The Palmyra Grand Inn in Tirunelveli offers affordable luxury and excellent hospitality. Part of Palmyra Hotels, founded by Arafa Group in 2016, with branches across Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
OVERVIEW
The Palmyra Grand inn Hotel in Tirunelveli offers the best hospitality and caters to the specific needs of all types of guests. Providing affordable luxury, this property is located ideally for connectivity with all places of significance in the city. In 2016, Arafa Group made its foray into the hospitality sector with "Palmyra Hotels." The first branch opened its doors in the picturesque town of Alappuzha, capturing the essence of Kerala's rich cultural heritage. Today, Palmyra Hotels brand boasts 4 exquisite branches across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, offering guests an unparalleled blend of luxury and warmth.
CHALLENGE:-
The Palmyra Hotel had long been a popular spot for local travelers and small group bookings. The hotel’s owners prided themselves on offering quality service and a relaxing atmosphere, but they faced significant challenges when it came to attracting guests on a larger scale. Despite its prime location, the hotel was struggling to fill its rooms, with occupancy rates consistently around 10%. In a competitive market with numerous hotels vying for attention, many travelers were booking through online travel agencies (OTAs), but the hotel was not properly leveraging these platforms. Its visibility was limited and it relied mainly on walk-in customers and a few repeat local guests. The owners realized that they needed to modernize their distribution strategies to stay competitive. The hotel’s slow growth, especially in terms of occupancy, became a major concern. The owners were struggling to fill rooms during both peak and off-peak seasons.
THE TURNING POINT:
IMPLEMENTING HOTEL SPIDER:
Recognizing the need for a better approach, the hotel owners decided to invest in a channel manager. They chose Hotel-Spider that would integrate seamlessly with their PMS and connect their property to multiple OTAs. This move was made with the understanding that better distribution and real-time updates would solve many of their challenges.
THE RESULTS: A TRANSFORMATION IN
JUST ONE QUARTER:
After integrating Hotel-Spider, the hotel experienced dramatic improvements in its occupancy rates in a very short period:
- Increased Online Visibility: The hotel’s listing was now available on numerous OTAs simultaneously. Hotel-Spider ensured that their rooms were visible to a wide audience of both domestic and international travelers. This increase in exposure led to a surge in online bookings, particularly from international tourists who had previously overlooked the hotel.
- Better Revenue Management: Hotel-Spider enabled real-time updates to room availability and pricing across all platforms. Pricing tools allowed the hotel to adjust rates based on demand, local events and competitor pricing. This resulted in the hotel capturing more bookings during peak times and offering promotions during slower periods to maintain a steady flow of guests.
- Elimination of Overbooking: With automated syncing between the hotel’s PMS and OTAs, the hotel no longer faced overbooking issues. Hotel-Spider ensured that the availability on each OTA was always accurate, reducing errors and improving operational efficiency.
- Improved Occupancy Rate: Within just three months, the hotel’s occupancy rate skyrocketed from 10% to 60%. The consistent flow of bookings from OTAs helped fill rooms faster, leading to significant revenue growth. The hotel's revenue per available room (RevPAR) also increased, as the pricing and availability adjustments were more aligned with demand.
- Enhanced Guest Experience: With more bookings and increased revenue, the hotel reinvested in guest services, upgrading amenities, and enhancing the guest experience. This, in turn, led to positive reviews, which further contributed to the hotel’s visibility and appeal.
- Streamlined Operations: With the Hotel-Spider handling all distribution and synchronization tasks, the hotel staff could focus more on guest services rather than constantly managing multiple platforms. This efficiency improved the overall guest experience, further driving loyalty and repeat business.
KEY FACTORS BEHIND THE SUCCESS:
- Seamless Integration with OTAs: Hotel-Spider made it easy to manage bookings from multiple OTAs without needing to manually update inventory or pricing. This significantly boosted the hotel's online presence and revenue potential.
- Automated Inventory Management: Real-time updates prevented overbooking and provided a seamless experience for both the hotel and its guests.
- Better Exposure: By expanding its reach through multiple OTAs, the hotel was able to tap into new markets, including international tourists and travelers from other parts of India.
Conclusion:
Palmyra Grand hotel’s success story demonstrates how the right technology and distribution strategy can lead to substantial growth in a short time. By implementing Hotel-Spider, the hotel increased its occupancy rate from 10% to 60% in just three months. This transformation not only boosted the hotel’s revenue but also enhanced the guest experience and operational efficiency. Today, the hotel continues to thrive with a robust online presence, a steady stream of bookings, and improved guest satisfaction.
