A new study by SiteMinder, the global hotel industry's leading guest acquisition platform, has found that more than half of UK locals plan to travel domestically during the remainder of 2020 and, in light of ongoing pandemic, will prioritise flexibility over low cost.
Two important players in the hospitality technology sector have officially announced a new partnership that will help UK hoteliers secure more direct bookings, as the industry looks to bounce back after the coronavirus pandemic.
Hostelco, the Spanish leading exhibition of equipment for the restaurant, hotel, and catering industries as well as one of the pioneers in this speciality in Europe, will be held from 17 to 20 May, 2021, together with Alimentaria, strengthening the commitment to one of the largest international platforms for the food, catering, restaurant and hotel equipment industry. The exhibition, which is organized by Fira de Barcelona in collaboration with the Spanish Federation of Associations of Equipment Manufacturers for the Hospitality and Related Industries (FELAC), will be held on a date agreed by people in the industry to respond to the request of major companies and associations with the aim of holding the best possible edition that contributes to the recovery of this industry.
New data by SiteMinder, the global hotel industry's leading guest acquisition platform, confirms that German locals have been swift to arrange their summer holiday plans, albeit closer to home to provide a much-needed boost for the country's accommodation and tourism sector. SiteMinder's World Hotel Index, based on the booking data of 35,000 hotels globally, reveals that domestic travellers will constitute 78 percent of all hotel guest arrivals in Germany this month and August, compared with 62 percent during the same period last year.
The crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic effects on many sectors, including the wine industry. The OIV (International Wine Organization) anticipates a 35% drop in sales volume and a 50% drop in value in 2020 in Europe. In Switzerland, the figures are not much better. According to the ASCV (Swiss Wine Trade Association), the industry's turnover has already fallen by 35% during the "semi-lockdown" period. Economic activity has now picked up again, but the outlook remains bleak. The pandemic has wiped out many of the summer events that usually generate high sales. As for restaurateurs, they have not sold any wine during the last few months and therefore have neither the need nor the financial means to build up stocks at the moment.
Flight booking data shows London has fallen to the bottom of the top 10 most booked European cities, as border restrictions and UK quarantine regulations choked travel, according to joint research by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and ForwardKeys.
Cendyn, the leading innovator in CRM, sales, and revenue strategy for the hospitality industry, announces that Lily of the Valley has selected Cendyn to power CRM at their luxury resort in the South of France.With eInsight CRM, Lily of the Valley will benefit from a CRM and guest intelligence solution that allows them to learn more about their guests. Collecting data from multiple sources to provide an accurate, single source of truth for each guest, eInsight CRM will provide enhanced guest profiles, automation, segmentation, and reporting to put the power of true personalization with Lily of the Valley. As the luxury resort plans to open in mid-June following the COVID-19 closure, implementing CRM now will enable them to listen to their guests, provide peace of mind and drive success through the recovery as hotels across the globe re-open."We pride ourselves on the fact that our guests are given a tailored experience throughout their stay at Lily of the Valley. A big part of this is providing a truly unique experience for them," said Manon Smagghe, Rooms Division Manager. "The only way to do that effectively now is with a truly integrated CRM system. eInsight CRM will enable us to learn more about our guests and tailor their experiences based on their preferences. Our guests' needs and safety has never been as important as it is now, so we are pleased to partner with Cendyn to help us achieve this.""Lily of the Valley is a truly unique resort, providing tailored experiences for every guest. This is the core foundation of what they do, and what makes them stand out, so we are delighted that they have chosen to partner with us to power their CRM and continue to build on that guest experience," said John Seaton, Chief Commercial Officer at Cendyn. "Using data from multiple sources and creating a single source of truth for their data will allow them to take their offering to the next level and provide a truly tailored experience throughout the travel journey."Lily of the Valley is a resort that offers so much; all guests can enjoy indoor and outdoor activities, light and delicious cuisine, and expert wellness treatments. Founded by a father and his daughter, Lily of the Valley is set between the tranquil charm of the Riviera and the bustling atmosphere of Saint-Tropez, in La Croix Valmer. The hotel takes pride of place on the hills of Gigaro, looking as if it has always been there, surrounded by unspoiled nature and with over three miles of fine sandy beaches below.
