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The Week, That Was – January 2021 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!!

eRevMax announces strategic alliance with Kenyan hotel technology provider RevSol

We are happy to announce our partnership with RevSol – who will be the official provider of RateTiger in the region. We look forward to helping African hotels increase efficiency, lower costs & improve performance through RateTiger Channel Manager and Rate Shopper among other solutions. Read more about our partnership – https://www.erevmax.com/ratetiger-news/ratetiger-news-archive/jan2021-erevmax-strategic-alliance-kenyan-hotel-technology-provider-revso.html

BCD survey reveals optimism about return of business travel

Most business travelers expect to get back on the road by mid-2021, according to BCD Travel. More than 60% of business travelers surveyed expected to be traveling regularly by mid-2021. By the end of the year, that figure could be above 90%.

https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Survey-reveals-optimism-about-the-return-of-business-travel

Global View: Hospitality, travel cautiously optimistic for 2021

Market watchers optimistic about a midyear economic turnaround. While the mood is largely optimistic, some industry leaders are cautious, agreeing that 2021 will likely be a “transition year” for the hospitality industry.

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/your-business/global-view-hospitality-travel-cautiously-optimistic-for-2021

Make 2021 count with RateTiger

In terms of technology tools, preferences vary across region. As hoteliers are you rebuilding your hospitality strategies? Take benefit of our New Year bundle product offer – this could be the vaccine your hotel needs to drive new demand! Contact RateTiger today to find out how the right technology can help you achieve your revenue goals for 2021 – https://www.erevmax.com/blog/index.php/2021/01/make-2021-count-with-ratetiger/

Europeans increasingly eager to travel during Spring 2021

Spring 2021 is now firmly in the sights of travelers, according to the European Travel Commission. Despite continuing lockdowns, Europeans are progressively interested in trips during the second quarter of 2021 as COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out.

https://etc-corporate.org/uploads/2021/01/2021ETC_MSIET_Wave_4.pdf

UK hotel sector outperforms Europe through lockdown

UK regional hotels are recording some of the highest occupancy rates in Europe owing to domestic long-stay visitors during the pandemic.

https://travelweekly.co.uk/articles/398657/uk-hotel-sector-outperforms-europe-through-lockdown

Reach out to us for your connectivity needs to make the most of your online revenue- https://goo.gl/3gKUJZ

Thanks and have a good day!

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Make 2021 count with RateTiger

We are living in unprecedented times and Covid-19 has – in more ways than one – altered the way we live, think, work, or even socialize with people around us.  With the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out restoring travelers’ confidence, hospitality business is expected to show signs of recovery. It is a crucial time for hoteliers to remain resilient and be prepared to drive demand. Hence a healthy distribution mix and robust technology set-up is key for your hotel.

RateTiger is happy to present its integrated distribution platform to make revenue management effective and seamless. Contact us  for a free demo to see how we can help you capture demand through tactical planning.

Avail our New Year Offer* – get 2 months free upon signing a 12-month subscription.

CRS / Channel Manager – Centrally manage ARI & bookings – access 450+ channels & diversify your distribution mix through 2-way XML connectivity

Rate Shopper – Analyze competitor rate strategy across channels to stay ahead in the market

Booking Engine – Increase your hotel’s direct sales and maximize booking opportunities

GDS Connectivity – Connect to all major GDS – publish ARI across 600,000 travel agents worldwide

Metasearch Marketing – Manage all metasearch sites including TripAdvisor & Google Hotel Ads directly from RateTiger

Website Development – Customized responsive website design for better engagement to drive conversions

Business Analytics – Get insights on pace, occupancy, channel performance & other metrics for informed decision making

Take benefit of our New Year offer – this could be the vaccine your hotel needs to drive new demand! We look forward to working with you.

Contact us – for a demo today.

