Destination Taps Hotel Vet

Destination Hotels & Resorts this month named lodging industry veteran Andy Anderson senior vice president of sales and marketing, overseeing corporate accounts. Previously, Anderson was vice president of sales at St. Regis Hotels and Resorts, which is part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

In approaching travel buyers to include in their hotel programs Destination's 25 city center hotels and resort properties, Anderson noted that "Buyers often seek to supplement their [chainwide deals with multi-brand companies] with individual properties that reflect their location in a way chain hotels don't. In such cities as New York, San Francisco, Boston and Dallas, our hotels appeal to travelers specifically because they're not a formula purchase.

"Typically with branded hotels, there's a preconception of what the brand stands for," Anderson continued. "For the traveler who is on the road all the time, a certain sameness can set in. In terms of service, consistency can be a good thing. To encourage frequent travelers to stay at different Destination properties, guests' preferences will be available via an electronic database to all properties systemwide."

While Englewood, Colo.-based Destination provides inventory to third-party discount Internet booking sites, Anderson said the company's policy is that corporate travelers always should have the best rate. "You want to be sure you hold the line on rate guarantees to make sure your best customers are getting your best prices. You may see a one-off deal where a business traveler is dipping into a weekend deal intended for the leisure market. Generally, the pricing integrity is based on the corporate accounts. They get the best rates."

Anderson earlier in his career held sales and marketing positions at Foresthills Hotels & Resorts, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels and Hyatt Hotels.