Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com | 13 Individual corporate travellers do not always possess an overall view of the travel volume generated by all their colleagues. Finding a one-off cheap rate does not help companies consolidate volumes, neither does it gain negotiating power with hotels. With increased transparency and knowledge of public rates through the Online Travel Agencies and price comparison websites, corporate buyers today have trouble distinguishing between the different hotel pricing options available. The availability of free information also means that travellers may see low non-refundable saver rates on a hotel's website and compare them to fully flexible rates negotiated by the company. Corporates require the best of both worlds – a choice of hotels to meet travellers' needs at the lowest price, bearing in mind booking conditions. Effective rate negotiation is as much about choice as price; the mix of rates available is determined by the corporate's choices. The lowest rate may not be the most cost effective rate, as negotiated rates often include airport or local transportation, breakfast, Internet, parking and other amenities. Corporate buyers no longer need to choose between dynamic and fixed price models when it comes to finding the lowest hotel rates. Neither do procurement managers need to invest the time to create a hybrid model. In order to leverage the best value, HRS, the leading hotel solutions provider, has a few key pieces of advice for buyers: 1. The key driver in any hotel rate negotiation is occupancy. Volumes can be leveraged to source and shortlist hotels that meet the corporates quality and location requirements – as well as price objectives. Develop an understanding of the day of week, location and seasonality patterns in order to take advantage of the available rate types. 2. The cost of amending or cancelling a booking should also be factored into the negotiation. HRS estimates that one in six corporate bookings are cancelled or changed. The incremental cost to the corporate could be as much as 100% of the first night's stay. 3. The dynamic nature of hotel rates means that price does not necessarily equate to quality. It does not always follow that a better quality of hotel should cost more. New hotels are generally more prepared to offer lower rates because they need to 'lock in' corporate business, and have the flexibility to do so. To find out more about HRS' comprehensive hotel booking solutions, please contact: salesapac@hrs.com, or call +65 6580 2828. Finding the Lowest Hotel Rates TECH TALKING COOL KIDS WITH SMARTPHONES ARE FUELLING THE MOBILE REVOLUTION By Corinne Wan Have you watched the long queues on the first day of the launch of a new smartphone, be it the iPhone, Samsung or Xiaomi? I have on many occasions (out of curiosity really) and never failed to be amazed at the sight of the hundreds of young people waiting patiently for hours just to get their hands on the gadget. However they are getting the gadget, one thing is clear – teens are taking over and revolutionising the mobile space, as a recent report by the US based Pew Research Center reveals. The "Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015", which surveyed teens aged 13-17, found that 73% of them own a smartphone. A high 92% go online daily with their smartphone, while 24% say they do so "almost constantly". More than half (56%) go online several times a day, and 12% report once-a-day use. Only 6% of teens report going online weekly, and 2% go online less often. "Much of this frenzy of access is facilitated by mobile devices. Nearly three-quarters of teens have or have access to a smartphone and 30% have a basic phone, while just 12% of teens 13 to 17 say they have no cell phone of any type," reads part of the report. The numbers and usage are higher among African-American teens, with 85% having access to a smartphone, compared with 71% of both white and Hispanic teens. While these statistics are more related to the US scenario, the same figures could apply to Asian teens as they are as obsessed as their US and Western counterparts with the smartphones. The report also highlights some interesting mobile social media trends among the teens. They do not stick to one social network, but are diversifying their social network site use. A majority of the teens (71%) report using more than one social network site out of the seven platform options they were asked about. Despite various reports that teens are deserting Facebook in droves, the Pew study indicates otherwise. Facebook is still the most popular and frequently used social media platform among teens, with other platforms trailing behind: • 71% use Facebook • 52% use Instagram • 41% use Snapchat • 33% use Twitter • 33% use Google + • 24% use Vine • 14% use Tumblr Overall the report highlights a generation who has embraced the online space with great enthusiasm and is revolutionising the online space with their smartphones in both work and play. Photo: nensuria/iStock You can read he full report on teens, mobile and technology at: http://www.pewinternet. org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/ ADVERTORIAL

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