SINGAPORE – Hospitality industry leaders in Asia Pacific anticipate a continuation for a demand for business travel despite the current economic climate and see small to medium enterprise (SME) corporate travel as a prevalent factor, expecting increased growth from this sector. To retain corporate travel business, they felt that relationships were still the key as well as maintaining the opportunity for face to face negotiation. These observations were made at a breakout session at a recent roundtable event co-hosted by The Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management (CNI) and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Asia Pacific chapter in Singapore last week. The roundtable was sponsored by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. At the breakout session were representatives from Movënpick, Raffles International, Rendezvous Hotels International, and UOB Travel Planners.
Another trend identified in the SME segment was that SME's are now taking the opportunity to make day trips to short haul city hubs rather than multi-sector trips. Apparently the trend is occurring because it is more economical to make two or three day trips to locations such as Hong Kong or Manila due to the airline sector pricing strategy and the increasing cost of hotel accommodation . To address this, hoteliers feel that there is now a higher demand for 2, 3 to 4 star rated hotels and serviced apartment properties.
Other key trends noted during the session were that the SME sector is increasingly making just in time bookings and has a strong need for connectivity plus access to work applications whilst traveling. The participants felt that technology was influencing behavioral patterns in particular markets and those markets with higher internet penetration provided more opportunities to do business with SME's. It was observed that SME's demand a personalized level of service and that seeking out the needs of SME's is more challenging than other guest segments.
The industry leaders asked students of the 2009 CNI Masters of Management in Hospitality (MMH) program, who were observing the roundtable to research the SME corporate buying process and to assess the value perceptions of SME's and identify cultural differences across the region in SME travelers.
About HSMAI:Founded in 1927, The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International 'HSMAI' is a global organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry while operating as a leading voice for both hospitality and sales and marketing management disciplines, as well as connecting its members with customers.
Today with over 7000 members from 35 countries and 60 chapters worldwide and the establishment of the HSMAI Asia Pacific Regional Chapter (www.hsmaiasia.com ), HSMAI now offers members and global partners a unique opportunity to Connect, Learn and Network with other hospitality professionals from around the region and the world.
For more information on HSMAI, please visit:
www.hsmai.org
About the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management
The Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management (CNI) is jointly operated and governed by Cornell University 's School of Hotel Administration and Nanyang Technological University 's Business School . Located in Singapore , CNI is strategically positioned to develop leaders, managers and entrepreneurs for the Asian hospitality and tourism industry. CNI offers three hospitality education programs designed to alleviate the severe shortage of qualified talent that is currently plaguing the hospitality industry in Asia and the Middle East.
Equivalent to an MBA, the one year Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH) program prepares students to be theory-based, action-oriented leaders of executive management teams and entrepreneurial ventures in the hospitality and service industry. CNI MMH students spend six months at Cornell University in Ithaca , New York and six months at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore , thus taking advantage of educational and networking opportunities in both Asia and North America in a single year.
The Professional Development Program (PDP) offers three-day courses that cover different aspects of hotel management . PDP teaches cutting-edge management techniques, presented by internationally recognized faculty members and industry leaders. Participants can earn Cornell certifications in F inancial Management, Food, Beverage, and Restaurant Management, General and Strategic Management, Human-Resource Management, Marketing, Operations Management and Property-Asset Management and Real Estate. CNI has hosted over 700 PDP participants from 30 countries in the last two years.
The General Managers Program (GMP) is designed for hotel general managers of full service hotels and their immediate successors. Participants in this 10-day program concentrate on strategic hospitality management issues, work collaboratively to expand the foundation of their knowledge, and produce new solutions to the challenges they face.
Please visit the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management website for more information.
Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
