Indies join up with Utell in droves
Utell has drawn in more independent hotels to its corporate programme
Corporations and travel management companies’ desire to book increasingly with smaller, more intimate hotels has prompted Utell to boost membership of the independents onto its corporate programme.
The representation company says it has achieved an 89% year-on-year increase for 2007/8 in the number of small group hotels and one-off businesses now participating.
The company says travel managers and TMCs are keen to book these smaller outfits as they can offer high-quality amenities, are often in ideal central locations and “will go the extra mile†to make sure guests get what they need during their stay.
Vice president global demand sales at Utell Elaine Kennedy stated: “Utell has seen a sharp increase in demand for independent and small group hotels requested in global corporate travel programmes. Travel managers see the value in including more independent properties in their corporate programmes and this of course is having a significant impact on revenue streams for Utell’s participating properties.â€
Apex City of London Hotel director of business development Sara Thomson said: “Utell has helped us gain exposure to our large corporate accounts and business travel agents on a global scale enabling us to be on the same playing field as large chain hotels. Today’s business travellers are looking for something different and unique with personal touches, and properties such as Apex City of London provide a welcome variation on what is traditionally perceived as a business hotel.â€
By Dinah Hatch
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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