Blending tradition with technology: HotelPartner’s MD on the future of hotel revenue management
Robert Holland’s lifelong commitment to the hospitality industry is as much a product of legacy as it is of passion. The son of two hoteliers, who met at the renowned Hotel School Lausanne, Holland’s journey began with a childhood fascination for the world of hotels, a path that would ultimately lead him to the helm of HotelPartner as its Managing Director in the UK. Before consulting, Holland’s career took him across Europe, immersing him in various departments within some of the continent’s finest hotels. His formative years included intensive training and studies in hospitality management and finance at Cornell University in New York, all while honing his expertise in food and beverage (F&B), a field that remains close to his heart.
In 2005, he founded two successful restaurants in London’s Balham and Fulham neighbourhoods, which he later sold in 2012. In 2010, Holland re-entered the hotel industry as a general manager for Bespoke Hotels, eventually overseeing operations for two central London hotels as a Regional Operations Manager. Then, in 2017, he joined HotelPartner, where he established its UK presence, bringing a technology-forward approach to revenue management while balancing other consulting roles. Here, Holland reflects on the evolution of the hospitality industry, the role of technology in revenue strategy, and how a career steeped in tradition is shaping the industry’s future.
A Career in the Making: From Family Influence to European Apprenticeship
Holland’s interest in hospitality took root early. “I love being around hotels as a child,” he recalls, noting how his parents’ careers inspired him to forgo university in favour of hands-on training across Europe. From service roles in Strasbourg to working in the kitchens of Hamburg, Holland absorbed the intricacies of hotel operations firsthand. Later, he returned to London, working in both the accounts department of the Royal Garden Hotel and at the reception of the Four Seasons.
His education continued each summer at Cornell University, where he studied finance, marketing, and leadership. “I learned about finance, I learned about marketing, I learned about leadership,” he says. By focusing on F&B, he carved out a niche that he would return to when he opened his restaurants in London, first in Balham and then in Fulham. Holland sold the restaurants in 2012, concluding a chapter of independence and setting his sights back on hotel operations.
Return to Hotels and the Shift to Revenue Management
In 2010, Holland re-entered the hotel world with Bespoke Hotels, where he worked until 2017, ultimately managing two London hotels. His time with Bespoke coincided with an industry shift toward online bookings, which gave Holland an early look at the emerging importance of revenue management. “Booking behaviour was really shifting online,” he recalls. It was here that he began to understand the power of rate adjustments to influence demand.
The transition from hotel management to revenue consulting came naturally. His experience at Bespoke prepared him to understand the challenges hoteliers face in navigating a crowded digital landscape. Joining HotelPartner in 2017, Holland found himself on the cutting edge of technology-driven revenue management, a space where traditional expertise could combine with automated systems to enhance hotel profitability. “What prompted that move was… the realisation that seven years of knowledge was just about to walk out that door,” he says, describing how the departure of his longtime revenue manager highlighted the need for technological solutions in revenue continuity and strategy.
Technology as an Essential Component in Modern Revenue Strategy
At HotelPartner, Holland leads a team that blends human expertise with an advanced, proprietary technology platform developed in 2006. “Our revenue managers configure our platform to deliver that revenue strategy in real-time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he explains. This approach allows Holland and his team to oversee revenue management across 170 markets, using technology that evaluates 14 distinct metrics every few minutes.
This hybrid model, which pairs seasoned revenue managers with an automated platform, is key to staying competitive in an era of constant fluctuation. “There’s no way that a human could do that,” he points out, noting how automation enables continuous data monitoring and adjustment—a necessity when market conditions shift as quickly as they do today. For Holland, the platform is not about replacing people but about extending the impact of human insights. The technology, he believes, provides the best of both worlds by preserving the nuanced judgment of experienced managers while enabling real-time responsiveness.
