How Hotel Networks Provide Added Value to Travel Advisors

With a seemingly endless number of hotels to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow down which are best for clients and to work with. Hotel networks can be great as a jumping-off point – and long-time partner – to find quality properties that are trade-friendly. So what is a hotel network, and how do travel advisors engage with them?  

Hotel networks exist to offer advantages to their member properties, often independent hotels, who benefit from increased visibility, more marketing opportunities, operational resources, and being part of a community of like-minded hoteliers.  

But for travel advisors, these networks also offer lots of perks because they are plugged into the industry and know that travel advisors bring their properties sales in return. 

“We see travel advisors as the original influencers. They are experts who intentionally share their own stories, recommendations and insights with clients,” Kenan Simmons, senior vice president for the Americas at Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), told Travel Market Report. “It’s all about a currency of trust. Trust that clients have in their travel advisors and that travel advisors have in SLH.” 

Here’s how four different hotel networks, ranging in size and expertise, build that trust with travel advisors by adding value to their businesses. 

Streamlined Booking with Exclusive Offers  

Travel advisors remain one of the strongest performing sales channels for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, which explains why a year ago, the network launched a revamped travel advisor portal, making it easier to book its properties and earn rewards for doing so. 

“Travel advisors are essential partners in helping travelers navigate an increasingly diverse and sophisticated landscape of independent luxury hotels,” Rick Stiffler, senior vice president of global sales at Preferred Hotels & Resorts, told TMR. “Their ability to understand a client’s preferences and translate them into well‑matched, meaningful stays elevates the guest experience long before arrival.” 

Preferred’s Travel Advisor Portal offers a robust dashboard of luxury program rates, booking tools, commission tracking, exclusive offers, and property information. There, travel advisors can also access ongoing communication and education materials. 

“Through one platform, advisors gain access to hundreds of independent hotels while also benefiting from centralized resources such as streamlined reservations, exclusive offers, personalized confirmations, and consolidated commission tracking,” Stiffler said. 

Top advisors can qualify for the Preferred Platinum Program, an invitation-only rewards tier that provides amenities and extra value. Soon, Preferred will also launch Preferred Life & Style, another program for top agencies and their clients to benefit from with added amenities.  

Travel advisors can also tap into resources from Beyond Green, Preferred’s portfolio of sustainability-focused properties, to have a trusted source of hotel recommendations for clients seeking responsible tourism. 

Competitive Commissions and FAM Trips 

SLH, which credits travel advisors for more than 80% of its core bookings, offers a competitive commission structure and FAM trip opportunities. Last year, SLH held a FAM trip to Ireland, where advisors visited Ballymaloe House Hotel and The Montenotte in Cork, The Wilder Townhouse in Dublin, and Culloden Estate and Spa and Dunluce Lodge in Northern Ireland. 

Hosting FAM trips not only allows travel advisors to experience in-demand destinations, but allows for a more personal connection between advisors and the hotel network they work with – a close partnership that can ultimately benefit clients. 

“In our 35-year history, working with travel advisors has always been central to our approach and we are constantly elevating what we offer travel advisors,” Simmons said. “We also support agents with a high touch service whether part of a specific program or not and make sure VIP clients are known to the hotel.” 

This is on top of the hotel network’s dedicated travel trade hub, extensive calendar of global travel and sales events, specialized trainings, and preferred agency program. SLH also has “a robust travel trade team able to share knowledge with advisors on hotels they might not have booked before or destinations they might not be as familiar with, so they can continue to perfectly match SLH hotels with their well-traveled clients,” Simmons said. 

Educational Resources 

Not all hotel networks have robust travel advisor dashboards, but they still provide value in important ways. Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide has Larry Horwitz, executive director, at the helm, who previously led leisure sales for various resorts. So, working with travel advisors is “in my DNA,” he told TMR. 

The organization offers commission for travel advisors who book the hotels through them, and those bookings help support the National Trust for Historic Preservation. But primarily, Historic Hotels is the trade’s go-to educational tool for property history. 

“We’re an authentic resource for people to learn about the hotels and experiences guests have there,” Horwitz said. “If the travel advisor hasn’t been to that historic hotel, we try to show and demonstrate how grand, how opulent, how special it is.” 

Browsing the Historic Hotels website and subscribing to its monthly themed newsletter are two ways travel advisors can engage with these resources. In many cases, a hotel’s page on the Historic Hotels site will offer much more background information than on its own website. 

Nowadays, clients want that storytelling aspect about the property for a more immersive and memorable experience. It’s especially appreciated during multigenerational, milestone trips, and other special occasions. 

“It’s great for romance, too,” Horwitz said. “We say every day is Valentine’s Day at a historic hotel.” 

“People tend to spend more and stay longer because they experience the tremendous architecture and stories,” he added. “It’s a chance for travel advisors to sell historic hotels with a higher degree of confidence.” 

Destination Expertise and Itinerary Building  

If your client has already narrowed down where they’d like to travel, some destinations have small, location-based hotel networks that can help with the specificities of an immersive itinerary. One of these is Belize Collection, which encompasses six luxury properties in Belize – two in the jungle, three on the beach, and one on a private island. 

Belize Collection started as a small hotel network and, with the help of travel advisors, has evolved into its own brand with properties that it manages itself. Being able to sell through trusted advisors who also want the best experience for guests has made all the difference for the collection. 

“We see travel advisors as the essential partners in the industry, and for us in particular, because they bring context, care, and long-term perspective to travel planning,” Julie Kee, director of sales and marketing at The Belize Collection, told TMR. “They help us to elevate the guest journey even before arrival and can help match the properties within our collection and the experiences to the right traveler, ensuring the expectations are met.” 

In turn, Belize Collection works hand-in-hand with advisors to inform them of the different experiences their clients can have at each property. Because the portfolio “ranges from accommodations to meal plans to experiences,” and works so closely with the local community, Belize Collection has the expertise to help advisors craft an entire itinerary for their guests. That regional guidance is especially helpful for advisors making a first-time inquiry with the collection and/or have never been to Belize. 

Belize Collection also offers webinar trainings that are “destination-first” because to sell the properties, advisors must be familiar with Belize itself, and FAM trip opportunities. 

“We’re all about just ensuring that travel advisors’ requests are met, that we’re accessible, and we’re communicating and we’re collaborating with them,” Kee said, “so that they know that at the end of the day, they can reach a real person who understands the product and what their clients are looking for.”