Intelligent SME.tech Issue 27 | Page 38

// INDUSTRY UNLOCKED

Simon Bullingham , Founder and CEO of Journey Hospitality ,

IT ’ S LIKE SHOPIFY
FOR HOTELS AND LETS GUESTS SHAPE THEIR
OWN STAY BY BOOKING ROOMS , SPA , DINING AND
RETAIL PRODUCTS IN A SINGLE SHOPPING
BASKET . continue to do so – as we look to stay ahead of the fluid digital landscape .
Today , we are a hotel e-commerce and technology business with a digital performance studio . Working with high-end hotels and resorts globally , our technology includes onejourney , the world ’ s first allin-one e-commerce platform and Gifted , the UK ’ s leading gift voucher platform . Our agency services include website delivery and digital marketing .
Our core belief is digital success for hospitality , making it easier for hoteliers to operate and grow their business . From clawing back direct bookings from the digitalfirst powerful Online Travel Agents ( OTAs ) to broadening their retail abilities beyond bedrooms , Journey ’ s solutions bring the guest and hotelier more closely together .
How did you grow your client list ?
We partner with more than 400 luxury hotels from The Londoner and Beaverbrook to Harbour Hotel Group and Soneva in the Maldives . Ultimately , we ’ ve grown our client list because we ’ re well trusted by hoteliers . We ’ ve been in this industry for 12 years and pride ourselves in getting to know our hotel partners and understanding their needs . Our commercial relationships are true partnerships ; we work with hotels who want to improve their business performance and are innovative and forward-thinking . We have clients who have been with us from the very beginning and a retention rate of over 96 %, testament to the ROI our team achieves .
Tell me more about onejourney – which key pain point for hoteliers does it address ?
Hotels frequently run on multiple operating systems , with different booking technology for each business area such as bedrooms , restaurants and spas . This means most hotels simply aren ’ t able to offer a real-time booking across their whole portfolio . If a guest wants to book a spa weekend , they often have to rely on a hotel representative emailing or calling to confirm the treatment . It ’ s messy for hoteliers but even messier for guests , resulting in a highly fragmented online booking experience .
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