As we continue edging closer to the newly announced open date of June 29th for hotels in Ireland, we've been keeping a keen eye on our booking data, monitoring the slow, steady and expected increase since the beginning of the month.
France on Thursday announced measures worth 18 billion euros ($19 billion) to support its tourism sector, which has been hammered by the coronavirus crisis and resulting shutdown in beaches, leisure attractions and hotels.
The French government will join forces with the tourism industry to build an Internet site aimed winning back customers from U.S. online travel giants such as Airbnb Inc. and Booking Holdings Inc.
The Dutch government plans to tighten the rules for businesses claiming coronavirus relief after one of the nation's most successful tech companies was accused of seeking state aid while paying billions of dollars to shareholders.
Hotel website Booking.com, until recently one of the most profitable companies in the Netherlands, has asked for government support as the number of bookings plunges to 15% of those of a year ago, according to the Volkskrant and the Financieele Dagblad. The company has asked for help to pay its 5,500 workers in the Netherlands and 48 customer service staff who were still in their probationary period have been let go as the impact of coronavirus on tourism continues to bite, the Volkskrant said. The company is a major employer in Amsterdam with a IT workforce comprising 80 different nationalities. According to the VK, the average salary at the Dutch operation is €47,000 a year.
When designing a mobile app that will meet the needs and expectations of future hoteliers, you would do well to involve them in the process. So when Infor began developing its newly released solution Infor Hospitality Price Optimizer (HPO), it tapped the talents of students at EHL in Lausanne, Switzerland, ranked the world's best hospitality & leisure management school.
A representative body for airlines based in Britain has written to its transport minister seeking industry-specific tax and air traffic fee holidays to help survive a coronavirus pandemic that has brought air travel to a standstill.
The five-star Hayfield Manor in the city of Cork is the epitome of the classic Irish, mansion-style hotel - friendly staff, comfortable surroundings and an incredible sense of hospitality. Located within a walled garden on the edge of University College Cork, the property's 88 rooms offer guests a quiet respite from the narrow-clogged roads of the nation's second largest city. In its ornate tearoom, I had an opportunity to sit down with T.J. Mulcahy, Hayfield Manor's General Manager, to discuss what makes the property so special.
Hoteliers have accused OTAs of "behaving appallingly" by changing terms and conditions so bookings - including those that were non-refundable - are reimbursed, without cancellation charges.
Hotel industry thought leaders convening at I Meet Hotel Amsterdam on 6 March said that while the full impact of coronavirus on the hotel and tourism sector was uncertain, six underlying driving forces would continue to transform the future of hospitality and tourism.
IMEX Frankfurt, the largest annual trade exhibition for the meetings, conventions, events and incentive travel industry, has been cancelled, following German federal and state advisories to cancel large events due to the coronavirus outbreak. The event was scheduled to take place May 12-14 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Venice is widely known for the crushing crowds of tourists. The seasonal events that take place on this historical city, such as the Venice Architecture Biennale or the Venice Carnival, have placed it to one of the most sought-after destinations. However, its tourism industry has significantly suffered over the past 3 months. The exceptionally high tides, which further resulted in the flooding in November, led to mass reservation cancellations dropping significantly the anticipated average daily rate as well as the occupancy rate on the hotels.
Latest update on Expedia's controversial (and, so far, unilateral) cancellation policies due to coronavirus pandemic. As per today, all bookings for hotels in Italy will be refunded, even the non-refundable ones. A full refund, so far, will only be guaranteed for bookings made before March, the 10th 2020 and with stay date between today and the 3rd of April, 2020.