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HRS, Winsar Group and Digibreaks join the eRevMax Partner Ecosystem

With new travel regulations being put in place across geographies due to the new Covid-19 strain, the hospitality industry is facing yet another period of uncertainty. As hoteliers, it is important to continue focusing on building a strong network of channel partners to get a share of the trickling demand wherever possible. As a distribution connectivity leader, we continue to promote OTAs and source channels that can bring new reservation for hotels. RateTiger offers a network of over 450 deeply integrated global, regional and local channels. Contact us today to expand your distribution connectivity today.

HRS

Our long-standing partner HRS is a market leader and considered one of the top three hotel portals in Europe. With over 300,000 properties across 190 countries, HRS offers a huge range of hotels worldwide for both leisure and business travellers, allowing guests to book their preferred hotel room and category quickly and easily. Add them to your distribution network to expand your online visibility and market share.

Winsar Group

If you are looking to switch your PMS, Winsar Group can be your next technology partner. It provides on-cloud property management system for hotels and resorts globally with an install base of 1500 hotels across 30 countries. Their main product WINHMS PMS is designed to handle high volumes of transactions with ease. The deep integration with RateTiger allows for seamless ARI and reservation flow, making it a smooth transition for your property. To request a demo, contact us today.

DigiBreaks

With the focus on domestic tourism, it is time for hotels to connect to relevant local and regional that can bring more business. Our Ireland based partner Digibreaks, is the ideal choice if you are looking to promote staycations and weekend packages. With over 1300 properties from Ireland, Sweden and Norway listed, Digibreaks processes around 15000+ bookings every month and delivered over €60m in revenue to partner hotels last year. Connect and manage Digibreaks through RateTiger today.

Are you looking to manage any new tech partner or channel from your RateTiger platform? CONTACT US TODAY – https://www.erevmax.com/erevmax-contact.html

 

 

 

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The Week, That Was – Dec 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!!

Sabre on planning beyond the pandemic

Sabre’s mindset now is to prepare the business for the period after the mechanics of the industry have started warming up once more over the course of the next 12 months.

https://www.phocuswire.com/Sabre-on-planning-for-2022-and-2021

Americans eager to travel in 2021

While the pandemic has induced more time spent at home than abroad, the flip side is that there’s greater opportunity for advertisers and travel brands to engage with potential audiences. 51% plan to travel for a vacation or business trip next year, according to new YouGov data.

https://today.yougov.com/topics/travel/articles-reports/2020/11/30/americans-eager-travel-2021

Charting the travel industry’s path to recovery

Tripadvisor traffic data and consumer survey analysis all point in the same direction: depending on the speed with which the development of a vaccine progresses, the journey to a sustained recovery for the global travel sector is likely to be prolonged. Tripadvisor and Phocuswright chart the shifting trends in traveler demand and behavior during 2020.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Covid19WhitepaperNovember2020

Trip.com returns to profit as China travel rebounds

The company said its international business – which accounted for nearly 50% of revenue before the pandemic – will take more than a year to recover.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Travel-Leisure/Trip.com-returns-to-profit-as-China-travel-rebounds

CWT on what matters in travel right now

Let everyone know that you’re open for business and have built the necessary resilience into your daily lives to ensure health & safety is paramount in everything you do.

https://news.mycwt.com/blog_posts/open-for-business-what-matters-in-travel-right-now-97328

Cvent: Seven ways to impress hotel guests and earn more business

From pre-stay to post, the way you communicate can mean the difference between a poor, average, and great stay.

https://www.cvent.com/en/blog/hospitality/impress-hotel-guests

Reach out to us for your connectivity needs to make the most of your online revenue- https://goo.gl/3gKUJZ

Thanks and have a good day!

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Travel Tech EMEA Day 4 – Operations – Automation vs Human touch: the impact on operation and customer experience

Hospitality, by definition, is the relation between the guest and the host. Since the very beginning, guest engagement is determined by human interaction. Even with the growing popularity of automation, the key differentiation between a good hotel and a great one has been the human intervention. All that has changed now.

