Skift Tech Forum Preview: Hilton’s Chief Commercial Officer on the Future of Personalized Travel
Photo Credit: Hilton executive vice president and chief commercial officer Chris Silcock is speaking at the upcoming Skift Tech Forum in Silicon Valley on June 12. Hilton
Skift Take
Balancing our desires for more personalized experiences with regard for privacy will be a major challenge for travel brands like Hilton going forward.
As Hilton's executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Chris Silcock is responsible for overseeing the global hospitality company's entire commercial team, including, but not limited, to e-commerce, regional marketing, and customer care.
It's quite a lot of ground to cover, but for Silcock, a longtime Hilton and hospitality veteran who happens to have a degree in computer science, that's what makes data and analytics so helpful — and crucial to his role.
At the inaugural Skift Tech Forum on June 12 in Silicon Valley, Silcock will discuss how data and analytics are helping shape Hilton's direct booking strategy, as well as what role it is playing in personalizing and better enhancing the overall guest experience.
What follows is an edited version of a recent Skift interview with Silcock.
Skift: Where would you say we are with regard to the so-called direct booking wars today? Are hotels winning or getting smarter about revenue management and getting more direct
