More power for fewer providers?

7th ITB Hospitality Day debates on shifts in hotel sales

Berlin (February 17, 2012). The speed of acquisitions in the world of IT significantly increased last year. At the same time, search engines and social media like Google and Facebook keep advancing, implementing more and more new models. And finally, a breathtakingly increasing number of people are using their mobile device for making reservations and communication as well. Due to high costs, hoteliers promote their own website. But who will win this race? Just a few? Sales experts debate on the current developments in the field of hotel distribution at the 7th ITB Hospitality Day on Thursday, March 8, 2012 between 2 and 3 pm at ITB Berlin, hall 7.1b/London. HRS, Expedia, Sabre, and Justbook Mobile will meet. The question to them: Fewer providers with more power? What new dependencies have the latest market shifts produced?

Carolin Brauer.

For the second time, Carolin Brauer, Managing Director of Quality Reservations, a sales company located in Langenhangen near Hanover, will be hosting a panel at the hotel conference. Her guests come from both renowned and young companies: Tobias Ragge, Managing Director of HRS Hotel Reservation Service in Cologne, Arne Erichsen, Director Market Management Germany of Expedia Partner Services Group, Monique Jaspers-Wijn, Vice-President Business Development Europe/Middle East/Africa of Sabre Solutions, and Ognjen Zeric, founder and Managing Director of the Justbook Mobile start-up company.

	Ognjen Zeric.

Last autumn, HRS took over hotel.de; five weeks ago, it announced collaboration with Amadeus, after that, commissions were increased by two percent. The hotel industry in the German-speaking countries is currently trying to defend itself against HRS. An exciting basis for talks about the power of online travel agents.

What about the GDS and new mobile providers?

How is Expedia faring these days? What is the danger for online tourism agents? Is it Google? And what will be left for GDSs like Sabre, if hoteliers and hotel chains keep forcing direct sales? Or will Sabre eventually join booking.com, similar to HRS and Amadeus?

Tobias Ragge.

There will likely be many questions regarding these issues, as the youngest market participant in this discussion will be throwing in the "mobile" variant. Sale of pocket-size or handbag-size mobile devices is literally exploding. Justbook has picked up this trend – since this year. The very young portal sells remaining beds via apps – hotel rooms that can be booked in the last 24 hours. How does the young company manage to assert itself against the top dogs in the IT business?

	Monique Jaspers-Wijn.

Carolin Brauer is one of the most respected sales specialists in the industry, and will be able to set the debate in motion with her questions. When sales were chosen as one of the main topics at the ITB hotel conference, the current discussion could not be foreseen. Therefore, it is all the more exciting now.

Please note: The panel "Distribution: Fewer providers with more power? Booking portals are undergoing a consolidation process. What new dependencies have the latest market shifts produced?" can be witnessed at the 7th ITB Hospitality Day on Thursday, March 8, 2012, between 2 and 3 pm at ITB Berlin, hall 7.1b/London.

Please find the complete conference programme at this link. / kn

Continuative Links:

• Feb 10, 2012 Turbulence in holiday countries: 7th ITB Hospitality Day discusses the security of hotel guests
• Feb 17, 2012 The price model remains - HRS warned by the German Federal Anti-trust Commission

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