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Showing posts with label Revenue Management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Revenue Management. Show all posts

Major Pillars

Hotel Revenue Management – 5 Major Pillars

Hotel Revenue Management is structured in 5 Major Pillars:

  1. Strategy & Pricing Philosophy
  2. Inventory & Optimization (One Yield / ERS)
  3. Distribution & Channel Management
  4. Analytics & Reporting (MRDW, STR, Tools)
  5. Leadership & Above Property Governance

Now let’s break it exactly in Hotel language.


1️⃣ STRATEGY & PRICING PHILOSOPHY

This includes:

  • High Performance Pricing (HPP)
  • Extended Stay Strategy
  • Corporate Pricing (MarRFP, SCPT)
  • Business Transient Pricing
  • Loyalty Reimbursement Strategy

Subsections:

  • Pricing ladder logic
  • Segment prioritization
  • Displacement analysis
  • Fair Market Value evaluation
  • Corporate RFP strategy
  • Budget & Revenue Planning

Tools Used:

  • HPP guidelines
  • MarRFP
  • SCPT (Special Corporate Pricing Tool)
  • Fair Market Value Tool
  • Revenue Planning Template
  • One Yield Strategy Outlook Template

Reports:

  • ADR by segment
  • Rate program audit
  • Corporate production report
  • Budget vs Forecast
  • LPA goal tracking
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Hotel Revenue Management is structured in 5 Major Pillars

Hotel Revenue Management – 5 Major Pillars

Hotel Revenue Management is structured in 5 Major Pillars:

Watch the video above to understand visually how these 5 pillars are implemented in a modern corporate hotel revenue management system.

  1. Strategy & Pricing Philosophy
  2. Inventory & Optimization (One Yield / ERS)
  3. Distribution & Channel Management
  4. Analytics & Reporting (MRDW, STR, Tools)
  5. Leadership & Above Property Governance

Now let’s break it exactly in Hotel language.





1️⃣ STRATEGY & PRICING PHILOSOPHY

This includes:

  • High Performance Pricing (HPP)
  • Extended Stay Strategy
  • Corporate Pricing (MarRFP, SCPT)
  • Business Transient Pricing
  • Loyalty Reimbursement Strategy

Subsections:

  • Pricing ladder logic
  • Segment prioritization
  • Displacement analysis
  • Fair Market Value evaluation
  • Corporate RFP strategy
  • Budget & Revenue Planning

Tools Used:

  • HPP guidelines
  • MarRFP
  • SCPT (Special Corporate Pricing Tool)
  • Fair Market Value Tool
  • Revenue Planning Template
  • One Yield Strategy Outlook Template

Reports:

  • ADR by segment
  • Rate program audit
  • Corporate production report
  • Budget vs Forecast
  • LPA goal tracking
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Complete Revenue Management Framework in Hotel: The 5 Core Pillars

FOUNDATION

1. The 5 Core Pillars Framework

The foundation rests on five specific pillars: Supply, Demand, Price, Time, and Product. Understanding their interaction is the difference between surviving and thriving.

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OPERATIONS

2. Pricing Philosophy & Psychology

Pricing is a message. We explore dynamic models and "anchor pricing" that influences booking behavior.

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OPERATIONS

3. Inventory Control & Overbooking

Mastering inventory protection and the mathematical approach to sustainable overbooking levels.

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STRATEGY

4. Advanced Demand Forecasting

Utilizing pickup patterns, pace reports, and market sentiment to accurately predict your next peak.

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STRATEGY

5. Channel Management & Distribution

Optimizing your channel mix to lower Cost of Acquisition (CAC) and improve bottom-line profitability.

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STRATEGY

6. Market Segmentation

Identifying your "Power Segments" and tailoring rates to specific price elasticity per market.

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LEADERSHIP

7. Making Data-Driven Decisions

Finding the "Story" behind the "Spreadsheet" to effectively influence hotel stakeholders.

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LEADERSHIP

8. Technology Integration (RMS & PMS)

Syncing your PMS with AI-driven Revenue Management Systems for real-time optimization.

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LEADERSHIP

9. The Future of Revenue Management

Exploring predictive AI and the critical shift from RevPAR to TRevPAR (Total Revenue).

Read More →
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Cost per Occupied Room (CPOR)

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Cost per Occupied Room (CPOR)


How to Set Up Room Rates Based on Cost per Occupied Room (CPOR)

As a hotelier with more than 17 years of experience in resorts, I have seen first-hand how pricing decisions can make or break profitability. One of the most reliable methods used in revenue management is calculating Cost per Occupied Room (CPOR). This method ensures that room rates are not just competitive, but also profitable, by accounting for operational expenses tied directly to occupancy. CPOR allows hoteliers to strike the right balance between cost recovery and strategic pricing.

📑 Anchor List

What is CPOR?

Cost per Occupied Room (CPOR) is a financial metric used in hospitality to measure how much it costs a property to service a single occupied room. It covers all the variable expenses tied directly to guest occupancy, such as payroll, cleaning supplies, amenities, and utilities. Unlike fixed costs (like building rent or long-term loans), CPOR changes depending on the number of occupied rooms.

In simple terms, CPOR answers the question: "How much does it cost me to serve one guest room tonight?"

The CPOR Formula

The basic formula is:

CPOR = Total Departmental (or Operating) Cost ÷ Total Rooms Sold

This formula can be applied at different departmental levels (e.g., housekeeping, front office, food & beverage), but is most commonly used for housekeeping and general operations since those departments are most closely tied to occupied rooms.

