Great Hotels Organisation appoints Sales and Marketing Director, e-distribution

Great Hotels Organisation has appointed Yunna Takeuchi as Sales and Marketing Director, e-distribution, a new role developed to address the increasing pressure to remain at the forefront of electronic distribution technology. 

Yunna’s key role is to promote the growth of business through Great Hotels Organisation’s GDS code (GW) and ADS Channels. This will involve promoting the GDS code and its capabilities among the travel industry, building close relationships with third party websites and business travel agents and ensuring that Great Hotels Organisation’s main websites, quickly adapt to ever-changing technological advances. In addition Yunna will offer consultation to member hotels to ensure that they understand how to make effective use of the technology available to them, including maximising revenue through their own websites.

Yunna comments: “We are at a crucial time where advances in technology are impacting consumer behaviour and the way the travel industry operates; the consumer is becoming wiser and more discerning. As the increasing abundance of choice becomes more easily available, it is creating fiercer competition and greater need for hotels to implement a strong distribution strategy. It is expected that by 2006, around 27% of all hotel bookings will come through the internet and this is expected to grow to 50% by 2010. It is therefore vital that hotels learn to embrace the challenge and opportunity to promote new channels; those hotels that don’t, run the risk of being overshadowed.”

Having worked as Sales & Marketing Director in the hospitality industry since 2000, Yunna’s previously held the position of Sales and Marketing Director for Crystal Hotels Plc, a small group of central London hotels.