Great Hotels Organisation to launch International Sales Events

In 2006 Great Hotels Organisation is to launch a series of international sales events called Great Connections. The aim of these events is to provide a platform for GHO's member hotels to target luxury leisure travel agents and gain access to this lucrative market. The proceedings will be open to members of the organisation’s two flagship brands Great Hotels of the World and Special Hotels of the World.

The first Great Connections event is scheduled to be held in the UK in January 2006 and will be followed by events in major cities throughout Europe. Later in the year it is hoped that Great Connections will expand into key cities in the USA and Asia.

Venues with significant outbound luxury leisure markets have been chosen and the events will give key travel agents in each location the chance to meet with member-hotel representatives in a relaxed environment to learn about the different properties. The evening events will take place over three to four days and will exhibit in a different city every day.

Richard Barnes, Managing Director, Great Hotels Organisation, said, “Great Connections will provide a solution to independent luxury leisure hotels, enabling them to meet with travel agents who book luxury travel, in a focused session. Many travel agents’ events are not highly targeted to this market, meaning that hotels can waste a lot of valuable time speaking to the wrong people. Great Connections will introduce member hotels to the ultimate players in the luxury travel agents’ market, meaning that participants are guaranteed the maximum use of their time.”

The decision to launch Great Connections was founded following the success of Great Hotels Organisation’s Meeting Forums. The forums, which have been running for the last three years in destinations such as London, Paris, Germany, New York and the Netherlands, promote business between member hotels and key figures in the MICE market.

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