Its purpose was to build on last year’s Think Tank, wherein it was concluded that hoteliers must embrace digital distribution more readily and to create and drive differentiation.
The second annual WIT Hospitality Think Tank took place last March in Hong Kong. Powered by Expedia and TravelClick, this year’s edition drew its attention to “The Future of Hotel Distribution in Asia: The Opportunities”.
To achieve create and drive differentiation, the Think Tank identified and focused on four key opportunities:
- Understanding the complexity of distribution
- Leveraging the true power of partnerships
- Getting owners onboard with the new digital world
- Preparing talent for the new economy
To kickstart ideas, Lorraine Sileo, Senior VP of Research at Phocuswright set the scene with an overview of how hospitality trends in Asia fared in a global context. She noted the fast-paced and relentless growth of mobile and online bookings within the region, citing China, Indonesia, Japan and India as key drivers.
Coupled with this, Sileo also highlighted the exponential rise of OTAs, commanding 70% of online bookings in Asia compared to direct. She then went on to explain how the online space is still primed for further growth and hoteliers would be wise to adopt new strategies to earn a bigger slice of the pie.
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