Shiji Aims to Fill an Overlooked Hole in Hotel Distribution
Skift Take
No one has cornered the market in enterprise software for hotels. This fractured sector creates opportunities for vendors. One notable pitch is Shiji's call for "total distribution."
Travel Tech Briefing
Editor’s Note: Exclusive reporting on technology’s impact on the travel industry, delivered every Thursday. The briefing will guide executives as they decide if their companies should “build, buy, or partner” to stay ahead.Shiji Group correctly bet that international hotel companies would shift from on-premise to cloud-based tools. So what will the tech vendor bet on next?
To find out, I interviewed Shiji's chief operating officer Kevin King. He spoke to me from Dubai, where he's been working recently. King discussed the company's vision for "total distribution." He believes hotels have efficiency gaps in how they connect with resellers. King also covered Shiji's plan for its enterprise software platform and which companies he admires the most in the market.Shiji Group has grown since 2019 when I last spoke with King at an on-stage event.
It now serves about 70,000 properties outside of China, King said.Its biggest win is The Peninsula Group, which is shifting to Shiji's property management system across a half-dozen properties worldwide. The Peninsula Beijing made the switch first.Shiji has also been working with "other major large accounts, including one of the largest hotel g
