Resorts help stranded guests during last month’s volcano “ash crisis”

U.S./EUROPE—So just what effect did last month’s volcano disruption have on the hotel industry?

Trust International, one of the world’s largest hotel reservations companies, offered insight into disruption to hotel booking patterns since the start of the crisis last.

The flight cancellations have inevitably affected hotel reservation patterns, but to a lesser extent than one might expect, Trust International found.

As a centralized reservation system (CRS), Trust International is able to gain insight on the booking situation via all distribution and reservation channels for more than 60 of the world’s national and international hotels chains, comprising 6,100 hotels, and over USD$4.6 billion worth of hotel reservations annually.

These include leisure and corporate reservations made via travel agencies through the global distribution systems, online travel agencies, Internet bookings, and telephone call centers.

Trust International reports that the situation may be considered relatively stable. While cancellations increased to a peak on Monday, April 19th to reach more than 50 per cent over normal levels, new reservations also curved upward by more than 25 per cent, suggesting travelers were postponing rather than cancelling trips altogether.

Resorts help guests

Meanwhile, Resort Development Organisation (RDO) reported that its member resorts worked around the clock to help holiday makers caught in “ash” crisis.

RDO is the trade body dedicated to excellence and fair trading in the European vacation ownership industry, while promoting and fostering industry growth.

With the massive backlog of flight that faced holidaymakers trying to get home, despite the opening of European airports, timeshare resorts which are members of the RDO worked tirelessly to provide emergency accommodation for stranded guests, helping them get home whenever possible once the flight ban was officially over.

A number of resorts have stepped in to provide last minute arrangements and accommodation for families unable to get home, with resort teams working flat out to ensure owners either have somewhere to stay if no immediate flights are available, or help with last minute travel arrangements, RDO said.

Some resorts let guests stay on free of charge. Seasons Holidays, Gala Resorts in Norway, Paradise Kings Club in Cyprus, Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels, Resort Properties and Pearly Grey accommodated guests at no extra charge, while Petchey Leisure Group, Pestana Resorts, Anfi Group and Hilton Grand Vacation Club in Portugal provided discounted stays; some offered significantly discounted menus in their restaurants.

Many resorts’ travel agency divisions worked without a break on re-booking and re-routing travel plans, doing all they could to help guests get home. Others provided free internet access so guests could stay in touch with family back home and check the latest airline news.

Task force needed

In response to the crisis, Travelport president and CEO Jeff Clarke renewed his call to develop a US-EU Task Force on Global Emergency Communications.

Clarke stated, “In times of global crisis, it is imperative that government decisions on travel and trade be made with all pertinent information at hand. It’s clear that is not happening in any kind of coordinated fashion right now. I strongly urge the US and EU governments to come together and establish this Global Emergency Communications Task Force.”