait times for India at 250 days, affecting U.S. inbound travel, with Asian tourism still recovering, particularly from China and Japan. Glendale, Ariz., voters may decide on higher wages for hotel workers, impacting profit margins.

🏨 Vouchers emerge as a key strategy for hotels to boost revenue and guest loyalty, offering a variety of options such as stays, spa services, or dining. They provide immediate cash flow, drive off-season sales, expand guest reach, and create promotional opportunities. To maximize their effectiveness, hotels can customize voucher offerings, leverage digital channels, use them as incentives, and partner with local businesses. Additionally, targeting special occasions, encouraging repeat use, tracking success, and simplifying redemption are recommended strategies.

🌎 European travellers plan 2.9 international holidays in two years; Gen Zers and Millennials lead in travel frequency. 33% of Gen Z willing to pay an extra €100 to reduce flight carbon footprint, versus 27% of all European travellers. Italy, Spain, and Greece top Europe destinations, with the US showing increased interest. British travellers exhibit highest travel expenditure and frequency. AI and social media, especially YouTube and Instagram, heavily used in travel planning; 27% of Europeans would pay more for sustainable travel options. 70% would extend business trips for leisure, with British and Germans most likely. For details, visit store.mmgyintel.com.

🏖️ Stratoflow's report highlights technology trends in the travel industry, emphasizing AI's role in enhancing customer experiences and personalization. Global tourism is rebounding, with Asia's recovery led by China and the Gulf's unified tourist visa boosting Middle East and Africa. Europe's growth is spurred by Schengen expansion and the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite potential impacts from regional conflicts. A significant 67% of tourism professionals foresee improved performance in 2025, with a mere 6% anticipating a decline. Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) increasingly rely on AI for dynamic pricing, with over 70% of consumers expecting personalization. Open-source platforms like Openkoda offer cost-effective customization. Sustainability is a growing concern, with eco-friendly options being more sought after. Augmented Reality (AR) is predicted to become crucial, though its adoption is still nascent.

🏡 In the UK, short-term rental businesses have seen a 90.7% increase from 3,780 in 2013 to 7,219 in 2023, growing 16 times faster than hotels, which only grew by 5.6% (from 12,385 to 13,080) over the same period. UK campgrounds also witnessed a 35% rise, from 2,495 in 2013 to 3,375 in 2023. Out of 382 UK local authorities, 260 experienced growth in STRs, with an average of 13.2 new businesses per region, significantly outpacing hotels, which saw growth in just 154 regions, averaging 4.6 new operators.