Revenue Management

🏨 Following the severe impact of COVID-19, China's hotel industry was the first to show a rebound due to its zero-COVID policy. Marriott International saw its global revenue per available room (RevPAR) increase by 3-4% in 2021 despite a 4% decline in Mainland China. In the second quarter, Marriott's global RevPAR rose nearly 5%, with occupancy reaching 73%. Asia Pacific, excluding China, experienced a 13% RevPAR increase, with Japan up 21%. Marriott's group business comprised 24% of worldwide room nights, and leisure transient accounted for 43%, with a 2% RevPAR rise. Marriott's loyalty program Bonvoy reached over 210 million members. Marriott added 15,500 net rooms in the second quarter, reaching around 1.6 million rooms globally, and expects a 5.5% to 6% net room growth for the year. Conversions accounted for 37% of Marriott's openings and 32% of signings. The company plans to spend approximately $1.2 billion on technology and other investments in 2024.

📱 On Jul 25, 2024, Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com offer up to 40% mobile-only discounts. A check showed 15/50 Booking.com listings cheaper on mobile, whereas for Hotels.com and Expedia, 5/10 and 4/10 'mobile exclusives' were identically priced on a laptop. Some mobile discounts were found to be overstated by Which?.

🏡 Marriott Hotels debuts in the all-inclusive market with Marriott Cancun, featuring 124 ocean view rooms, 38 suites, 13 dining venues, a water park, and a 5,000-square-foot kids' club in Mexico. More all-inclusive resorts to open in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Djerba, Tunisia by 2025. The StandardX Melbourne launches on August 8 in Fitzroy with 125 rooms and three dining options; it's the first under the StandardX brand by Standard International. Preferred Hotels & Resorts adds 30 new properties, including the 30-key Boutique Hotel Stresa in Italy and the 80-suite Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta in Mexico. Coral Sands Hotel on Harbor Island, the Bahamas, undergoes renovations with a December reopening, managed by Chorten Wangyel and owned by AJ Capital Partners which has $5.3 billion in assets over 100 properties.

💰 A survey by HT for the 2023 Customer Engagement Technology Study revealed customer preferences for loyalty programs: 78% favor discounts, 62% appreciate complimentary products/services, 36% desire exclusive experiences, and 25% prefer personalized communications/offers. Restaurants are integrating experiences to enhance loyalty, like Taco Bell's "The Cantinas" and Marriott Bonvoy and Starbucks' loyalty link. CC's Coffee House launched a new app for over 40 locations in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, enhancing personalization and guest engagement.

💸 In June 2024, inflation stood at 3.6% with a significant month-on-month rise of 1.3%, the largest increase in 12 months. The foodservice sector sees this as a return to levels seen five months prior. Shaun Allen of Prestige Purchasing and Reuben Pullan of CGA by NIQ acknowledge the volatility of the market, urging vigilance. Vegetables, particularly potatoes due to poor weather conditions impacting 2023 crops, face double-digit inflation, while two other categories show year-on-year deflation, bringing some relief amidst ongoing cost challenges.

```html 📰 Setting effective room rates in the hotel industry involves targeting key metrics such as RevPAR, occupancy, and ADR. Utilizing historical data from a property management system (PMS) helps hotels understand booking patterns and optimize distribution. Monitoring booking windows and market segments informs strategic discounting and promotions. RMS tools automate tracking of demand, pricing fluctuations, and market positioning. Regular reviews of pricing strategies are recommended, with frequency depending on property size and resources; larger hotels may require more frequent reviews, while smaller properties can rely on RMS for 3-4 strategic checks per month. Implementing RMS reduces manual workload and helps hotels stay competitive by adjusting prices in line with market demand. ```

🍺 Chidensee Watthanawongwat, Kitiya Mokkarat, and Supatta Banklouy formed Sawasdee Hospitality Management in April to introduce less familiar Thai dishes to the U.S. They operate Soothr in East Village and Sappe in West Village, New York City. Sawasdee plans to expand across the country, including Los Angeles and Miami. They aim for an upscale Thai dining experience, diverging from typical takeout menus. Sappe offers skewers from $20, dook fu salad at $29, and Crying Tiger for $22, while Soothr features dishes from $14 to $28, including dry Sukhothai noodles for $18 and massaman curry at $28. Sawasdee's next venture is introducing Thai barbecue hot pot in Manhattan.

📖 Dan Frommer collaborates with Coefficient Capital to release a 75-slide Consumer Trends Report, covering Gen. Z beauty, cannabis, nicotine habits, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, and YouTube’s entertainment future. Surveying over 3,000 US consumers with Toluna, the report is freely accessible for New Consumer members, with deeper analysis in newsletters and podcasts. Membership options include an annual subscription for $200/year or a monthly subscription for $20/month.

🐶 A Jack Russell requires substantial exercise and is prone to hunt and chase with a sense of smell 100,000 times better than humans. Dogs can have 125 to 250 million smell receptors, compared to a human's five million. The author's daily routine includes three walks with their dog, Olive, which has taught them the value of a slower pace for better decision-making. The idea is parallel to the business of hotels and strategic thinking, emphasizing the benefits of an unhurried, deliberate approach.

🐶 Jack Russell dogs require significant exercise and are bred for hunting, with a sense of smell 100,000 times better than humans. A dog's brain dedicates 40% more to smell than humans, and they possess 125 to 250 million smell receptors compared to a human's five million. The author describes daily walks with his Jack Russell named Olive, emphasizing the importance of a slower, more intentional pace to absorb the world—paralleling careful decision-making in hotel business operations.