On February 20th, 2024, we hosted the second installment of our annual summit, bringing together some of the leading minds in revenue management from across the hospitality sector.
Exclusively for hoteliers, the event provided delegates with a day of expert insight and networking opportunities, covering topics such as technology integration and industry innovation.
Of those in attendance, 50% were sales and marketing professionals, 29% worked in revenue
management and 10% were hotel managers, owners, or directors.
Revenue Summit welcome address:
Our founder and managing director, William Cotter, set the tone for the event with his welcome
address. He honed in on the modern guest — often mobile users who value a seamless digital
journey.
A key message from his address was that this modern guest is looking for more than simply a stay - they’re looking for a personalised experience suited to their individual preferences, presenting an opportunity for hotels to increase their profitability through direct bookings.
Revenue Summit keynote speeches:
Lennert De Jong, our first keynote speaker from Planet Payment, then delivered a talk on the
Global Shopping Sentiment Report. He shared that 59% of consumers prefer to use a mobile
device to browse online for reservations, with the same percentage of global consumers stating that they prefer self-check-in for its efficiency.
The survey findings provided useful consumer insights, helping hoteliers to decide where to invest their efforts to improve guest experience, with suggested options including speedy check-out, flexible check-in, streamlined technology, currency choice and simple direct booking.
Allan Nelson, our second keynote speaker from For-Sight, spoke about integrating technology and personalisation for revenue growth. He noted that 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver a personalised service, with 76% feeling frustrated when this doesn't happen.
The key takeaway from Nelson’s talk was for hoteliers to always keep the rule of three in mind
when seeking to improve the guest experience online: sharing dynamic content, targeting precise messaging through segmentation, and having guest journey touchpoints - that is, ensuring contact is made at the right time.
Revenue Summit Discussion Panels:
The event included two discussion panels, the first moderated by Sharon Power Cowley on tech
stack challenges for hoteliers.
The panel saw Darren Kearney, Commercial Director at Carlton Hotel Group, Cian McDonagh,
Group Director of Digital Strategy at MHL Collection and Elaine Kelly, Group Projects and
Systems Manager at Galgorm Group, explore the complexities of designing an optimal tech stack in an increasingly competitive landscape.
The general consensus amongst delegates was that everyone was experiencing similar challenges with fulfilling marketing objectives alongside managing the guest journey, adopting new technology and effectively incorporating artificial intelligence.
The second panel was moderated by our very own Gemma Hynes, discussing how to empower revenue culture throughout a hotel or hotel group.
Andrew Kavanagh, Group Sales and Marketing manager at FBD Hotels & Resorts, Flavia Serrano, Group Commercial Manager at Talbot Collection, Ted Robinson, Managing Director at
Barberstown Castle, and Mark Scott-Lennon, Managing Director at Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, sat
down together to share their insights on this topic.
The panelists emphasised the importance of involving the entire hotel team in conversations about revenue, be they working front of house or in the back office. Everyone internally must understand the journey that guests will go on, as it’s the only way they can thus meaningfully contribute to it.
Revenue Summit MD’s reflections:
Reflecting on the event, our managing director William said: “We’re thrilled to have hosted another successful Revenue Summit this year. Bringing together industry experts is crucial for driving growth and creating a forward-thinking sector.
We are proud to have facilitated discussions on pressing challenges and emerging opportunities, with a focus on the role of technology in addressing them.”
