“Swiss Quality Hotels” – created on 1st January, 2004 from the former “TOP Welcome Swiss” hotels has already shown outstanding results in the first 6 months of operation from 01.01.04 to 30.06.04, with an increase in turnover of 60.9% achieved by SQHI for its member hotels. Delighted with the first six months, Eva Fischer sees the extremely pleasing results as clear proof that the move from “TOP International Hotels” was the right one to make. As less money had to be paid to the former licensee, more funds were available to increase sales and marketing activities – one of the main reasons for the pleasing results, according to the managing director of “Swiss Quality Hotels”. The head office of “Swiss Quality Hotels” is also delighted that the former “TOP International” member hotels have remained loyal to the new organisation, in spite of active efforts in July 2003 by “TOP International” to retain its members.

The international partnership with Utell (Pegasus Solutions), the largest hotel provider worldwide, has proved to be an important one for “Swiss Quality Hotels”. As a result of this collaboration, “Swiss Quality Hotels” is registered in a database of around 5000 hotels worldwide, all under one roof (GDS code UI), thus the international aspect so important to the hotel industry has been maintained on a professional basis and remains guaranteed. Furthermore, the move from “TP” to “UI” has had a positive effect on turnover. The head office in Stäfa is very active in all aspects of sales and marketing and also has agreements with a range of tour operators, all able to use SQHI’s own online booking system to make reservations. The use of the latest XML interface to communicate with these tour operators has also helped towards the increase in turnover. Furthermore, Eva Fischer lists individual monitoring of the competition, or benchmarking, by the head office as one of the strengths of “Swiss Quality Hotels”. With personal service and marketing through a range of booking channels, SQHI is more than simply a traditional global electronic GDS system.

The first weeks of the second half of 2004 have also shown pleasing results. Should the world economy remain buoyant and unaffected by potentially negative world events, “Swiss Quality Hotels” looks forward to ending the year with positive results.