A SCOTTISH hospitality technology company has expanded its global reach with a deal to supply its property management software to a luxury villa complex in the Caribbean.
Hop will provide its single-point software to the “prestigious” Kings Beach Village in Barbados, where it will be used to operate all aspects of the destination on the island’s west coast.
The deal comes shortly after Hop, which was established in 2017, secured its 250th customer and means its technology is now in use on three continents, building on contracts in the UK, Europe, the US, and Nigeria.
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Hop, which was founded by directors Jon Erasmus, Richard Drummond, and Ronald Tweedie, will shortly embark on a UK roadshow, beginning in Inverness on October 11.
Mr Erasmus, who co-owns the Glen Mhor Hotel in Inverness where the roadshow will take place, said: “Hop only came about through the experience of the directors operating in the hospitality and tourism sector in Scotland and building on that lived knowledge by understanding what hospitality needs, wherever in the world that may be.
“This contract, on top of securing new business in the UK, Europe, Florida, and Nigeria shows what a Scottish start-up can do and should encourage others to think internationally.
“The fact that two of our directors remain hoteliers in Scotland means we can develop our product to meet the new economic circumstances all hospitality businesses are having to operate within, whether in Scotland or overseas, and we will continue to work with and bring in more partners, globally.”
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Hop said it was looking to build its share of the UK market was as well as overseas. Last year the firm, which has offices in Edinburgh and Chester, won a contract with renowned Scottish entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne’s leisure group.
In Scotland, the management software is now used to manage around 70 hotels, and the firm hopes its forthcoming roadshow will help it further establish its presence in its home market.
Its founders expressed the view that the technology can prove its value to hospitality businesses as they continue to face a well-documented cost crisis.
Mr Drummond, who co-owns McKays Hotel Bar and Restaurant in Pitlochry, said: “At the moment, in the hospitality industry, everyone is looking to reduce overheads. Borrowing has effectively tripled, energy and things like food inflation are up and businesses are still finding their feet after re-opening following the pandemic.
“In a tough marketplace, we are offering cost effectiveness and functionality, when we benchmark against our competitors.”
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Hop’s international clients include Skyborne Aviation in the US, and CheckInn Hotel Group and Charleson Luxury Hotel in Nigeria, while at UK-level it works with Trivelles, Futurelets, Petite Hotels, The Bingham, and Windsor House Hotel, as well as Bannatyne. In Scotland, clients include Cobbs Hotels, Isles Hotel Group, Loch Rannoch Hotel, and the Ayrshire-based Costley & Costley Hoteliers.
The firm recently struck an integration partnership with Australian events booking firm iVyy.
The forthcoming roadshow at the Glen Mhor Hotel in Inverness will hear from a range of technology experts, Hop staff and partners.
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