By Eamon Quinn
Ennis-based Great National Hotels and Resorts, which supplies marketing and business services to 64 hotels in Ireland and Britain, has clinched a major expansion in the UK.
Completing a merger with The Hotel Partnership, involving the Classic British Hotels brand, means the Clare firm will now help provide services to 135 hotels in Britain and Ireland, accounting for 8,150 bedrooms. The deal comes after Enterprise Ireland injected a second-round of funding and comes hard on the heels of Rachel Howes, the former managing director of Booking.com in the UK, Ireland, France, and Northern Europe, buying a minority stake in Great National Hotels, late last year.
Its chief operating officer, co-founder and part-owner, David Collins, said it helps independent hotels to compete on a level playing field internationally, against the booking giants and hotel chains, by supplying outsourced services, such as marketing and yield management. Set up at the height of the economic slump, in 2010, Great National Hotels and Resorts provides services to 23 hotels in the Republic and now employs 75 people, of which 55 are based in Co Clare.
The firm is profitable and debt-free, Mr Collins said.
Hotels are facing “a lot of challenges”, including high costs from online travel agents, which can charge hotels up to 18% in commission. Its business model is based on charging hotels competitive commission and fees, Mr Collins said.
He said any plans by the Government to return the Vat rate (levied on the hospitality firms) back to 13.5%, from 9%, in next month’s budget, was “entirely the wrong way to take”. Co-founder and chief executive at Great National Hotels, David Byrne, said the link-up with Classic British will boost both firm’s presence “throughout Ireland and the UK”.
Chairman of The Hotel Partnership, Len Louis, said: “We see this deal as a real opportunity, despite potential Brexit challenges.
[quote]We anticipate continued trading challenges for business in both markets, but we now have the combined expertise, depth of knowledge, technology-led approach, and range of services to give us a greater competitive edge, and real strength, in the marketplace.[/quote]
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