Step-by-Step CPOR Calculation

  1. Step One: Add up all payroll-related costs. This includes salaried staff, agency payroll, contractor wages, pensions, and contributions for the department you are analyzing.
  2. Step Two: Sum these costs for the chosen period (weekly, monthly, or quarterly) to get the Total Payroll/Operating Cost.
  3. Step Three: Record the total number of rooms sold in the same period. This comes directly from your property management system (PMS).
  4. Step Four: Divide the Total Cost by the Rooms Sold to calculate CPOR.

Worked Example (Housekeeping Department)

Below is an example using a one-week housekeeping payroll dataset:

Day Total Payroll Cost (£) Rooms Sold CPOR (£)
Thursday 1,322.80 182 7.27
Friday 1,192.78 171 6.98
Saturday 1,367.27 200 6.84
Sunday 1,335.37 140 9.54
Monday 1,114.96 168 6.64
Tuesday 1,271.93 188 6.77
Wednesday 1,337.02 176 7.60
Total 8,942.14 1,225 7.30

Analysis: In this example, the housekeeping CPOR for the week is £7.30. This means that for every occupied room, £7.30 goes toward housekeeping payroll. If your average room rate is £120, this cost is only a small portion of the rate but becomes significant when multiplied by hundreds of rooms per night.

Why CPOR Matters in Resort Pricing

  • It provides a baseline for cost efficiency per room.
  • It ensures that pricing covers variable expenses before considering fixed costs and profit.
  • It helps compare actual vs. budgeted performance.
  • It gives management a tangible benchmark when reviewing rate strategies.

Practical Applications of CPOR

CPOR is not just a financial calculation—it’s a decision-making tool. Here’s how resorts use it in practice:

  • Rate Setting: Ensure that the lowest rate offered (e.g., promotions or group discounts) still covers CPOR.
  • Departmental Efficiency: Compare CPOR week-to-week to identify inefficiencies in labor scheduling.
  • Forecasting: Predict how rising payroll costs will impact CPOR in peak and low seasons.
  • Benchmarking: Compare CPOR across properties in the same brand or destination.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Not updating CPOR calculations frequently enough, especially during seasonality changes.
  • Ignoring non-payroll costs (e.g., guest supplies, utilities) that also impact CPOR.
  • Using average CPOR without recognizing day-of-week variations.
  • Applying CPOR uniformly across all room types, even though servicing suites often costs more.

Advanced Uses of CPOR

Experienced revenue managers take CPOR beyond the basics by integrating it with other KPIs:

  • CPOR + RevPAR: Compare how much of revenue per available room is consumed by costs.
  • CPOR + GOPPAR: Analyze departmental efficiency in driving gross operating profit per available room.
  • Segment CPOR: Break down CPOR by guest type (group vs. leisure vs. corporate).
  • Seasonal CPOR: Adjust labor costs during high occupancy months vs. low occupancy months.

Case Study: Seasonal CPOR Adjustments

Imagine a beachfront resort that employs seasonal staff. In summer, payroll costs rise by 25% due to higher occupancy. However, CPOR may remain stable because the increase in rooms sold offsets the higher payroll. In contrast, during low season, payroll might shrink but CPOR can rise because fewer rooms are occupied. This shows why CPOR must always be analyzed in context of occupancy levels.

Tips for Using CPOR in Daily Operations

  • Run CPOR reports weekly to stay aligned with operational changes.
  • Use CPOR to negotiate with outsourcing agencies and labor contractors.
  • Integrate CPOR into your PMS or BI dashboards (SQL/Tableau can automate this).
  • Share CPOR insights with department heads so they see the link between labor scheduling and profitability.

Final Thoughts

CPOR is more than a number—it’s a window into the efficiency of resort operations. By mastering CPOR, hoteliers ensure that room rates are not only competitive but also financially sustainable. Whether you are managing a luxury beachfront resort or a midscale all-inclusive, CPOR should be part of your regular pricing and operations review process.

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Resort Room Rate

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Resort Room Rate


Resort Room Rate Setup: Introduction

As a hotelier who has worked in resorts for almost over 17 years, See my Portfolio, I have seen how pricing decisions can make or break performance. Setting resort room rates is not about guessing — it’s a structured process. Over the years, I found that there are 4 practical steps that help every resort achieve the right price in the right season, amongst competitors, for the right guest segment.

In this series, I will explain these four steps in detail. Each post will focus on one element of the room rate setup process, building a complete picture of how resorts can design a strong pricing strategy.

The 4 Guiding Steps

This order flows naturally: Seasonality → Positioning → Room Type → Segment
= When → Where → What → Who

Follow along as we begin with Seasonality in the next section.

What is Seasonality?

Seasonality is defined as a pattern of seasons that repeat themselves predictably over time. Seasons are periods during which demand for a property or market is similar and constant, or is significantly different from demand periods around it.

Why Define Your Seasons?

Identifying a property’s seasons is an important factor in being able to proactively price correctly at all times of the year. Seasonal pricing helps reduce the risk of having inappropriate rates during different seasons, and it lowers the chance of turning away customers who might have booked had the proper price been set for those dates. Understanding the importance of seasonality helps you target seasonal timeframes when it makes sense to capitalize on revenue opportunities by adjusting rates either up or down. In general, as occupancy and demand fluctuate, so too does the opportunity to adjust pricing.

