During the past two years, the hotel supply has expanded adding 2000 beds for these travellers who particularly appreciate technological advances and customized services.

By Antonio Larronda

They are demanding guests, who appreciate agility, good service, precision, customized attention, technology and, above all, do not like wasting time. If each of these requests is fulfilled, they are faithful customers who shall return to the hotel during their next trip.

Business’ guests who visit Uruguay are a growing sector for the local hotel industry. In 2013 about 196.000 visitors arrived at the country to do business. According to data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (Mintur), this was 34, 6% more than in 2012. The growth rate goes to 73% when comparing with 2004, when there were 13.308 visitors.

Business has become the third reason foreigners come to Uruguay, right behind “tourism” and “visiting friends and/or family”. Together with “healthcare”, these are the only two reason that have registered an increase on total expenditure in 2013, going from US$ 84 million to US$ 128 million.

Such data explains why the hotel industry has been paying attention to these travellers for a few years now. Hotels already settled in the market have expanded their services supply and recent entrepreneurships have blossomed.

“During the past two or three years, the local hotel industry has widened its supply on 2.000 beds, adding 20 hotels focused on business’ guests”, pointed out the president of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Uruguay, Juan Martinez.

This valuable traveller tends to stay at hotels. As a matter of fact, 79% of business visitors choose hotels as their number one place to stay, according to data from the Mintur.

Martinez states that this circumstance has also driven the expansion of benefits protected by investments’ law, which encouraged low cost real states investments in neighbourhoods such as Pocitos, Centro and Punta Carretas. “Businessmen have gained tax benefits that, depending on several details, go from 30% to 50% of total expenditure”, he explained.

Location and services

When choosing a hotel there are several items to be considered, such as kind of guests, industry, or area where business are located- Furthermore, there are basic services that are commodities: comfortable rooms, Internet access, security boxes, breakfast, laundry services and areas for meetings. Other services, associated with customized attention or technological innovation, may lead guests to choose one proposal over another.

Regency, a local hotel chain with four hotels in Montevideo (and another in Zonamérica) provides a differentiating service by giving a particular service according to the traveller’s profile, said its director, Gabriela L. de Margoniner. Around 50% of the hotel’s guests are business travellers, mostly from Brazil and Argentina.

Customized attention is another feature of the service. “We work hard on getting to know the guest, learn his or her name, what kind of room he or she prefers, the schedule he or she must follow and offer a fast service on whatever he or she demands: check in or out, taxis, clean clothes, etc.” she said.

Sheraton also offers variety with its’ four and five stars proposals (Four Points). Around 55% to 60% of the people who stay at the hotel are corporate guests, mostly coming from the USA, “because they already know the service”, claimed Sheraton’s general manager, Pablo Pesce. The firm also gains clients due to its fidelity program SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest). SPG grants additional services and enables guests to accumulate miles in over 60 airlines from all around the world. “Among other benefits, they can access the Lounge (located in 23 floor), and receive lunch services or cocktails. This is a place where they usually meet with clients”, he explained.

Customized attention is another key fact. “In certain cases, we already know how guests like their clothes to be presented after laundry (folded or hanging) or whether they prefer juice or water by the end of their gym routine” he said.

A more recent player is the BIT Design Hotel Montevideo, of Sacramento Management. It has a modern design and services, such as parking lots, laundry and online check in. In addition there are other details such as working stations in the room, security boxes with laptop capacity and Illy coffee machines that enable you to taste 12 different flavours of this well known product.

Technological value

The technological factor is a star among the proposals. High speed Wi-Fi or apps that handle hotel services are the most popular.

Horacio Sardeña, director of Radisson Montevideo, considers that offering renewed features is a key item considering several guests constantly return to the hotel. Therefore, in 2015 they will be remodelling rooms of ten of their floors, from 24^th on, “those rooms most demanded by the corporative sector”, he said. This remodelling is particularly focused on technological aspects.

Another aspect to be improved is the use of the Radisson iConcierge app, available for smartphones. With it, guests will be able to check in, get to learn about the shortest or fastest way to the hotel when they get to the airport and even replace the services directory. Starting on 2015 this information will be managed from the app.

Radisson remodelling also include adding proximity technology (Near Field Communications) in the rooms’ doors, to allow the client access with a password he shall receive in his smartphone. Also, when going into the room, guests will find a tablet for their personal use.

Meanwhile, Sheraton has expanded its international connection from 36 Mb to 120 Mb.

For 2015 it expects to bring the SPG Keyless, that provides access to rooms using a smartphone, explained Pesce. “And with StarGuest, another internet tool, if the client is checked in, we can send him a SMS when he arrives at the airport to welcome him and tell him we are expecting him at the hotel with his room prepared for him”, he added.

Diversified supply

In 2015, the proposal of the Aloft hotel of the Starwood line will be added. It is focused on younger businessmen. “It is 100% focused on technology so that guests may interact with the hotel services. For example, in the lobby they can find pool tables, board games or a DJ in the evening”, said Pesce.

Another recent hotel is the Intercity, opened in 2012. It is the only hotel in the country of the Brazilian chain and it is though almost exclusively for this sort of guests (who represent 60% and 70% of the total), with emphasis on those who come from Brazil (65%).

Besides offering technology and internet connectivity, the hotel offers a special website where companies may access a special price and check in. This service, available in Brazil, will arrive to Uruguay in 2015, said Intercity’s general manager, Diego Lando. During 2015 they will also expand the smart TV or tablets offers, depending on the client and the category. In Uruguay this services is currently available only in the suite (the highest category). The plan for 2015 includes adding a taxi service for this kind of guests, he established.

Report originally published by El País, Montevideo, Uruguay

http://www.elpais.com.uy/el-empresario/viajero-negocios-nuevo-tesoro-radar.html