Presentation by Chris Pattas, Group General Manager, AAA Tourism to the Australian Hospitality Conference on 3rd September 2012.

1. STARRY EYED:
THE NEW STAR-RATING
SYSTEM
Chris Pattas
AAA Tourism

2. No-One Wins with Self-Rating
2000 executives were
asked by a Business Week
survey:
"Are you one of the top
10% of performers in your
company?"
90% said "Yes"!

3. 8.4 Million
Auto Club Members
Motoring, Travel, Insurance, Finance
Where to Go?
Where to Stay?
What to See and Do?

4. How We Engage With Members
Tools
Inspire
Motivate
Directory, Search
Me
Me
Mapping
(Dream) (Interest)
Deals
Booking Engine
Share
Inform
Media
It
Me
(Opinion) (Plan) Club Channels
Print
Help Me
Make It
Website
Enjoy It
Easy
Email
(Tools) (Book)
General/Social Media

5. Our Online Reach

6. Our Points Of Difference
• Immediate branding • Richimagery & video of
(STAR-rating)
your business
• Onlinecommission-free • Unique access to 8.4
bookings
million Auto Club
• We make your phone members
ring
• Destination marketing
• We send travellers to • Face-to-face relationship
your websites

7. Our Members Can & Do Travel
• Nearly 5,000 RACV members
responded by email in an April
2012 travel accommodation
survey
• Holiday within the last 12 months
• At least one night accommodation

8. They Travel Frequently
• 65% had travelled two or more
times for short holidays (1-2
nights)
• 57% had travelled two or more
times for longer holidays (3 or
more nights)
• There was a growing preference
for long weekend and week-long
trips

9. Members Travel For Many Reasons
• 64%involved more than one
person in planning
• 46% were couples
• 48% were 3+ people
• “To
Relax” was most
common reason

10. Our Members Travel Domestically
Melbourne Victoria
NSW QLD
Other Aus State Overseas
• 42% travelled more than
50km to outer Melbourne or
Regional Victoria
• 20% travelled overseas
• 20%
travelled to NSW or
Queensland

11. Members Prefer Direct Contact
Property by Phone Property Direct Online
Property via Email Property Direct in Person
Booking Website Travel Agent
• 70% prefer to book directly Other
with the accommodation
property (phone, email, online
or in person)!
• Convenience (61%)
• Ease (45%)
• Cost (32%)
• Accuracy (18%)

12. Members Influenced By Several Things
• 90%were influenced by a
property’s Star rating
• 43% use printed travel guides to
plan or book travel
• Print
helps to drive or reinforce
online actions
• 11% went on holiday as a result
of seeing a good deal advertised

13. Star-ratings Are Trusted

14. Star-ratings Are Known

15. Star Ratings Refresh
THE CHAMPION
OF ACCOMMODATION
STANDARDS

16. Strong Visual Identity

17. Initial Results Are Pleasing

18. Initial Results Are Pleasing
• Up to 2 year
moratorium to allow
investment
• Strong growth this
year in new licencees
and renewals
• Small investment
• The Champion of
Standards

19. Key Client Support

20. Why Star Ratings Are Important
• Independent, trusted, official,
supported
• Guest ratings are not consistent
• Self ratings don't have the same
credibility

21. Today, consumers who travel have many choices. Australian
accommodation providers must compete globally to remain relevant.
“The sad fact is that much of Australia’s accommodation is outmoded and
outdated and Chinese visitors, in particular… are used to very modern facilities
in their own country.
There is a great challenge in Tourism to invest in the modernisation of
facilities. We need to see an increase in investment to realise the potential.”
Hon. Nick Sherry
Assistant Tourism Minister
Commonwealth of Australia
“The problem is a lack of consistency in 3, 4 and 5-star product. If we do want
to play genuinely globally, we need that our 3, 4 and 5-Star means 3, 4 and 5
Star as it would in a lot of international countries. There are parts of Asia who
would look at some of our 4 and 5-Star properties and they would be superior.”
Andrew McEvoy
Chief Executive Officer
Tourism Australia

22. The New Star-rating System

23. STARRY EYED:
THE NEW STAR-RATING
SYSTEM
Chris Pattas
AAA Tourism