Alvaro de Nicolas, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Hotelbeds Group.
From 24th to 27th April, Hotelbeds gathers the industry’s top decision makers at the 5* Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico/s Yucatan peninsula.
RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO – Hotelbeds, a leading bedbank worldwide and business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry, has addressed at its annual MarketHub Americas event in Mexico the challenges faced by the travel industry in the area of data and analytics – the process of examining large data sets, often called /Big Data/, by using powerful software and technology to produce commercially valuable insights.
This year/s event is themed "Powered by data, driven by people" and features a series of presentation from leading industry experts on the topic of data and analytics, and in particular how to leverage Big Data in order to increase sales and profits.
As part of the programme Hotelbeds has produced a list of the top five questions travel companies should be asking their technology providers about data analytics:
1. What are the main areas where you think Big Data could generate value for my company?
2. What is your information strategy? How can you help me get the most out of the data that my clients, employees and suppliers generate?
3. What data does your technology generate that can help my company become more efficient – and will you share it with me?
4. How will your technology handle information scalability in the future?
5. What level of security do you offer for the information that your technology generates? How do you ensure that level of security?
During the event an audience poll on the topic of data analytics was conducted amongst the over 500 top industry delegates attending the event. Results showed that:
- 64% of the audience are working in companies that will 'significantly increase' the budget designated to data and analytics over the next year.
- One of the biggest data analytics challenges faced is their 'disorganized data infrastructure'.
- All participants in the survey expect that data analytics will help them increase their annual revenues over the next five years, with 33% thinking it will increase annual revenues by 30-50% – and 17% thinking it will increase annual revenues by more than 50%.
Alvaro de Nicolas, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Hotelbeds Group, commented from the event: “Every year I look forward to coming to our MarketHub events as it is a great opportunity to hear first-hand from our clients what are the biggest technology challenges they are facing and how we can help them.
“Feedback from our clients has consistently shown that data analytics – in particular how to leverage it to produce growth in revenues – is one of their topmost concerns and that/s why this year we decided upon the "Powered by data. Driven by people" theme.
“Whilst each travel company has its own specific needs and challenges, we've noticed similar recurrent themes which can be broken down into five areas. So to respond to this we/ve decided to create a series of five questions travel companies might wish to be raising with their technology providers.
“To increase our understanding further of where exactly our clients need most support we/ve been polling the audience and the results have been fascinating – more than 60% are planning to significantly increase their budget designated for data and analytics over the next year.”
The MarketHub Americas event this year is taking place from Monday 24th to Wednesday 27th April at the 5*Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico. The annual event brings together hundreds of the top industry decision makers from across the Americas, both North, Central and Latin America.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
