Statistics Book 2007.pdf - Kerala Tourism

hotels in Kerala needs to be trained further for attracting business travellers to the state. Trained
staff will ensure repeat guests and spread the good word around, compared to leisure travellers.
Complaints of Travel Trade against Kerala hotels:
(a) Payment of commission: Hotels are reluctant to pay the due commission. The payments are
also delayed in many cases.
(b) Direct solicitation of business: If a client is introduced to the hotel, they directly start dealing
with them in the future; leaving the agent out.
(c) Non-transparent rates: It has been noticed that the hotels in Kerala do not maintain sufficient
transparency in rates and do not offer good rates to the agents and certain other categories of
travellers.
(d) Difficulties in the peak season: In the peak season, many hotels act difficult and do not easily
give confirmations that often get delayed.
Loyalty Programs and Incentives:
Chain Hotel Managers in Kerala have a well-defined Loyalty Programs in place; which are based on
earning points and getting free stays in hotels of the chain. Most independent hotels in the state do not
have formal schemes but they work on informal systems and incentives. Most successful hotels interviewed
in Kerala said that they had formal schemes but work on informal systems and incentives, for bookers
and travel managers. Most hotel managers from the chains as well as from others were important tools in
procuring higher business.
Interviews with Business Travellers:
We interviewed a small section of business travellers, travelling to Kerala from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad,
Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. The business travelers concurred on the points below
mentioned below in the order of importance:
The business travellers also expressed major need for evening entertainment and leisure activities, and
they felt evening entertainment would make stay in hotels more enjoyable and fulfilling. Entertainment
choices that emerged were:
• Good quality bar/pub in the hotel
• Good quality and innovations in the menu
• Cultural programmes and folk programmes
• Swimming pools, night club and dancing area
• Pool/billiard and computer games
• In-house library with the choice of magazines and business books
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