What does the reopening of the United States to international travel mean for an American hotel group?
David Kelly - La US borders reopened is a key moment for the economic recovery of our sector. We are delighted to be able to welcome our international guests back to our hotels across the Atlantic. Since SeptemberWhen the rumour of a forthcoming reopening of the US border began to circulate, we saw an increase in the number of people living in the United States. renewed interest from European and British customers. During this period, the top five US cities - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Boston - accounted for the majority of online searches and bookings.
Airlines are reporting strong interest in the destination. Are you also seeing a boom in bookings from European travellers?
D. K. - Exactly. Since the reopening of the border began to be mooted, online bookings on the Hilton site for stays in the United States have increased by +63 %This was driven mainly by European and UK customers. In return, we have seen an almost identical trend across Europe, with an increase in the number of customers. increased demand from US customers following the lifting of health restrictions on their movements.
Since the reopening of the border began to be mooted, online bookings on the Hilton site for stays in the United States have increased by +63 %, mainly thanks to European and British customers.
How much of this demand comes from business travellers?
D. K. - Of course, leisure travel still accounts for the bulk of bookings. But we know that there are growing demand from business customers who need to travel to meetings, conferences and corporate events.
As far as Europe is concerned, has the recovery in business travel and the MICE segment lived up to your expectations?
D. K. - The lifting of international restrictions and the roll-out of vaccination policies have restored confidence in travelling. a very encouraging recovery. The way bookings in the business segment accelerated in the third quarter even exceeded our expectations. Many stays in France and Europe are for business travel, meetings and corporate events.
How are your hotels managing this takeover?
D. K. - Our hotels have taken the necessary steps to ensure the safe return of travellers thanks to our offers CleanStay, EventReady and Digital Key. As far as meetings are concerned, a very large number of our hotels have converted to hybrid by offering event organisers connected and contactless services high quality. To support this development, we offer event managers the practical EventReady guide, now translated into several languages, including French, German, Spanish, Russian and Arabic. More generally, customers looking for quiet workspaces can also book rooms by the day in our hotels in France thanks to our WorkSpace packages.
What are the Hilton Group's main openings in Western Europe in recent months?
D. K. - Despite a difficult year, Hilton's development in Western Europe continued at a sustained pace, in particular for our lifestyle brands. We were delighted to launch the Tapestry Collection by Hilton in Europe this year, with the Atocha Hotel in Madridfollowed by Sé Catedral Hotel in Porto. La Tapestry Collection has also made its debut in France with Hotel Camille Paris Gare de Lyon and soon the Hôtel Belgrand Paris Champs-Élysées. The brand Canopy by Hilton has also appeared in Parisin the Trocadéro district. This fast-growing brand, which has almost 30 outlets and is set to double in size over the next few years, has also seen the opening of the Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana and, in October, the Canopy by Hilton London City. This week, the British capital will see the appearance of a new member of the Curio Collection by Hilton with The Gantry London, while the brand will soon welcome The Emerald House hotel to Lisbon. As you can see, there is a great deal of interest in our lifestyle brands on the European market.
