Meet Corporate Buyers – Exhibit at the HSMAI Meeting Exchange in London and Dusseldorf

HSMAI Europe is pleased to invite you to exhibit at the HSMAI Meeting Exchange. The HSMAI Meeting Exchange is a tailor-made meeting place for exhibitors and corporate buyers in the MICE market, and a proven success in Norway for 18 years. Now the time has come to provide this opportunity in many other countries!

Through our partnership with the Business Travel Show, we offer our members an opportunity to exhibit at the HSMAI Meeting Exchange Pavilion, a 200 sqm meeting place where suppliers and corporate buyers can meet and discuss their needs and offers.

The Business Travel Show is hosted in London 7-8 February 2012, and in Dusseldorf 26-27 September 2012.

For more details on the London event, please download this pdf.

For more details on the Dusseldorff event, please download this pdf.

We also have a few openings in the following Nordic cities:

Oslo, Norway 11 January 2012
Stockholm, Sweden 17 January 2012
Helsinki, Finland 18 January 2012
Copenhagen, Denmark 19 January 2012
Helsingborg, Sweden 23 January 2012

Attending corporate buyers hold job titles like Travel Managers, Meeting Planners, Travel Coordinators, etc.

For a quick glance at the HSMAI Meeting Exchange in Oslo earlier this year, please see this clip:

Sign up now and position yourself for a good start of 2012!

IDeaS extends partnership

IDeaS Revenue Solutions, provider of pricing and revenue management software, services and consulting, today announces that global hotels group Millennium & Copthorne has extended the deployment of its IDeaS Revenue Management System (RMS) to five Millennium & Copthorne properties in the United States, according to a press release from IDeaS.

IDeaS has now been working with Millennium & Copthorne for over five years, initially with the company’s UK properties and later with the entire European portfolio. Since the IDeaS RMS was first implemented at Millennium & Copthorne in 2006, the relationship between the two companies has evolved to meet changing business needs with new modules and functionality, supporting management decision-making.

Nayan Peshkar, Regional Director of Revenue Management at Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, says “The past five years with IDeaS have been characterised by a strong working relationship. IDeaS supports us in achieving our revenue management goals. Not only do we continue to take great value from the IDeaS RMS, but we continue to benefit from their client centric approach, which is vital to us in our partnerships.”

“The collaborative relationship with Millennium & Copthorne is something in which both organizations are particularly proud. IDeaS continues to invest, not only in our technology, but also in providing unrivalled client support. The ongoing relationship with Millennium & Copthorne is a clear testament to that philosophy,” added Fabian Specht, IDeaS EMEA Managing Director.

Specht concluded: “We are pleased to be celebrating our long-standing relationship with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels – a hotel group for which revenue management sits at the heart of its business strategy. The longevity of the relationship validates the value of the revenue management solutions provided by IDeaS. IDeaS has a client retention rate of 95% over its 22 years of business and Millennium & Copthorne is further evidence of the many extremely satisfied clients in which we are proud to have long and continuing relationships”.

IDeaS, SiteMinder join forces

IDeaS Revenue Solutions, the leading provider of pricing and revenue management software, services and consulting, and SiteMinder, an award winning distribution company, announced Monday the complete certified integration of SiteMinder’s Channel Manager and the IDeaS Revenue Management System (RMS), according to a press release from IDeaS.

The integration offers joint clients increased online exposure to a multitude of top-performing local and international booking sites through one fast, easy-to-use and reliable interface. Each day, the IDeaS RMS recommends customized pricing strategies to hotel revenue managers. Once the rates are approved, the IDeaS RMS automatically sends the updated rates to SiteMinder’s Channel Manager, which promptly forwards the rates to online travel agencies. The streamlined, automated integration results in faster and more extensive rate distribution and improved rate optimization.

As the use of online booking sites rises, integrating revenue management software with channel management technology can bring increased revenue to hotels and resorts. The partnership eliminates tedious, manual data entry and enables hotels to more effectively distribute their rates—a necessary advantage given the competitive nature of the industry and the current economic climate.

“The integration between the IDeaS RMS and SiteMinder’s Channel Manager allows revenue managers to focus more on strategic activities that drive business growth instead of repetitive administrative tasks,” said Linda Hatfield, vice president of product management, IDeaS. “Together, these systems will save clients valuable time and help maximize revenue at their hotels.”