How to Define Your Seasons

Seasonality is determined by using a variety of tools to identify and analyze trends in occupancy and demand. To define your property’s seasons, complete the following steps:

  1. Review recent performance data such as Occupancy, Average Daily Rate (ADR), and RevPAR charts over the last 12–18 months compared with competitors.
  2. For each chart, draw vertical markers to indicate logical seasonal breaks.
  3. Evaluate and compare the markers you have drawn:
    • Do the Occupancy and ADR graphs validate the current seasons?
    • Do the Occupancy and ADR graphs mirror each other? If not, why?
    • Do Occupancy trends between your property and competitors align? If not, why?
    • Do ADR trends between your property and competitors align? If not, why?
    • Do RevPAR trends between your property and competitors align? If not, why?
  4. Based on your assessment, you may identify opportunities to redefine some of your seasons.
  5. Keep in mind that hotel occupancy alone does not reflect total demand. It is important to compare occupancy trends with demand turndown data or booking inquiries declined to validate your findings.

A Few Important Facts About Seasons:

  • In many markets, weekday and weekend seasonality must be viewed separately depending on customer mix.
  • Season dates can be as short as a few days or as long as one year, but they must be contiguous.
  • Date ranges may start and end on any day of the week; however, many properties align rate changes with weekend or weekday cycles.
  • The number of seasons can vary by region, market, and property. Many resorts operate with four key seasons: Low, Shoulder, High, Shoulder.
  • Seasons may differ by customer segment (for example, transient versus group).
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Additional Demand: How Hotels Calculate it (Step-by-Step Guide)

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Additional Demand: How Hotels Calculate it (Step-by-Step Guide)




Table of Contents

Introduction

Hotels face the challenge of predicting how many rooms could have been sold if capacity or restrictions were not a limitation. Additional Demand is a powerful concept to uncover this missed opportunity. It shows both what was booked and what could have been booked. By using proven statistical methods like Projection–Detruncation Tau, revenue managers can optimize rates, manage inventory, and plan more effectively.

What is Additional Demand?

Additional Demand captures the full room requests for a given date, including sold rooms and the ones turned away due to restrictions or full occupancy. 

Example: A hotel with 100 rooms sold out but still received 20 more inquiries. The Additional Demand = 120, signaling pricing or strategy changes. It helps identify missed revenue and informs future capacity decisions.

How the Window Works

The algorithm uses a rolling window to review booking patterns. A window is written as X × Y × Z:

  • X = Number of arrival dates (often the same weekday)
  • Y = Days-before-arrival to include for each
  • Z = Total points (X × Y)

Example: A 3 × 5 × 15 window means 3 Tuesdays × 5 days-before each = 15 points. Suppose today is Aug 1 and you forecast Aug 27. It looks at Aug 13, Aug 20, and Aug 27 with bookings 23–27 days out. The window rolls daily for fresh data.

Example Calculations

By Aug 22, for arrival Aug 27, the window moves to 6–10 days before arrival. Updated points reflect the latest bookings and cancellations.

Arrival Date23 days24 days25 days26 days27 days
Tues 8/138/078/068/058/048/03
Tues 8/208/148/138/128/118/10
Tues 8/278/218/208/198/188/17

7 × 3 × 21 Window

Some hotels book late. A 7 × 3 × 21 window looks at 7 Tuesdays × 3 days-before each.

Arrival DateDay 1Day 2Day 3
Tues 7/166/266/276/28
Tues 7/237/037/047/05
Tues 7/307/107/117/12
Tues 8/067/167/177/18
Tues 8/137/237/247/25
Tues 8/207/307/318/01
Tues 8/278/068/078/08

Another Format

Arrival DateDateDateDateDateDate
Mon 5/165/115/105/095/085/07
Mon 5/235/185/175/165/155/14
Mon 6/66/15/315/305/295/28
Days left56789

Why the Window Rolls

Demand is fluid. Each day brings new bookings and cancellations. Rolling ensures forecasts always use the freshest data, avoiding outdated assumptions.

Holiday Adjustments

  • Holiday demand is treated separately.
  • Holiday points are excluded from normal days to prevent skew.

Case Studies

A beachfront resort noticed 15% unmet Saturday demand. By expanding its window and adjusting pricing, it captured more revenue. A downtown conference hotel used windows to manage last-minute cancellations. Each property found unique insights from Additional Demand.

Practical Tips

  • Align windows with booking behavior (short or long lead).
  • Maintain an updated holiday/event calendar.
  • Pair with metrics like Pick-up, Pace, and Market Share.
  • Visualize trends with BI tools or dashboards.

Conclusion

Additional Demand changes forecasting and pricing. It reveals hidden opportunities and helps build stronger revenue strategies. Whether boutique or resort, applying rolling windows and keeping data current is key to success.

Author: Ayman Salem — Hotel Revenue Management. Published: Aug 28, 2025

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Seasons Change, So Should Your Rates: A Hotelier’s Guide

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    Seasons Change

    Setting the Right Leisure Pricing Strategy for Hotels and Resorts

    Table of Contents

    Overview

    Each hotel has a primary segment that purchases retail, nonqualified rates. In a business hotel this segment is called corporate; in a resort, it's leisure. 

    The name of the segment describes the main type of customer base, not necessarily the purpose of travel. The leisure segment represents guests paying the hotel’s rational, properly positioned retail rate. This price is critical because it sets the standard for guarantees and discount structures like Wholesaler, group, corporate, and other discounts are often based on this rate. Therefore, the leisure retail rate is one of the most important prices to set correctly.

