Holiday Inn Express by Mark White

The Hospitality and Tourism industry is forever changing especially in these present times with the economy moving in an unstable direction. The recent financial setback has forced many businesses to recreate themselves or face drastic measures such as closing. As a front desk associate working at the Holiday Inn Express Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. I have witnessed firsthand the decline in business. I have seen the hotel go from being at a 75% occupancy rate to having as low as 9% occupancy rate with no sign of budging. Around the time the economy was heading in this negative downward spiral, my manger and part owner decided it would be a good idea to invest in the Holiday Inn Express enterprise. HIE (Holiday Inn Express) was still pretty successful. The company had the most loyal guests to their brand.

The hotel's official grand opening was August 6, 2006. When the hotel originally opened it was a Comfort Suites which is part of the Choice Hotel franchise. Mike Patel is the General Manager and part owner. On the board of the hotel is the sales manager Kim Hawkes and Front Desk manager Alice Forbes. The hotel was and still is owned and operated by the Aarons Hotel Group LLC. Aaron Hotel Group, LLC. (AHG)also has properties along the New England shoreline such as the a Holiday Inn Express in Freeport, Maine and Seabrooke, New Hampshire. They also own a Comfort Suites in Biddeford, Maine. On February 16th 2009 the hotel became Holiday Inn Express Bradley Airport & Suites which is part of the IHG franchise. The decision to take on the HIE brand was due to management deciding that it would be in the best interest of the hotel due the decline in sales. HIE still seems be very prosperous in the recession as compared to many other hotels. HIE is known for having the best customer loyalty in the hotel industry, with the Priority Club Reward membership being the biggest reward club in the world. Customer loyalty is very important in the hotel industry, which inevitably lead to the final decision to go forward. I got an opportunity to briefly interview Kim Hawkes the sales manager of HIE. She was able to give a brief insight on the hotel and transition made in the past year.
Q&A
Q: What was the reason for going the HIE direction?
A: HIE is in the process of a re-launch to bring a new fresh appearance, also creating a new standard for hotels. We felt that HIE had a great strategy and it tied in well with the character we were looking to portray in our hotel. HIE for keeping up with their properties, customer service and quality of the brand. It was exactly what this hotel wanted and needed.
Q: Has it been a beneficial change so far for the hotel?
A: Yes, the HIE name has helped but the economy hasn’t fully strengthened. Guest are very loyal to the HIE brand. Priority Rewards Club is the largest membership club in the work. It offers great deals on hotel stays and gifts for all members. Guest gain points every time they stay which can be used to get various incentives along the way.
Q: Have you seen a dramatic impact of the hotel due to the economic downfall?
A: Yes, we have seen a least a 30% decline in the overall occupancy and revenue. A lot of companies have cut back on travel expensive and are sending fewer workers out. Companies are now trying to negotiate lower rates, seeing how many hotels are willing to lower their rates because of the economy the hotel is forced to lower our rates. 70% of our business is through business travel; with that said if businesses are not fluctuating we also feel the impact of that.