IH&RA 41st Annual Congress | The Travellers: Getting Them in Focus

Hospitality Net - Industry News

Four recommended presentations:

1) The Travellers: Getting Them in Focus

Today’s consumer - Babyboomer, Gen X- or both? Who are today’s consumers? Have they really changed? As retiring Babyboomers move out of business travel, what does the new Gen X business - and leisure - traveller expect? Who are today’s high-end luxury travellers? What do they want and what are they willing to pay to get it?

2) The Booking Process: Staying online –Finding and Booking Hotel Accommodation

3rd party channels vs. on-line direct – Partners or enemies? What is the latest in the e-distribution battle? Why did Intercontinental Hotels Group discontinue its relationship with Expedia and Hotels.com? What is Expedia’s reaction? Can hoteliers work successfully with on-line distributors and maintain control of their price and brand?

Available as PDF also: The Booking Process: Staying Online | Finding and Booking Hotel Accommodation | Presentation by Peter O’Connor | Professor, Hospitality Information Technology: Hotel Distribution is in chaos. The Chinese ideogram for chaos is a combination of one for “danger” and one for “opportunity”.

3) The Travel Professionals: Getting It Together – the Changing Role of Travel Agents, Tour Operators and Airlines

Hotels and Tour Operators – A love-hate relationship? Beyond low-cost vs. full-service carriers – A win/win for hotels? Is vertical integration of tour operating, accommodation, transport and other services inevitable? How can hotels best work with tour operators, travel agents and airlines in the changing world of distribution? Is consumer-driven dynamic packaging the way of the future? As low-cost carriers challenge the full-service airlines, what are the implications for the hospitality industry? What can new destinations (and their hotels) do to “get on the map”?

4) Travel Trends: Getting the Picture

What is the state of the travel & tourism industry today? What are the key economic, social and geo-political drivers of change? What are the current trends in business and leisure travel across the world? How is this affecting hotels and restaurants? Mr. Shifflet is a Marketing Psychologist with over 30 years' experience as a counselor in marketing and planning, with specialization in applied market research.

Available as PDF also: