NEW YORK—The NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality and its Hospitality Innovation Hub (HI Hub) Experiential Learning Lab, along with HEDNA and RateGain, announced the release of the first edition of their report, the State of Distribution 2024. This report provides an in-depth look into how the day-to-day life of commercial teams within hotels is changing with multiple disruptions over the last few years.
Today, more than ever, hotel commercial teams are involved in making technology decisions in the organization. While commercial teams in other industries have online communities and benchmark studies to help them make decisions, there has been an absence of defined standards and benchmarks in hospitality technology.
The report was created through primary research conducted from December 2023 through May 2024 with over 140 hotel brands, representing 11,000+ hotel properties across various regions, and captures priorities, challenges, and the evolving nature of the distribution function across hotels of all sizes.
The report focused on insights to help the hoteliers answer the following:
- How are the hotels planning for talent?
- Where are hoteliers investing in the next two to three years?
- What are the commercial teams trying to solve through technology?
- Where do the hoteliers want to reduce their manual efforts?
- What challenges are the hoteliers facing in acquiring customers?
Vanja Bogicevic, PhD, the director of the HI Hub Experiential Learning Lab at the NYU SPS Tisch Center, said, “The State of Distribution 2024 report not only empowers hoteliers with the insights needed to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape but also educates the future workforce with the technology knowledge and benchmarks to face the challenges of tomorrow.”
Peter Strebel, president (Americas) at RateGain, said, “The hospitality industry has evolved tremendously, from manual reservation systems to cutting-edge technology solutions. Yet, one thing remains constant: The need for a comprehensive understanding of distribution challenges faced by hoteliers. That’s why RateGain, in partnership with HEDNA and New York University, has developed a groundbreaking State of Distribution Report.”
Christopher Murdock, HEDNA president and director of distribution system support and strategy at Accor, said, “The State of Distribution 2024 report is more than a resource—it’s a strategic tool tailored to empower hoteliers to face current challenges and seize future opportunities.”
