Guestcentric Awarded Best Technology Company in Tourism

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Guestcentric, the leading provider of hotel website and reservation solutions in over 60 countries, has been recognized as the Best Technology Company at the 2023 Leaders in Tourism Awards, co-hosted by TNEWs and Nova SBE Westmont Institute of Tourism & Hospitality. The company was awarded for its extensive technology innovations, proximity to clients, and role supporting independent hotels across Portugal in generating substantial revenue in 2022 – a year that kickstarted the post-pandemic travel boom.

This year, the guiding principle of the conference was “Creativity”, recognizing the importance of having an even more creative and innovative tourism industry. The event was led by a panel of experts from other business areas who evaluated and inspired the leaders, managers and professionals of the tourism sector.

Portugal’s tourism industry is largely dependent on international markets, which is why independent hotels nationwide have historically depended on OTAs for more visibility and targeting etc. Over the past 16 years since its inception in 2006, Guestcentric has worked closely with Portuguese hotels to change their distribution mindset and level the playing field, helping to significantly reduce dependency on OTAs and improve profitability.

This has been achieved through intuitive, user-friendly, and powerful digital technology that empowers hotels to fully own their business operations, control distribution, and grow their direct direct business performance. On average, Guestcentric delivers 150 hotel websites per year, which have been awarded for their best-in-class design and functionalities that drive direct sales. Behind-the-scenes, Guestcentric’s technology is constantly innovating. In 2022 alone, Guestcentric deployed over 340 new product features – which is more than 1 feature per day!

But what really makes Guestcentric unique in this industry is its proximity to hotels and their business operations. Our customers come first, and we are just a phone call away to help solve any business problem that may arise. Our human touch closely aligns with the traditional hospitality values that make Portugal an internationally-loved travel destination, because every day we strive to deliver exceptional client support.

Guestcentric also keeps hotels one step ahead through extensive distribution of market knowledge via monthly market forecasts, best practice webinars, and thought leadership content. In 2022, Guestcentric’s Client Experience team not only closed thousands of cases, with 75% in just 24 hours, but also kept clients informed with 213 trainings and webinars. Guestcentric also published 12 Hotelier PULSE Reports and 24 opinion articles to support the industry in 2022.

Although 2022 got off to a rocky start with omicron variant restrictions and travel disruptions over the summer, Guestcentric worked tirelessly and closely with Portuguese hotels to ensure it would be the best year ever for the industry nationwide. Through consistently delivering powerful technology and exceptional client support, Guestcentric generated 590,000 reservations, 1.6 million nights, and €272 million in revenue for 563 hotels in Portugal.”

Guestcentric’s CEO and Founder, Pedro Colaco said: “We are thrilled to receive this recognition as the Best Technology Company for hotels. In 2022, we worked closely with our clients to understand their needs and develop innovative solutions that meet the evolving demands of our industry here in Portugal. I’m proud to say that this collaboration has enabled us to deliver solutions that help hotels thrive and positively impact their business.

We are committed to supporting our clients in the future, and will continue to invest in research and development to bring new and innovative products to the market, whilst delivering comprehensive client support. Our goal is to empower hotels with the tools they need to provide exceptional guest experiences, while also driving operational efficiency and profitability. Finally, I’d like to thank our clients for their trust in us, and to our team for their hard work and dedication to delivering world-class solutions for the industry.”