REVnexperts
    REVclass

    Building a Profitable Travel Trade Strategy for Hotels

    Revenue Management
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    Building a Profitable Travel Trade Strategy for Hotels
    AVAILABILITY
    On-Demand
    Watch anytime
    LENGTH
    60
    Recorded session
    INCLUDES
    Certificate
    REVacademy issued
    PRICE
    ₹1,099

    In This REVclass, You'll:

    Discover how to build a travel trade strategy that goes beyond generating room nights and focuses on profitable, sustainable business. In this practical, one-hour masterclass, we break down how hotels can identify the right travel trade partners, balance volume with profitability, structure commercially sound rates and commissions, and measure whether trade business is actually delivering value.

    You will learn how to evaluate partners beyond production numbers, make smarter decisions around rates and commercial terms, and build a strategic network of travel trade relationships that supports your hotel's demand strategy and long-term performance. Whether you work in Revenue, Sales, Commercial, Distribution, or hotel management, this session will give you a practical framework to turn travel trade into a stronger and more profitable business channel.

    Watch the preview

    A short look at what the session covers and how it is taught.

    Preview thumbnail
    PREVIEW

    Key Takeaways from the Session:

    • Choosing the Right Trade Partners: Learn how to evaluate tour operators, travel agents, DMCs, wholesalers, and other trade partners based on the quality, consistency, market fit, and profitability of the business they can generate not simply the number of room nights they produce.
    • Balancing Volume with Profitability: Understand why high production does not always mean high value. Learn how to assess room nights alongside ADR, commissions, discounts, length of stay, booking patterns, and demand periods to determine whether trade business is genuinely profitable.
    • Optimizing Rates & Commissions: Develop a more strategic approach to contracted rates, discounts, commissions, allotments, release periods, and other commercial terms. Learn how to create offers that remain attractive to trade partners while protecting the hotel's revenue and margins.
    • Measuring Trade Business Performance: Move beyond tracking room nights and revenue. Learn which metrics can help you evaluate partner performance, compare accounts, identify profitable and unprofitable business, and make better decisions about where to invest your time and inventory.
    • Building a Strategic Trade Network: Learn how to create a balanced network of travel trade partners across markets and segments, build stronger long-term relationships, and align your trade network with your hotel's overall commercial and distribution strategy.

    This Session Is Most Relevant for:

    • Hotel General Managers & Owners who want to understand whether their travel trade strategy is contributing to sustainable profitability.
    • Revenue Managers & Commercial Leaders looking to bring greater revenue discipline and profitability thinking into travel trade decisions.
    • Sales & Business Development Teams responsible for developing relationships with travel agents, tour operators, DMCs, wholesalers, and other trade partners.
    • Hotel Sales Managers & Account Managers who negotiate trade rates, contracts, commissions, and business terms.
    • Distribution & E-commerce Professionals managing multiple distribution channels and looking to understand the role and commercial value of travel trade.
    • Hospitality Students & Aspiring Commercial Leaders who want to understand how travel trade connects with hotel sales, revenue, and distribution strategy.

    Your Speaker

    Natasha Y.
    Natasha Y.
    Chief Sales Officer · Alivaa Hotels & Resorts

    Certificate

    Certificate preview

    You get an industry-recognized REVacademy Certificate after each Masterclass you complete. It carries your name, the session title, and the date of completion, so it stands on its own as verifiable proof of the work. Add it to your LinkedIn profile and resume to showcase the skills you have gained. Once you meet the attendance or watch-time requirement, it is generated automatically and stays available here for you to download anytime.

