Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) is delighted to report that 2013 has topped 2012 as its best ever trading year. Between 1 January and 31 December 2013 SLH reports an increase of 8 per cent year on year in terms of room nights and 12 per cent in terms of revenue, delivering 369,152 room nights and generating $134 million in revenue. 2014 has also started strongly for SLH, with a Boxing Day flash sale generating a 37 per cent increase in reservations and a 51 per cent increase in revenue for the week after Christmas compared to the same week last year. Visits to the slh.com website also increased by a staggering 229 per cent that week, with reservations up by 128 per cent by iPad and 300 per cent by mobile. For the whole of 2013, the home website, slh.com saw a 5 per cent increase in visitors from 3.8 million to 4 million, while revenue through SLH’s online booking engines has gone up by 54 per centage points and now makes up 37 per cent of revenue. In 2014, SLH has plans in place to re-launch its website so that it’s even easier and faster to use and book.
Meanwhile revenue through travel agents has also performed strongly and revenue through the GDS booking channels has gone up by 9 per cent making up 52 per cent of revenue.
In 2012 SLH had increased the number of members to its loyalty club by 56,000, whereas in 2013 SLH added an impressive 71 per cent more or an extra 134,977 club members, taking membership numbers up to 324,977. These members spent 21 per cent more than in 2013 – or $29 million with SLH properties.
With 29 new properties in Europe, the Middle East and Africa region, 17 in the Asia Pacific region and 9 in the Americas, SLH grew the portfolio by 55.
Paul Kerr, CEO for SLH said: “This has been another extraordinary growth year for SLH. Certainly, there has been an increase in consumer confidence globally, but Small Luxury Hotels of the World offers a great product that is easily booked whether that is through a travel agent, online – via computer, tablet or mobile – or over the phone. However consumers choose to buy, we’re there, and we are looking forward to 2014, when we revamp our website to make it faster and perform better.”
