Seminare: Storno ohne Risiko - CIM

On the tightrope
Like an acrobat, the hotel industry now has to catch plunging
budgets and juggle VAT – all in a preferably green arena.
■ Balancing act. “Our greatest hope for 2010 is definitely to see prices remain
stable or even become more favourable, as soon as the lower VAT rate gives the hotel
industry greater flexibility,” forecasts Gerd Prochaska, Managing Director of the Maritim
group of hotels.
A prospect that is shared by many hotel directors while they worry about dramatically
plunging prices. “A 5-star hotel for almost a three-star price, where will it lead to?”
laments a 4-star hotel director. “The customer will wonder why he paid more in the past
and why he should accept higher rates in future.” 2009 was a difficult year not just for
GCB hotels, and Prochaska grits his teeth: “Maritim will end 2009 tolerably below the
previous year’s level. This was to be expected in view of the financial crisis, although we
did hope that things would turn out differently after we had reinforced our marketing and
sales strategy.”
Accor’s assessment is much the same. “2009, particularly from the second quarter, was
a difficult year for Accor’s conference business,” reports Daniela Schade, Vice President
Sales Accor. “And we also expect 2010 to be difficult year. Only from the fourth quarter at
the earliest is there some potential for a consolidation of the market on a low level.” For
Schade the key to success lies in “targeted offers for the customer such as our
“Advanced Meeting Conditions”, the partnership with “Air Plus Meeting Solution”
including the promotion for meeting planners who use the Air Plus Meeting Solution.”
Hotels are filling the rostrums with individual packages, with a focus on the “other, green
side” for image-boosting and cost-cutting purposes. “The Grand Hyatt Berlin not only
boasts a written environment and CSR commitment policy but also has designated
officers in charge of its “Green Team”. Its staff members are trained to think and act
green,” says Anna-Katharina Korte, Grand Hyatt Berlin and GCB marketing committee.
Recently the NH hotel group with GCB member hotels in Berlin and Düsseldorf
announced that it would be launching “environment-friendly products and processes” as
of January 2010. Air conditioning for example will be used sparingly. KS
www.maritim.de
www.hyatt.com
www.nh-hotels.com
www.meetings.accorhotels.com
www.ibishotel-tagung.de
Daniela Schade, Vizepräsidentin
Sales Accor: „Schwieriges Jahr“
Daniela Schade, Vice President
Sales Accor: “difficult year”
Photo: Accor
Meetings
Events
01
02
GCB GERMANY
GERMANY VISIONS
The ART of Meetings
www.gcb.de
cim 1/2010 Germany 33
Photo: Maritim
Gerd Prochaska, Maritim: „Wo soll
das noch hinführen?“
Gerd Prochaska, Maritim:
“Where will this lead to?”
Incentives
03
Spohler/laif