Select Hotels Announce 2011 Results

09 February 2012

At a recent AGM, Select Hotels of Ireland, Ireland’s largest and most successful Hotel Marketing Group announced 2011 figures that reveal a very positive outlook for the year ahead, as the Group continues to record solid increases in revenue and bed nights.

The group which is made up of 26 premium, independent Irish hotels throughout the 32 counties, continues to buck the trend by successfully promoting the hotels through a range of innovative marketing initiatives which is paying large dividends for member hotels.

Some of the figures include a 49% increase in gross revenue in telephone sales from the Central Reservations Office (CRO) to over €2 million, with the number of guests booked through CRO doubling in 2011 from 2010.

Direct sales from online promotions through the Select Hotel Website also continues to grow from €50k in 2009 to over €300,000 in 2011, with over 22,000 unique visitors per month to the website and the Conversion Rate trebling in 2011.

General Manager Una Young stated “Direct revenue into CRO would account for just 30% of the overall business achieved through the Group, as other marketing activity directs business to the individual member Hotels; our marketing strategy is to promote 26 individual brands under one brand.  All of our hotels have positioned themselves to be independent to strengthen their own Hotel brand, but at the same time they can see firsthand the value of marketing within a group, with cost savings, a larger/stronger voice and the ability to market as a group both at home and abroad.”

The figures also show that despite the downturn in disposable income and consumer confidence the home holiday market is showing strong signs of recovery, while at the same time this market is very focused on value for money and quality.

“We saw this trend very early on and rather than join the race to the bottom of the price war, over the past number of years we have introduced a number of initiatives to add value and focus on rewarding repeat business, for example with our 2 for 1 Vouchers, where guests on checkout receive a voucher to stay at one of our 26 hotels with an offer of two nights for the price of one.  Also in May 2010 we introduced a Loyalty Club for the leisure market which now has over 15,000 Members who avail of special offers in all of our hotels throughout the year. We can now see firsthand that these initiatives have paid off in increased revenue for our member hotels.”

Select Hotels Chairman and GM of the Ardilaun Hotel Galway John Ryan stated “We are delighted with the results and being part of such a large marketing group, helps us individual hotel owners punch above our weight.  This is especially the case with international activity.  We have been able to promote our hotel directly to large international groups that just wouldn’t be possible on our own and the returns for us have been great.”

For 2012 more initiatives are planned, including an aggressive Marketing Campaign throughout the UK and mainland Europe with a number of trade shows and direct marketing initiatives.Select Hotels also provides their members with North American representation with an office in New York and the US Select Hotels team attends Tourism Ireland workshops throughout the US representing the individual hotels.In summary the group offers individual hotels power in numbers, but without losing each hotel’s individual identity. 

Una stated “We give hotel owners the power to tap into national and international markets and opportunities that normally would be beyond their budgets.  It means that our members have a large voice within the industry and our 2011 results prove that it is a voice that is being heard loud and clear in the market place.  It’s a model that is working extremely well in the new economic climate, where any investment has to be benefits driven.”

For further information on Select Hotels of Ireland visit www.selecthotels.ie.