HOTEL STRATEGY GROUP

An Invitation

Your Questions Answered 1. The Who 2. The Why 3. The What 4. The When

Some of The Talent.....

HOTEL STRATEGY GROUP OBJECTIVES 2015/16

Mission Statement The Hotel Steering Group (HSG) will work to demonstrate and reinforce to Hoteliers and Serviced Apartment Companies the value and necessity for third party selling and distribution versus direct channels and to lobby for parity on price, availability and content to satisfy the customer requirement. Paul Wait CEO GTMC

Method 1) Government Policy 2) Value 3) Process Improvement 4) Communication & Promotion 5) New Developments 6) Products 7) Measurement 8) Emerging Markets

Government Policy Gather credible statistical data to clearly understand the size and shape of the accommodation business booked by corporates in the UK. Make Government aware of earnings brought in to the UK by Foreign Students and Academic Travel. Once done draw the results together into a single credible document that can used to inform, educate and help government form policies that will benefit all parties in the future.

Grow Value For GTMC Members & GTMC Partners Gain a clear understanding of what each of the stakeholders are wanting to achieve. Hotels are selling more content via aggregators this leads to lower earnings as these are seen as leisure bookings but TMC’s are using these rates too & therefore revenue is unnecessarily diluted. Establish measurements of success.

Improve Processes Identify methods for improving efficiency, particularly in respect of “billbacks” where shortcomings in the current systems are driving members business from the preferred, established booking channels to bedbanks and OTA’s. Look at what steps can be taken to protect members from supplier failure. Try again to get Fidelio in to work with us to enable billback remarks to be entered into GDS so it can be viewed by the hotel. Get Confirma to amend hotel voucher wording to improve voucher recognition.

Communication & Promotion Look for opportunities to improve communication to and from members. Look at the developing role social media is playing within the sector. Make it easier for members to engage with the work of the HSG. Get Credit Card companies to educate hotels on virtual cards.

New Developments Monitor and share new developments in the accommodation sector. Provide clear feedback to assist members in the developments of their business supplier policies and booking procedures.

HSG Partner Products Improve understanding of the different brands within various hotel partner’s products. Create hard and soft opportunities for members to increase their knowledge of partner’s products. Craft new opportunities for members to experience partners products. Agree consistent approach for Group Bookings reservations and tracking.

Measurement Investigate methods of establishing more accurate measurement of members’ accommodation business. Look into the split and growth of both hotels and serviced apartment accommodation

Emerging Markets Monitor levels of hotel business to BRIC and MINT countries as well as other emerging markets to assist with our GTMC lobbying and public affairs activities.

Issues & New Entrants Universal acceptance of Virtual Cards Common Voucher wording The inability of many system to handle Group Bookings Bedbanks/OTA’s frequently undercutting GDS inventory Accor showing as non-commissionable in the GDS Explosion of new Serviced Apartment inventory & Marketing Hilton charging for cancellations on the day of arrival Free Wi-Fi offered to Marriott Reward members booking direct Proposed Government Hotel Levy

Main Deliverables so far Welcomed Net Trans as a GTMC Partner. 2. Negotiated a 44% reduction in Net Trans fees for GTMC members. 3. Delivered a key piece of work to help deliver the GTMC & Amadeus “Insights: Hotels 360” Report. 4. Provided huge input to the Thought Leadership work the GTMC are doing with Sabre. 5. Challenging the government with the delivery of our GTMC Manifesto specifically calling for the scrapping of the proposed Hotel Levy. 6. Gathering more credible data on the performance, commission payments & trends in the Hotel and Serviced Apartment industry than ever before.

Thank you from my team and I for your continuing support.