The Importance of Multimedia for Hotel Recovery: Amadeus LinkHotel and Leonardo Expand Partnership

Petar Popov, Head of LinkHotel, Hospitality, Amadeus

In a time where we’re all living with so much uncertainty, having the right people and partners by your side is more important than ever. As hoteliers globally feel the impact of COVID-19, we know that a crucial element during the various stages of recovery is visibility. With LinkHotel, our customers can expand their reach to almost 1 million agencies worldwide. But efficient distribution also requires an element of marketing. After many months in our homes, our desires of wanderlust are stronger than ever. Agents and travelers need to see the face of a hotel and imagine themselves in that property, enjoying the swimming pool or hotel restaurant. Clear visual cues are also important when we think about target audience. By 2025, Millennials are expected to make up 75% of the workforce (Deloitte), and Millennials, Gen Z and younger are slowly outnumbering the rest of the population. In the U.S., this is already a reality, with those 40 and under, making up over 50% of the population in 2019 (Bloomberg).

With an attention span of between 8 and 12 seconds for these groups (Oberlo), a strong visual presence is essential both for the agent and potential traveler in order to secure bookings. On top of this, as demand returns in waves, competition between hoteliers will rise, increasing pressure to stand out from the crowd. As hoteliers adjust their positioning and revenue strategies to maximize profits, coupled with the changing traveler preferences led by generation clean, our customers need a solution that can accommodate these needs, quickly and efficiently.

For this reason, I am excited about the partnership between Amadeus LinkHotel and Leonardo, a key player in the field of multimedia content management. Amadeus LinkHotel was first introduced over ten years ago, as Amadeus’ own representation company. Our aim was to provide independent hotels and small-mid chains with the possibility to connect their properties to each of the major Global Distribution Systems (GDS). I first joined Amadeus’ LinkHotel team back in 2012, and it’s been an exciting journey to watch this growth. Today, we have over 4,000 properties connected via LinkHotel, and are looking to expand and widen the possibilities for hoteliers increase booking demand for their business with the additional capabilities iHotelier® suite offers.

Working with Leonardo helps hoteliers to maximize their multimedia potential. Their Content Manager offers our customers better resources and control, through one centralized platform. Properties can quickly share accurate and detailed content across all of their GDS channels, eliminating the need for many manual processes that could cause delays. Ultimately, our customers benefit from a more streamlined content distribution process:

• Start, upload, categorize: easily select, upload and sort images across all destinations, with options for connectivity and descriptions
• Deduplication and brand integrity: following the upload, Leonardo’s technology automatically scans for any existing images, sorting files into the correct sizes and shapes and ensures images are correctly approved for use
• Delivery, updates and changes: as Leonardo systems finish their checks and enhancements, images are uploaded, and users are free to make edits when new content becomes available

Everyone has seen firsthand that technology has advanced beyond what many thought possible over the course of 2020, and this trend continues in 2021. At Amadeus, we strive to be at the forefront of innovation, anticipating the needs of our customers. When it comes to multimedia content, Leonardo helps to make this vision a reality. Through constant product evolutions, such as the recent launch of a new user-interface, and ongoing R&D investment, we know that not only can our customers easily manage their content, but that they will have access to the technology needed to navigate through the industry today.

None of us know what the rest of 2021 has in store. But, if there is one thing that 2020 has taught many of us, it’s that the people around us that can make a big difference. Preparation will play a big role in success, and we hope that partnerships, such as with Leonardo, will bring our hoteliers one step closer.