INTERVIEW: MÖVENPICK
A conversation with... Anthony Vale
International Account Director UK & Ireland Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts
“Movenpick epitomises the classically Swiss values of reliability, quality and care... and warm, welcoming hospitality”
Tell us a little about the Mövenpick brand? Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is an upscale international hospitality company of Swiss heritage which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary. Having quietly, confi dently and sustainably tripled in size since the 1990s, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts now stands as a diverse yet balanced collection of 78 properties across 24 countries, including business hotels, resorts and signature experiences such as private island adventures and nostalgic Nile discoveries. As a brand, Mövenpick epitomises the classically Swiss values of reliability, quality and care, whilst also establishing its own distinct personality and reputation for well-managed development and consistently delivering warm, welcoming hospitality.”
What are Mövenpick’s expansion plans? We are committed to expanding our portfolio to over 100 open properties by 2015, spread across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. This year we’ve opened our fi fth property in Dubai – the Mövenpick Hotel Apartments The Square – and announced two new signings in Asia: a 250-room hotel in Enshi City, our fi rst opening in China; and a new beach resort in Hua Hin, Thailand.
Which are the main operators Mövenpick works with? We work with a broad selection of tour
operator and consolidator partners in the UK, including TUI, Gold Medal/ Thomas Cook, Stella Travel (Travel 2), If Only…, Virgin Holidays, and Sunset Faraway Holidays. Another one to watch will be Destinology, as they diversify from their roots as a direct-sell company to offer their holiday product – which includes
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts! – via the retail trade too.
In addition, we also work with accommodation
providers such as GTA (Travelcube), Getabed and MIKI Travel.
How important are travel agents to
Mövenpick ? Distribution is absolutely key for any supplier, and the UK is
24 June 2013
important that we work closely with our tour operator, wholesale and media partners to ensure our product is promoted and highlighted to the trade. While technology has made online booking via websites possible, this is no substitute for the face-to-face booking experience that so many customers want – especially when it comes to more complex itineraries
www.sellinglonghaul.com
one of the top source markets for many of the hotels and resorts within Mövenpick’s worldwide portfolio. As such, it is vital that we engage with the UK travel trade across various platforms in order to maximise knowledge and awareness of our portfolio. As we do not have the benefi t of a large UK sales team, it is especially
in longer haul or less familiar destinations, where expert advice and recommendations can be invaluable to customers.
How do you help agents sell your hotels? One of our key focuses is ensuring we have the right distribution partners for agents to sell Mövenpick hotels, either by dynamically packaging or via their preferred tour operator. Familiarisation trips also play
“While technology has made online bookings possible, this is no substitute for the face-to- face booking experience”
a key role in promoting our hotel product to the trade. We also participate in various events aimed specifi cally at travel agents, from our own annual Mövenpick European roadshows in London, Paris and Brussels to joint events with industry partners promoting various regions alongside specifi c Mövenpick properties – for example the Thailand and Egypt roadshows across the UK. Additionally, we use trade shows such as IMEX, ITB and WTM as communication platforms. And, of course, regularly
communicating product updates to specialist travel trade publications such as Selling Long Haul also helps us enormously in sharing new and interesting information with the trade. We also use social media to reach out to our industry partners for updates, as well as distributing a targeted e-newsletter.
Main image: In the headlights, Mövenpick's Ibn Battuta Gate in Dubai, with Sousse, Tunisia (inset) and, left, Hamburg
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