Hotel revenue-management resolutions for 2012: Raising rates

January 12, 2012 | Hotel Marketing

For many revenue managers, the primary goal in the year ahead is the same as it was during 2011: raise rates. It’s something with which the global hotel industry has had only moderate success in 2011.

“The most important thing of the new year is don’t be rate shy,” said Ron Pohl, senior VP of brand management and member services for Phoenix-based Best Western International, which has more than 300,000 guestrooms worldwide in its portfolio.

“We’ve had three years of concerns of stagnant rates and discounting rates to drive business. What we’re finding today is we’re more concerned about it than the customers are,” he continued. “We’re having some very good success in rate opportunities throughout our hotels. The areas where we’re not benefiting from it are areas where the hotel staff isn’t confident that they can raise rates or push rates because of the economy. Be confident in what you have and go out there and ask for the price,” Pohl said.

STR forecasts a 3.7% ADR increase for the U.S. hotel industry for 2012.

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