Meeting Modern Challenges: Cancellation Rates and Data-Driven Strategy
The challenges of modern revenue management, however, extend beyond technology. A prime example is the growing rate of cancellations, which Holland says is particularly prominent in London. “We’re seeing an increasing number of cancellations across our client portfolio,” he notes, describing the difficulty of setting accurate forecasts when some guests make multiple bookings only to cancel at the last minute. To counter this, his team increases overbooking allowances further out, adapting to the fickle nature of contemporary booking patterns and the growing trend of guests using tools to rebook rooms if prices drop.
Another challenge lies in identifying a hotel’s true competition. “If your hotel is located in Hampshire, an hour out of London, your competitors aren’t necessarily those located within five miles,” Holland says, emphasising that the relevant competitors may instead be similar hotels in other regions that cater to the same audience. The platform at HotelPartner allows his team to analyse booking patterns and customer profiles, helping hoteliers understand not only who their guests are but also where they are coming from and what they are looking for.
Balancing Seasonal Patterns with Event-Driven Demand
Despite advancements, the hospitality industry’s foundation remains rooted in seasonal trends—a reality Holland acknowledges even as he observes shifts driven by major events. He points to Taylor Swift’s recent Edinburgh concert as a recent example of event-driven demand spikes. “When she announced her dates last June, demand just rocketed,” he recalls. With the help of HotelPartner’s automated system, his team reacted swiftly to adjust pricing, ensuring rooms weren’t undersold due to early, low-rate bookings.
Holland sees these events as additions to the natural cycles of high and low demand, rather than replacements. “Seasonality still exists,” he says, referencing how leisure travelers tend to fill London hotels in August while corporate clients avoid the city. While events can drive short-term spikes, the traditional ebb and flow of occupancy is still a powerful force. For Holland, blending these patterns with real-time data allows hoteliers to make better-informed decisions.
Technology’s Role in Addressing Labor Challenges
With a hospitality labor shortage, Holland believes technology can help streamline operations without compromising service. He asks hoteliers to consider whether traditional roles remain relevant in a digitally enabled environment: “If 95% of your reservations are dropping directly into your property management system from online channels, is a reservations agent really necessary, or can that role be combined with events coordination or reception?”
For Holland, the future lies in rethinking resource allocation to optimise guest satisfaction while handling repetitive tasks through automation. “Put those resources customer-facing,” he advises. By reallocating roles, hoteliers can create a model that maximises both efficiency and service quality, an approach especially valuable for independent hotels where staffing is limited.
Adapting to Competition: Leveraging Airbnb as a Complementary Channel
Airbnb’s rise has prompted hoteliers to rethink traditional approaches to competition, a shift Holland sees as an opportunity. Before joining HotelPartner, Holland himself explored partnerships with local Airbnb hosts, inviting them to leverage his hotel’s services in Zurich. “I offered things like key handling services by our reception, as well as housekeeping and maintenance services by our hotel staff,” he shares, describing how this unconventional partnership benefited both parties.
While some cities, such as Barcelona, have introduced regulations limiting short-term rentals, Holland believes there is room for collaboration. A few of HotelPartner’s clients, for instance, list their rooms on Airbnb, viewing it as an additional sales channel. With hotel occupancy in London hovering around 80%, Holland feels that the industry can adapt by differentiating its offerings to stand out in the market. “I think we have to treat them as we would a hotel opening up down the road,” he says, emphasizing that the key is focusing on the unique value hotels can offer.
The Path Forward: Balancing Tradition with Innovation
Looking to the future, Holland sees a return to pre-pandemic demand patterns tempered by the lessons learned over recent years. “These ebbs and flows have happened throughout my career,” he reflects, predicting that traditional cycles of low and high demand will continue to define the market. For Holland, the secret to success lies in adaptation—leveraging technology to stay agile while preserving the service excellence that remains at the heart of hospitality.
After years of industry experience and a career that’s moved seamlessly between F&B management, hotel operations, and consultancy, Holland’s insights ultimately reflect the balance he has achieved between tradition and modernity. From his hands-on days managing hotels to today’s data-driven environment at HotelPartner, Holland’s career exemplifies the resilience and innovation that the future of hospitality demands.
