HRS and Radisson Hotel Group have extended their strategic
partnership, which the companies said will enhance distribution efficiency and
awareness of new hygiene protocols for business travellers.
Radisson launched its Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol,
verified by SGS, in May 2020, while HRS launched its Clean & Safe Protocol,
also with SGS, which facilitates labels for properties that meet new cleaning
standards that appear in HRS＊ online procurement and booking channels.
According to the two firms, the partnership will help corporate travellers make
lodging choices for their business trips as they get back on the road during
the coronavirus pandemic.
Radisson is set to add more than 100 hotels in existing and
emerging business city centres over the next four years, and it said its
partnership with HRS aligns with its plans to attract more corporate travellers
to its properties. HRS and Radisson signed their initial distribution agreement
in 2010.
Speaking to BTN Europe, HRS＊ senior vice president of global supplier relations Rob Hornman said: ※The partnership with Radisson just makes sense
right now. It＊s what our corporate customers want 每 duty of care and cost
control are both very key elements for them as employees start to travel again.
But even beyond that, we know that corporates really want new contracts with
their hotel suppliers for 2021, yet so many elements have changed this year,
from requirements to volumes to Last Room Availability. The core element of our
procurement platform is data and the technology behind it. The coronavirus is
creating new opportunities for corporates and hotels, and it＊s important that
we＊re all open to these opportunities.§
Eric De Neef, executive vice president and global chief
commercial officer of Radisson Hotel Group, told BTN Europe: ※HRS＊ offering for
hotels matches very well with our strategy moving forward, and it really helps that
they understand what the corporates want as well as our own limitations. That
will be very important as we start negotiating new contracts with clients,
because when you have a qualified contract, magic can happen.§
Hornman added that its Clean & Safe Protocol labels will
be a key element for travel buyers in this season＊s procurement process, as
they will be focusing on properties that are verified to be meeting a higher
level of hygiene in order to help protect travellers from the risk of
infection. ※These labels have to be visible in the procurement process and online
booking tools. Our research shows that hotels displaying the labels are more
likely to receive corporate bookings than those that do not have a label.§
When it comes to working around the challenge of determining
volumes for 2021 contracts, De Neef said it will be important for Radisson to
use robotics and AI capabilities. ※This will help us come up with the right
rate for the right client at the right time. Rate parity is critical. We want
to be in control of our rates and not just have a static listing. Static rates
just don＊t make sense anymore.§