“We are thrilled about SiteMinder’s integration with the IDeaS RMS,” said David Williams, general manager of sales and marketing, SiteMinder. “By offering our clients a faster and simpler way to utilize online booking channels, we can provide them with a distinct advantage over hotels that do not use automated distribution services.”

About IDeaS

Founded in 1989, IDeaS Revenue Solutions – a SAS Company, offers industry-leading revenue management Software, Services, and Consulting to the hospitality industry. Headquartered in Minneapolis, IDeaS has technology, support, sales and distribution offices in North and South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Greater China, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.ideas.com.

About SiteMinder

SiteMinder’s ‘software-as-a-service’ distribution platform enables hotels to sell more rooms on dozens of accommodation booking sites around the world. From offices in Sydney and London, SiteMinder’s channel management technology allows accommodation providers to manage room availability and rates across a multitude of online channels from a single interface. More than 4600 accommodation providers in over 60 countries now use SiteMinder as their preferred solution for online distribution. Visit www.siteminder.com or www.siteminder.co.uk.

HSMAI Dialogue Evening – Hotel Online Revenue Management

HSMAI Ireland is delighted to welcome members and non-members to our dialogue evening dedicated to Hotel Online Revenue Management at the Shelbourne Hotel, St Stephens Green Suite in Dublin on Wednesday 21 September 18:30–20:00.

We have three excellent speakers who will share their own experiences in online revenue management for hotels.

Sandra Maybury, NetAssist:
“Creating an effective online pricing strategy for your hotel”

Richard Oliver, AvailPro:
“Rate distribution to multi channels and websites”

Fiona Robson, Rocketseed:
“Average hotel sends 300,000 emails a year – start using them!”

We only have 50 spaces available. So please book your ticket asap! We will also have an informal drink in the bar afterwards so hope you have time to stay and join us. For details on tickets, please visit this page.

Welcome one and all!

HSMAI Ireland Committee

New HSMAI Europe, Centaur Travel Group Partnership

Centaur Travel Group and HSMAI Europe have entered into a partnership. The collaboration includes the London and Dusseldorf Business Travel Shows, the Business Travel Club and the European Travel Buyer Awards (ETBA), across Europe.

The Business Travel Shows in London and Dusseldorf will house a major HSMAI Pavilion, allowing its members to meet hundreds of top quality business travel professionals from across Europe. These events are the largest of their kind in Europe and the only chance each year for corporate buyers to find the information, innovation, introductions and inspiration they need to make more confident and informed buying decisions; to increase efficiency, reduce costs, enhance performance and boost their business network.

“We are delighted to work with HSMAI Europe,” says event director David Chapple. “It is an influential international association that will help us to extend our reach, thereby increasing attendance to our shows, entries to the ETBAs and guests on our Hosted Buyer Programme. HSMAI Europe is also our official partner for Business Travel Club Norway, which will launch this autumn.”

“We are truly excited to work with Centaur Travel Group,” Ingunn Hofseth, president of HSMAI Europe, says. “It is a large organisation with great events both in London and Dusseldorf, and I am certain these exhibitions and events will be of great interest to our members.”

Martin Jørgensen (right), president/CEO of Net Trans – chairman of the HSMAI Norwegian Board, and member of the board at HSMAI Europe complies: “This cooperation also includes the Business Travel Club concept in Norway and other European countries, which will be introduced to the HSMAI members as well as buyers of hotel and travel services. It will be a brand new meeting ground, where members and buyers can extend their network, get new impulses and meet new people.”

About The Centaur Group:

The Centaur Group is one of the UK’s leading business and special interest media groups. Their vision is to be market leader across all media in each of our chosen specialist communities. Centaur has an outstanding portfolio of market-leading brands in a number of highly attractive vertical sectors. They have an extremely talented and experienced team of senior managers and an exceptional culture of entrepreneurialism. Approximately 600 people work in the Centaur Media Group, where Centaur Travel is an essential part of the operations.

