Third session of the Open Talks series organized by the University of Alicante under the theme of Total Revenue Management.
In this case, the webinar focused on revenue management in Food & Beverage and Spas.
To achieve this, two professionals with expertise in the field were involved. On the one hand, Jana Bravo, a revenue consultant specializing in spas in the Canary Islands, with an extensive career in sales, marketing, and account management. On the other hand,
Carlo Proverbio, CEO of Hotel Leading Consulting and the International Barman Academy for Latin America and the US, as well as an international wine and cigar sommelier.
The first section focused on general revenue management in these departments or outlets. When we talk about revenue in the sector, we usually talk about rooms, when revenue from A&B (or F&B) and spas can offer good margins and complement the bottom line, which is becoming increasingly important in the industry.
Jana pointed out that there is still much to be done in revenue management in spas, and that the work is still largely manual, even though affordable software tools specialized in the sector already exist. It is also important to focus not only on revenue, but also on cost management (staff, treatments, products, etc.) to maximize revenue.
For his part, Carlo began by clarifying the difference between costs and expenses when calculating net revenue: actual cost versus potential cost. He also mentioned the importance of raw material profitability, where cost/season adjustments are crucial.
In both cases, the importance of knowing the break-even point in order to better manage balances was mentioned.
Regarding menus, Jana commented that she favors having a concise list of treatments, focusing on the most popular and profitable ones. She also emphasized the importance of metrics (profitability per hour, not per treatment exclusively).
They also discussed the use (and sometimes abuse) of elements such as discount vouchers, flash sales, etc. Both agreed that it is another Revenue option, and its strategic use can be beneficial, provided that it is clearly decided in advance when, how and under what conditions they are used.
Another topic discussed was upselling and cross-selling, and as Jana pointed out, how both departments can work together to create complementary packages that support the accommodation. Treatments that include a healthy meal; a Day Pass to the Wellness and pool with lunch included; or treatment or F&B tasting packages that attract guests to stay.
Finally, important topics such as sensory marketing, storytelling, menu product options, supplier exclusivity, outsourcing, and more were also discussed.
A wide variety of topics, including excellent questions and contributions from live event attendees, which both Jana and Carlo answered in full.
Next week, the fourth and final session in the series will be held. This time, the topic of revenue management for non-hotel accommodations (vacation rentals and hostels) will be discussed by Stan Helou of OneFineStay (Accor) and Cidalia Pinto (Novasol). Before the final session, which will be held in English, the Secretary of Tourism of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), Mr. Francesc Colomer, will speak.
