Gestión Hotelera

🎵 Cristina Velasco, Director of Sercotel Parque Las Palmas, discusses "Best practices for training on SOPs in hotels" in an episode available on LinkedIn, YouTube, and preferred podcast platforms. Interview highlights can be found on the associated blog.

🏨 Fernanda de Herralde, Director of Reception at Sir Victor Hotel, part of the Sircle Collection, discusses the evolution of hotel management from manual processes to sophisticated digital systems over the last 20 years. Modern Property Management Systems (PMS) centralize guest information and ensure seamless experiences from check-in to check-out, adapting to guests' changing needs with personalized services. Future PMS trends include greater personalization, digital communication channel integration, and systems flexibility to meet the evolving hospitality industry demands. Sir Victor uses the Shiji Enterprise Platform, allowing for a consistent guest experience across Sircle Collection properties.

📊 Factura recapitulativa, a document for billing multiple transactions made within a month for a single recipient, must be issued by the last day of the month or by the 16th of the following month for businesses and professionals (Real Decreto 1619/2012, Article 13). It must include specific details like invoice number, dates of transactions, both parties' identification, and a breakdown of operations. Effective billing management is crucial, and the use of ERP software like Solmicro ERP from Zucchetti Spain can automate invoice generation, enhancing productivity and financial management within a company.

🚢 Royal Caribbean Group announced a new Icon-class megacrucero, joining "Icon of the Seas"—the world's largest. Constructed by Meyer Turku in Finland, the project costs €1.5 billion, with two additional ships as options. "Icon of the Seas," completed in late 2023, weighs 250,800 tons, measures 365 meters with 20 decks, and carries nearly 10,000 people. HOSBEC criticizes the Imserso travel program's unchanged contract conditions, impacting hotels in Benidorm. Galicia sees a 5.6% visitor increase, with protests against tourist disrespect.

🏨 In Spain, 4R Hotels achieved a 17x ROI in 7 months from direct bookings using Asksuite's AI agent, which handles 95% of common traveler questions. The implementation led to over $53,000 in group quote opportunities. The AI agent attends to 54.6% of interactions outside business hours, with only 4.2% requiring human intervention. Spain, the second most visited country with over 85 million tourists in 2023, saw an 18.7% increase in tourism compared to the previous year.

🏖 Ávoris has finalized contracts for the Imserso travel season 2024/2025, starting sales on September 23. With 195 hotels partnered, providing a total of 443,887 coastal and 230,039 island places, similar to the 2023/2024 season. Coastal tourism includes 132 hotels, down from 136 previously, while island tourism increased from 56 to 63 hotels, distributed among the Balearic and Canary Islands. Detailed distribution: Almería (15), Cádiz (3), Granada (1), Huelva (7), Málaga (16), Barcelona (11), Gerona (13), Tarragona (15), Alicante (32), Castellón (8), Valencia (5), Murcia (6), Ibiza (4), Mallorca (25), Menorca (6), Fuerteventura (5), Gran Canaria (10), Lanzarote (2), and Tenerife (11).

💰 Starting September 23, Imserso's 2024-2025 travel program, managed by Ávoris Corporación Empresarial, releases 886,269 spots in three lots. Sales begin with two blocks: September 23-24 for several regions including Andalucía and Madrid, and September 25-26 for others like Cataluña and the Canary Islands. Lot 1 (Coastal Peninsula) offers 443,887 places, Lot 2 (Insular Coast) has 230,039, and Lot 3 (Getaways and European Tourism) provides 212,343. Prices vary; for example, a 4-day trip costs €124.68, while a 10-day trip in the Balearics with transport is €331.49. Reservations require a deposit not exceeding 20%, completed 45 days pre-trip, and are available via accredited travel agencies or the official Turismo Social website.

🏫 UNESCO's 46th annual meeting in New Delhi from July 21 to 31 added 24 new World Heritage Sites, including Italy's ancient Via Apia. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is set to launch on November 10 after delays. Spain offers a range of family-friendly theme parks. The 2024-2025 Imserso travel program in Spain includes cultural circuits across various regions, enhancing senior tourism. Imserso also allows senior tourists to explore 12 peninsular coasts in Andalusia, Catalonia, Valencia, and Murcia. A fire and storm in Madeira have stranded hundreds at Cristiano Ronaldo Airport for two days, causing flight cancellations and overcrowding in hotels. Hotel prices in Spain rose by 4.7% in July, with Galicia and Madrid experiencing the highest increases, and the Balearic Islands seeing a significant year-to-date rise. Spanish engineer Alejandro Núñez has developed double-height airplane seats, potentially available by 2030, providing more legroom in economy class. Málaga will gain a new luxury hotel in the decommissioned post office building. Yurbban Hospitality Group is undergoing significant growth with a focus on creative and distinct offerings adapted for diverse audiences.

🏖️ Ávoris (Turismo Social) aims to launch Imserso's tourism program sales in September for the 2024/2025 season, offering 886,269 spots for around four million accredited individuals. Priority is based on a points system that considers age, economic status, previous participation, and family size. Age points range from 1 for under 60s to a maximum of 20, while economic points vary from 50 for pensions at 517.90 euros to 0 above 2,100 euros. Previous participation can yield up to 175 points, and being part of a large family adds 5-10 points. A disability of 33% or higher is worth 10 points.

🏨 Hyatt Hotels Corporation plans to acquire Standard International, the parent company of The Standard and Bunkhouse Hotels, for $150 million with an additional $185 million as more hotels join the portfolio. The acquisition includes management, franchise, and license contracts for 21 hotels with approximately 2,000 rooms, such as The Standard London. Amar Lalvani, current Executive Chairman of Standard International, will lead a new lifestyle group based in New York. This move quintupled Hyatt's lifestyle rooms between 2017 and 2023.