Powered by Duetto, RSS Draws More than 300 to Discuss Revenue Strategy as a Key to Hotel Profitability in Today’s Dynamic Marketplace
New York, August 7, 2015 … A bellwether annual event for the travel technology community, the Third Annual Revenue Strategy Summit (RSS) drew more than 300 industry leaders to the Affinia Capitol Liaison Washington, D.C. July 29th, for a one-day conference that examined the latest trends in hotel distribution, sales, price optimization, acquisition costs and marketing.
The day began with a panel on the disruption threatening the hotel industry and ended with a look at the global forces causing what think tank McKinsey & Company calls a dramatic transition reshaping the world.
In between, hotel owners, managers and brand executives came together to discuss how the new field of Revenue Strategy can help the industry not only survive, but thrive amidst change and disruption.
The hotel industry “doesn’t concentrate often on the leaping-ahead technologies that are necessary to stay at pace with the disruption that’s going on,” said Mark Carrier, president of B.F. Saul Company’s Hospitality Group. “We’re going into battle with our hands tied behind our back because we don’t have the technology available to do all the things we want to.”
Carrier participated on “Disruption 2020: The Digital Marketplace” – one among a series of panels that discussed technology-driven challenges confronting the industry, and specific strategies hotels can use to adapt and come out ahead.
“The content and speakers at RSS 2015 exceeded all expectations,” said Patrick Bosworth, Duetto’s Chief Executive and Founder. “RSS has always been about disruption and how hotels can adapt. This year, we learned both that the change is accelerating exponentially – and that industry leaders are becoming increasingly open to tackling the challenges head on, embracing a wide range of new solutions inspired by the emerging discipline of Revenue Strategy.”
Hot topics at RSS 2015 included the rise of Airbnb, the continuing threat posed by OTAs, and challenges as well as opportunities posed by mobile and other emerging models that continue to change the way consumers shop and book hotel rooms.
Co-host of the Summit, Cindy Estis Green, CEO and Co-Founder, Kalibri Labs, LLC, said, “The challenges are clear for the hotel industry – and the time is ripe to forge innovative solutions. For the third year running, RSS provided a critical and unique forum for many industry leaders to exchange insights and develop practical approaches for moving their businesses ahead. We look forward to the fourth annual RSS in 2016.”
Distinguished speakers at the 2015 RSS included:
Mark Carrier, President, B.F. Saul Company Hospitality Group
Isaac Collazo, Vice President Performance Strategy & Planning, Intercontinental Hotel Group
Larry Hall, President & Chief Executive Officer, PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc.
PK Kannan, Ralph J. Tyser Professor of Marketing Science at Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland
Kathleen Mallery, Senior Director, Revenue Optimization, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
Jason Thielbahr, Senior Vice President, Revenue Optimization and Distribution Services, Red Lion Hotels Corporation
Alfred Young, Chief Operating Offices, LaSalle Hotel Properties
Panel and discussion topics, included:
Disruption 2020: The Emerging Digital Marketplace
New Metrics: Spotlight on Revenue Performance
New Players, New Models
New Metrics: Spotlight on Digital
Intel for the Digital Age
A Day in the Life: Revenue Strategy at Work
Wrapping up the day’s program were keynote speakers Ethan Hawkes, leader in the Travel Practice at McKinsey & Co., and Sree Ramaswamy, a Senior Fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute.
Hawkes and Ramaswamy addressed “No Ordinary Disruption: The Four Forces Breaking All the Trends” – giving context and urgency to the pace of change shaping the industry.
Stacy Silver, President of Sliver Hospitality Group said, “RSS was a conference no one will ever forget – rich in content, thoughtful exchange and some of the most interesting insights our industry has to offer. We look forward to sharing information on next year’s conference in the coming weeks.”
For more information on the Revenue Strategy Summit, visit www.revenuestrategysummit.com, or follow us on Twitter, #RSSummit.
