A leading provider of hotel technology, successfully concluded its second instalment of its annual summit this week — bringing together prominent figures from the hospitality sector to delve into key topics surrounding revenue management, technology integration, and industry innovation.
Net Affinity, a market leader in Ireland with a growing portfolio of hotels in the UK and internationally, welcomed 150 independent hoteliers from across the country to the Castleknock Hotel in Dublin.
In his welcoming address, William Cotter, Founder and Managing Director of Net Affinity, set the tone for the event, honing in on the ‘modern guest’, who place an importance on seamless digital journeys, suited to mobile users. One key take away was that modern guests don’t just require a stay; they desire an experience personalised to their preferences, which serves as an opportunity for hotels to increase direct bookings and profitability.
Following on from this, Lennert De Jong from Planet Payments, delivered a keynote speech discussing the Global Shopping Sentiment Report. It was unearthed that 59% of consumers prefer to use a mobile device to browse online for stay reservation ideas, and 59% of global consumers state they prefer self-check-in for speed and avoiding queues. The findings of the survey got under the skin of the modern hotel guest, providing useful consumer trends for hoteliers to make decisions about where to invest to improve the guest experience. These included speedy check-out, flexible check-in, slick technology, currency choice and simple direct booking.
A discussion panel on tech stack challenges for hoteliers was full of insights and a lot of common ground was found. There was a feeling that everyone was experiencing similar issues with fulfilling marketing opportunities along the whole guest journey and adopting technology and AI, but finding a common solution in that by systemising simple processes, hoteliers can personalise an exceptional guest experience.
Reflecting on the event, 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."
Net Affinity is an industry leader in hotel technology, offering a range of products that includes its booking engine, as well as website design and digital marketing — with a talented team of hospitality professionals always on hand. Built by hoteliers for hoteliers, the combined hospitality experience within the team encompasses more than a century. Its personable service allows hotels to easily navigate the complexities of the online world, and ultimately, increase revenue.
For more information on Net Affinity, visit: www.netaffinity.com