Hotel groups such as Hyatt, Wyndham, Sun International and others are still capitalizing on niche markets where revenue potentials offer even larger opportunities for growth, like the airline employee travel market.

As Jason Thielbahr, Regional Revenue Manager of Westcoast Hospitality explains, �Sites like ID90.COM allow us the opportunity to leverage its� subscriber base and drive incremental customer traffic to our hotels.  �discounted or non-rev airfare is one of their [airline employees] primary benefits�ID90.COM allows us to complete the circle of their trip experience by providing them with discounted hotel availability when our hotels need it.� 

Established in 2000, ID90.COM has been helping hotel groups establish themselves within the travel industry, specifically with airline employees who�s benefits allow them to travel at a moments notice.

If you have never considered targeting airline employees consider this; at Delta Air Lines alone there is an average of 8,640 employees that travel for leisure each and everyday and these employees need accommodation.  Simply put, these employees represent huge buying power, often when the demand from the general public is low.

Hotel managers looking to tap into this market segment should investigate ID90.COM.  Targeted to the employees of 140 airlines worldwide, they help hotels fill last minute inventory using each hotel groups own booking engine such as www.holiday-inn.com, giving each property manager the complete flexibility to manage the availability as they see fit.  No inventory needs to be assigned, so the property manager is in complete control. 

�It�s free money.  Travel industry rates are always space available, so a hotel is only selling rooms that would normally go empty.  I don�t understand why every hotel would not incorporate airline employees into their marketing plan, even those who are experiencing 95% occupancy levels, says Tristan Schukraft, Managing Director of ID90.COM.� 

Creative hoteliers from every part of the globe are revaluating their sales and marketing plans and realizing niche markets cannot be overlooked.  Just ask Mona Faraj, Director of Business Development for Rontana Hotels of the Middle East, �We are a total believer that airline employees are some of our best sales managers and promoters. �

While many distribution opportunities are available, one should be careful not to over look airline employees.  Those property managers who are not willing to think outside the box beware, for they may find their sales, REVPAR and market share on the decline.

ID90.COM is password protected and is promoted internally by airlines from around the globe.  It�s worldwide members logon daily to locate accommodations, helping its family of worldwide hotel partners fill empty rooms.  ID90.COM refers all members to each hotel and does not charge booking or commission fees.  For more information call 818-595-0060 or e-mail [email protected].

Rotana Hotels Management Corporation (Rotana Hotels) was founded in 1992, and opened its first property in Abu Dhabi in 1993 and is today one of the leading hotel management companies within the Middle East.  Rotana Hotels� aggressive expansion plans have seen the company grow from 2 properties in 1993 to a total of 30 by the end of 2007.  For more information visit www.rotana.com.

WestCoast Hospitality Corporation (WHC) was founded in 1937 and the Company�s Hotel Division currently has ownership interest, manages, or franchises more than 70 hotels in 12 states, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming and the province of British Columbia. The hotels include limited and full-service properties under the brand names �WestCoast� and �Red Lion�. The entire portfolio of hotels includes more than 12,500 rooms and more than 585,000 square feet of meeting space.  For more information visit www.westcoasthotels.com.