Live REVexchange

    Surge Pricing During City Events: Fair Strategy or Unfair Pricing?

    Pricing Strategy
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    Surge Pricing During City Events: Fair Strategy or Unfair Pricing?
    WHEN
    Tue, Oct 13, 2026
    1:30 PM UTC
    LENGTH
    60-90 min
    Live, with Q&A
    INCLUDES
    Certificate
    REVacademy issued
    PRICE
    ₹1,099
    Free for REVunity members

    In this REVexchange, you'll:

    Discover how hotels can build a travel trade strategy that drives profitable room nights—not simply higher volumes. In this practical conversation, we look beyond the idea that more trade business is always better and explore how hotels can evaluate the right markets, partners, rates, commissions, margins, and overall business mix. You will learn how to identify which travel trade relationships genuinely contribute to your hotel's profitability, how to structure commercial terms more effectively, and how to measure partner performance beyond room-night production. Whether you manage an independent hotel, a branded property, or a hotel chain, this session gives you a practical framework to build a stronger, more profitable travel trade network.



    Key Takeaways from the Session:

    • Understand the Real Value of Travel Trade: Learn why generating room nights is only one part of the equation and how to evaluate the actual profitability of trade business.
    • Choose the Right Markets & Partners: Understand how to identify travel markets and trade partners that align with your hotel's positioning, demand patterns, target segments, and commercial objectives.
    • Evaluate Rates, Commissions & Margins: Learn how to look beyond the contracted room rate and assess commissions, discounts, costs, and net contribution before accepting trade business.
    • Balance Volume with Profitability: Discover how to avoid chasing room-night volume that may dilute ADR or create an unhealthy business mix, while protecting higher-value demand.
    • Build a Strategic Trade Network: Learn how to develop and manage a portfolio of travel trade partners rather than becoming overly dependent on a few high-volume accounts.


    This Session Is most Relevant for:

    • Independent Hotel Owners & General Managers who want to understand whether their travel trade business is actually contributing to the hotel's profitability.
    • Hotel Sales & Business Development Teams looking to build stronger trade relationships, negotiate better commercial terms, and target the right partners.
    • Revenue Managers & Commercial Leaders who need to balance trade demand with ADR, profitability, displacement, and overall business mix.
    • Reservations & Distribution Teams who work closely with travel agents, tour operators, wholesalers, and other trade partners and need a clearer understanding of their commercial impact.
    • Hotel Chains & Branded Property Teams looking to create a more strategic approach to managing trade accounts across markets and properties.
    • Hospitality Students & Aspiring Commercial Leaders who want practical exposure to how travel trade contributes to hotel commercial strategy and profitability.


    Your Speaker

    Amruta Deshpande
    Amruta Deshpande
    Head of Revenue Management · Fortune Park Hotels Ltd. (ITC Hotels Ltd)

    Certificate

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    Reserve your spot now

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    Questions? We've got answers

