CHICAGO -- April 23, 2013 -- Preferred Hotel Group™, a global provider of sales, marketing, and distribution services to independent luxury hotels, announced first quarter growth results today. In comparison to the same time period in 2012, the company generated a 24 percent increase in reservations revenue for its member hotels. Preferred Hotel Group also welcomed 22 new properties to its multi-branded portfolio and reported two consecutive months of all-time records in future contracted group sales.
“I am pleased with the portfolio growth we have achieved and the results we have produced for our member hotels since the beginning of this year,” said Lindsey Ueberroth, President of Preferred Hotel Group. “These signs indicate positive news for the recovery of the travel industry.”
“Our data is projecting that this growth will continue. June bookings for our member hotels are already 26 percent higher than this time last year, and we are seeing strong region-specific gains, such as a 32 percent increase in North America,” she continued.
Preferred Hotel Group welcomed new hotels and resorts across nine countries during the first quarter. Notable additions include Preferred Hotels & Resorts members Hotel Hessischer Hof (Frankfurt, Germany), Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort (Curacao, Netherlands Antilles), and The Joule Dallas (Texas, USA); Preferred Boutique members Palais Faraj (Fès Médina, Morocco), 93 Luxury Suites (Bogota, Columbia), and Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu (Male, Maldives); Summit Hotels & Resorts member Les Jardin du Marais (Paris, France); and Sterling Hotels member Wildekrans Wine Estate (Botrivier, South Africa).
Preferred Hotel Group also demonstrated its strength in supporting the group sales efforts of its member hotels. The company’s group sales team broke internal all-time month-by-month production records in February and March, recording a 40 percent increase in total future contracted room revenues in the first quarter, compared to the same time period in 2012. The appointments of Jerry Meng as Director of Group Sales for the Midwest and Marion Richter as Director of Group Sales for Central Europe added to these efforts.
Finally, since going live in January, the company’s new brand websites have supported overall growth for Preferred Hotel Group by increasing visibility for its family of brands and drawing qualified visitors to member hotels and resorts worldwide. Traffic to www.PreferredHotelGroup.com is up 38 percent over the first quarter of 2012.
About Preferred Hotel Group™
With a global reach extending into more than 85 countries, Preferred Hotel Group represents more than 650 of the finest hotels, resorts, and serviced residences in the world. Preferred Hotel Group’s brands include Preferred Hotels® & Resorts, Preferred Boutique™, Summit Hotels & Resorts™, Sterling Hotels™, Sterling Design, and Summit Serviced Residences™. Travelers gain valuable benefits through branded programs that include Preferred Residences™, Preferred Golf™, the I Prefer™ Guest Benefit Program, and Preferred Family, a collection of hotels and resorts certified to provide a rich experience for travelers of all ages. For more information, visit www.PreferredHotelGroup.com and follow the brand on Facebook and Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Caroline Michaud - Americas
Senior Manager, Media Relations
Tel: +1 312 542 9218
cmichaud@preferredhotelgroup.com
Aysem Monaco
Senior Manager, Public Relations – EMEA
Tel: +44 207 440 0316
amonaco@preferredhotelgroup.com
Arlene Benger-Tan
Senior Manager, Public Relations – Asia Pacific
Tel: +65 6577 2487
abenger@preferredhotelgroup.com
For high resolution imagery, please visit the Preferred Hotel Group Image Library atwww.PreferredHotelGroupImages.com.