LISBON -- Preferred Hotels & Resorts is preparing to launch a portal for travel advisors in this year's fourth quarter.
Preferred's president, Michelle Woodley, announced the news during the company's Global Conference 2024. According to Woodley, the portal will be a user-friendly platform through which advisors can check rates, make bookings and manage those bookings.
The portal rollout comes as Preferred's invitation-only Preferred Platinum advisor program continues to gain traction. Preferred Platinum grants advisors access to client perks like complimentary breakfast and a welcome amenity.
"Bookings for Preferred Platinum continue to grow, as does revenue," Woodley told attendees. "Those were both up over 50% last year, and we are looking at a sizable increase for this year, as well."
More than 250 Preferred-member hotels participate in the Preferred Platinum program, which produced approximately 13,000 bookings and around $22 million in revenue last year.
Approximately 350 travel advisors are enrolled in the program, with Woodley adding that Preferred plans to ramp up outreach to more European advisors this year.
During an update on the North America, Europe and SAMEA (Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa) regions, Kathleen Robb, Preferred Travel Group's vice president of global sales for North America, told hoteliers that the Preferred Platinum platform "every year continues to outpace a lot of our other programs."
She encouraged hotels to include travel advisors in their call to action when sending promotions to customers. "This shows that it's a true partnership," Robb said.
She added that fam trips are a beneficial tool for both advisors and hotels.
"It's a great way for them to learn a destination and learn your hotel," said Robb. "And they're being asked by their clients, 'Have you been there? Have you experienced the hotel?' Fams give them that additional confidence in what they're booking."
During a learning session titled "The Changing Commercial Landscape," Preferred Travel Group senior vice president of revenue optimization and distribution Rhett Hirko said the GDS is "typically, the highest-rated channel that is out there. It's a good channel that we want to embrace."
Hirko emphasized that hotels need to prioritize timely commission payments, saying that Preferred's commission help desk experienced an uptick in calls over the past year.
"There are two guests: the client and the advisor," said Hirko. "Always consider that."
Preferred's Global Conference 2024 was held at the Epic Sana Marques Hotel in Lisbon.