Hotel Revenue Management and Pricing Strategy Training Course

Duration 10 days 19 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Revenue Managers, Hotel General Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-TH-021

Before you join: Participants should understand basic hotel operations and be familiar with occupancy, average daily rate and RevPAR.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Hotel revenue teams must make daily pricing and inventory decisions while balancing occupancy, rate, distribution cost, guest value and operational limits. A hotel can fill rooms and still miss profit targets when discounts are uncontrolled, high-cost channels displace direct demand, group business consumes peak dates, or forecasts fail to identify compression. Revenue managers need a disciplined way to interpret demand signals, set rate boundaries and explain decisions to sales, marketing, finance and operations.

This course develops the analytical and commercial skills needed to manage hotel revenue across transient, group, corporate, wholesale and digital channels. Participants work with demand segmentation, unconstrained forecasting, booking pace, price elasticity, rate fences, channel cost, overbooking, displacement analysis and ancillary revenue. They learn to build pricing structures, control inventory by segment, assess group enquiries, manage distribution contribution and monitor results using RevPAR, TRevPAR, GOPPAR, Net RevPAR and market-share measures.

Instruction combines focused briefings with hotel cases, spreadsheet analysis, facilitated discussions, pricing simulations and peer review. Participants progressively build components of a revenue management strategy during the first week, then test and refine decisions against changing demand, competitor and channel conditions during the second week. They leave with a completed hotel revenue management and pricing strategy pack, including forecasts, pricing rules, inventory controls, channel actions and a performance review cadence. A certificate of completion is issued to participants who complete the 10-day programme.

The course is suited to professionals responsible for revenue, reservations, distribution, sales planning or commercial performance in hotels, resorts, serviced apartments and multi-property portfolios. It is particularly valuable where teams need to move from reporting historical occupancy and average daily rate toward evidence-based pricing and inventory decisions.

What you will be able to do

  • Build unconstrained demand forecasts using booking pace, pickup and market-event data
  • Segment hotel demand by value, booking behaviour, channel cost and stay pattern
  • Design BAR pricing structures with rate fences, room-type differentials and controls
  • Calculate group displacement using contribution, wash, stay pattern and alternative demand
  • Set inventory controls for transient, group, corporate and wholesale business
  • Evaluate distribution channels using net revenue, acquisition cost and cancellation behaviour
  • Interpret RevPAR, TRevPAR, GOPPAR, Net RevPAR and market-share performance
  • Present a hotel revenue management and pricing strategy with implementation actions

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Greater confidence defending pricing decisions with demand and profitability evidence
  • Practical skill in translating booking data into daily commercial actions
  • Ability to assess group enquiries beyond headline room-rate comparisons
  • Stronger credibility when working with sales, marketing, finance and operations
  • A reusable revenue strategy pack for current or future hotel roles

For your organisation

  • More consistent pricing decisions across demand periods, room types and channels
  • Improved control of discounts, availability and high-cost distribution
  • Better protection of peak-date revenue from poorly valued group business
  • Clearer links between room revenue, ancillary spend, channel cost and profit
  • A common commercial language for revenue, sales, reservations and finance teams

Course modules

19 modules over 10 days

Participants can explain how hotel revenue decisions affect room revenue, total revenue and operating profit.

  • Revenue management objectives linked to GOPPAR, RevPAR and guest value
  • Fixed versus variable costs in hotel pricing decisions
  • Contribution margin calculated for room, food, beverage and ancillary spend
  • Demand, capacity and perishability as hotel revenue management constraints
  • Revenue centres mapped across rooms, meetings, spa and food outlets
  • Commercial trade-offs between occupancy growth, rate protection and channel cost

Participants can prepare reliable hotel data for forecasting, pricing and performance analysis.

  • Property management system fields required for revenue decision making
  • Data dictionaries standardising occupancy, ADR, RevPAR and cancellation definitions
  • Booking curves extracted by arrival date, segment and booking channel
  • Data-quality checks for duplicate reservations, missing rates and invalid segments
  • Market events recorded with dates, demand impact and confidence ratings
  • Daily revenue reports reconciled against finance and property management records

Participants can define demand segments using commercial value rather than labels alone.

  • Segmentation criteria combining booking behaviour, price sensitivity and stay pattern
  • Transient leisure, business, group and wholesale demand characteristics compared
  • Channel source separated from guest purpose and rate eligibility
  • Segment contribution assessed through rate, length of stay and ancillary spend
  • Cancellation and no-show patterns measured by market segment
  • Priority segments selected using demand value and strategic fit

Participants can produce an unconstrained demand forecast using historical and current booking signals.

  • Unconstrained demand distinguished from observed bookings during sold-out periods
  • Booking pace analysis compares current pickup with historical lead-time patterns
  • Pickup forecasts built from on-books rooms and expected future reservations
  • Historical demand adjusted for day-of-week, seasonality and event effects
  • Forecast accuracy measured through bias, mean absolute deviation and error tracking
  • Confidence ranges assigned to forecasts with volatile or limited data

Participants can identify high-demand opportunities and risk periods through a demand calendar.

