Latest news with #HotelPlanner
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Knipes to get 'back to work' after Open frustration
Essex golfer Curtis Knipes is aiming to get straight "back to work" following his first major appearance in six 24-year-old returned to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, for the 153rd Open, having made his major debut at the same course six years said he was "disappointed" to miss the cut by five shots after finishing six-over-par for his first two rounds but is already looking ahead."Really, I'm just going to be prepping now for [DP World Tour] Q-School because I am not really doing anything on either Order of Merits that I've been playing on," he told BBC Radio Essex."[Q-School will be] brutal. I'm likely going to have to go through all three stages unless I do something special so it's going to be pretty tough but [my] game's been trending nicely. I know where to tidy up so back to work." Knipes, from Chelmsford, came through qualifying to earn a second visit to Royal Portrush, six years after becoming the youngest player to feature in the 148th Open at the same venue, in 2019, aged a two-over-par first round of 73, Knipes followed that with a four-over-par second round of 75 on Friday to end his involvement before the who mainly plays on the HotelPlanner (Challenge) Tour, added: "[I'm] pretty disappointed. I feel like I've just not been sharp enough the last couple of days."I didn't make a birdie [in second round]. Putter was very, very cold. If I actually putted well then maybe there would have been half a chance of making the cut. [I was] just a bit too off really."You don't get many chances around here and I gave myself a good few looks, especially on the back nine and just couldn't convert."You have a glimmer of hope and it strips right away from you so it's pretty tough."
Travel Weekly
06-07-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
New owner Dylan Ratigan sees big things for Reservations.com
Investor Dylan Ratigan is bullish on his latest acquisition, the OTA for three reasons: its domain name, fellow OTA HotelPlanner and the opportunity to make the service more user-friendly. Ratigan acquired in March. "I believe that the domain name itself is incredibly valuable and ripe for massive expansion," he said. But three months into owning his main focus right now is the customer experience. That's also where HotelPlanner comes into the picture. Ratigan has contracted the OTA to provide travel tech support, including AI-powered customer service agents that are layered with human agents to serve more customers faster and more smoothly. Ratigan, HotelPlanner and are no strangers. While he's focused on entrepreneurial pursuits today, Ratigan's background is in news. He was Bloomberg's global head of corporate finance before hosting its morning show. He also started the show "Fast Money" at CNBC, before hosting "The Dylan Ratigan Show" at MSNBC. He left television in 2012, and that's when he met HotelPlanner owners Tim Henschel and John Prince. In the years following, he invested in a number of businesses, from hydroponics to medical devices. Today, his focus is and a luxury Italian sneaker business. Key to the acquisition Before Ratigan owned the OTA and HotelPlanner almost merged, but that deal was called off in 2022. But now, Ratigan -- who has long been an admirer of the tech stack HotelPlanner has built -- is bringing the two OTAs together in a different way. "The reason I was like 'I'll do this deal' was because I knew I could get an agreement for the travel tech support from HotelPlanner, which gave me the confidence to engage," he said. Ratigan also said he believes is one of the strongest domain names in travel, perhaps second only to he said. "I believe travel is booming and will continue to boom, and I also believe Reservations has a lot of potential outside of travel just by virtue of what the domain name is," he said. "You know, we make reservations for lots of things that are not hotel rooms, from restaurants to airplanes to events." While his initial focus is on customer experience, Ratigan has begun studying what other kind of reservations the OTA can incorporate into its business mix. He's also focused on growing in Europe; the investor himself is based in Milan.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Don't Book a Hotel at These Times (and 4 Money-Saving Reasons Why)
Timing is everything, especially when it comes to booking a hotel. Certain times of the month and year are pricier than others, and knowing when not to book can save you some cash. 'Hotel pricing is subject to fluctuations and is significantly influenced by immediate demand, reservation trends and local happenings,' explained Nick Drewe, CEO and money-saving expert at online discount platform Wethrift. 'It operates similarly to airline fare structures, where algorithms modify prices on a daily or even hourly basis.' Before you reserve your accommodations, make sure you're not booking during these times. Read Next: Check Out: Booking a hotel room at the last minute can potentially save you money, but this isn't always the case. Colleen Carswell, former hotel director of sales and current hotel solutions strategist, told HerMoney that it all comes down to supply and demand. If supply exceeds demand and the hotel needs to fill rooms, then prices may be lower. However, if there's a big event in the area and demand for hotel rooms is high and supply is low, you could pay more. Instead: Book early and keep tabs on prices online. 'I would always advise booking in advance,' Tim Hentschel, CEO and founder of Hotel Planner, recommended. 'You will then have a wider choice of dates, hotels, departure airports and destinations to select from.' See More: Peak season is a period during the year when there's more demand, which can lead to higher prices. 'Plan on paying more during peak holiday periods and major local events,' Drewe said. 'It can be tough to find a good deal around New Year's, Fourth of July or large festivals and events, which means significant markup driven by demand and limited availability.' Instead: Hentschel recommends booking a hotel in the shoulder season when there's less demand. For example, if you're traveling to Europe, he says you may get a better deal in May or September. According to Drewe, business travel and personal trips tend to spike in the first week of each month and may lead to higher hotel room prices. Instead: 'Second and third weeks of the month, especially during shoulder seasons like late spring or early fall, tend to offer the best value as well when it comes to booking,' Drewe explained. 'Families fly less during school terms, and business travel is more predictable, so prices typically stabilize or drop.' Fridays and Saturdays are often the most expensive, especially in high-demand weekend getaway areas, Drewe said. But if you need to book on one of these days, Hentschel encourages travelers to book during non-peak hours like 6 a.m. or midnight. Instead: Hentschel recommends booking on a Tuesday if you want to get the best deal. 'Most often, the pricing teams for hotels and tour operators meet on a Monday to review what's sold well over the weekend. Then on Tuesday morning, they'll update their systems and websites with deals and offers to increase bookings to hotels and destinations where they have more availability,' he explained. 'Booking on a Tuesday can drive savings of around 5%-8% for international travel when compared to the higher price points later in the week.' More From GOBankingRates 6 Used Luxury SUVs That Are a Good Investment for Retirees12 SUVs With the Most Reliable Engines7 Overpriced Grocery Items Frugal People Should Quit Buying in 20255 Cities You Need To Consider If You're Retiring in 2025 This article originally appeared on Don't Book a Hotel at These Times (and 4 Money-Saving Reasons Why) Sign in to access your portfolio
