Following the announcement that 47% of independent hoteliers feel they are being forced out of the market by brand hotel chains, Great Hotels Organisation is speaking out in support of independent hotels and their operational challenges.

Aware that small independent hotels feel they struggle to compete, GHO is highlighting the ways in which the opportunities to fight back are available. GHO as an organisation aims to support independent hoteliers in the global brand wars and as a result has continually invested in a number of product offerings to help.

One of the biggest challenges for independent hotels is competing with the mega-brand loyalty schemes which account for a significant proportion of business and repeat business on any given night for competitor chain hotels. Recognising this challenge, Great Hotels Organisation introduced the Great Hotels Rewards programme which enables even small and single independent hotels to join and benefit from a brand-backed, points based, global loyalty scheme. With the ability to offer the rewards and flexibility that attract guests to their chain hotel competitors, independent hotels can now challenge in a hugely profitable and previously untapped market. Consumers can redeem points for free nights at participating hotels or exchange them for Airmiles.

Great Hotels Luxury Network similarly helps independent hotels with competitive pricing compared to the chain hotels. The luxury network enables participating hotels to attract high value business from around 300 confirmed luxury niche tour operators that would not normally be possible due to the low volume bookings that individually each operator can guarantee. This opens another new market and source of high value revenue to benefit independent hotels.

G-rez and G-wiz by GHO are also available to help hotels profit through online bookings. Combined with training, GHO can help hotels improve their own website booking engines and increase the up-sell value and conversion rates they achieve.

For those looking for brand backing and support in sales and marketing, membership of either Great Hotels of the World or Special Hotels of the World can similarly produce excellent return on a modest investment. Meanwhile the hotels remain fully independent operationally offering hotels the best compromise.

Peter Gould, CEO of Great Hotels Organisation commented: “Great Hotels Organisation has always focussed on supporting independent hotels in a competitive market place crowded with chain hotels. Through our variety of products and services which have been developed according to market demands, we believe we can offer independent hotels competitively priced solutions for their everyday needs”.
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