If ever there was a Zeitgeist phrase to typify the seismic changes occurring within the hotel industry, “demand management” is the one I associate most with hotels today. The industry finds itself at a crossroads where the blurred lines of responsibility for commercial development are failing to launch, with new directions in structures, technology and processes are the missing ingredients. Financial stakeholders are demanding increased attention to profit conversion, attributed to the dominance of Online Travel Agents (OTAs) and the slipping control of distribution costs.

Alex Slors is a renowned Asset Management consultant, known for his keen ability to help hotels better manage the relationships between owner, operator and hotel staff. He’s also a friend and frequent collaborator with the SnapShot team. If you’ve taken our Hotel Demand Management online course, then you’re already familiar with his friendly demeanor and extensive knowledge. We asked Alex to help us write an introduction to modern-day asset management. What does it mean to be an asset manager for a hotel today? How has it changed, and more specifically, what kind of role does data play in asset management? Read below to find out. 

Wulf Van Alkemade, the Amsterdam-based hotelier, is a lot harder to track down than most in the hospitality industry. Google his name and you won’t find much. No Twitter. No LinkedIn. Barely a mention on the “About Us” pages for the international companies he’s founded. There’s a rumor, probably false, of his side-lining for Dutch intelligence. Van Alkemade is usually averse to interviews, but agreed to talk with us at length for this story. What we learned is he prefers to calculate behind the scenes, studying hospitality industry trends, and acting when the time is right, often before anyone else knows what's about to happen.