Discounts for Industry Professionals - We Heard it On The Grapevine!

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. April 23, 2012

As an industry professional, how many times have you been asked to provide a “Friends and Family Rate,” a “Professional Courtesy” or an “Industry Discount?”

Thousands of times, right? But what happens when it comes time for you to ask colleagues for favors? It often becomes awkward to ask for a discount and sometimes you want to travel to places where you don't have a contact… then what do you do, pay full rate? These were the kind of questions two industry professionals from the marketing and revenue management firm, Revenue Matters, LLC, began asking themselves.

Stuart-Hill Trevor Stuart-Hill, president, and Kathryn Troy, vice president, are a dynamic husband-and-wife duo, who spend their days helping industry clients build new revenue streams. What first sizzled in their heads and has now come to fruition is Hospitality Grapevine, a new, easy-to-use online service that connects professional hospitality colleagues to exclusive travel and related offers. Much like skilled matchmakers, they began soliciting those in the industry to come up with special offers to promote their unsold inventory, and then post these offers on the site so that hospitality professionals from around the world can save on travel. The big benefit is that the site creates a unique "win-win" solution for everyone who participates.

HotelExecutive caught up with Trevor Stuart-Hill to learn more about Hospitality Grapevine, how it works, and how industry professionals are responding.

Hospitality Grapevine seems like an important new service for the industry. What exactly is it?

Hospitality Grapevine gives all types of properties, whether branded or independent, city or resort, small or large etc., a protected channel in which they may post special offers for this previously untapped market. Hospitality professionals may also use this new online resource to gain access to exclusive industry-only travel deals from around the globe.

How is Hospitality Grapevine different from the many online travel booking services that are available to all consumers?

Your question goes to the heart of our differentiation. What sets us apart—and this really is a major factor--is that Hospitality Grapevine is an exclusive channel, open only to hospitality industry professionals. It is where specially selected industry-only rates and offers are extended to just those who work in the hospitality industry.

Are the offers domestic, international or both?

We've been spreading the word and talking with lots of people every day. We are inviting and encouraging our industry colleagues from around the globe to list their respective deals. At this point - early into the game - we have about 20 offers in places such as North and Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico, Europe, Asia and Africa.

What types of deals might professionals find on the site?

Our focus up to this point has been on securing offers from lodging and tour operators. As we grow, we expect to attract the interest of car rental companies, cruises, attractions and more. Word-of-mouth is increasing and more and more people are learning about Hospitality Grapevine, so we envision there will be all categories of deals from which to choose.

Please tell us more about how Hospitality Grapevine works?

We felt it was really important to have a site that was very simple to interact with. When industry companies go to the site: www.HospitalityGrapevine.com they complete a short form in order to submit their offer for consideration. This is currently a free service. We don't limit submissions, so companies can add as many different offers as they'd like. It's a great way to build a new revenue stream and to post offers for unsold inventory - whether for advance purchase or for building last minute business.

At the same time, industry professionals go to the site and use the easy online sign-up to become a member for free. Once they are approved (within 24 hours), they can begin to take advantage of the exclusive travel offers. We have been pleased with the positive responses we've been receiving from members and industry suppliers so far.

Why should hospitality industry professionals become members?

Who doesn't like to save on travel? Just one glance at the VIEW DEALS page and they will see the fantastic travel discounts available. Once they find an offer they are interested in, they simply click on it and follow the “how to book” instructions for that particular offer. It's that easy!

Can you say more about the benefits for companies who post on the site?

My background is primarily in the field of revenue management, so I was most concerned about suppliers having the ability to reach a truly private audience while retaining complete control over all aspects of their offer. Our behind-the-scenes member validation process helps to ensure that members are part of the hospitality industry. Suppliers are also welcomed and encouraged to establish their own validation process, too, before accepting any reservation. Hospitality Grapevine is not an online travel agency or booking engine. Rather, it puts control of the offer —everything from pricing and inventory to restrictions and how to book reservations - back in the hands of the supplier, even deciding to accept or decline individual requests.

How can you verify that those becoming members are affiliated with the industry?

This is a good question and one we talked about with numerous industry colleagues. The integrity of the Grapevine is very important and we believe it breaks down into three layers of validation to help maintain its exclusivity. First, prospective members learn about the opportunity to join Hospitality Grapevine through industry-only announcements and networks. Second, since it is a private membership site, all members agree as a condition of membership that offers are not to be shared with those outside the industry and all prospective members are vetted by someone on our team prior to being granted membership approval. If it is not obvious how they are affiliated with the industry, we reach out to them and ask them for further information. Our internal verification procedure requires a work-related email address, employer name and company website as part of the sign-up process. Third, individual companies providing offers may also decide how they wish to have their guests validate their relationship to the industry. Some may ask for just their employer's name and website, others may ask for a business card at check-in or for a verification of employment from the traveler's human resources office. This validation is entirely up to each company to decide for themselves. It's no different than the practices in place at each property to verify AAA, AARP, Government, Corporate or other types of discounts or negotiated rates.

What if a person is between jobs or retired from the hospitality industry? Would they qualify?

Absolutely. While the offering hotel or travel company determines final acceptance, most Hospitality Grapevine listing companies do honor these requests. We just tell people to indicate their status in the title field of the membership sign-in.

What about hospitality, tourism and hotel students?

They qualify as well. We see this as the perfect way to introduce this service to those just starting their careers. And we can't think of a better way to help advance learning about the industry than by making it possible for students to experience affordable travel through these great offers.

There's a "refer-a-friend” feature. How does this work?

This really gets to the "grapevine" concept. Once someone signs up as a member, they can log into the site and click on REFER A FRIEND and enter the appropriate information requested. The friend receives an email and they simply have to click on the referral link to begin their membership application. Each month, for every friend referred, the member receives an entry into a $100 gift card giveaway. We notify the winners by email.

Is Hospitality Grapevine always going to be a free service for members?

Yes, membership is always going to be free so that everyone can enjoy these fabulous travel deals. Our goal is to grow Hospitality Grapevine organically and, in doing so, it is expected that there will be many companies and service providers related to the hotel and hospitality industry who, recognizing the buzz, visibility and traffic to the site, will want to advertise their products and services to this exclusive niche market of insiders.

Trevor Stuart-Hill founded Revenue Matters in the spring of 2009 to provide industry recognized revenue management and distribution services that go beyond optimizing distribution channel production to include total property performance. He has been a part of the leadership team at Sabre Hospitality Solutions (formerly SynXis), and held executive-level roles at Sage Hospitality Resources and Destination Hotels & Resorts. Mr. Stuart-Hill is a certified professional pricer (CPP) and certified revenue management executive (CRME), and was one of the founding advisory board members for the HSMAI Revenue Management Special Interest Group. From 2008-2009, he chaired the HSMAI Travel Internet Marketing Advisory Board. He is co-author of An Introduction to Revenue Management for the Hospitality Industry - Principles and Practices for the Real World, a textbook currently in use by colleges and universities around the globe. In 2008, Mr. Stuart-Hill was recognized as one of the “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds” in the hospitality and tourism industry for outstanding innovation and vision. For more information visit www.revenuematters.com