About The Business Travel Show

The Business Travel Show is the UK’s largest and longest-established dedicated event for business travel professionals. With in excess of 180 exhibitors and 5,000 buyers responsible for a travel purse of more than £10.3 billion, the Business Travel Show is the flagship event in the European industry calendar. London is the sister show to business travel events in Dusseldorf and Dubai, and runs alongside complementary event Travel Technology Europe. The 18th Business Travel Show takes place 7-8 February 2012 at Earls Court 2 in London. For more information and free registration, please visit www.businesstravelshow.com

About European Travel Buyer Awards

The European Travel Buyer Awards is the only pan-European awards to recognise and reward corporate travel managers who are leading the way in their field, and have devised and managed progressives and innovative travel and meeting programmes that save their company money and their travellers time. The 2011 event will take place on 6 February 2012 on the eve of Business Travel Show (Europe’s largest event for the corporate travel market in London 7-8 February).

About Business Travel Club

The Business Travel Club is a regular social and networking event, open to anyone involved in the business travel industry. The club meets six times a year in the UK and the Netherlands and is launching in Norway this year.

Top photo: The agreement was signed in London on 5 September by Ingunn Hofseth President HSMAI Europe and David Chapple Event Director at Centaur Travel Group. Photographer: Hans Stenseng, HSMAI Europe.

European hotel chains gather at HSMAI meeting to decide the standards of Revenue Management in Europe

On Thursday 1 September 2011 leading European chains gathered in Oslo for the first meeting of the HSMAI European Revenue Management Advisory Board. With diversity in culture, language and level of experience, the European hotel industry is still struggling to find common ground that defines revenue management across nations and chains.

As a non-profit organisation, neutral towards competing providers and schools, HSMAI Europe founded the HSMAI European Academy, which will provide training in the disciplines of leadership, sales and revenue management. The HSMAI European Academy cooperates with training providers and industry leaders to create a European standard and certification in the discipline of revenue management.

The HSMAI European Revenue Management Advisory Board is an important body of leaders from various European hotel chains. Their role is to provide input on industry needs, define European standards, and to assess the quality and relevance of the training curriculum. The following leaders were present at the first HSMAI European Advisory Board meeting:

• Carl Oldsberg, Vice President Revenue and Distribution, Nordic Choice Hotels
• Christopher Cooper, Head of Commercial, Mint Hotel Group
• Heiko Siebert, VP Distribution, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts Management AG
• Henning Möhn, Manager Revenue and E-Commerce, Queens Moat Houses Hotels
• Jorunn Svidal, Director of Revenue Management, Thon Hotels
• Thibaut Seillier, Corporate Revenue Manager, Kempinski Hotels

HSMAI Europe representatives in the meeting were:

• Wilhelm K. Weber, Partner, Swiss Hospitality Solutions and leader of the HSMAI European Academy
• Tarjei Gylseth, Project Manager, HSMAI Europe and coordinator of the HSMAI European Academy

With the curriculum approved, the first conference for Revenue Management Trainers will take place in Oslo already 7–9 October 2011. During this Train-the-Trainer conference, trainers will be introduced to the curriculum for the revenue management certification and be licensed to provide training leading up to the HSMAI Certified Revenue Management certification.

On February 9 2012 the second Pan-European HSMAI Revenue Management Conference will take place in London. The conference will discuss and provide input on trends in revenue management, social media, internal processes, how to become a RevPAR leader, and other relevant topics Revenue Managers face on a daily basis.

Photo: (back from left): Jorunn Svidal, Carl Oldsberg, Heiko Siebert, Tarjei Gylseth, Henning Möhn, Thibaut Seillier, (front): Wihelm K. Weber, Christopher Cooper

STR Global awards young student

HSMAI Europe has the great pleasure of announcing that our very own Hans Stenseng, leader of the HSMAI Student division, has won a prize awarded by STR Global for his essay on The Future of the Hotel Industry – What Are the Top Three Markets, and Which New Innovations Will Affect Future Product Offerings?.

“This competition has given our European student members an excellent opportunity to work with an actual case; it is a topic that affects our industry in the highest degree. These members are the future of travel, hotel & tourism, and it is important that they think innovatively, as they will be working in tomorrow’s tourism-industry,” says Ingunn Hofseth, President of HSMAI Europe.

The competition was held in a cooperation between HSMAI Student and STR Global, in which the mentioned challenge was given to its student members.

The STR Global management that judged the competition made the following statement on Stenseng’s essay:

We thoroughly enjoyed the essay which had excellent structure, strong arguments and comprehensively researched information.

“Hans’ essay was selected from several entries and we were impressed by the quality of all the submissions. I extend my congratulations to Hans for his accomplishment and I believe that if he is any indication of the caliber of the next generation of hotel professionals, the future of our industry is in very capable hands,” according to Elizabeth Randall from STR Global.

