Bangkok (Thailand) – June 15, 2016 (travelindex.com) – The Hotel Management Thailand Summit (HMT), organized by international conference promoter Questex Hospitality Group, welcomed over 30 international speakers and 150 attendees to the Banyan Tree Bangkok. High-profile hotel managers gathered for a panel discussion on “Hotel Group Consolidations Promote Healthy Industry Growth.” The event was moderated by Bruno Huber, Vice President of Operations Asia for Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts. Jonathan Wigley, founder and CEO of Absolute Hotel Services, addressed the question of whether hoteliers are losing out in the distribution competition: “When brand websites compete against online travel agencies, we will lose. I strongly advise against investing in or buying distribution systems. Use licensed systems.”

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of the Minor Hotel Group, agreed: “You can buy technology, develop it yourself, or partner with someone else. Buying is expensive. Developing is risky and a never-ending process,” he told the attentive audience. However, for Nicholas Clayton, hotel consultant for the Pontiac Land Group, the core business of hotels lies in managing distribution channels, not in distribution itself. “It’s about maximizing profit,” he asserted.

Huber addressed the mergers between Marriott and Starwood, as well as between Accor and Fairmont Raffles. According to Huber, for example, 35% of hotel rooms in Bangkok will be managed by the merged Marriott-Starwood group, which could grant them significant pricing power. Rajakarier, however, believes such deals are all about profit and the hotel groups' return on investment. "The rooms are owned by various entities who will exert pressure on the merged Marriott-Starwood group. There will be brand expansion, and the challenge will be to ensure sufficient visibility for all owners and keep everyone satisfied."

For Clayton, it's now a waiting game. "We'll see what added value is created. Success depends on the team at the hotel. The corporate headquarters supports the group companies, brands, locations, and brand building."

According to Symon Bridle, CEO of the Roosewood Hotel Group, the core issue is how much customers will benefit from the mergers, since pricing will be regulated anyway. "Guests will get a much more authentic experience from smaller hotel groups, as large hotel groups often present a uniform pricing strategy," he explained.

“More mergers; that’s better for small hotel groups,” Wigley agreed. “Mergers were made as business decisions for shareholders, not for customers or employees. Look at what big companies don’t do well and make that your strength.”

Other topics at the conference included “Business growth to increase operational efficiency”, “Increasing revenue streams amid changing demographic conditions and upheavals”, and “Successful revenue management under the new norm of interest rate inequality”.

“Participating in the conference opens up new ideas and approaches, allowing you to broaden your horizons and discover opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden in your daily work,” said Wayne Buckingham, Senior Vice President Asia-Pacific at FRHI Hotels and Resorts. The next Hotel Management Asia Summit Series conference will take place on September 8, 2016. The Hotel Technology Conference will be held concurrently. A total of 300 high-level hoteliers can expect a diverse program covering topics such as productivity, value proposition, finance, gastronomy, established technologies, and innovative systems. Further information can be found at: http://www.questevents.net/hmassummit

About the Hotel Management Thailand Summit: The Hotel Management Thailand Summit is a key strategy platform for hotel owners, general managers, CxOs, sales and marketing executives, IT, finance, and HR managers in the hotel industry. The Summit is an exclusive peer-review event that addresses all the major operational, management, and financial challenges that directly impact the profit and loss statements of companies and hotels in the current turbulent economic climate.

About Questex Hospitality + Travel: Questex Hospitality + Travel is the world's largest multimedia organization for the travel and hospitality industry, increasing revenue, productivity and value creation in these industries through strategic investment and deal-making forums, powerful lead generation tools, interactive online business solutions, world-class events and industry-leading publications.

Questex Hospitality + Travel also provides business development, marketing, and training services to national tourism organizations, destination marketing associations, hotel, casino, resort, and cruise companies, online travel agencies, and travel consultants worldwide. Questex Hospitality + Travel is a division of Questex Media Group LLC, headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, with offices around the globe.

For further information, please contact: Jefferson Mendoza, Marketing Executive, Questex Hospitality + Travel, Tel.: +852 2589 1331, Email: [email protected], Website: www.hotelevents.asia