Travel Tech USA & Canada comes to an end leaving behind very good feelings

The debut of Paraty Tech as a sponsor of Travel Tech, one of the largest online educational events for the tourism sector, leaves very good feelings after the conclusion of Travel Tech USA & Canada, the first of its five annual forums

At Paraty Tech we have had the pleasure of being part, as sponsors and speakers, of Travel Tech USA & Canada , the first of the organization's five annual forums, which will be followed by the EMEA, APAC, Spain & LATAM editions. and Portugal & Brazil, in which we will also be present.

Daniel Romero , our communications director, was the person in charge of representing us, also twice, first in the Pitch Session (March 9) and then in the debate (March 10) «How to increase the profits of luxury hotels to through revenue management, direct sales and digital marketing.

Pitch Session Paraty Tech

Fifteen minutes go a long way, it's true, but 10 years of experience and summarizing them in a quarter of an hour is not a simple mission. Our intention went far beyond limiting ourselves to presenting a list of services and solutions. We were very interested in getting to know a little more about us, about our work philosophy, about the pillars on which our constant growth and the successes achieved during the last decade are based.

For this reason, we focused directly on three fundamental concepts, which define us perfectly: Technology (100% in-house), customer service (our hallmark) and team (the family we constitute is, without a doubt, a of our main strengths). Up to here we can (want to) read. We invite you to enjoy this intervention through the following video:

Debate: How to increase the profits of your luxury hotel

Our client portfolio includes hotels of all types. Perhaps this is also one of our distinctive signs, the versatility of our technology, its ability to adapt to the most varied needs. From vacation establishments to charming boutique hotels, passing through the urban segment, the mice, the rural segment, the apartments and, of course, the luxury resorts.

When it comes to this last category, we are clear: experience rules . And if there is a channel capable of offering a genuine, complete and enriching tailored experience, it is undoubtedly the direct channel. Wow, more than ever, it was time to talk about "our book."

Moderated by Paula Carreirão (Asksuite Hotel Chatbot) and accompanied by great professionals such as Calvin Stovall (president of EV Hotel), Craig Carbonniere (senior sales director at Milestone), Carrie Ell (market director at The Hotels Network) and Theodoros Katsimpras ( COO at Book Online Now), during almost two hours of debate, the arguments we put forward revolved around key concepts such as the aforementioned guest experience , personalization , loyalty , the adaptation of technology to the habits of the target audiences , upselling and cross-selling techniques, the need to internalize excellence as a premise, meticulous control of distribution , big data as an essential source of knowledge, or the importance of the voice channel (Ring2Travel ) which, due to its characteristics , plays a fundamental role in increasing ADR and revPAR.

Does the luxury segment really require different treatment?

Price strategy

Yes and no. That is to say, everything stated above could really be applied to any type of establishment. If anything, the difference lies in the fact that in the luxury segment, hotels simply cannot afford to fail. We are probably talking about the only target willing to pay more if the experience is really worth it.

In this sense, the pricing strategy does differ greatly from that applied in other establishments, which usually find their best asset in offers and discounts. On the contrary, the regular guest of luxury hotels and resorts may understand a price drop as a reduction in service and identify in a very high rate the guarantee of living a unique experience. Therefore, it is more about keeping an eye on the competition, carefully controlling distribution to ensure that intermediary sales do not harm the perception of product quality, and not being afraid to charge more if you are really providing the value you deserve. justify it.

Personalization

In-depth knowledge of the guest here becomes even more important, if possible, in order to offer a 100% personalized experience (market of origin, booking window, language, preferred channels and devices, tastes, needs, hobbies, etc.). To do this, it will be necessary to have the appropriate technology, properly integrated, to make the most of every possible source of information, always being aware that a wealthy millennial (more reluctant to human interaction, more fond of technology) has nothing to do with , etc.), with a business woman, a senior couple moving in their natural environment, or a family that has saved for months to afford that luxury getaway. The hotel must be able to meet the expectations of each of its potential audiences in each of the phases of the conversion funnel.

Communication

Everything, absolutely everything, communicates. Let's see if we accept this once and for all. From the photos on the Google My Business listing, to the descriptions of the establishment in the OTAs, through the way to respond to a review, the design and usability of the website and the booking engine, the actions that are carried out In terms of sustainability, social networks, banners, emailings... EVERYTHING. And we can assure you that failures are paid dearly. Hence that phrase that said something like "it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but only five minutes to destroy it."

The guest experience does not begin with check-in or end with check-out. It starts at the moment you start dreaming about traveling and can extend to the point where you decide you want to repeat. The guest should feel special before, during and after their stay.

To do this, you will have to find many motivations in the establishment itself, but also in the destination. That's why it's good to look at what competing hotels are doing, but in reality, any company, whether in the industry or not, can be a source of inspiration.

It is necessary to identify what really differentiates your establishment from the rest, complement those strengths with the main attractions of the area, and build a solid value proposition that will probably have to be renewed periodically to avoid becoming obsolete. And then, focus all communication on that value proposition, aligning the messages in each and every one of the media and communication and dissemination channels.

Direct sales: official website and voice

Well managed, direct sales will always be more profitable. But if we talk about luxury hotels and resorts, taking proper care of direct channels can multiply the benefits exponentially. And note that we are talking about "the" direct channels, because the voice must necessarily be linked to the web. No one, ever, will be able to offer a more personal treatment and experience than the hotel itself and its reservation agents, and this technology-human treatment tandem is, without a doubt, a winning bet. Believing this is a great first step.

Finally, it is essential to assume that each member of the team can contribute to increasing direct sales: a waitress, the reception team, the restaurant maitre'd, etc. Direct selling is much more than having a booking engine and a website. It is a way of understanding hotel marketing, a philosophy that every worker must internalize.