Shift of focus works for Select Hotels

ONE MORE THING: THESE ARE tough times for Irish hoteliers as they battle the recession and cut-price competition from properties that are on life support from either the National Asset Management Agency or Bank of Scotland (Ireland), which have called in their loans.

However, there is some positive news from Select Hotels of Ireland, a marketing group that represents 26 middle-of-the-road hotels in Ireland. General manager Una Young gleefully reported to me this week that its commission income from hotel members rose 49 per cent in 2011 to €2.2 million.

The commissions are earned on each booking secured by its central reservation system for the hotels, which are independently owned.

Direct sales from online promotions through the Select website have grown from €50,000 in 2009 to more than €300,000 in 2011, when its conversion rate trebled.

How did it manage such a strong performance?

“We made a concerted effort to attract groups here from Europe and the US,” she told me. “We were in the St Patrick’s Day parade in Manchester and attended a consumer show there. We also branded a coach at Cheltenham.”

Just over half its bookings are now coming from overseas rather than the domestic market.

Select’s membership ranges from the 220-bed Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire to the 40-bed Silver Tassie in Donegal.

Select is owned by Derry Cronin, who also runs a coach tour business and has other travel-related interests.

Young concedes that Select’s hotel members are “finding it difficult” to stay afloat at present but is optimistic that the tide might be turning for the local tourism industry.

“The message is getting out there that Ireland is value for money again, particularly in terms of hotels. That’s the very clear feedback we’re getting from the trade.”