Small Luxury Hotels of the World Finishes Up 10% In Revenue For 2005
Online Bookings Jumps 26%
NEW YORK, NY, January 24, 2006. Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), a luxury brand which boasts 359 hotels in nearly 60 countries, announced that it finished 2005 with a 10% increase in reservations revenue over the previous year.
A 26% increase in online bookings year over year via SLH's award-winning website, slh.com, is seen as a key contributor to the growth in total reservations revenue. With the ease of booking and wealth of up-to-date information provided on slh.com, combined with an increasing confidence among guests to book accommodations on-line, SLH expects this upward trend to continue.
"There is no arguing that luxury travel is on the rise," commented SLH Joint-Managing Director Paul Kerr. "As illustrated by our consistent growth throughout 2005, there is high demand for the very best accommodations, and not only will we continue to offer the best properties globally, we will strive to make the booking process much easier and more efficient through our online advancements - always delivering to our guests exactly what they want."
Overall, arrivals to SLH hotels in Europe were once again strong in 2005 with an increase of over 10% in revenue for travel to both France and Spain. Elevated demand for SLH properties in Paris and the Cote D'Azur in the South of France helped to fuel the growth in France; while the addition of four new member hotels contributed to the reservations growth in Spain. For 2005, America remained SLH's number one source market making up 60% of the total global business, followed by the United Kingdom in second place.
Reservations for properties in Australia and New Zealand also grew as several new SLH hotels opened in the region and the popularity of the region continued to grow throughout the year. The increased demand led the SLH New Zealand hotels to deliver the highest global average room rate of USD$591 per night compared to the brand-wide global average of USD$315 pr/nt.
Other 2005 SLH Year-End Reservation Statistics:
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Travel originating out of Germany increased by 33%
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Travel originating out of Italy increased by 13%
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Reservations for Greek hotels through SLH increased 65%
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90% of bookings at U.S. hotels originate within the U.S.
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48% of UK hotel bookings originate from the U.S.; 22% from within the UK
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40% of French bookings come from U.S.; 20% UK
The Small Luxury Hotels of the World brand is a collection of close to 360 independently-owned exclusive hotels in 59 countries. Carefully selected for their style and sophistication, Small Luxury Hotels feature award-winning properties including spas, country houses, golf resorts, island retreats, city sanctuaries, and game and wilderness lodges. Reservations can be made at any Small Luxury Hotels of the World property by calling toll-free on 800 525 4800 or via the Internet at www.slh.com. Travel agents can use the GDS code LX for LuXury.
Hotels interested in applying for membership with Small Luxury Hotels may visit www.slhmembership.com for further information and details.
Media Contact: Lanny Grossman, (212) 953-2064 or [email protected]