“My ultimate vision is to establish Radisson as the undisputed number one digital channel into the hospitality business by 2026,” says Raul Alvarez Barrera. This is a major challenge because this sector has some powerful technology platforms such as Booking.com, which is both a partner and a competitor. Nevertheless, Radisson recently succeeded in attracting more direct than indirect customers in May. Remarkably, the Radisson group’s headquarters are located in Diegem, near Brussels. The organisation is expanding fast and has no fewer than 1,580 hotels in more than 100 countries. Raul Alvarez Barrera leads a team of 40 employees of 19 nationalities and focuses primarily on customer experience. This goes a long way. For example, Oculus virtual reality glasses are used to allow users to view all the facilities of their desired hotel online, bridging the gap between online and offline experiences. Artificial intelligence is also being fully exploited, reducing translation costs by 65 per cent. The website is available in 34 languages. In addition, a Digital Experience Centre of Excellence was established in 2018. He is therefore not talking about a digital transformation but about an experience transformation.
Will Raul Alvarez Barrera, global vice president digital, Radisson hotel group, become the CDO of the Year 2025?
