"The most innovative revenue office in the Benelux"

This year, hotel revenue management company IFHG celebrates its 10th anniversary. Founder and Managing Director Albert Kreeft talks about IFHG's added value and his partnership in the new Excite boutique hotels.

"Thank you! Indeed 10 years, who would have ever thought! Once started as a sole trader - it was then going from assignment to assignment. After three years, Nick Teunissen joined. He started at IFHG as the first Revenue manager and grew with us to become Commercial Director. After ten years, I can proudly say that IFHG has become one of the largest revenue management companies in the Benelux that helps hotels improve and optimise performance. Other competitors are one-person companies with 1 or 2 employees. We are now at 10+ professionals, which makes us
the biggest."

"It would be great to broaden our horizons to include holiday parks, apartment complexes and possibly restaurant chains. This is in line with our ambition to be the most innovative revenue office in the Benelux. Say revenue, you say IFHG. Behind the scenes, we are currently busy developing the brand, with a new corporate identity and website that exudes the professionalism we deliver to our hotels. These we hope to launch in Q2."

"I come from a hospitality family but I see myself as a hotel entrepreneur rather than a hotelier. From the revenue growth we were seeing from clients and hotels, I was keen to start a partnership to benefit more from our revenue successes. Think 10-15% net profit at hotels. Together with associate David Reinders Folmer, a hotelier friend from the IFHG days, we started Excite Hotels, a collection of inspiring 'small luxury design hotels' of 30 to 50 rooms in the Netherlands. Within 10 years, we aim to have 10 hotels in the portfolio. Super cool!"

"What is good for my customer is good for me. That mutual loyalty with the hoteliers is the most important thing. During the difficult Corona period, I saw again how important that is. There was an atmosphere of: we help each other through this. Towards my employees, I think trust is the greatest good. I pay a lot of attention to the connection between people. I think preconditions are very important. That the atmosphere among them is good and that everyone works with the best IT equipment."

"I think so. We understand how hotels work, but we also feel a personal connection. Because almost everyone with us has done hotel school, there really is that affinity with the hotel industry and love for the profession."