Our module of setting up new hotels and assisting with the management of operational hotels ensures that the owner still keeps full control of their property without losing their identity or staff compliment. We use experts in the field to train current and new staff to operate the hotel themselves without supervision.

We retain involvement with monthly visits, performance appraisals and consulting, but the day to day management is performed by the owner’s nominated party. The importance of management relates to the implementation of the correct Standard Operating Procedures within the operations and combining it with the management operating system of the hotel. The importance of running a functioning hotel is combining the management and marketing forces. The two departments are crucially important and working from the same budget and business plan ensures the success of the hotel. Once your marketing and management is working in the same framework and towards the same goal, assuring that the rest of the operations fall into place is made much easier.

The importance of utilizing a system like Fidelio for instance can either be the success or downfall of any hotel. Not only is the right staff and training necessary, but the knowledge to pre program the system to work for the hotel. In many instances the marketing and management can be of the best quality, but the transformation of turning marketing into a reservation and confirmed booking can let the business down.

Through our years of experience, we have ensured that the specialist in our staff and consultants focuses on the training of employees and future employees. Our focus of opening, consulting, management and marketing of hotels has ensured that we can use our history in the business to adapt each business plan in such a way to ensure that we can train locals in each area to perform the duties of a functioning hotel. Our aim is not to build up our company to a chain of hotels, but to grow each individual hotel to a success in their own right.

This not only gives us the financial remuneration, but also the backing from the hotels for future business on other properties and grows our current word of mouth marketing. Zabulan Hospitality believes that our current involvement in Tanzania and our exposure to the international marketing and management market, will allow us to create teams within Tanzania that can not only manage and market hotels, but will be able to come leaders in their own right.

WEBSITE AND SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING

The value of a property website and the amount of revenue generated out of this tool cannot be over emphasized. This tool is also the fastest growing mechanism for generating revenue in the hospitality industry. A on line facility must be available with the reservation and hotel operating system.

Speed of turnaround time is paramount in this regard. Together with the hotels website the Hotel must market on all the other relevant search engines. This will ensure that the Hotel is completely covered in this important aspect of marketing. Web optimization must be implemented to make this avenue even more successful. International and regional travel fairs With every new property it is important to visit International and regional travel shows. This is the showcase where the property will be presented to the international market and the international tour operator revenue stream. These fairs are important to establish brand recognition for Hotels.

The added advantage is the networking opportunities afforded at these fairs. Relationships are built at these fairs that can be very lucrative in years to come. These shows are usually subsidized by the local and national tourism authority. It is important to obtain membership with all local, regional and national tourism authorities.

TRAVEL AGENTS

Many corporate and Government departments make use of travel agencies for their travel arrangements. Travel agencies work on a commission structure of 10% or 15%. Travel agencies might receive a handling fee or retainer from their client as well.

Travel agencies will book directly with the hotel via email, the hotel website or telephonically. Your FIT (Frequent Individual Travellers) and first time travellers often make use of Travel Agent Services to organize their itinerary. FIT guests are lucrative guests to any hotel; because of their high average spend per person in all revenue outlets.

TOUR OPERATORS AND GROUND HANDLERS

Tour operators work on a nett rate which 20 to 30 % below your published rack rate. The International shows are the perfect platform to target the international operator who will in turn have a ground handler to affect the bookings for him. It is very important to know the politics surrounding this important renvenue stream.

Undercutting the “middleman” might have long term effect due to the fact that they all have a large network of international agents that cannot all be reached by any individual hotel. The international operator would sell the room at the published rack rate with a 10% margin allocation to the ground handler, 10% to the international retailer and 10% to the international wholesaler.

CORPORATE

As previously mentioned, the direct corporate market will form a big portion of the income to the hotel, not only accommodation but also for your food & beverage and banqueting. It has been proven that your corporate market sparks a growth in your leisure market income due to return business.

Thus a lot of focus and emphasis needs to be placed on this segment of the market. This market will be serviced by your sales executives, not only directly but also via PCO’s (Professional Conference Organizers) DMC (Destination Management Companies) and Travel workshops.

GOVERNMENT AND NGO’S

Government Departments and NGOs are very important for the supply of constant business to any hotel.

PRO

Local media and magazines form an important part to create public awareness of the new Hotel, This function is usually outsourced to a PRO specialist. Some properties have been known to have an in house PRO department, I do not advise this as it has been proved in my experience that outsourcing this function is more successful.

PRINT MEDIA AND ADVERTISING

As per approved budgets print media advertising forms an important part of the marketing campaign for any hotel, Press and industry related publications must be targeted.

COMPETITORS AND ALLIANCES

Strong links with competitors is most important for overflow business and the strong referral system which is prevalent in the industry must be utilized.