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| Great News - Online Newsletter - Spring 2008 |
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Member interview: Hoteis Real Algarve's Lourenço Ribeiro (continued)
| GN: |
How has membership of GHOTW benefited your hotels and how do you see it benefiting you in the future? |
| LR: |
At the Grande Real Santa Eulália
Great Hotels Organisation was
and is still our favourite originator
of MICE business from outside
Portugal. The meeting business
represents about 35% of our total
business, and about 80% of the
business during low season. MICE
is vital for us during winter
and very important during the
shoulder season. We try to participate
to most of the conferences organised
by GHO and we have had great returns.
GHO is simply our best MICE client.
We expect to repeat the success
with the Real Bellavista for both
leisure and conference business. |
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| GN: |
What else will you be doing to increase MICE business? |
| LR: |
First, we have a great team and this is one of our best selling points. We want to be the best partner for our clients, offering the fastest and the most flexible service we possibly can. We are already recognized for our gourmet food and the fantastic service we offer. A satisfied client is the best sales tool for any industry.
Second, we have developed a useful
tool to help meeting planners
in calculating the total cost
of a group taking the choice
of variables such as season,
hotel and restaurants into consideration.
For example, if a group decides
to host some of their meetings
at the Real Bellavista and other
events at the Grande Real Santa
Eulália (the hotels are
separated by just 2km), this
tool will quickly show what
they can to substantially decrease
the costs. |
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| GN: |
Tell us about your own best travel experience – what are some of your favourite hotels? |
| LR: |
I have three hotels that come immediately
to my mind: the Danieli in Venice,
the Puerta America in Madrid
and the Grande Real Villa Italia
in Cascais. I like them all
for different reasons. The Danieli
is beautiful, glamourous and
romantic, located on the Grand
Canal. The Puerta America is
all about modernism and innovation,
with the interesting aspect
that all 13 floors are designed
by different architects, using
completely unexpected technology.
Last but not least, the Grand
Real Villa Italia is the most
recent hotel of our group, it
was the last residence of the
last King of Italy, and for
me it is the most perfect mix
of modernity and luxury.
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