    Objective

    Leisure travelers behave differently than business travelers. They consider many factors when planning a trip, which makes pricing for this segment more complex. This guide provides best practices for setting and maintaining a fair retail rate aimed at leisure guests. 

    Even if wholesalers make up a big part of your business, understanding fair market value for leisure guests is essential before applying discounts.

    Frequency

    Review market positioning, seasonality, and historical performance annually at minimum. Monitor demand and competitors weekly, adjusting rates as market conditions change.

    Resources & Tools

    • Resort Demand Strategy Tool (with Room Pools)
    • Seasonality Tool
    • Total Hotel Competitive Assessment Tool
    • DaySTAR and DaySTAR Plus Reports
    • Group Convention Forecasts
    • Revenue Opportunity Model
    • Booking Pace Tools
    • Hotel Pricing 

    Recommendations

    When pricing for leisure guests, look beyond your immediate market. Consider competing destinations, conduct seasonal rate shops, and monitor demand and competitor pricing weekly. Adjust when needed to stay competitive.

    Process

    Step 1: Analyze Hotel & Market Positioning

    Know your source markets—where guests come from, how they travel, language, and currency issues. Identify seasonal changes in customer . 

    Define your competitive set wisely—include hotels in your market and in competing destinations. Ask guests about competitors via surveys. Assess your destination’s value compared to others (costs, activities, perception). 

    Evaluate your hotel’s value proposition: location, amenities, service, brand strength. Price premium rooms thoughtfully, using room pool guidelines.

    Step 2: Understand Seasonality

    Seasonality impacts who stays at your hotel and what they’re willing to pay. Identify peak, shoulder, and low seasons. Adjust rates for each. Stay informed of shifting patterns and demographics. Follow your brand’s seasonality guidelines.

    Step 3: Conduct Rate Shops

    Retail rate shops only show part of the story. Some competitors might discount heavily elsewhere. Shop all major booking channels—brand sites, wholesalers, OTAs. Understand wholesaler markups. Repeat shops for each season and room type to stay competitive.

    Step 4: Assess Historical Market Performance

    Analyze market share and ADR/ Occupancy Index by season. Compare ADR Index to competitor rates. A competitor may list higher retail prices but sell heavily discounted inventory. Use data trends to guide pricing decisions.

    Step 5: Align Information & Pick Price Points

    Combine insights to set seasonal price points. Choose one rate for standard rooms each season, then set premiums for upgraded rooms. Adjust inventory to maximize revenue—sell premium rooms when standard rooms run out.

    Step 6: Monitor Your Price Points

    Watch demand and competitor moves weekly. Adjust strategy based on trends. Don’t assume old rules always apply—revalidate as markets change.

    Special Notes & Strategies

    Avoid confusing or opportunistic pricing. Don’t raise rates just because bookings rise—it might just be your booking window. Instead, increase projections and adjust if true demand grows. Avoid sudden hikes near sell-out; instead, sell premium rooms first so customers understand the higher price. Monitor airline capacity—air seats impact hotel access and demand.

    Wholesaler Considerations

    Even if wholesalers are significant, price for the retail leisure guest first. Use this to guide wholesaler discounts. Evaluate partners by booking pace, marketing reach, reliability, and loyalty. Use brand tools and worksheets to manage these relationships.

    Ramp-Up Phase for New Hotels

    For new openings, decide if your market is established or emerging. Consider introductory rates but clearly label them as temporary, showing the normal price alongside. This helps avoid long-term price perception issues.

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    Hotel Pricing Strategy: Defining Seasons and Setting Rates That Work

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    Hotel Pricing Strategy


    Table of Contents

    Set Seasonality

    Step 1: Set Seasonality

    What & why: Seasonality is your demand rhythm. By period (or month/quarter), log Occupancy, its YoY change, ADR, and its YoY change. Use current-year data for the first six periods and last-year data for the remaining periods to avoid look-ahead bias.

    Period Occ/ES Occ Occ/ES Occ Chg ADR ADR Chg
    172%3%$1453%
    275%1%$1501%
    376%2%$1502%
    481%0%$1700%
    585%1%$1751%
    685%2%$1702%
    780%2%$1652%
    879%1%$1751%
    978%0%$1800%
    1085%0%$1800%
    1185%-3%$180-3%
    1280%-2%$170-2%
    1379%-1%$170-1%

    How to read: These columns show how full you were (Occupancy), how prices trended (ADR), and whether each is moving up or down vs. the comparison period.

    Season Start Date End Date Number of Days in Season % of Year
    101/01/1703/31/179025%
    204/01/1706/30/179125%
    307/01/1709/15/177721%
    409/16/1712/31/1710729%

    Why this matters: You’ll use these season lengths to compute weighted averages later (longer seasons influence the average more).

    (2) Establish “First Mark” Benchmark Rates for Each Season

    “First Mark” is your data-driven starting price by season—before final strategy tweaks. Begin with a RevPAR growth view, then translate that into benchmark weekday rates.

    Hotel WD RevPAR Growth Forecast (%): 1.4%

    Meaning: WD can mean Weekday or Hotel-wide depending on your template. RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) growth of 1.4% is your baseline expectation vs. last year. Forecasts typically come from STR/market data, consulting outlooks, or your internal budget.