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    Questions? We've got answers

    19 questions about this REVclass
    What is a travel trade strategy?+
    A travel trade strategy is a structured approach to deciding which trade partners and markets a hotel should work with, what business it should target, what rates and terms it should offer, and how partner performance should be measured
    What will I be able to do after this session?+
    You will have a practical framework for selecting travel trade partners, evaluating profitability, reviewing rates and commissions, measuring account performance, and building a more strategic trade network.
    Is this REVclass only for Revenue Managers?+
    No. Travel trade sits across Sales, Revenue, Distribution, and Commercial functions. This session is relevant for anyone involved in acquiring, negotiating, managing, or evaluating travel trade business.
    Can hospitality students attend?+
    Yes. The session provides a practical introduction to travel trade strategy and how it connects with hotel sales, revenue management, distribution, and commercial decision-making.
    We already work with several travel trade partners. Is this session still relevant?+
    Yes. The session isn't simply about finding more partners. It is about understanding which partners are worth growing, which need better commercial terms, and which may be consuming valuable inventory without delivering sufficient value.
    Is this relevant for independent and boutique hotels?+
    Absolutely. Independent hotels often have more limited inventory and resources, making it particularly important to choose the right trade partners and ensure the business they generate is commercially viable.
    Will the session focus on increasing travel trade volume?+
    Not simply. The focus is on profitable volume. More room nights are only valuable when they generate an appropriate return for the hotel.
    What if I register but cannot attend the live session?+
    If the REVclass format includes recording access, registered attendees can access the session recording and any accompanying resources after the live session.
    We need the room nights from travel trade. Can we really afford to be selective?+
    Being selective doesn't mean turning away business unnecessarily. It means understanding when the business is valuable, what it costs to acquire, and whether the inventory could generate a better return elsewhere
    We already have a large trade network. Why do we need to rethink our strategy?+
    Having many partners doesn't necessarily mean having the right network. A strategic approach helps identify which relationships are delivering value and whether your partner mix is aligned with your hotel's target markets, seasonality, and demand strategy.
    How does REVunity benefit members?+
    REVunity members receive access to the benefits associated with the community's REVclass membership, along with opportunities to learn from industry experts and engage with other hospitality professionals.
    What is the difference between travel trade volume and profitability?+
    Volume measures the amount of business generated, such as room nights. Profitability considers what the hotel actually retains after factors such as discounts, commissions, acquisition costs, and the opportunity cost of inventory are taken into account.
    How should hotels measure travel trade performance?+
    Hotels should look beyond room nights and total revenue. Metrics such as net ADR, contribution, commission cost, booking window, length of stay, cancellation behaviour, production versus contracted expectations, and demand-period performance can provide a much clearer picture.
    One of our travel agents generates a lot of room nights but at a very low ADR. What should we do?+
    Don't judge the account on ADR alone. Assess the complete commercial picture — including commissions, length of stay, booking patterns, seasonality, and the periods in which those rooms are consumed. Then determine whether the account should be grown, renegotiated, restricted, or repositioned
    How do I decide which travel trade partners to prioritize?+
    Start by evaluating partners against factors such as profitability, production, market relevance, booking behaviour, strategic fit, and future potential. This allows Sales and Revenue teams to focus resources on relationships that can genuinely contribute to the hotel's objectives.
    How can Revenue and Sales work together on travel trade?+
    Sales brings partner relationships, market intelligence, and business opportunities. Revenue brings demand patterns, pricing, inventory, and profitability analysis. Combining both perspectives allows the hotel to make better decisions about which business to pursue and under what conditions.
    How can we protect our inventory during high-demand periods?+
    Hotels can use appropriate commercial controls such as blackout dates, controlled allotments, release periods, minimum-stay restrictions, or availability restrictions, depending on the contract and partner relationship.
    How often should we review trade partner performance?+
    Regular reviews allow hotels to identify changes in production, profitability, market demand, and partner behaviour before those changes affect overall performance. Partner reviews should be an ongoing commercial process rather than something done only when a contract is due for renewal.
    How do we build a travel trade network instead of simply collecting more accounts?+
    Start with your hotel's commercial objectives and target markets, then identify partners that complement those objectives. Build a balanced network of partners across relevant markets and segments, establish clear commercial expectations, measure performance, and continuously refine the network based on results.
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