CEOs and senior executives from some of the UK’s pre-eminent hotels and venues and booking agents congregated at the Hotel Booking Agent Association’s (HBAA) CEO Dinner, held at Home House in Portman Square, London, to impartially discuss industry issues, share their ideas and experiences in tackling the downturn and to look at the future of the sector.
The annual event reinforces the relationships between hoteliers (Partners) and booking agents (Members), and asserts the presence of the HBAA as a leading source of business placed into hotels and venues.
The dinner was chaired by Peter Ducker, Executive Director of the HBAA. The consensus of opinion was that it was an outstanding success with a full and frank exchange of ideas.
Industry figureheads attending the 2009 event included Tony Troy from Principal Hotels, Satinder S Vohra from Sarova Hotels, Charles Prew from Barcelo Hotels & Resorts, Marriotts’ Jean Paul Nel, William Morris from Intercontinental Hotel Group, Robert Parker from Hotel de France and Tony Dangerfield from De Vere Venues.
Commenting on the dinner, Charles Prew from Barcelo Hotels & Resorts said: “What I think was special about this year's dinner was that there was a strong desire from both partners and members to better understand each other’s needs and to try and find solutions to common challenges whilst remaining focused on the important people, the clients.”
Satinder Vohra, Director, Sarova Hotels said: “The Dinner is one of the best industry events I attend in the year. The level of conversation, the stimulating and provocative topics covered and the high quality of attendees mean that it is always time well spent. I always come away with much food for thought and a fresh perspective on significant industry issues. ”
Alastair Stewart, Managing Director from etc.venues, said: “Succinct, interesting and at times powerful exchanges of views between the leaders of the hotel and venue businesses and booking agents – it's become one of the very few dinners I really want to attend and use to help shape my thinking on strategy.”
Made up of over seventy specialist accommodation, conference and event bookings agencies, the association has a collective buying power in excess of £1.4bn pa and accounts for a significant percentage of accommodation and conference bookings into the UK’s chain hotels and independently owned properties.
Steve Ockerby, Chairman of the HBAA, commented: “Once again the dinner has been a great success and has further identified areas where both parties – agents and venues – can work more closely together in partnership. No-one in the room could have predicted the scale and severity of the current downturn, but joining forces and working together will help us to overcome the challenges we all face today and be ready for the upturn when it comes.”
For more information, visit Hotel Booking Agent Association
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