“I was very surprised to win this competition. I heard there were some good contributions and I am very proud to be awarded this prize. The topic is interesting and certainly something that is important for the future, it is really educational and fun to work with such a task, and I hope it’s something I can do more of in the future – both through school and at work,” says Hans Stenseng himself, currently studying at the Oslo School of Management, and the leader of HSMAI Student, to boot.

The award was presented at the STR Global Client Event at Park Plaza, London on Tuesday 6 September.

The essay is downloadable for your perusal (click PDF-symbol):

STR Global Facts

STR Global provides clients—including hotel operators, developers, financiers, analysts and suppliers to the hotel industry—access to hotel research with regular and custom reports covering Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and South America. STR Global provides a single source of global hotel data covering daily and monthly performance data, forecasts, annual profitability, pipeline and census information. STR Global is part of the STR family of companies and is proudly associated with STR, RRC Associates, STR Analytics, and HotelNewsNow.com. For more information, please visit www.strglobal.com.

Photo: Elizabeth Randall, Managing Director STR Global, Randy Smith, Chairman and Co-Founder STR, Hans Stenseng, Student at Oslo School of Management and leader of HSMAI Europe Student, and Ingunn Hofseth, President HSMAI Europe.

HSMAI Student – Tour de Suisse

HSMAI Student is always looking for expansion, and for the first tour, Hans Stenseng, leader of HSMAI Student (and Student at the Oslo School of Management) is headed for Switzerland. There he will visit three schools: Belvoirpark in Zurich, DCT in Vitznau and Les Roches-Gruyère.

“Swiss schools are very well known as some of the best in hotel, restaurant, tourism and travel, which is why we feel it’s important to establish contacts at as many institutions in Switzerland as possible. I am glad that I get to visit three different universities, each with its unique history and approach. Through this we have the opportunity to create even closer relations there,” says Stenseng.

In addition, he will represent HSMAI Europe during the Swiss Distribution Day, organised by, among others, Swiss Hospitality Solutions, where Wilko Weber, leader of HSMAI European Academy, is partner.

“I look forward to this event. It will be interesting to see how they have organised it and what topics will be discussed. Wilko is a very inspirational man and I look forward to working closely with him,” Hans Stenseng declares.

Photo: Wilko Weber (Swiss Hospitality Solutions), head of the HSMAI European Academy, and Hans Stenseng, HSMAI Student leader, in HSMAI’s Oslo offices.

HSMAI to attend the Swiss Distribution Day

On 8 September Swiss Distribution Day will be held in Zurich. The sales and marketing exhibition will be focusing on “Hotels Managing the E-World” and is seen as an important contribution to the Swiss tourism industry.

The exhibition is organised by Swiss Sales Conferences and Swiss Hospitality Solutions. From SHS many will recognise one of the partners, Wilko Weber, head of HSMAI European Academy and a much sought after lecturer and professor.

HSMAI Europe will be represented by Hans Stenseng, leader of HSMAI Student.

“It will be interesting to see how they have organised this event and what topics will be discussed. HSMAI already has many members in Switzerland and this fair is an important platform in the expansion of our network there,” Stenseng concludes.

Photo: A picturesque scene from Zurich. Photographer: Roland zh/Wikimedia Commons

Extended deadline for HSMAI Student competition

A couple of months back HSMAI Student launched a competiton in cooperation with STR Global, challenging students to write an essay of 1000 words, or less, on the topic The future of the hotel industry: What are the next top three markets, and which new innovations will affect future product offerings?

The good news is that we have decided to extend the deadline until 20 August.

What will the winner get?

A slight change in the prize has been made, but the winner will still get a trip to London, accommodation and airfare included, and instead of a full day hotel data conference, we now have the great pleasure of inviting the lucky winner to a very exclusive STR Global client event. The event will feature:

• Industry Overview
• Review of Past Olympic Performance
• The 2012 Olympics: UK Going for Gold
• Economic Forecast by Tourism Economics

The event takes place at the Park Plaza Riverbank on 6 September, and will accommodate general managers, directors of revenue, directors of sales, consultants, investors, et cetera. In other words: A great opportunity to make important industry contacts!

Be sure not to miss this opportunity and enter your essay now!

Best of luck from HSMAI Student and STR Global.

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