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Small Luxury Hotels of the World Sees Record Attendance at 13th Annual Conference
Close to 300 hoteliers representing 200 independent luxury hotels from 45 countries gathered recently in London for Small Luxury Hotels of the World's 13th Annual International Conference. Representatives of the global luxury hotel brand, whose properties range from Miami to the Maldives and Switzerland to Singapore, were first given an update on the success SLH has seen year-to-date for 2005, which includes an increase of over 12% in reservations revenue over the same period last year and a global average daily of rate of US$336 per night. Following on from this, a dynamic series of presentations and panel sessions were conducted by some of the world's leading industry specialists, who addressed issues that are key to succeeding in an increasingly competitive environment.
'Faced with an increasingly competitive environment, the need to constantly take stock and evaluate how best to operate in the luxury travel sector has become even more critical,' commented Paul Kerr, Joint Managing Director of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. 'Business forums such as the SLH International Conference provide an excellent platform for the exchange of ideas and best practice and help us ensure that the brand remains dynamic, thus providing SLH with a competitive edge,' he added.
Aptly themed 'The Next Generation,' the two day conference set the scene for SLH's plans for the year ahead. With the growing importance of the Internet being pivotal to the brand's marketing strategy, slh.com and clubslh.com (the brand's key websites) will be the core of all future activity. Also key to SLH's continued success is the need to keep abreast of trends within the ever changing luxury travel sector. This particular topic was the focus of many of the business sessions that took place during the two day conference.
Milton Pedraza, CEO of The Luxury Institute for example, detailed the status of the wealthy with an in-depth discussion of the habits and characteristics of those that possess the top 10% of wealth in America. He also highlighted the exciting potential and growth of wealth in emerging markets like India and China, and stressed the importance of delivering highly personalized experiences to these guests and a level of unparalleled service - all of which are hallmarks of the brand of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
Building on Pedraza's foundation, industry icon Peter Yesawich of YPB&R, explained to the audience of nearly 300 hotel owners and managers how to reach that coveted audience of travelers. He emphasized the importance of brand identity and recognition that a group like SLH brings to an independent property. Yesawich went on to explain the growing usage of the Internet and the added intelligence it provides discerning travelers on a daily basis. According to his data, 56% of leisure travelers use the Internet to plan a vacation, while over 50% of business travelers book online.
The crescendo of the business session came when Simon Woodroffe, founder of the successful Yo! Sushi chain, illustrated the power of a brand name. After leaving school at the age of 16, Woodroofe used innovation, determination and the power of a brand name to create a highly successful chain of sushi restaurants, hotels, spas and gyms. The enviably energetic entrepreneur explained the importance of a brand and the consistent delivery of quality product while at the same time using creativity to raise the bar and grow expectations.
The Small Luxury Hotels of the World brand is a collection of close to 360 independently-owned exclusive hotels in 59 countries.
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