    Non-Extended Stay Properties — Weekday Benchmark Rates

    Seasons Start Date End Date Current Year Weekday Benchmark Rate 2017 First Mark Weekday Benchmark Rate
    High01/01/1703/31/17$209$212
    Shoulder04/01/1706/30/17$259$263
    Low07/01/1709/15/17$279$283
    Rain Season09/16/1712/31/17$239$242
    Weighted Average $245 $248

    Weighted Average, explained: It blends season rates proportional to each season’s days (longer seasons count more). Here, the overall weighted average weekday rate is $245 for the Current Year vs. $248 for 2017.

    What is the “Weighted Average”?

    ·         Weighted Average means an average that accounts for the length or importance of each season (rather than a simple mean).

    ·         Here, the rates are weighted by the number of days in each season. Longer seasons influence the average more than shorter ones.

    For example:

    ·         Season 1 has 90 days, Season 3 has 77 days. Season 1’s rate will count more toward the yearly average than Season 3’s because it covers more days.

    ·         The final weighted averages here are $245 for the Current Year and $248 for 2017.

    It's still ambiguous

    Weighted Average explained

    ·         A weighted average means the average room rate across all seasons but adjusted for how long each season lasts.

    ·         Instead of simply taking the average of the four rates, it gives more weight to seasons that cover more days.

    ·         Example: Season 3 (Jul 1–Sep 15) lasts about 77 days, while Season 1 (Jan 1–Mar 31) is about 90 days. These longer seasons will have more impact on the weighted average compared to shorter ones.

    ·         The result is one blended figure that represents the overall average weekday rate for the year, reflecting season lengths.

    In the table:

    ·         Current Year weighted average: $245

    ·         2017 weighted average: $248

    This tells you that, overall, when considering all seasons proportionally, the current year’s average weekday rate is slightly lower than in 2017.

    (3) Prepare a Segment Prognosis for Your Property

    Goal: For each major segment, assess Demand, Competition, and Resource Allocation—and forecast next year’s Volume and Price using simple signs: + better, = same, - worse, NA not applicable. Use ++ / -- for “much more/much less” in summary comments if needed.

    Hotel: Mwezi Beach Resort   |   Market/Cluster: S-E ZNZ Beach Resort

    Segment Demand Competition Resource Allocation Prognosis — Volume Prognosis — Price
    BT+=+++
    Leisure=====
    Long StayNANANANANA
    Group-+=--
    Contract-=---=
    Catering=+=-=

    Tips: A “+” on Competition means more competitors (not inherently good). A “+” on Resource Allocation means you plan to invest more effort there.

    (4) Evaluate Your Market & Hotel Influencers

    How it works: Score each influencer relative to current year as +1 (better), 0 (same/unsure), or -1 (worse). Multiply by its weight, sum the impacts, and you’ll get a single Overall Impact Score to guide pricing moves.

    Outlook scale: +10 to +5 = Strong   +4 to 0 = Average   0 to -4 = Soft   -5 to -10 = Bleak

    Market Influencers What to Consider
    Item Rating Weight Impact Reference
    Market Level Economic Indicators14%0GDP, employment, personal income growth.
    Citywide Bookings16%1% change in next year’s citywides.
    Group Booking Pace-18%-1Pace vs. last year.
    Supply Outlook04%0New rooms/openings.
    Top Source Markets/Key Factors15%1Events, deplanements, new businesses, etc.
    Weekday Cluster Demand & Mix Trends-14%0Corporate & above mix, price sensitivity.
    Weekday Cluster Demand Outlook-110%-1Forward-looking demand.
    Market RevPAR Trends06%0Cluster & comp set RevPAR view.
    Market Occupancy Trends03%0Cluster & comp set occupancy view.
    Other00%0Optional category.
    Subtotal 50% -1
    Hotel Influencers What to Consider
    Item Rating Weight Impact Reference
    BT Segment Prognosis: Price19%1From your Step 3 prognosis.
    Group Booking Pace-18%-1Property pace vs. last year.
    WD Corp & Above Mix / ES Occ-17%-1YTD trends & outlook.
    Weekday Occupancy07%0YTD weekday occupancy trend.
    Weekday Transient Rate Efficiency-17%-1Rate efficiency trend.
    Source of RevPAR Growth Opportunity18%1Occ/mix vs. rate-driven growth.
    Other00%0Optional category.
    Subtotal 46% -1
    Customer Influencers What to Consider
    Item Rating Weight Impact Reference
    Customer Value Perception04%0Brand/property value surveys.
    Other00%0Optional category.
    Subtotal 4% 0
    Total Overall Impact 100% -1 SOFT OUTLOOK

    Interpreting your score: A total of -1 suggests a slightly soft outlook. Prioritize smart discounting, targeted value adds, and demand-building tactics while protecting price where you still have strength.

    Overall Impact Score What the Score Means & Strategy Implications Potential Pricing Action Steps
    +10 to +5 — STRONG Performing well despite the macro backdrop. Consider increasing weekday benchmarks; monitor transient & group rate efficiency closely.
    +4 to 0 — AVERAGE Stable conditions; creativity in pricing & mix wins. Adjust by season (not flat %). Some seasons may hold flat or drop; others can rise.
    0 to -4 — SOFT Below industry expectations. Be cautious; review season-by-season increases. Use value offers to shift patterns or secure more share.
    -5 to -10 — BLEAK Underperforming—needs immediate repositioning. Consider a notable benchmark reduction and proactive campaigns to re-spark demand.

    (5) Adjust the “First Mark” Benchmark Rates Up/Down

    Now act: Use your Overall Impact Score and Segment Prognosis to refine your weekday RevPAR forecast, then update benchmark rates by season. This step blends art and science—data + market feel.

