Travel industry analyst Harteveldt joins Hudson Crossing

Travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt is winding down the travel research outfit he co-founded a little more than a year ago and will be joining New York-based Hudson Crossing.

At the same time Tom Botts, managing partner of Hudson Crossing, is leaving the advisory firm to become executive vice president, chief customer officer, at the Denihan Hospitality Group in New York, although officials say the two moves are unrelated.

Botts, who co-founded Hudson Crossing in 2007, will remain on the consultancy’s advisory board.

Harteveldt, who will be based in San Francisco, becomes travel industry analyst at Hudson Crossing and will head the advisory firm’s first research efforts.

Travel marketing and technology will be the focus of Hudson Crossing’s research, Harteveldt says.

“Henry is widely known as one of the travel Industry’s brightest strategists and analysts,” says Hudson Crossing chairman Tom Christopoul.  “Henry’s deep experience in research and consulting as well as his analytic fire power will deliver immediate value to Hudson Crossing’s clients.”

Harteveldt says earlier this year his two other co-founders left Atmosphere Research Group, a research and advisory firm founded in 2011, and he has informed clients that “Atmosphere will sunset.”

Before his stint at Atmosphere, Harteveldt served as travel industry analyst at Forrester Research.

UPDATE: With Harteveldt’s hire and Hudson Crossing beginning its first research practice, this may reduce any collaboration between Hudson Crossing and PhoCusWright.

Hudson Crossing and PhoCusWright entered into a partnership in 2007 when Hudson Crossing was created.

Hudson Crossing partner and co-founder Andy Hermo provided an update today on the collaboration:

“Today we do not have an ‘official’ relationship with PhoCusWright and PCWI does not have equity in Hudson Crossing.  Philip Wolf [PhoCusWright founder and chairman] was a key advisor when myself and the other co-founders started Hudson Crossing in 2007.    Over the years we have had a close and, what I would call, reciprocal relationship.  We have collaborated on client engagements, with PCWI providing the research and HC proving the strategy consulting.  Other than that,  both companies have been mindful of identifying and sharing opportunities where appropriate.”