If automation was one of the considerations for hoteliers in the beginning of the year, it has become the top most priority now. Covid-19 has been the biggest disruptor in modern times with guest behaviour and preference gone for a radical shift. Social distancing and minimal contact have become the norm forcing hotels to look beyond human-centric service and embrace automation.

If the smiling front desk and house-keeping staff were a key contributor to guest satisfaction, in the post-Covid world, the expectation is self-check-in and robot cleaning with personalized service in place. As hotels readjust their operations to minimize touch points, striking a balance between automation and human touch has become the biggest challenge now.

In today’s session at Travel Tech EMEA, Vinicius Geraldo of HS LATAM is joined by Neha Ginoria of eRevMax  to discuss with industry experts – Neil James of ReviewPro, Felix Said of myHotel, Erik Tengen of Oaky, Chris Alexadre of GuestRevu, Amit Rahav of HyperGuest regarding Automation and impact on hotel operations and customer experience. Join us – register now – https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6930318956520107533

 

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Travel Tech EMEA Day 3 – Digital Marketing – New ways and changes on guest booking journey

We all have been hearing about the change in guest behaviour and booking journey. Truth be told, the world has changed. Social distancing has become the norm. Everyone is extra cautious, and it looks like this is the ‘new normal’.

The new buzzword for the hospitality industry is ‘hygiene and sanitization’. ‘Safety’ has become the foremost consideration for travellers and they are ready to pay a price for it. While online still remains the most preferred way of booking, guests are giving far more weightage to remote check-in, digital key and remote services replacing the earlier expected face-to-face interaction.

While breakfast buffet was the earlier norm, no-contact in-room dining is the preference now. Weekend DJ evening is a thing of the past, instead you need to highlight safety measures and seclusion that you offer.

As for booking window, predictable seasonality is over for the time-being. With Europe and USA facing the second wave, there is apprehension and fear which is reflected in the irregular booking behaviour. Sadly this is expected to stay so and hoteliers need to adjust to shorter lead times. Non-refundable early booker rate is a thing of past. Guests now expect extra flexibility and support.

Brands across the globe are now coming to terms with the volatile business environment. What does this mean for hotels and their online digital marketing?

In today’s session at Travel Tech EMEA, Cofounder Vinicius Geraldo joins Alejandro Gomez and Rita Jusztina Varga along with the expert panel of speakers – Rodrigo Teixeira from Asksuite Hotel Chatbot, Nicola Seghi from SimpleBooking, Alberto Recanatesi from Bookassist, Theodoros Katsimpras from Bookonlinenow and Pavlina Zychova from MyStay to discuss Digital Marketing – news ways and changes in the guest booking journey. Register to exchange ideas and insights with the stalwarts – https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6930318956520107533

 

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Travel Tech EMEA Day 2 – Online Sales and Distribution – Demand generation strategies

For over nine months now, the hotel industry is in a survival mode. The global hospitality industry has been facing its worst crisis, and with Europe again going for stricter restrictions and lockdown, hoteliers are grappling with the distribution challenge. The revenue needed to stay afloat in business is putting pressure on hotels to focus on occupancy. However, the long-term profitability requires a hard look at the distribution approach given the traditional channel-mix has become a thing of past.

As seen in the past crisis of 2008, this is also the time for hoteliers to rely on OTAs for driving demand in the post pandemic world. A smart distribution manager would also ensure there is no brand dilution due to price cutting. With guest behaviour going through a radical shift, hotels need to adapt to changes, and focus on the value addition through transparency, visibility, promotions and personalized communication on key channels while preventing inventory leak.

