How Brands Can Impact Top-Line Growth

Recently, I had the privilege of joining a panel discussion at SEAHIS (South East Asia Hotel Investors' Summit), held at the Hyatt Regency in Bangkok.

"How Can Brands Impact Their Top-Line Growth?"; was the challenge we were presented with, and it turned into a lively start to the conference, attracting a full room of attendees eager to hear the debate.

Moderated by Tareq Bagaeen ISHC , Founder and CEO of Aquedina, the panel featured insights from Kristian Valk, CEO & Founder of Hotelchamp ; Tommy Lai , Founder/CEO of The Lifestyle Collective Pte Ltd; and myself. Together, we dissected the various areas of revenue generation. Here are my key takeaways:

Offline Strategies: Building Strong Relationships

The importance of a relationship-based approach to offline revenue generation cannot be underestimated. Successful hotel brands are not solely defined by their products, glamorous infinity pools, and lofty penthouse bars, but by the strength of their relationships. These relationships, built over time, provide a solid foundation that supports you brands strength and resilience.

Online Strategies: Leveraging The Right Tech for Visibility

Any online strategy must utilize the right tech stack to enhance visibility and channel management. The technology we have today has evolved so much; from Property Management Systems (PMS) to channel managers, and now to comprehensive Central Reservation Systems (CRS) integrated with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Customer Data Platforms (CDP). For hoteliers, staying on top of constantly evolving tech, and then investing in the right solutions for your business, is paramount.

Maintaining strong online visibility is also crucial. Brands must strike a balance between their reputation and technological efficiency to drive revenue. A robust online reputation, closely tied to effective marketing strategies, is indispensable.

The Critical Role of Speed and Efficiency

Our speed in launching marketing campaigns has improved, enabling us to operate more cost-effectively and respond swiftly to market demands. Where website development once took months, it can now be accomplished in days. This speed is vital for aligning our workstreams and creativity with growth aspirations and actions.

CRS and Inventory Management

At our commercial core, we are bed distribution managers. CRS has evolved from simple channel management to sophisticated distribution platforms. This transformation has opened-up numerous opportunities but also underscored the need to manage our core business effectively: inventory management and competitive pricing are ongoing challenges.

Ancillary Revenue Opportunities: F&B and Spas

If 80% of a hotel’s revenue is from beds, then optimizing the 20% revenue from ancillary sources like F&B and spas is essential. Innovative approaches, such as dynamic pricing based on demand and offering creative menu options, can significantly boost revenue.

Traditional hotel spas are seeing a decline, struggling to compete with more creative, cost-effective alternatives just outside their front door. This is another example of hotels lagging unique local businesses. Our industry must innovate in every aspect of our product and service offering because the moment you stop, you’re behind.

The Bottom Line

Our panel identified three key revenue-generating opportunities:

1. Leveraging a robust tech stack
2. Fostering creativity
3. Innovating ancillary products

By focusing on these areas, I believe hotel brands can enhance their top-line growth and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

The SEAHIS conference is a fantastic platform for exchanging ideas and exploring new investment strategies. I'm excited to see how these insights will shape the future of our industry and am already looking forward to next year’s event.

HT