Relais & Châteaux announces positive results at fiscal year close: a growth of 22.8 % for a turnover of €86 million
Continuing the positive trend of its preceding period, Relais & Châteaux announces its business results for the period of June 2010-2011, closing at the end of June. The renowned international Association of hoteliers, restaurateurs and chefs registered a positive growth of 22.8% to attain a turnover of €86 million.
The latter is composed of sales from the Central Reservation system, gift certificates, gift boxes and Lys offers. The Central Reservations call-center booked more than 226.000 night reservations (a growth of +13%), with an average of €869 per booking for an average stay of 2.25 nights.
« All Around the World, Unique in the World »
True to its vocation to spread its unique art de vivre around the world, the Association was enriched by 40 new members in 6 new countries and 8 new major cities. The strategic development plan launched several years ago continued the expansion in Asia, the Americas and the reinforcement of its presence in Europe in order to put into place “Routes du Bonheur”, or itineraries based on the founding concept of offering clients the best way to discover a region.
Fine dining, a defining standard in each of the 500 properties, was reinforced by the arrival of 26 new Grands Chefs Relais & Châteaux, representing the highest level of gastronomic excellence.
« Activate the tribe »
The brand continues to maintain its strong position in technological innovation in the hotel industry through its website, www.relaischateaux.com, which has more than 550,000 unique visitors per month and is available in 7 languages including Japanese and Mandarin, as well as its updated iPhone app initially launched in March 2010. Since then, the new version of the application has been downloaded more than 75,000 times and counts an average of 20,000 monthly users. This period also witnessed the brand’s expansion in the area of social networks. The Facebook page now registers more than 20,000 fans and the newly launched Twitter has more than 2,000 followers.
The exclusive Club 5C, a network of clients who have stayed more than 15 nights per year in a Relais & Châteaux, grew to 11,500 VIP clients (+15% versus last period). Exceptional gatherings centered around gastronomy, such as the exceptional Diner des Grands Chefs that took place at the Château de Versailles in April, oenology and cultural events are regularly proposed in addition to other VIP benefits of membership.
For Jaume Tàpies, Chairman of the Board « To close this period with such positive results is extremely satisfying for the Association and our member properties. We have traversed the period of global crisis in a healthy state and in this rather favorable economic climate the strategic direction of the Association, the level of excellence of our properties and the personal commitment of our hoteliers, restaurateurs and chefs continue to be affirmed and to face several regional difficulties such as in Japan and Northern Africa with dexterity. Furthermore, our source markets of the USA, UK and France continue to rebound and we see consumer confidence has returned with highly encouraging number of advanced bookings. Travelers not only come to us for beautiful destinations but also to experience something unique and personal. In this perspective, we will continue to enlarge our offers to include special interest packages around cuisine and celebrating the most important moments of life, as well as unforgettable itineraries via “Routes du Bonheur” that spans the globe and offers guests the keys to an authentic, highly-personalized way to discover the world.”
- Relais & Châteaux announces positive results at fiscal year close: a growth of 22.8 % for a turnover of €86 million
