Virgin Hotels partners with Leonardo’s new Content Manager to centralize media management and distribution

We are pleased to share that we have partnered with Virgin Hotels to distribute their media to the industry’s most comprehensive network of travel channels. As a rapidly expanding hotel brand with locations opening across the United States, Virgin Hotels knew they needed to automate media distribution to increase revenue, improve workflow, and maintain brand integrity.

Originally launched as a single property in Chicago, Virgin Hotels has recently added three additional locations with two more set to open this year alone. The brand’s Sales and Revenue Management team knew they needed the right software in place to boost marketing and distribution, especially in the unprecedented reality the hospitality industry is facing during COVID-19.

The decision to implement Content Manager amid a global pandemic is laying the groundwork for a strong post COVID-19 recovery. Research from previous recessions show that hotels with strong and consistent travel channel listings will recover faster when travel rebounds. Improving and automating travel channel listings is an investment with a positive impact on long-term revenue.

Our partnership with Virgin Hotels will help them automate distribution and improve reach on key listings – including gated channels corporate channels such as Concur, OTAs, as well as the global distribution system using their dedicated chain code. “As we grow at such a rapid pace, we need software to manage content as it grows along with us,” explains Leslie Kaminski, VP of Sales at Virgin Hotels.

With our newly enhanced Content Manager, Virgin Hotels will see significant display improvements on third-parties, while centralizing brand control. The interface makes the workflow of sourcing content and sending it out simple, with seamless metadata input, categorization, room type association, and in-app reporting.

“We need to have our images and media assets everywhere people are looking as they start to plan for future travel, and we need the reliable consistency that Leonardo delivers. As we expand into new markets, it was important to us to centralize all our assets to ensure consistency. Improving content delivery is an essential component of our strategy,” says Leslie.

“We’re excited to work with Virgin Hotels. Leonardo’s solutions and services take a proactive approach to content management and distribution, and we know that hotels have a lot on their plates right now. We’re releasing new products and supporting our partners throughout 2020 to make sure our partners have a strong recovery,” says David Sgroi, Director of Enterprise Sales at Leonardo.

About Leonardo:

Leonardo helps hotels attract more bookings and revenue and contributes to better travel experiences by making it easier for guests to select the hotels that meet their needs and expectations. Leonardo’s technology platform lets hotels, hotel chains and management companies showcase their properties and amenities across the web. Leonardo has been a hospitality market leader for 20 years and has engaged partnerships with global hotel chains, leading travel websites and thousands of hotel properties. For more information about Leonardo, visit leonardo.com.

About Virgin Hotels:

Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Currently the brand operates Virgin Hotels San Francisco, Virgin Hotels Dallas and Virgin Hotels Chicago – named the “#1 Hotel in United States” in 2016, and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” in both 2016 and 2017 in the Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Locations in Nashville, New York, New Orleans, Miami, Palm Springs, Edinburgh, Las Vegas and others are to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions as well as ground-up development in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and London.