FITUR 2009
Last month we visited FITUR (The International Fair of Tourism) in Madrid, Spain. On arrival at the Fair, I felt like a kid entering a sweet shop.
There was a buzz in the air and people were in a good mood, promoting their, business, region, hotel or product. I also felt instantly overwhelmed as I knew there was lots to do in little time. I wanted to make the most of our visit.
I came across two interesting issues about independent hotels:
- When talking to different customers, and showing them the key points of GuestCentric service, I can say hands down that what they most liked about us was the user friendly product we offer and that they can manage their entire hotel by themselves. Some hoteliers have to rely in up to 5 different online providers. “Whenever I want to make a change on my page I have to tell my web provider and wait until they find the time to make the changes, sometimes it’s days” says a Spanish Hotelier
- Hoteliers are happy to pay commission; because they don’t see further than the 5%-10% they’re paying per reservation. They have not sat down and calculated how much they are actually paying in fees on a monthly basis. 10% doesn’t sound bad, but doing a quick calculation 10% can easily translate to €1500 per month.
Overall the experience was fulfilling. Independent hoteliers are in need for inexpensive online tools that not only provide them with visibility but also that simplify the way they operate their hotel.
Learn more on how GuestCentric’s service can help you.
Claudia Cascais
eCommerce Manager
+ 351 21 036 0940
+ 34 91187 7543
