Finance, Op Planning & Forecasting

Best available rate (BAR) was the most commonly adopted strategy for pricing hotel rooms back in the 90s, but as the hospitality industry has evolved and become a sophisticated digital ecosystem of OTAs, own brand channels, and systems, a new pricing model was needed.

One of the most overlooked skills in getting a project over the finish line is not listing everything that needs to be done but deciding what will not get done. It’s easy to make an endless to-do list and allocate more resources in the hope that everything will magically fall into place. It rarely does.

The hospitality industry is at a crossroads. Mergers and acquisitions abound, shining a spotlight on the increasing role of hotel management groups centralizing and automating operations. With an influx of new technology aimed at increasing efficiency, hoteliers are facing a critical question: How do we navigate system fragmentation, choose the right tech partners, and ensure our business remains competitive in an increasingly complex environment?

The best hospitality experiences don’t just happen – they’re designed. And increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a central role in shaping the way hotels anticipate and meet guest expectations.

Hotel investments represent a dynamic asset class within commercial real estate, attracting a broad range of investor types from private equity firms to real estate investment trusts (REITs) and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). Each investor category has a unique approach to asset acquisition, management, and divestment, making the timing and investor fit critical for maximizing a hotel’s selling price during its life cycle.

Hotel Asset Management is an intricate and essential facet of the hospitality industry. At its core, it is about optimizing the performance and value of a hotel property to achieve the owner’s investment goals. But beyond the numbers, it is about identifying value creation initiatives, nurturing relationships that drive success, cultivate innovation and, most importantly, maximise asset potential in this vibrant sector.

Housekeepers are the backbone of the hotel industry, but they need a little help to support our business today. Rising guest expectations and the need for greater efficiency have been a drain on housekeepers’ ability to keep pace with the needs of their position. Therefore, many independent hotel operators are reworking their approach to technology to give housekeeping teams a hand.

I just got back from a whirlwind trip across the globe, meeting with Otelier team members in our APAC offices, and I’m more excited than ever about the impact Otelier can have on the future of hotel operations and performance. From Brisbane, Australia, to Ahmedabad, India, to Colombo, Sri Lanka, I spent time with our engineers, customer support teams, and professional services teams – each of them playing a vital role in building the future of hospitality technology. I also had the opportunity to meet with some of our customers, hearing firsthand about their challenges and opportunities.

Guest loyalty isn’t built on points alone—it’s built on moments. It’s the warm welcome at check-in, the server who remembers a guest’s favorite drink, or the housekeeper who goes the extra mile to personalize a stay. In today’s hospitality landscape, where options are endless and travelers expect more than just a place to sleep, creating meaningful connections is what sets a hotel apart.

Exceptional hospitality requires collaboration. Not only between hotel teams, but with technology too. It’s important that hoteliers don’t think of their tech as a simple tool to perform a function, but as a strategic partner, essential to enhancing both operational efficiency and guest experience.