    Season Start Date End Date Weekday Benchmark Rate % Change
    (vs. Current Year → 2017)
    Current Year 2017 First Mark 2017
    101/01/1703/31/17$209$212$2142.4%
    204/01/1706/30/17$259$263$2693.9%
    307/01/1709/15/17$279$283$2841.8%
    409/16/1712/31/17$239$242$2494.2%
    Weighted Average $245 $248 $253 3.1%

    Read it like this: Season 4 shows the largest YoY lift (+4.2%). The weighted average (accounts for the length of each season) rises from $245 to $253 (+3.1%).

    (6) Establish a “First Mark” Rate for Each Account

    What to do: Translate your seasonal benchmarks into account-level starting points. Consider each account’s historical production, stay pattern (e.g., Tue/Wed heavy), booking window, displacement risk, and total value (room + ancillary spend). Your “First Mark” per account should reflect both seasonality and account behavior.

    • Start with the seasonal benchmark as the ceiling for like-for-like room types.
    • Apply structure (e.g., % off benchmark) tied to volume commitments or pattern improvements.
    • Guardrails: set minimum acceptable rates (floor) by season to protect ADR.

    (7) Provide Account Data & Create an Account Ranking

    Build a simple scorecard to rank accounts, weighting factors like % discount off benchmark, Tue/Wed concentration, Group & Catering value, and an overall value ratio. Lower total score = stronger account (if you score 1=best, 2=second, etc.).

    • Suggested factors: % Discount, % Roomnights Off Benchmark, % Tue/Wed RN, Group Revenue, Catering Revenue, Value Ratio.
    • Weightings: Prioritize what drives profit in your market (e.g., discount and Tue/Wed pattern may carry more weight for urban weekday hotels).
    • Outcome: A transparent ranking to guide negotiations and rate protection.

    (8) Adjust the “First Mark” Account Rates Up/Down

    Finalize per account: Using the ranking and your Step 4 outlook, nudge each account’s First Mark up or down. Reward pattern shifts (e.g., adding shoulder nights), protect peak days, and tie concessions to measurable commitments.

    • Upward adjustments for low-discount, high-value, shoulder-filling accounts.
    • Downward adjustments only with clear ROI: longer LOS, improved pickup curve, or guaranteed volume.
    • Review quarterly against on-the-books and pickup to keep agreements productive for both sides.
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    Establishing Rate Structures

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    Establishing Rate Structures


      Understanding Hotel Rate Structures: Full-Service & Select-Service Hotels

      Quick Navigation

      Hotel Types 

      Not all hotels operate the same way. Understanding the differences helps Revenue ,and Seals Team set rates, serve guests, and tailor services effectively:

      • Full-Service Hotels: 
      Offer extensive amenities such as concierge, restaurants, room service, fitness centers, and sometimes spas. They cater to both leisure and business travelers seeking a complete experience.
      • Select-Service Hotels: 
      Also called limited-service hotels, they offer clean, comfortable rooms and basic amenities such as breakfast and Wi-Fi, but usually do not provide concierge or room service. These hotels focus on efficiency and affordability.
      • Downtown Hotels: 
      Located in city centers, catering primarily to business travelers. Amenities may vary depending on market demand.
      • Resorts: 
      Usually located in vacation destinations, offering recreational amenities, multiple dining options, and premium packages targeted at leisure travelers.

      Establishing Rate Structures

      There are several factors when setting room rates. This process ensures the property remains competitive while achieving financial goals. 

      Key considerations include:

      • Rates of primary competitors
      • Hotel age, including renovations and improvements
      • Perceived value of products and services delivered
      • Location and accessibility
      • Cost of operation and expected return on investment (ROI) for investors
      • Competitive advantages over other hotels

      Market Codes, Rates

      Room rates are generally set for one year, taking into account previous year rates, marketing trends, demand, supply, inflation, competitors, and planned improvements. 

      Seasonal properties may establish rates for each season individually.

      The structure involves setting specific rates for different market segments, usually anchored around the rack rate, which is the standard rate quoted across reservation channels including travel agencies and airlines. Other rates are calculated as increases or discounts relative to the rack rate.

      Sample Rate Structure: Full-Service vs Select-Service Hotels

      Rate Type Full-Service Hotel Select-Service Hotel
      Concierge $135 Not available
      Regular / Rack Rate $119 $75
      Corporate Rate $109 $69
      Special Corporate Rate $100–$75 $65–$50
      Super Saver Discount $89 $55
      Weekend Discount $75 $50
      Government / Military Rate $65 $40

      The concierge rate represents the highest tier due to extra services, similar to first-class airline perks. Rack rates serve as the standard for most reservations, while discounted rates cater to corporate clients, seasonal occupancy fluctuations, and special promotions.

      What is a Benchmark Rate?

      Benchmark rate is the standard, room-only rate that is always available whenever regular sleeping rooms are open at a property.

      Unlike other rates, any restrictions applied to the benchmark rate are never stricter than those on other transient rates (except for Extended Stay properties that also sell REGA/CORA rates for weekend arrivals).

      This rate is market-based, representing excellent value for guests while positioning the property competitively. The benchmark rate captures the majority of non-qualified demand, serving as the foundation for setting both premium and discounted rates. When properly positioned, it helps maximize hotel revenue and profit.

      Hotels should define separate benchmark rates for weekdays, weekends, and each season, following seasonal guidelines in Channel Manager. For extended stay properties, rates should also be tailored for each length-of-stay tier typically ranging from one to four nights, five to eleven nights, twelve to twenty-nine nights, and thirty-plus nights, based on market demand and competition.