Al Etihad
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Paratore takes UAE Challenge title while Skaik settles for best amateur
13 Apr 2025 23:41 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)Renato Paratore carded a seven-under par score on the final day to win the UAE Challenge at the par-72 Al Zorah Golf and Yacht Club in Ajman, where history was made this week with Ahmad Skaik became the first Emirati to make the cut in a European Tour salvaged his tournament from an unfortunate third day's play to finish three over and still take the award for the best amateur at the tournament, the first of two back-to-back HotelPlanner events. He had to play with a cracked driver during the course of the third Italian Paratore, on the other hand, started on Sunday one shot off the overnight leader and hit a purple patch of three birdies and an eagle on the first five holes. Two further birdies on the back nine saw two-time DP World Tour winner Paratore pull away from the chasing pack to finish at 22-under par and seal a maiden title on what was earlier known as the Challenge Tour."The feeling is great, my last win was in 2020, so today was important for me," he said. "I just try to stay in the moment and stay in the hole every time I play because you can get distracted, but I stayed really focused all the days. My putting has been brilliant this week. Of course, the game has been good, but the putter played a really important role." Paratore, whose last win came at the Betfred British Masters five years ago, catapults to seventh in the Road to Mallorca Rankings and the Italian is looking to continue his impressive form at next week's Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club. "I didn't start the season well so today is a good push forward and I can't wait to play next week," the Italian added, while praising the push by his closest rival JC Ritchie. The consistent South African, who shared the 36-hole lead, piled the pressure on Paratore after making back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th, however, a double bogey on the par-three 17th ended the 31-year-old's finished second on 20-under par, three shots clear of Erickson in third. "I was five under but only leading by one shot after nine," Paratore said. "JC played really well so congratulations to him, it was a good fight until the end."France's Oihan Guillamoundeguy finished the week tied for fourth on 16-under par alongside Dubai resident Adri Arnaus of Spain. Ireland's Mark Power, German Freddy Schott and Portuguese Pedro Figueiredo were one shot further back on 14-under par. Meanwhile, Skaik was left reminiscing on what the week could have been as he collected the award for the lowest-ranked amateur from Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al 27-year-old Skaik had put together a stunning finish to his second round on Friday, going birdie-birdie-eagle over the round's final three holes at Al Zorah's course to post a five-under 67, securing his passage to the record books and the third round. He then suffered the misfortune of a cracked driver on Day 3 which affected his scoring on the back nine and Sunday was another tough day as he struggled with his replacement club, which he said "was not used to" while carding a 75 to end the tournament at three over par.
Khaleej Times
04-03-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Porteous thrives in golf and career: ‘The best part is, I get to enjoy both
Garrick Porteous may have stepped away from full-time professional golf, but his competitive fire hasn't dimmed. The two-time HotelPlanner Tour winner continues to make his mark on the course while balancing a career at ProSports International. His recent victory at The Montgomerie Golf Club proves he's still got it. Carding a superb six-under 66, Porteous clinched the 16th round of the Emirates PGA, a confidence boost ahead of next month's HotelPlanner (formerly Challenge Tour) events. Alongside his role as brand manager at ProSports International—the Middle East's leading golf distributor—Porteous remains fully immersed in competitive golf. With the company's backing, he competes in local PGA events while gearing up to defend his Abu Dhabi Challenge title, a tournament he won last year at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club. 'It's great to compete still while having the security of a full-time job,' said Porteous, who hails from Colchester, England. 'Winning an event like this and then heading into the office to congratulates from everyone at ProSports is a great feeling. Team support 'There's a real buzz of support from the team. It's also the first time in my life I've had a regular paycheck, which gives me a sense of stability. I haven't really thought about it much, but I guess it's helped me play with a little more freedom.' With the Montgomerie's greens rolling at just over 11.5 on the Stimp Meter and the course in pristine condition, low scores were needed to contend. Porteous delivered, showing the form that saw him win the 2013 Amateur Championship and cruise to a five-shot victory at the 2017 Prague Golf Challenge. 'The Emirates PGA events are really well-run, and Kieran Pratt does a fantastic job organizing them,' Porteous added. 'They fit perfectly into most players' schedules. Getting a scorecard in your hand and competing is a different challenge from just playing a casual round with mates.' Eye on the future As he looks ahead to the upcoming HotelPlanner Tour events, Porteous continues to blend his love for golf with his professional career. His background in graphic design and branding has found a natural home at ProSports, where he stays connected to the sport in more ways than one. 'My days look a little different now, but the hunger to compete is still there,' he said. 'The best part is, I get to enjoy both worlds.' With his game in good shape and confidence high, Porteous is ready to defend his title in Abu Dhabi, determined to make another statement on the HotelPlanner circuit.
