GuestPro is once again taking part in this travelling congress with a presentation on the vertical PMS model of our platform.
The city of Madrid closes the year with record numbers. Perhaps for this reason the enthusiasm and positivity was present throughout the TecnoHotel OnTour held on the morning of 13 December at the Hotel Only You Atocha. The event brought together prominent leaders of the hotel industry to discuss and share experiences on the latest trends and technological advances. Among the guests, María Herrero, director of Only You, shared valuable insights on the success of her hotel and the importance of technology in the new era of hospitality.
Only You, creating memorable experiences
The day began with David Val, director of TecnoHotel, interviewing the director of the Only You Hotel. María Herrero explained that they are about to finish a successful year, of which she highlighted that they will close with a good occupancy during the long weekend and a very positive Christmas forecast. She also highlighted that 40% of their guests are direct clients, an achievement she attributes to the hotel's philosophy of making each guest feel special from the moment they walk through the door. Offering services ranging from a barbershop to cultural activities and concerts, "Only You has excelled in creating unique experiences for its visitors," he concluded.
Herrero also stressed that technology plays a crucial role in the hotel, from online check-in to efficient space management. Although digitalisation is a valuable tool, Maria emphasises that the differentiating element of Only You lies in its team.
Technology and digitalisation in the hotel industry
The first presentation of the day was given by Javier de la Lastra, Sales Director at MEWS, who shared his perspective on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hotel industry. AI, according to de la Lastra, will play a fundamental role in the hotel's day-to-day operations, allowing actions such as quickly obtaining customer data through voice commands and optimising information to make decisions in seconds.
PMS vertical "In search of the lost Best of Breed".
Integrations are necessary to be able to work with the best suppliers in a hotel, the "Best of Breed", that is, having the best in each section, should allow us to achieve greater operational efficiency and greater profitability. This is the topic addressed by Xavier Pallicer, CEO & Founder of GuestPro, in the second presentation of the morning.
However, according to Pallicer, depending on a large number of suppliers and integrations can be a serious technical problem, and even affect the hotel at an operational level. It is necessary to limit them if we do not want to end up with a "digital frankenstein", which will reduce our agility and end up affecting profitability.
Xavier defended that the vertical PMS is a new model, a "natural evolution" of traditional hotel management systems, which allows a healthy balance in the number of integrations to implement and maintain, a model that allows agile and integrated management, but also facilitates the integration of key suppliers that the hotel needs.
After a short coffee break and the first networking moment, the event reached the second part.
The first presentation asked the question: Is it time to install solar panels? Jorge Morales de Labra, director at Próxima Energía, shed light on this question and gave indications to hoteliers on how to be more efficient in this matter.
Technology, sustainability and talent: a holistic approach
The first panel moderated by David Val, director at TecnoHotel, featured experts such as Ramón Termes, international key account manager at Furukawa, and Adrián Reinoso, commercial director at Esferize, who discussed the importance of adequate IT networks, cybersecurity and staff training in the use of technology.
Charo García Silgo, director at Jardines de Sabatini Apartosuites, highlighted the need to carefully evaluate new technologies before implementing them, considering usability and impact on equipment. In addition, together with Mano Soler, general manager at Les Roches, the focus was placed on training and the need for future professionals to have the ability to decide which technology will add value to my business, embracing technology to turn it into an ally.
Finally, the importance of sustainability in digitalisation was addressed, highlighting how technology can contribute to energy savings and more responsible practices.
Monetising guest engagement
Rebeca Rubio, market development manager at SiteMinder, shared strategies for monetising guest engagement throughout their stay. From offering additional services such as breakfast and dinner to using tools such as QR codes on lifts to display menus, various ways to increase revenue and encourage guest loyalty were explored.
Data analysis and smart distribution
José María Ramón, CEO of Neobookings, gave the final presentation of the morning on the importance of data analytics in the hospitality industry. He highlighted the crucial role of cookies in obtaining information about user preferences. He focused on Google Analytics 4 and the personalisation of content to offer a more tailored experience to guests' needs.
Channel Mix 2024, in search of the perfect balance: adapting to the new traveller and the challenges of direct sales.
The last round table of the day was moderated by Alfonso Pérez, corporate sales & marketing senior director at Only YOU Hotels, and was one of the most interesting moments of the morning. It focused, among other topics, on discussing the adaptation to the new traveller and the need to evaluate distribution strategies. Participants highlighted the importance of direct sales, stressing that, although OTAs are allies, it is essential to prevent them from cannibalising hotel profits.
The panel discussed the future of the hotel industry, upcoming trends and the outlook for 2024. Experts Ricardo Fernández, managing director at Destinia, Pilar Crespo, regional manager at Booking.com, Daniel C. Sánchez, chief revenue officer at Paraty Tech, and Jordi Serra, CEO at 123compare.me, talked about artificial intelligence, sustainability and the challenges of direct sales in the face of the advance of OTAs. They all predicted a 2024 that will continue the growth trend with around 10-15% more and highlighted the importance of price and reputation in the decision making process. It seems that the year that is about to start will be promising, full of opportunities and will continue the positive trend of 2023.
Madrid stands as a paradigm of growth, a result of the good practices of recent years, reaching new heights and consolidating its leading position in the country's tourism industry.
Conclusions and positive outlook for 2024
In summary, TecnoHotel OnTour Madrid was a successful event that highlighted the importance of technology, sustainability and adaptability in the hotel industry. Bringing together visionary leaders sharing their experiences and perspectives, the event provided a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities facing the hospitality industry in the new digital era. With optimistic forecasts for the future, it is clear that the industry is poised to embrace innovation and change in the coming years.
Networking with a Christmas feel
After more than 4 hours of talks, debates, confidences and a lot of complicity, came a lively networking session in which speakers, panellists and hoteliers were able to exchange ideas, opinions and laughter. In a pre-Christmas atmosphere TecnoHotel OnTour closed in the best possible way a first year of optimism that left us wanting much more. See you in 2024!