      Rate Logic Explained

      There is a logical order between rates. Discounted rates are typically a fixed dollar or percentage lower than the standard rack rate. The goal is twofold:

      • Maximize revenue from higher-end rates on premium rooms.
      • Increase occupancy with lower-end rates during slower periods.

      For example, corporate rates usually make up the largest segment of rooms sold, particularly in full-service hotels. Special corporate rates depend on volume and can be negotiated directly with companies. Discounted weekend or super-saver rates are designed to stimulate demand during low-occupancy periods.

      Hotels periodically review rates throughout the year, particularly after renovations or when market conditions change. The overarching challenge is balancing revenue maximization with customer satisfaction, ensuring rates are fair while achieving financial goals.

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      Market Codes, Rates & Reports

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      Market Codes, Rates & Reports

      Market Codes, Rates & Reports

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      PMS Group Master Account

      Managing group accounts is essential for smooth hotel operations. A Group Master Account is where all charges for the group are posted, serving as the group's bill. Key information for each group includes:

      • PMS Group Master Account Number: Unique identifier for the group account.
      • Market Code: Identifies the type of guest and their rate.
      • Credit Code: Indicates billing terms and payment authorization.
      • Group Name: Official name of the group.
      • Arrival and Departure Dates/Times: Schedule for the group's stay.
      • Group Contact: Person coordinating with the sales manager.
      • Hotel Sales Contact: Hotel staff responsible for the group's booking.
      • Rates: Room rates assigned for the group.
      • VIPs, Complimentary Rooms, and Suite Assignments: Special arrangements for VIP guests or suites.
      • Billing Instructions: Guidelines for invoicing and payments.
      • Special Instructions/General Info: Notes regarding amenities, event requirements, or preferences.
      • Rooming List: Full list of guest names and room assignments (attach if needed).
      • People Authorized to Sign Charges: Authorized individuals for the master account.

      Only charges approved by the group contact can post to the master account. Exceptions must be pre-approved to ensure payment.

      Meeting Planners & Group Contacts

      Meeting Planners are professionals hired to organize meetings or events. They may work for a third-party company or be part of the group themselves. The planner handles logistics, room blocks, and event details.

      Group Contacts are individuals within the group who communicate directly with the hotel sales manager. They confirm rates, room allocations, and other arrangements. Sometimes the meeting planner and group contact are the same person; other times they are separate.

      Understanding the difference ensures accurate billing, proper rate assignment, and smooth check-ins.

      Market Codes & Rates

      Market codes classify guests and identify the type of rate they are paying. Knowing these codes is critical for correct billing and reporting.

      Read More here

      Group Market Codes

      Group codes always start with a letter and are unique to each group. They change with every new group, ensuring that multiple groups staying at the hotel are correctly tracked.

      Transient Market Codes

      Transient codes always start with numbers and are repeated for all guests booked at that rate. These codes are consistent and help track individual travelers. Transient rates are divided into four main categories:

      • Regular Transient Rates: Rack Rate, Corporate, Concierge/Club, Weekend.
      • Business Transient Rates: Special Corporate, Travel Agency.
      • Discount Transient Rates: Advance Purchase, Promotional Rates.
      • Package Transient Rates: Room + amenities, Net Wholesale.

      Pro Tips: Group codes = letters, transient codes = numbers. Always verify if special corporate or promotional rates require ID. Know your hotel's package offerings.

      Front Desk Reports

      Reports are essential for daily operations and contingency planning. Key reports include:

      • Contingency Report: Combines arrivals, departures, occupancy, cash, house count, room availability, and guest messages.
      • House Count Display: Shows overall hotel status including occupancy, stayovers, and available rooms.
      • Arrival/Stayover/Departure Report: Detailed guest lists, including pre-blocked rooms and requests.
      • Occupancy Report: Guests listed by name, room number, or market code; can include balances.
      • Room Availability Report: Shows rooms by type or status.
      • Cash in Advance Report: Lists all cash-paying guests.
      • Special Request Report: Tracks specific requests (e.g., non-smoking king rooms).
      • O Status Balance Report: Outstanding debits or credits.
      • Bucket Check Report: Ensures room assignments, market codes, and rates match.
      • Automatic Check-In/Check-Out: Batch processing for group reservations.
      • Reservation Report Generator: Custom reports as needed.

      Practice Exercises

      • Identify group vs transient guests using market codes.
      • Distinguish regular vs special corporate rates.
      • Locate and record property-specific rates and packages.
      • Run reports for: House Count, Occupancy, Special Requests, Cash in Advance, Room Availability, Room Rate Variance.
      • Handle real-life scenarios: remaining arrivals/departures, corporate guests list, room requests, cash-paying guests, engineering room checks.

      Key Learnings

      • Computers streamline operations but may fail; contingency reports are essential.
      • Only authorized charges post to group master accounts.
      • Rate integrity and correct market codes ensure accurate billing.
      • Trainers will sign off when you demonstrate report usage and manual operational skills.
      • Understanding rates, market codes, and reports improves guest service and prevents errors.
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      Competitive Analysis

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      We will build a Flexible Room Rate packages will be easy :


      Calculate the savings to the customer
      Allocate package revenue to departments and amenities
      Provide a record of all packages offered
      Test potential package offers

      4 steps

      Step 1 define season names or date ranges for up to five pricing seasons.

