We found an interesting fact on Barter News Weekly’s post Hospitality Industry Needs Barter Now More than Ever. According to HotelIndustryTrends.com, hotel room revenue fell 14 percent in 2009, across the world. This statistic was not surprising given the current state of the economy, but obviously not what hoteliers want to hear. These types of statistics lead hotels to lower room rates and create special packages. These are great ways to draw customers to your hotel, because the lure of a free meal or discounted spa package with a hotel stay is almost irresistible. But hoteliers would rather not give away these perks for free. They would rather sell their rooms, dinners and spa packages at the price they have deemed profitable.

This is why barter is such an attractive idea to many hotels. With a lot of expenses and not many areas to cut costs, hotels have a lot to gain from bartering. They are most profitable when they have reached capacity, because there is little increased expense associated with each individual guest.

With many different spaces, hotels have a number of barter options, even if their rooms are full.

• Trade unoccupied rooms in order to achieve capacity.

• Sell banquet rooms, ballrooms or conference centers on trade.

• Accept trade at hotel restaurants to fill empty tables.

• Sell restaurant catering for hotel conventions, weddings and other events on trade.

• Rent out space to retailers or a spa on trade and make your hotel a destination with shopping and lavish amenities.

Empty room nights and other hotel facilities are perishable inventory. Not filling unsold inventory through barter is losing additional revenue that can be invested.

By using barter, hotels have a means to keep their room nights at capacity, achieve a higher average daily rate than through liquidation channels and gain barter revenue to offset cash expenses at a later date.

One of a hotel’s primary needs is to maintain an up-to-date, clean and desirable destination. Renovations and facility maintenance are constantly needed. Along with numerous other expenses, purchases like plumbing, electrical, cleaning services and large capital purchases like mattresses or other hotel necessities can be purchased through barter. Spending trade dollars on these otherwise costly expenses will save a hotel a lot of cash.

Or hotels could offset the cash outlay for numerous other budgeted cash expenses such as advertising, floral delivery, valet service, dry cleaning and printed materials. Along with added amenities and perks for hotel guests to make their experience memorable.

Barter customers are likely to spend on food and beverage, room service and other hotel amenities to bring the hotel additional cash revenue.

As with every barter deal, using barter brings new customers that may not have otherwise done business with you. And by showing your good hospitality, those new customers will refer you to their friends and family.

Tell us your ideas and experiences with barter for the hotel industry.