    22 questions about this REVexchange
    Can independent hotels really benefit from a structured travel trade strategy?+
    Absolutely. Travel trade does not have to be limited to large hotel chains or properties with dedicated commercial teams. Independent hotels can use a structured approach to identify the right markets, select relevant partners, negotiate appropriate terms, and measure whether the business they receive is genuinely profitable.
    Do I need to have a large travel trade network to benefit from this session?+
    Not at all. The focus is not on having the largest possible partner network. It is about understanding which relationships are commercially valuable and building the right network for your property's positioning, markets, demand patterns, and profitability goals.
    Is this session only relevant for Sales teams?+
    No. Travel trade impacts multiple commercial functions. Sales teams manage relationships and negotiations, Revenue teams evaluate rates and business mix, Reservations teams manage bookings and production, and General Managers need to understand the overall profitability of the channel.
    Can hospitality students join this REVexchange?+
    Yes. The session is particularly useful for students and aspiring hospitality professionals who want to understand how hotel commercial decisions work beyond basic sales and distribution concepts. It provides practical context around partner selection, pricing, profitability, and business mix.
    What are the main learning outcomes of this REVexchange?+
    By the end of the session, you will have a clearer framework for evaluating travel trade opportunities, identifying the right partners and markets, understanding the impact of rates and commissions, assessing profitability, and building a more strategic trade partner mix.
    How long is the session and what is the format?+
    The session is conducted live online in a practical conversation format. It combines real-world hospitality experiences, commercial examples, strategic discussion, and an opportunity to explore questions around travel trade partnerships and profitability.
    Will I learn how to decide which travel trade partners to work with?+
    Yes. The discussion focuses on looking beyond partner volume and considering factors such as market relevance, production quality, rate expectations, commissions, margins, booking patterns, and the overall value a partner brings to the hotel.
    What if I register but cannot attend the live session?+
    Don't worry. If you register beforehand but are unable to attend the live session, the session recording will be shared with you after the event, subject to the applicable REVexchange access terms.
    How much does it cost to register for this REVexchange?+
    Pricing details are clearly laid out alongside the registration information on the page. Any applicable early-bird or membership benefits will also be mentioned there.
    What is REVunity and do members get a discount?+
    REVunity is our hospitality commercial learning community where professionals connect, exchange practical experiences, and discuss real industry challenges. Eligible REVunity members receive benefits on REVexchange sessions as part of their membership.
    Isn't more travel trade business always good for a hotel?+
    Not necessarily. More room nights can look positive on a production report, but the real question is what those room nights contribute after considering ADR, commissions, discounts, acquisition costs, displacement, and the overall business mix. A high-volume account can sometimes be less profitable than a smaller but better-quality partner.
    Why should hotels worry about commissions if the partner is bringing volume?+
    Because the contracted rate alone does not tell you what the hotel actually earns. Commission levels, discounts, net rates, payment terms, and other commercial costs can significantly change the profitability of the business. Hotels need to evaluate the net contribution rather than looking only at gross room revenue.
    Won't focusing too much on profitability make it harder to maintain trade relationships?+
    Profitability and strong relationships do not have to work against each other. The objective is to build transparent, sustainable commercial partnerships where both sides understand the value being created. A strategic approach helps hotels negotiate from a stronger position while continuing to support partners that genuinely contribute to the business.
    What is travel trade business in hotels?+
    Travel trade business refers to demand generated through intermediaries such as travel agents, tour operators, wholesalers, destination management companies, and other travel distribution partners. These partners can generate significant room-night volume, but the commercial value of that business depends on the terms under which it is acquired.
    What is the difference between travel trade volume and travel trade profitability?+
    Travel trade volume measures how much business a partner generates, such as room nights or room revenue. Profitability looks further into what the hotel actually retains after considering rates, commissions, discounts, acquisition costs, and other commercial factors. A partner generating more room nights is not automatically more profitable.
    What should hotels consider when evaluating a travel trade partner?+
    Hotels should consider factors such as the partner's target market, customer profile, production history, booking patterns, ADR, cancellation behaviour, commission structure, payment terms, rate expectations, profitability, and how the business fits into the hotel's overall demand strategy.
    Should hotels offer the same rates and terms to every travel trade partner?+
    Not necessarily. Different partners may bring different markets, booking patterns, volumes, lead times, and customer segments. Commercial terms should be evaluated based on the value and behaviour of each partner rather than applying the same approach universally.
    Our hotel gets a lot of travel trade room nights, but profitability is still weak. What could be wrong?+
    High production does not necessarily mean high profitability. The issue could be low ADR, excessive commissions or discounts, unfavourable contracted rates, high cancellation levels, costly acquisition, or a business mix that displaces more profitable demand. The first step is to understand the net contribution of the business.
    How do I know if a travel trade partner is actually profitable?+
    Start by looking beyond room nights. Compare the partner's ADR and room revenue against commissions, discounts, contracted terms, payment costs, cancellations, and other relevant acquisition costs. Then consider whether those bookings are arriving during periods when the hotel actually needs the demand or whether they are displacing higher-value business.
    How can Revenue and Sales teams work better together on travel trade?+
    Sales can provide market intelligence, partner relationships, and production insights, while Revenue can evaluate pricing, demand patterns, displacement, and profitability. Together, they can decide which partners to pursue, which terms to negotiate, and when trade business should be accepted, restricted, or protected.
    How often should hotels review their travel trade partners?+
    Travel trade performance should be reviewed regularly rather than only during annual contracting. Hotels should monitor production, ADR, profitability, booking patterns, cancellations, and market changes throughout the year so they can identify underperforming or increasingly valuable partnerships early.
    How can hotels avoid becoming dependent on a few travel trade partners?+
    Build a diversified partner network across relevant markets and segments. Track the contribution of each partner, understand concentration risks, and continuously evaluate whether the mix of partners supports the hotel's long-term commercial strategy rather than relying heavily on one or two volume accounts.
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