      Step 2 - Enter Room/View types at your property. Then, enter both benchmark rates and cost per occupied room, by season.

      Step 3 - Work with other departments to create a list of all property-related components as well as their retail price and cost to the property by season. Both retail price and cost to property should exclude any gratuity, as that will be calculated separately.

      - A property-related component is defined as a non-room package component that can be discounted. In other words, this component's generated revenue is allocated back to a department managed by the property.

      - For those components that are service related, and cost cannot easily be calculated, enter the lowest price that would be acceptable for the component. This is your discount threshold.

      Step 4 - Work with other departments to create a list all outside vendor components along with the retail price and cost to the property by season.

      - An outside vendor component is a non-room package component that cannot be discounted; its revenue is a fixed amount allocated to the vendor and is not managed by the property.

      Second Step

      Once the Inputs tab is complete, the rooms and components entered can be combined to create packacges. This spreadsheet will automatically calculate:

      1) Package Price

      2) Cost to Customer

      3) Finance Allocations

      4) Profit or Loss From Each Room and Component

      In the Package Template, follow the instructions in blue to create a package. Make sure that all cells that are highlighted in yellow have been filled in.

      Instuctions for Completing Package Template:

      Step 1 - Enter package name, rate program, select room/view types that this package will apply to, and enter the number of nights (paid and comp) of the package.

      Step 2 - Enter the percent discount off of retail that you would like to use each season to price the package. There are two discounts entered, the first for the room and the second for property-related components. The first discount will be applied seasonally to the benchmark rate entered on the Inputs sheet for each room/view type selected in Step 1. The second discount will be applied seasonally to all property-related components selected in Step 3 (below).

      Step 3 - If the package being created should not be offered during a season, use the corresponding hide season button.

      Step 4 - Select the property-related components and the outside vendor components included in the package and determine if each component is Per Night (PN) or Per Stay (PS). If it is Per Night, the guests will receive the component during each day of their stay; if it is Per Stay, they will receive it only once during their stay. All components selected will have the same percent discount entered in Step 2 applied seasonally to the retail price that was entered on the Inputs tab. If a component requires gratuity, the gratuity percent should be entered in the yellow column to the right of the component price. No discount is applied to the gratuity.

      Step 5 - Select the property-related components and the outside vendor components included in the package and determine if each component is Per Night (PN) or Per Stay (PS). If it is Per Night, the guests will receive the component during each day of their stay; if it is Per Stay, they will receive it only once during their stay. No discount is applied to these components, and any gratuity should be included in the full retail price and cost entered on the Inputs tab.

      Step 6 - Review the calculated recommended package rate which is based on selections in steps 1-5. Now, choose an option for calculating the actual package rate. The first option is to accept the recommended rate. The second option is to manually type in your own rates based on the recommendations generated by the tool, such as rounding the recommended rate to the nearest whole number. The third option allows you to set a daily premium amount increase over daily room rate. You can use the recommended room rate premium for guidance in setting this number. This option should used if you are building the package in MARSHA to mirror off of room rate.

      Step 7 - Review the pricing for the pacakge along with the revenue distribution and profit and loss sections to determine if the pricing is financially acceptable while showing a value to the guest. Also, compare the pricing recommendations to pricing being offered for similar packages by your competitors.

      Step 8 - Once you have completely entered a package and are satisfied with its expected profit, click on the "Save Package" button. This will copy the package to a new tab, which will carry the same name that was entered in Step 1.

      Step 9 - Return to the Template tab and click on the Reset Template button in order to create a new package. Please note, the drop down boxes must be manually reset.

      Step 10 - Build the packages in PMS. Please note, the calculations and drop down boxes will continue to work within each saved package tab. This allows the user flexibility in changing a package's price, season, components, discounts, etc... throughtout the life of the package.


      The Fun Part is Daily Revenue Distribution Methodology:

      Room Revenue Distribution:


      First, the tool takes the full retail package rate and backs out all hard costs (outside vendor components and gratuity). Then, the total retail room rate is divided by the retail package rate without hard costs. This percentage is applied to the actual package rate, with its hard costs backed out. This dollar amount is then divided by the number of paid nights of the package.

      Room Profitability:

      This number is calculated as the difference between the daily revenue distribution and the cost per occupied room entered on the inputs screen.
      Comp Room Note:
      If a comp room is part of the package, you will see two more rows on the Package Profitability that shows 1) The pro-rated room rate, including comp rooms. This takes the cost per occupied room for any comp room(s) and spreads it to the daily room profitability. and 2) Total Package Profitability with Comp Room Cost, which shows total package daily profitability with the comp room's cost taken into account.
      Property Component Distribution:

      This works similarly to the Room Revenue Distribution in that the retail property component price is used as a percent of total retail package rate (excluding hard costs). This same percentage is applied to the actual package rate to come up with the revenue distribution of a property component. It is divided by paid nights for the daily distribution.
      Property Component Profitability:

      This number is calculated as the difference between the daily revenue distribution of the component and the corresponding component cost entered on the inputs screen.*
      Comp Room Note:

      If a comp room is part of the package, and there are Per Night property components, then the cost of these components on the comp night is distributed across all paid days to allow for the component cost to be covered.
      Outside Vendor Components:

      These are hard costs where any Revenue Distribution is based on the cost of the component to the property.





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      Check out my detailed hotel data analytics projects on GitHub Portfolio

      📊 Forecast Accuracy: Forecast vs Actual 📈 Segment Trends: Revenue Mix by Channel






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