Hotel Front Office Management, 3rd Edition

SOURCES OF RESERVATIONS 133A toll-free phone number assists the cost-conscious corporate client by giving corporateguests calling from outside the property’s area code an opportunity to save on phonebills. The independent lodging property that has installed a toll-free phone number givesitself a marketing advantage. If the person making the reservation wants to check outrates, location, amenities, related hotel services, and the like, he or she can do so withoutincurring an expense. The corporate client can then match travel needs with the availablelodging properties.The corporate client can also place the reservation through the reservation/referralsystem of the chain organization. The large chains, through their radio, television, billboard,and print advertising, offer the corporate client the opportunity to make a reservationeasily through a toll-free number. The number connects the caller to a reservationistwho has access to a data bank of available rooms at lodging properties that are membersof the chain or referral system. The reservation can be completed in minutes. The use ofa single phone number to access all properties offers the corporate client an easy, standardway to make reservations for stays in several cities with one call. In the lodging industry,this opportunity to gain repeat business is very important.The travel agent also makes reservations for corporate clients. The travel agent whois booking air or other transportation for clients usually books room reservations as well.The corporate client can also visit a hotel’s Web site to obtain information on the hoteland make a room reservation.Group TravelersGroup travelers are persons who are traveling as a group either on business or forpleasure. Convention guests and seminar attendees are examples of groups that travel onbusiness. Participants in organized tours tend to pursue recreation, education, and hobbies,and special interests constitute some of the pleasure segment. The key to marketingreservations to this group is providing an efficient access method for planning details ofa tour. The group planner is the person responsible for securing guest room accommodations,food and beverage programs, transportation reservations, meeting facilities, registrationprocedures, tours, and information on sightseeing, as well as maintaining a budgetfor group travelers. The group planner must satisfy the needs of the group in anefficient, orderly, and professional manner. The details involved in organizing a three-dayconvention in a large city for 700 attendees or a seven-day tour of points of interest for44 people are quite extensive. How does the leader of group travelers begin?Some of the options available for the tour or meeting planner include tapping into thebus association network, an organization of bus owners and tour operators who offertransportation and travel information to groups, using directories listing various lodgingproperties, communicating with hotel representatives of various lodging properties, andcontacting hotel brokers. Hoteliers provide information concerning lodging facilities andtourism through these sources.Bus associations are professional organizations on the national and state levels thatprovide their members with organized destination information needed for planning toursTLFeBOOK