  • Demand calendars combine events, holidays, school breaks and flight schedules
  • Compression nights identified through occupancy, pickup and competitor availability
  • Shoulder dates assessed for length-of-stay opportunities and pricing flexibility
  • Citywide events evaluated for displacement, staffing and minimum-stay controls
  • Demand drivers ranked by certainty, magnitude and booking-window effect
  • Calendar assumptions documented for weekly forecast and pricing reviews

Participants can create a Best Available Rate structure aligned with expected demand.

  • BAR ladders set with logical price gaps between demand levels
  • Room-type differentials reflect features, capacity, view and upgrade value
  • Rate floors calculated from contribution targets and channel acquisition costs
  • Price ceilings tested against market positioning and willingness to pay
  • Day-of-week pricing rules address recurring business and leisure patterns
  • Seasonal rate calendars connect forecast demand with published price levels

Participants can protect public rates while managing discounts and negotiated business.

  • Rate fences use refundability, advance purchase and booking conditions
  • Discount eligibility rules distinguish members, packages and qualified accounts
  • Corporate rate reviews test production, rate integrity and displacement exposure
  • Wholesale allotments assessed against net rate, release period and wash
  • Promotional offers designed with booking window, stay dates and exclusions
  • Rate parity exceptions documented for direct-booking and loyalty benefits

Participants can assess channel performance using net revenue and demand contribution.

  • Channel mix analysed by gross revenue, net revenue and acquisition cost
  • Online travel agency commissions compared with direct booking servicing costs
  • Metasearch and paid search spend attributed to completed hotel bookings
  • Global distribution system costs assessed for corporate and agency demand
  • Channel cancellation behaviour incorporated into forecast and inventory decisions
  • Direct booking value measured through repeat stays and guest data access

Participants can apply inventory controls that protect revenue during changing demand conditions.

  • Open, close and restriction controls matched to forecast demand
  • Minimum length of stay rules protect peak-date shoulder availability
  • Closed-to-arrival controls manage one-night stays during compression periods
  • Maximum length of stay limits prevent low-value extended displacement
  • Channel availability adjusted by demand strength, cost and booking behaviour
  • Nested inventory concepts applied to room types and rate categories

Participants can set defensible overbooking limits and manage denied-service risk.

  • Overbooking limits derived from cancellations, no-shows and early departures
  • Wash factors calculated by segment, channel and arrival date
  • Expected denied-service cost includes relocation, transport and guest recovery
  • Walk procedures define priority, communication, partner hotels and documentation
  • Room out-of-order forecasts incorporated into available inventory calculations
  • Daily overbooking decisions reviewed against actual arrivals and forecast error

Participants can accept, reject or reprice group business using displacement analysis.

  • Group enquiry data captures rooms, rates, pattern, catering and meeting spend
  • Displacement analysis compares group contribution with unconstrained transient demand
  • Shoulder-night value included when evaluating multi-date group requests
  • Wash, attrition and cancellation clauses modelled within expected group revenue
  • Meeting room demand assessed alongside guestrooms and function-space opportunity
  • Decision recommendations state acceptable rate, conditions and alternative dates

Participants can evaluate function-space demand using total contribution and capacity constraints.

  • Function-space capacity measured by room setup, duration and turnover time
  • Revenue per available square metre compared across event alternatives
  • Catering minimums linked to attendee count, menu mix and contribution
  • Meeting displacement considers guestrooms, space, labour and equipment requirements
  • Peak-day space controls prioritise high-contribution event combinations
  • Sales and revenue teams align function-space proposals with demand forecasts

Participants can incorporate ancillary spend into segment value and offer design.

  • Total revenue per occupied room calculated across revenue departments
  • Guest spend profiles segmented by purpose, channel and length of stay
  • Packages priced using component cost, perceived value and displacement risk
  • Spa, parking and resort-fee demand included within stay-value analysis
  • Upgrade offers targeted using room availability and booking segment data
  • Ancillary forecasts aligned with occupancy, arrivals and in-house guest mix

Participants can use revenue management system outputs critically rather than accepting recommendations blindly.

  • Revenue management system inputs reviewed for segmentation and inventory accuracy
  • System recommendations challenged using events, pace and local market intelligence
  • Decision rules documented for alerts, overrides and approval thresholds
  • Human judgement applied where new events lack relevant historical data
  • Rate loading workflows checked across property, channel manager and distribution systems
  • Audit trails maintained for pricing changes and inventory-control decisions

Participants can diagnose revenue performance using hotel, competitor and profit measures.

  • Occupancy, ADR and RevPAR decomposed to identify performance drivers
  • TRevPAR and GOPPAR used to assess total commercial contribution
  • Net RevPAR accounts for distribution cost and channel profitability
  • Revenue penetration index compares property performance against competitive sets
  • Index movement explained through demand, rate, share and data changes
  • Scorecards combine leading indicators, outcomes and accountable actions

Participants can position rates against competitors without following price changes mechanically.

