Wednesday, May 27, 2009

87% of reservations made online...

Interesting release about the performance of Travelodge last year.

  • 87% of reservations are booked online -
  • Delivered significant revenue growth of 19 percent in 2008,
  • Revenues increased to £289.7m
  • Rooms sold increased by nine percent to six million and occupancy levels were at 74 percent across the board.
  • Opened a record 39 hotels (3,844 rooms) in the UK in 2008 with plans to open 25 hotels (2,500 rooms) in 2009.

Grant Hearn, CEO, Travelodge said 2008 was another record year of growth for the Travelodge brand with over 15 percent of new supply added to its estate.

“In a more worrying financial period for consumers, the forecasted structural change of the industry has accelerated with business and leisure customers switching from mid scale and upmarket hotels to the budget sector,” said Hearn.

“In 2009 we have strengthened our marketing campaigns by offering a `price check’ programme and a business account card for corporate customers. Both of these programmes have established Travelodge as the best value budget hotel brand and have ensured that we continue to outperform the market. Whilst trade remains challenging, we are beginning to see an improvement in trading performance which we would expect to continue throughout the summer holiday period,” added Hearn.

What can independant operator learn from the above? James Kennedy Business Development Manager for Bookassist Scotland took up the theme, "For me the striking fact is that 87% of all reservations are made online. This combined with dynamic pricing and progressive online marketing is ensuring that their brand is at the forefront. Independents and even small groups need to ensure not only that their own booking engine is up to the job but that their online presence, both through their website and complementary marketing, is giving the right message. Accommodation providers in harder times must ensure that they are marketing properly online and using the technology that's available."

Bookassist have just launched a series of new upgrades to their own online booking system including Linked Packages (which allows for easy to manage dynamic pricing) and Customer Review management (with accommdaotion providers having acess to publish their own guest reviews and comments.)

More information is available from Bookassist Scotland on 02192 521404 or visit Bookassist

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