Things looking up for hotel business

Interesting results of a hotel survey—with a European slant—from BrandRepublic.com. A snip:

Some 66 per cent of hotel groups questioned said that C&I [conference and incentive travel] business has increased and 56 per cent described the economic climate as 'healthier' or 'much healthier' than last year. This matches latest World Tourism Organisation statistics that show international tourist arrivals reached a record 780 million in 2004, an increase of 11 per cent.





Another important finding in the survey is the greater creativity in how hotels market themselves to C&I clients. A better commission offering for bookers, technology and the provision of more focused meeting environments have emerged as trends, highlighting that hotels are placing greater value on C&I.