  • Competitive sets selected by guest alternatives, location and product similarity
  • Rate shopping compares public prices, restrictions, inclusions and room types
  • Price positioning maps relative rate against demand strength and reputation
  • Competitor moves interpreted with availability, events and channel context
  • Price response rules distinguish strategic action from reactive discounting
  • Mystery-shop findings recorded using consistent comparison criteria

Participants can run revenue meetings that convert evidence into accountable commercial actions.

  • Weekly revenue meeting agendas focus on forecasts, risks and decisions
  • Sales, marketing, reservations and operations contribute defined decision inputs
  • Action logs assign owners, due dates and expected commercial impact
  • Forecast review separates facts, assumptions, risks and contingency actions
  • Pricing approvals define authority limits for discounts and overrides
  • Monthly strategy reviews connect property goals with portfolio performance

Participants can translate revenue analysis into an implementable property action plan.

  • Revenue strategy priorities selected from diagnosis, forecast and profit opportunity
  • Ninety-day action plans sequence pricing, inventory and channel interventions
  • Implementation dependencies identify system changes, contracts and stakeholder approvals
  • Success measures define baseline, target, owner and review frequency
  • Change communications explain new controls to reservations and sales teams
  • Risk registers address data gaps, market shocks and operational constraints

Participants can build, review and present a complete hotel revenue management and pricing strategy for a defined property.

  • Property diagnosis summarises demand, segments, channels and competitive position
  • Unconstrained forecast establishes monthly demand, risk periods and assumptions
  • BAR structure specifies rate ladders, fences and room-type differentials
  • Inventory plan defines restrictions, overbooking limits and channel availability
  • Group and function-space rules state displacement thresholds and approval conditions
  • Performance scorecard sets measures, meeting cadence and accountable owners

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Unconstrained demand forecast template
  2. BAR pricing and rate-fence model
  3. Channel net-revenue analysis worksheet
  4. Group displacement decision template
  5. Revenue meeting agenda and action log
  6. Hotel revenue management strategy pack

Who should attend

  • Revenue Managers — need stronger forecasting, pricing and inventory decision methods
  • Hotel General Managers — need to challenge commercial decisions using profit measures
  • Reservations Managers — manage availability, booking controls and conversion performance
  • Sales Managers — assess group and corporate business against displacement risk
  • Distribution and E-commerce Managers — improve channel mix, parity and net revenue
  • Financial Controllers — connect room revenue decisions with departmental profit performance

Skills and tools covered

Demand forecastingHotel pricingInventory controlDistribution economicsGroup displacement analysisRevenue performance reporting

Tools and standards

STR benchmarking, BAR pricing, Net RevPAR, Price elasticity analysis

How the course runs

Training methodology

The programme uses short instructor briefings followed by hotel data cases, spreadsheet calculations, facilitated group work and pricing simulations. Participants interpret booking pace, forecast demand, set rates, accept or decline group requests, and respond to changes in competitor pricing and channel demand. Cases cover city hotels, resorts and multi-property situations. Trainers provide structured feedback on assumptions, calculations and commercial reasoning. Individual application planning links each method to participants' own property, market segment or portfolio responsibilities.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic hotel operations and be familiar with occupancy, average daily rate and RevPAR. Experience in reservations, front office, sales, distribution, finance or revenue management is useful, ideally with access to hotel performance reports or booking data. Participants should be comfortable reading tables, percentages and trend charts, and should have basic spreadsheet confidence. Prior use of a revenue management system is helpful but not required. Advanced statistics, coding, finance qualifications and previous formal revenue management training are not required.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants should understand basic hotel operations and common measures such as occupancy, ADR and RevPAR. Experience in reservations, sales, distribution, finance or revenue management is useful, but prior revenue management system training is not required.

Bring a laptop with spreadsheet software and, where permitted, sample property reports such as pickup, segmentation, channel or daily revenue reports. Confidential data can be anonymised, and course cases are provided for those without access to live data.

It suits hotel revenue managers, reservations leaders, sales managers, general managers, distribution specialists and commercial finance staff. The content applies to hotels, resorts, serviced apartments and multi-property operations.

Hospitality finance courses focus mainly on financial reporting, budgets and cost control, while sales courses focus on account development and conversion. This course centres on daily demand forecasting, pricing, inventory control, distribution economics and displacement decisions.

Participants leave with templates and a property-specific strategy pack that can support forecast reviews, rate changes, group evaluations and channel discussions. The implementation module converts findings into a 90-day action plan with measures and owners.

Training runs from 08:30 to 16:30 each day, providing about 6.5 contact hours daily. The first part builds core forecasting, pricing and inventory methods; the later part applies them to channels, groups, profit measures, governance and the final capstone.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

Related courses in Tourism & Hospitality