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SLH launches automated commissions
Agents making hotel bookings through Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), will receive their commissions through a web-based automated system from the start of this year.
SLH claims it receives 75 percent of its central reservations through agents, worth a total US$37 million in 2002. The hotel brand says the new system will save time and money by making payments in the currency of the agent rather than the hotel.
The system was supplied by World Payment Systems (WPS) which ran a test with four SLH hotels over a period of three months in 2002. SLH regional manager, Southern Europe, Claudia Fiorucci told TravelMole that the advantage of WPS was that it allowed password-protected access by hotels and agents to assess the status of a payment. Both parties can also obtain statistical analysis of bookings and send messages to each another.
SLH says the average commission its hotels pay to agents is ten percent, but says commissions vary according to the relationship between the hotel and the agent.
Regional manager EMEA, Ken Sharp told TravelMole that SLH was developing a website for agents, which it hoped to launch mid-February. Mr Sharp said the website will support payments, enquiries, incentive schemes, and an “Academy” – an online educational tool for agents, which will be supported by events.
Mr Sharp said: “The UK has traditionally been package holiday orientated, but that has changed. The Academy will help agents get used to booking travel for independent travellers”.
SLH has 293 hotels in 50 countries. Typical room rates range between US$175 and US$700, and the average length of stay is three nights. SLH says it works with about 5,000 agents worldwide.
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