FROM a standing start in 2018, hotel tech company Hop, founded by Highland hoteliers Richard Drummond and Jon Erasmus, has just notched up its 200th UK client.
Drummond and Erasmus, who operate their own hospitality businesses in Perthshire and Inverness, developed Hop after becoming frustrated by what they described as ‘out-dated and expensive’ hotel software systems.
Using their own sector knowledge, they created a bespoke, cloud-based, system, then launched it to market alongside company co-founder and CTO Ronald Tweedie.
Now, after posting year-on-year growth, Hop is aiming to grow its share of the hotel technology market. It recently signed an integration agreement with Australian events management software firm, iVvy, which has over 25,000 users in 14 countries.
“Passing the 200 property milestone is an achievement for the company as we continue to grow and we will always look to the market leaders within other areas if it means we can advance and improve what we can offer Hop customers,” said Mr Drummond, who also co-owns McKays Hotel Bar and Restaurant in Pitlochry.
“The iVvy partnership is an example of that. We have clients now in Scotland and globally that manage hundreds of events per year. That requires in-depth functionality and that is why, for this type of customer, we decided to partner with one of the industry leaders to provide that solution.
“Our clients are getting a great Events module with Hop’s ability to handle all the bedroom reservations, rates, reporting and finances,” he said.
“In terms of the user, they are getting a seamless ability to book everything in one go.”
Hop now operates from three offices, with an Edinburgh base, an English north-west office in Chester and a site in South Africa.
The company has also added a digital marketing agency, HopDigital, to help hotels reach new customers through digital strategies, with 25 creative and design staff recruited.
