Business Travel News - August 24, 2009 - (Page 41)

MEETINGS TODAY Chain Still Pushes Luxury Mtgs. Robert Boulogne, COO of Dallas- insistent on getting better value or a based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, discount or a deal just because they spoke recently to Business Travel believe that’s the lay of the land. We News hotel editor Michael B. Bak- very much want to be a part of that er about the outlook for luxury and not rest on our laurels. For the meetings, hotel development plans right set of dates and the right piece and the negotiating strategies that of business, we’re going to be in the meeting buyers are employing. game. Business Travel News: Have BTN: Do you have much tranyou seen signs of recovery in your sient business travel? group business? Boulogne: We do quite a lot of Robert Boulogne: In the past transient in Dallas and Atlanta, Sand month or month and a half, the pace Hill, Tokyo and, of course, in Riyadh. has picked up for our phones relaBTN: Are companies trying to tive to the meetings business. We’ve leverage meetings and transient turned a corner, and there are peo- travel to a single sales contact? ple willing to commit now to the Boulogne: We call that total acmeetings. There are still organiza- count management. For the most tions saying that part, however, we they shouldn’t be have people who call seen this year havon group and people ing a meeting in a who call on tranluxury hotel. We are sient. We’ve mainstill wrestling with tained that position. this on occasion, in BTN: How has that our rates might the economy affectbe the same as a ed your business? lesser brand, but Boulogne: Where companies have to it’s going is still unbe concerned about clear. We had a very perception. It’s strong 2008. The ROSEWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS fourth quarter of calmed down, but COO ROBERT BOULOGNE that element still ex2008 was when we ists. Our meetings began to see a bit of business is only about 8 percent of a downturn. The first and second our total revenue, but it’s a very im- quarters of this year were off from portant 8 percent. last year quite significantly. We realBTN: What’s your strategy been ly look at the revenue per available to attract meetings? room component, and we take our Boulogne: We’ve gone with the competition set in each city and devalue-added approach. We have termine how we’re doing. That’s the Rosewood Connections, our design only measurement that is relevant to offer meeting and event planners to us. the best offers available. The packBTN: Do you have any predicage right now includes a 3 percent tions on a turnaround? credit to your master bill for guest Boulogne: I’m very optimistic room revenue, 10 percent off for about the future. There’s a lot of food and beverage, a 20 percent pent-up demand out there. Maybe credit on in-house A/V use, a 20 per- toward the last quarter of this year cent credit on all spa services, com- or the first quarter of next year, we’ll plimentary guest-room Internet start seeing the benefits of that. We service, complimentary general ses- are trying to be very thoughtful in sion Internet service and one VIP how to manage this downturn withsuite upgrade. out interfering with our service levBTN: What are meeting planners els. We’ve been able to cut back in looking for in negotiations? areas that do not impact the guest Boulogne: They are a bit more experience. ■ Powering Travel Payment Airline Merchants Low Merchant Service Fees UATP TM ONE-ON-ONE Increase Corporate Market Share Strengthen Corporate Customer Loyalty Corporate Buyers Centralized Billing for Improved Cost Control Manage Corporate Spend in Less Time Receive Detailed Reports for Air and Rail Travel No International or Currency Conversion Fees UATP accounts are issued by these airlines: Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Qantas Airways, Ltd., United Airlines, and US Airways. AirPlus International issues the UATP-based company account for: British Airways, Continental Airlines and Lufthansa German Airlines. uatp.com http://www.uatp.com http://www.uatp.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Business Travel News - August 24, 2009

Business Travel News - August 24, 2009
Contents
Inside Track
Profiles In Travel Mgmt
2009 Travel Manager Salary & Attitude Survey
Forum
Aviation
Lodging
Payment & Expense
Meetings Today
Travel Management
Travel Management Tech
EuroBTN
Destinations

Business Travel News - August 24, 2009