In this special sponsored masterclass, Juanjo Rodriguez, founder of The Hotels Network, shares insights on how hotels can drive more direct bookings and stand out in today's competitive landscape. (Watch here on YouTube if you prefer.)

In this, we cover:

• 00:00 - An introduction to Juanjo Rodriguez
• 01:19 - Challenges and opportunities in the hotel industry today
• 04:47 - How e-commerce is different in hospitality
• 05:51 - Growing direct business: how The Hotels Network helps hotels
• 09:16 - Why direct growth matters for hotels today
• 10:55 - Moving personalization from buzzword to strategic advantage
• 11:48 - Leveraging a tech “layer” for faster impact
• 13:16 - Taking a step forward to drive immediate results
• 14:01 - Step one: starting with benchmarking
• 18:33 - Making personalization practical and effective with strategy
• 21:52 - Adding AI for "predictive personalization"
• 25:44 - KITT: introducing a new "AI receptionist"
• 26:52 - Using AI for performance and growth, not just cost savings
• 29:54 - Building a competitive advantage with data insights
• 31:41 - Enhancing direct channels beyond just pricing
• 33:58 - Loyalty Lite: quick benefits from traditional loyalty
• 35:25 - Case study: Penta Hotels' personalization journey
• 36:32 - Climbing the ladder of maturity with benchmarking and testing
• 37:52 - What to do next to improve direct bookings
• 41:00 - Exciting trends and innovations for the future
• 42:58 - Why it's time to be bold and experiment

Products from The Hotels Network discussed:

• BenchDirect (benchmarking)
• Conversion & Personalization
• Predictive Personalization
• SafeDirect (travel assistance insurance)
• KITT (AI voice agent)
• Loyalty Lite 

Also, see their guides and case studies!

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Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands