anders@demandcalendar.com (Anders Johansson) - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers

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3 min

General Managers Urged to Prepare Answers to Five Key Questions in Owner Meetings for Better Outcomes

📈 Every owner meeting revolves around five key questions: forecast confidence, variance drivers, competitive position, 30-60 day risks, and preemptive actions. Effective GMs prepare answers ahead, transforming meetings into briefings. Notifying owners of issues early averts trust damage, aligning all departments under one platform enhances readiness. Over half of CEOs and GMs experience isolation, impacting performance. Regularly update and integrate systems to foster transparency and prepare thoroughly for capital conversations.

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4 min

HSMAI Study Reveals Less Than Half of Revenue Managers' Time Spent on Revenue-Generating Work

📈 July's room bookings show an increase compared to last year, but clarity is needed on whether this is due to genuine pricing power or a mix of segment changes. HSMAI's study reveals that less than 50% of revenue managers' time is spent on revenue generation. With 2,988 rooms booked and a projection of 3,509 to 3,681 rooms, capacity limits and accurate forecasts are crucial for effective planning. Demand Calendar automates variance calculations for better decision-making.

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3 min

Hotel Groups Must Analyze Acquisition Costs Per Channel to Improve Profit Margins Amid Rising Expenses

📈 Costs in the U.S. hotels rise by 4% annually while GOP margins decline. With 10 hotels, diverse commission structures and marketing budgets create inconsistencies, hiding true acquisition costs per channel. Groups identifying and solving this issue focus on per-channel visibility, revealing unprofitable channels and adjusting strategies accordingly. Three recommended steps: calculate acquisition costs for one hotel manually, compare channel contribution with RevPAR, make data-driven channel decisions. CEOs can improve margins by optimizing existing demand.

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3 min

80% of Hotels Spend Up to Two Days Weekly on Manual Reporting, Impacting Revenue Management

📈 Knowing the cause of a soft month early can make a difference. In week two, issues like non-repeating citywide events and closer-to-arrival bookings are evident. 80% of hotels spend up to two business days weekly on manual reporting, yet miss real-time insights. A demand misread of 8-12% at a 200-room hotel can cost €250,000 annually. Recommendations: log causes in real time, forecast beyond rooms, and align variance format with the GM. This reduces reconciliation time and aids strategic focus.

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4 min

U.S. Hotel Operating Costs Rise 4% Annually, Driving Need for Unified Forecasting to Prove ROI and Support Growth

🏨 U.S. hotel operating costs rise 4% annually, while RevPAR growth lags, causing a decline in GOP margins for three consecutive years. General managers change every 2.5 years, mainly due to conflicts with owners. 80% of hotels spend two business days weekly on manual reporting. Hotels with a single forecast can increase revenue by 1.9% and earnings by 4.7% compared to peers. Emphasizing a unified reporting system aids growth and maintains GM retention.

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4 min

Hotel Groups Lose Over €40,000 Annually Per Property Due to Delayed Decision-Making and Inefficient Forecasting

🏨 A 120-room hotel spends €24,000 annually on labor gathering data, leading to a €40,000 annual loss, including €16,000 from delayed decisions. For a group of 11 hotels, the cost escalates to €440,000. Inefficiencies arise from poor forecasting, overstaffing, and wasted resources. Classic Norway Hotels reduced spreadsheet use by 95%, saving 4,800 hours yearly. Implementing unified forecasts and synchronized decision-making across properties can significantly reduce these costs.

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3 min

Classic Norway Hotels Reduces Spreadsheet Use by 95%, Saving 4,800 Hours Annually with Unified Revenue System

📈 Sales, marketing, and revenue teams face inefficiencies, spending 12-15 hours weekly on manual data reconciliation. Incomplete data, especially from non-room services, skews decision-making. Classic Norway Hotels cut spreadsheet use by 95%, saving 4,800 hours annually through a unified system. To optimize, integrate total revenue data, end number discrepancies, and build forward-looking forecasts. A single, shared forecast can prevent missed opportunities, enhance pricing strategies, and improve profit margins.

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4 min

Analyzing Group Bookings Against Transient Demand Reveals True Revenue Impact, Suggests New Evaluation Strategies

📊 Group bookings are not always wins. A group priced at 180 EUR can replace transient bookings at 240 EUR, resulting in a 60 EUR loss per night. High-demand weeks see transient guests taking up 80% of potential rooms, while low-demand weeks see only 10%. Honest scoring involves comparing group revenue minus costs with a transient-only scenario, impacting sales strategies and group mix decisions. Three key actions include evaluating displaced transient demand, carrying full costs in evaluations, and scoring groups 30 days post-departure.

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5 min

Hotels Should Rank Booking Channels by Net Contribution, Not Room Revenue, to Optimize Profitability

📊 The article highlights the impact of net contribution ranking on commercial strategies. OTA commissions range from 15% to 25%, while wholesale markups are 20% to 30%. Booking.com has high cancellation rates compared to brand.com voice. Loyalty bookings can sometimes contribute less than OTA bookings. Three actions for hotels include rebuilding rankings, mapping cost stacks, and reviewing bottom channels quarterly. The integration of various systems is crucial to determine net contribution per booking.

4 min

Demand Calendar Advises Hotels to Analyze Booking Pace and Capacity for Accurate Monthly Revenue Forecasts

📅 July is ahead of last year on the books, but the true finish depends on if it fills as well. A snapshot isn't the final number; remaining pickup pace matters. A room type selling out early can cap overall performance. Evaluate three aspects: remaining pickup vs. last year, treat the landing as a range, and check room type capacity. Demand Calendar reconciles data to show real outcomes, factoring in capacity constraints.

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