In today’s TRAVEL TECH EMEA Day 2 session, HS LATAM Founder Vinicius Geraldo joins Lybra- Zucchetti’s Jennifer Nagy and FunnelTV’s  Enzo Aita to discuss Online Sales and Distribution – Demand generation strategies in difficult times, with our panelists – Francine Heywood from OTA Insight, Rudi Azevedo from RM_Academy, James Bishop from SiteMinder and Claudio Limacher from YieldPlanet. Do join the session – https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6930318956520107533

 

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The Week, That Was – Nov 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!!

5 things to look for when switching your Booking Engine

Whether you have a small hotel in a quiet town or an independent boutique hotel or managing hotel chains in some of the best destinations across the world, you have to show your presence through your website. Know some important factors that hotels need to take into account when switching their booking engine

https://www.erevmax.com/blog/index.php/2020/11/5-things-to-look-for-when-switching-your-booking-engine/

The five emerging trip types of 2021, according to Booking.com

The impact of the pandemic is changing not just our choice of destination but also the type of trips we’re most likely to take in the coming year. Booking.com’s new research reveals the five emerging trip types for 2021 to motivate and inspire travelers to take a trip (or five) to best fit their newfound travel preferences.

https://globalnews.booking.com/the-five-emerging-trip-types-of-2021/

A reset in hotel bookings is happening right now

For the first time in recent history, the travel industry is learning how to start a new. While a lot remains unknown, what is evident is that the new behaviors and preferences of today’s traveler are likely to linger, if not become permanent changes for some.

https://www.phocuswire.com/a-reset-in-hotel-bookings-is-happening-right-now

Winding Tree, Skyware Hospitality Solutions and Veturis Travel join the eRevMax Partner Ecosystem

Staycations are now popular in and around, hotels are now giving lucrative packages and deals to the customers. Domestic tourism is expanding rapidly with the dominance of last-minute bookings. Various OTAs have launched multiple programs to help hotels attract more guests as well as offer a safe and clean stay environment. Knowing the right channels that bring business to your city is a key and being connected to them is very important to increase your hotel’s presence online.

https://www.erevmax.com/blog/index.php/2020/11/winding-tree-skyware-hospitality-solutions-and-veturis-travel-join-the-erevmax-partner-ecosystem/

Trivago hopes for travel recovery in mid-2021

Reporting third quarter 2020 results the hotel metasearch company says increases over that period were driven by nearby trips to nature spots in “developed Europe.” The company is launching a local travel discovery product in core markets.

https://www.phocuswire.com/trivago-q3-2020-soft-demand

How the US election might determine the future of travel

When demand is back to normal, the real bottleneck will be airport infrastructure. With the travel industry decimated by Covid-19, the presidential response could determine whether the industry revives or is crushed beyond repair.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/us-election-2020-trump-biden-travel/index.html

Reach out to us for your connectivity needs to make the most of your online revenue- https://goo.gl/3gKUJZ

Thanks and have a good day!

 

 

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The Week, That Was – Oct 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!!

Saudi Arabia Shows A Positive Year for Travel

The online travel market in Saudi Arabia has been making significant moves to open up its borders to international tourists. As domestic travel reopened this summer, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) launched the Kingdom’s largest domestic tourism campaign which gives a big boost to domestic travel. In August, the advance bookings in Saudi Arabia exceeded pre-Covid level reaching 110%. Read how Saudi tourism playing a vital role leading the travel recovery in Middle East-

https://www.erevmax.com/blog/index.php/2020/10/saudi-arabia-shows-a-positive-year-for-travel/

Business travel will remain extraordinarily week through end of 2021, and likely beyond

Even if vaccines proliferate and governments begin relaxing or lifting entirely their heavy Covid-19-derived restrictions on cross-border travel, business travel will be particularly slow to rebound vis-à-vis the rate of leisure travel recovery.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielreed/2020/10/07/down-70-from-last-year-business-travel-demand-wont-bounce-back-in-2021-and-maybe-not-for-years/#48ea10211849

