Special RepoRt : Independents den ed
Insurgent independents The traditional attractions of being independent remain : lower costs than those associated with a franchise ; the ability to be flexible on capex and marketing expenditures ; and the inherent excitement in running a hotel creatively .
“ Being independent allows autonomy , and the decision-making process is direct and swift ,” explains Hans Bruland , general manager of The Hay-Adams in Washington , D . C .
That attitude is not North America-centric . In fact , Europe has a stronger history of independent hospitality . Sören Huber , director of business development for the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich , Germany , says , “ As an independent hotel , we do not depend on a headquarters ’ opinion on strategy , interior design , brand development or marketing approach .”
Today , because of technology and demographic shifts , the dream of remaining independent seems more viable than ever . Lindsey Ueberroth , CEO of Preferred Hotel Group , Chicago , says the landscape has changed dramatically over the last
ArE wE ALL
Millennials ?
While there has been extensive buzz about how Millennials want to stay in hip boutiques , many observers believe there has been a cross-generational shift in consumer tastes . Bjorn Hanson , divisional dean of New York University ’ s Tisch Center for tourism hospitality and sports management , says , “ Each trip has a different mission profile and a different lodging solution . What independents can do is appeal to some of those mission profiles , especially where the experience of the trip is a priority .”
It also appears social media sites such as Facebook , where Baby Boomers have the fastestgrowing presence , are playing a critical role for independents . “ Many independent operators or developers are more social media-savvy than many of the brands ,” Hanson says .
Provenance Hotels , Portland , Oregon , spends all its marketing dollars on electronic channels and social media . In fact , it ran a promotion during a heat wave last summer promising a rate of whatever the temperature was at 10 a . m . that morning . The result : more than 300 bookings it would not have otherwise had — and at decent rates , according to company President Bashar Wali .
www . hotelsmag . com May 2014 HOTELS 21