Cornell Hospitality Research Summit Explores the Dimensions of Electronic Distribution and Revenue Management

As the relationship between hotel operators and electronic distribution channels continues to develop, a new proceedings from the Cornell Hospitality Research Summit (CHRS) examines the dimensions of that relationship. The proceedings, "Brave New World: Online Hotel Distribution," is available at no charge from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr. A chief thread of all presentations is the strategic need for hotels to establish and maintain price integrity-a challenge in recent economic times.

Based on presentations at the CHRS, which was held in October 2010, the proceedings provides detailed suggestions for how hotels can make the most of online travel agent sites. Presenters included Brian Ferguson, vice president, supply strategy and analysis, Expedia; Tim Gordon, senior vice president, hotels, priceline.com; and Jay Hubbs, director of revenue management, Hotwire. Although the strategies vary for the opaque travel sites (e.g., priceline and Hotwire) as compared to the online travel agents (e.g., Expedia and Travelocity), the presenters recommended certain common strategies. Chief among these is to use the online sites consistently, in high times and low times, to gain better placement on the sites. Priceline and Hotwire are designed to help hotels maintain rate integrity because they do not reveal identifying information about a property during the purchase process. Thus, hotels can offer numerous rate and room categories and test the market for different packages.

Other presenters included Kurt Ekert, chief commercial officer, Travelport GDS, who explained the full dimensions of hotel distribution through both online and traditional channels; Cornell Assistant Professor Chris Anderson, who explained his research on the promotional benefits for hotels listed on online travel agent sites; Cornell Professor Cathy Enz, who presented research results demonstrating the importance of price integrity; and STR co-founder Randy Smith and vice president Duane Vinson, who explained the status of hotel pricing and performance.

Presenters also addressed the continuing integration of revenue management with hotel marketing. Cornell Professor Sheryl Kimes presented the results of her study of revenue and hotel managers, and David Roberts, senior vice president of global revenue management, Marriott International, offered his perspective on revenue management, suggesting that RM must operate seamlessly across all distribution channels.

About CHRS
In the Cornell Hospitality Research Summit, the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) brings together faculty, corporate partners, and other industry leaders to develop new ideas, theories, and models that improve strategic, managerial, and operating practices. The next CHRS is scheduled for October 3–5, 2012.

The 2010 CHRS brought together 225 director level and above representatives of industry and academe to the beautiful campus of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. This "thought leadership" summit featured keynote addresses from industry and academe, in-depth presentations from scholars and practitioners, and the hospitality "research in practice" award ceremony. A total of four proceedings from this conference are posted for download at no charge from CHR at http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/roundtableproceedings/2011.html.

The CHRS was made possible by the following sponsors: Avaya, Charlie's Grilled Subs, Hotel Business, HotelExecutive.com, HotelMarketing.com, HotelNewsNow.com (HNN), Hsyndicate.com, and J.D. Power and Associates.

Thanks to the support of the CHR partners listed below, all publications posted on the center's website are available free of charge, at www.chr.cornell.edu.