Agoda pins hopes on Asia’s domestic tourism to drive revenue

Asia-focused online travel agency Agoda is counting on a revival of domestic tourism in parts of the region to help it weather the coronavirus pandemic. Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan among top markets where domestic tourism activity is returning.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-tourism-agoda-bookings-idUSKBN26Q1FB

How Booking.com is optimizing search for local travel

Consumer appetite for nearby getaways is growing in parallel with last-minute bookings. Here’s how Booking.com is optimizing its search function to cater to this new traveler behaviour.

https://partner.booking.com/en-gb/click-magazine/how-bookingcom-optimising-search-local-travel

Chinese travelers are resorting to a new kind of holiday

An increasing number of China’s travelers are looking to visit one nice place for a few days instead of trying to hit several tourist spots during the National Day holiday.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-10-02/Chinese-travelers-are-resorting-to-a-new-kind-of-holiday-UgydDnwLQs/index.html

Hotelbeds and Thomas Cook sign strategic partnership

The 180,000 hotels that work with Hotelbeds worldwide – many under exclusive terms & conditions – will be available to Thomas Cook’s travelers.https://press.hotelbeds.com/news-room/press-release/hotelbeds-and-thomas-cook-sign-strategic-partnership

Reach out to us for your connectivity needs to make the most of your online revenue- https://goo.gl/3gKUJZ

Thanks and have a good day!

 

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Saudi Arabia Shows A Positive Year for Travel

Hospitality in Saudi Arabia is showing the strongest recovery from the Covid-19 shutdown in Middle East, with advance hotel bookings steadily rising. The Kingdom is developing several new projects to enhance tourism as part of the country’s strategy to diversify its oil-dependent economy. Tourism and hospitality sectors are expecting a big push with new opportunities through government grants and aids.  The Kingdom has been easing travel restrictions and started welcoming tourists and issued more than 400,000 tourism visas, as per Saudi Tourism Authority’s Hamidaddin, which is making the Kingdom the fastest growing destination in the world. In addition, travel restrictions are expected to be lifted in Saudi Arabia for citizens at the beginning of 2021.

The Government has announced its plans to reopen the two holiest sites in Islam to pilgrims in October. Local and foreign residents of Saudi Arabia will be permitted to enter the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina for the year-round umrah pilgrimage seven months after visits were suspended.

Recently Saudi Tourism Authority started a campaign “Saudi Summer” which is encouraging their native travelers and expats to enjoy 10 destinations from Red Sea, beaches and forests to mountain peaks and historic areas. The authority is working with 90 travel trade and hospitality partners to create more than 100 packages across the 10 destinations. In August, the advance bookings in Saudi Arabia exceeded pre-Covid level reaching 110%, as per eRevMax, an award winning travel technology company. The country is already starting to welcome a limited number of pilgrims following months of tight restrictions. The total number of inbound and outbound tourist trips in Saudi Arabia is expected to reach 62 million trips by the end of 2020.

Over time, domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia has received a major boost, which is helping the Kingdom’s economic recovery. The Saudi Authority are looking to reopen the Umrah market in a phased manner and are expected to announce new measures and protocols to boost travel confidence. Further, OTAs like our partners Seera, Halal Booking and other sales channels have been offering promotions and discounts on online bookings, which is proving to be attractive for traveller and pilgrims. This has led to a rise in domestic tourists who are now making a beeline for Saudi Arabia to experience its ancient trade centers and unexplored places within the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia has the second highest number of Covid-19 cases in the region. However, with patient recovery rate higher than the global average, the Kingdom has been easing restrictions since June.

With increasing competition and price sensitive guests, hoteliers need to ensure they are visible on multiple OTAs and metasearch channels as well as keep their brand website updated to be able to achieve maximum occupancy and meet revenue targets. Hence, knowing the right channels that bring business to your city is a key and being connected to them is very important for your online sales strategy. To find out how you can improve online revenue, contact us today and speak to our connectivity advisor – https://goo.gl/3gKUJZ