Voila expands network with the launch of Continental Hotels Rewards and Great Hotels Rewards
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Voila expands network with the launch of Continental Hotels Rewards and Great Hotels Rewards
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Category: Worldwide - Industry economy
- New brands / Affiliations
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2008-11-13
VOILÀ Hotel Rewards, the first global, points-based frequent guest programme specifically created for independent hotel groups, is pleased to announce the expansion of its hotel network.
VOILÀ Hotel Rewards, which debuted this summer, is expanding quickly in the next three months. Continental Hotels Group will join VOILÀ, and the St. George Lycabettus Hotel Athens will join the programme via Great Hotels Rewards, the new private label programme of Great Hotels Organisation. This will bring the global VOILÀ network close to 200 properties in a matter of months.
VOILÀ is the new, ground-breaking loyalty programme that unites a worldwide network of four- and five-star hotels including different brands and independent properties. Members of VOILÀ, and any of its private-label regional programmes including Husa Plus, Coral Hadaya Rewards, Lucerna Rewards, Great Hotels Rewards, and soon, Continental Hotels Rewards, earn points for eligible spend they can redeem for complimentary night stays and room upgrades at participating hotels in the VOILÀ network. Members also enjoy special perks, such as member-only room rates, special welcome amenities, instant recognition, tailored pre-arrival room preparation, and airline mile exchange opportunities.
Designed specifically for regional hotel groups and independent properties, VOILÀ is a turnkey solution with a sophisticated technological platform that empowers hotels to drive dynamic, personalised marketing programmes to loyal consumers. VOILÀ prides itself on delivering the right offer at the right time to the right traveler. Plus, VOILÀ's growing network of upscale hotels allows participating properties to benefit from a global liaison that rivals the mega brands, without prohibitive costs or the loss of operational independence. This was evident during the recent VOILÀ programme launch with Great Hotels Organisation (GHO).
"VOILÀ Hotel Rewards is an amazing product that levels the playing field for independent hotels in a world market dominated by mega brands," said Peter Gould, chief executive officer of Great Hotels Organisation. "We believe a frequent guest programme to be an important part of our group's marketing strategy. The ability to co-brand the programme as Great Hotels Rewards gives us the opportunity to build brand awareness, while VOILÀ takes away the challenges we would face operating a programme of this magnitude on our own. VOILÀ has our endorsement and we highly recommend it to all member properties in our portfolio."
Gabi Kool, senior vice president and managing director of VOILÀ Hotel Rewards, said, "Our vision for VOILÀ is to be the largest and most respected frequent guest programme worldwide, providing four- and five-star independent hotels with a global loyalty solution that allows them to compete effectively and profitably. We have had numerous exciting discussions with hoteliers around the world and VOILÀ has been very well received."
Continental Hotels Group, a member of the Great Hotels Organisation with nine exclusive properties in Romania, was the first GHO hotel group to sign an agreement with VOILÀ. "We are thrilled to join the VOILÀ Hotel Rewards network," said Michele Meloni, chief operational officer of Continental Hotels Group. "There is no doubt VOILÀ will help us generate a significant interest in our local markets. We have a strong base of business travelers who recognize the value of a loyalty programme that delivers recognition in hotels along with personalized services and benefits. By establishing a strong regional membership we expect to gain substantial market share and incremental revenue. From there, we look forward to leveraging VOILÀ's global network and reaching out to international markets. VOILÀ is the perfect programme for entrepreneurial hoteliers and travelers with independent minds."
The St. George Lycabettus Hotel Athens, the first independent hotel to launch under the Great Hotels Rewards umbrella, also recently signed with VOILÀ Hotel Rewards. "VOILÀ's technology platform is remarkable," said George Filis, general manager of the St. George Lycabettus Hotel Athens. "It is simply incredible for an independent property to have access to such an advanced CRM system, with an online member portal, database support, and sophisticated campaign management capabilities. VOILÀ's turnkey solution makes it easy to implement and roll out at the property level."
"The mega brands are continually improving their loyalty programmes for a simple reason – the programmes are profitable to their bottom line," added Gabi Kool of VOILÀ. "Similarly, VOILÀ stimulates both occupancy growth and increased ADR. Since VOILÀ has the capability to interface with a hotel's CRS or PMS, our distribution channel is much more cost-effective than third party channels. Coupled with a virtually no-cost marketing capability through the CRM system's campaign manager, business generated through VOILÀ is simply more profitable. VOILÀ lessens hotels' dependency on third party channels, lowers distribution costs and reduces marketing expenses -- all of which results in better profits."
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