(Editor’s Note: Here’s another collection of newsworthy items from our industry members and the South Florida community. HSMAInsider, Julie Wernick)
Southeast Florida:
Best wishes to Valerie Burgess, former Business Development Manager at The Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale. She recently transferred (in August) to the Embassy Suites in Piscataway, NJ where she is the Corporate Sales Manager. Stop by to say hello if you’re ever up in the northeast.
Ronnie Shoua, the former GM for the Holiday Park Hotel in Deerfield Beach, now has a new company to help hotels "fight" against bed-bugs. The company is using advanced technology with a machine that disperses Cryonite in order to freeze and kill bed bugs. (Cryonite is carbon dioxide snow. It’s the same substance as dry ice, sitting at a very cold temperature of about -108 degrees Fahrenheit). You may contact Ronnie at (954) 918-9573 or check out his website: http://www.bedbugspc.com/
Sandra Edwards, the former Director of Sales of Jungle Island, has left the company. We wish her well and know she will find a new “home” in the very near future.
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau reports that September monthly figures showed 22 consecutive months of tourism growth for Broward County. Occupancy rates were 57.7% in September 2011 vs. 53.8% in that month in 2010.
The GFLCVB was in Toronto for their Santa Claus Parade, to launch “Defrost Your Swimsuit” campaign. In addition to the Toronto newspaper, radio and TV advertising and public relations efforts, three beach getaways were offered in an online contest with the Toronto Star. The CVB will also be in NYC and London this winter with the "Defrost Your Swimsuit" campaign.
The Wine Spectator's 2011Award of Excellence was presented to 3030 Ocean Restaurant at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa for their fine selection of wines. 3030 Ocean joins the list of elite eating establishments whose wine lists offer interesting selections and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers.
The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int’l Airport announced that American Airlines will begin service to Los Angeles in November and additional Chicago and Dallas service in February; Vision will begin service to Freeport in November; and Southwest will begin service to Milwaukee and Manchester (MA) in February.
The following South Florida hotels/resorts were mentioned in the Condé Nast Traveler’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards. Nine South Florida resorts ranked in the “Top 50 Mainland U.S. Resorts”: #18 The Breakers (Palm Beach); #44 Brazilian Court (Palm Beach); #44: Ritz-Carlton Ritz-Carlton (Palm Beach); #83 W South Beach Hotel & Residences; #85 ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa; #88: Omphoy Ocean Resort (Palm Beach); #97 Biltmore Hotel (Coral Gables); #102 Ritz-Carlton-Key Biscayne; #121: Ritz-Carlton-Fort Lauderdale;
Seven South Florida hotels were listed in the “Top 200 U.S. Hotels” list: #32: The Setai (Miami Beach); #50: Epic Hotel Miami); #75: Mandarin Oriental-Miami; #106: Four Seasons-Miami; #161: W Fort Lauderdale ; #165: Ritz-Carlton, Miami Beach; and the Seagate Hotel & Spa (Delray Beach).
For the Top 50 Small U.S. Hotels, South Florida had three mentions in the “Top 50 Small US Hotels” category: at #14: Pillars Hotel, Fort Lauderdale; #15: The Tides, Miami Beach; and #23: Sundy House, Delray Beach.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will reopen the Surfcomber in Miami Beach on Dec. 1 after a multimillion-dollar renovation of the 63-year-old art deco hotel.
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort will open on Jan. 19, in affluent Bal Harbour, Fla.
Hersha Hospitality is buying the Courtyard Miami Beach Oceanfront. The 263-room Art Deco hotel is at 3925 Collins Avenue and originally opened as the Cadillac. In 2004, following a renovation, it reopened as the only Marriott-franchised hotel on Miami Beach. The property has approval for adding 93 rooms in a new tower. The company also plans on expanding meeting space and parking. Construction on the additions should start in 2012.
Southwest Florida:
The Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande and the Tortuga Beach Club Resort on Sanibel Island earned spots on the annual list of “Top 150 Large U.S. Mainland Resorts” compiled by Condé Nast Traveler magazine from its Readers’ Choice Awards survey.
The November 2011 issue of Golf Digest, ranked the Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande #37 on its list of the “75 Best Golf Resorts in North America”, and #2 within the state of Florida.
The Lee County Port Authority has been honored with three recent awards at both the state and international levels. First, the Florida Public Relations Association presented the port authority with an Award of Distinction in the 2011 Golden Image Awards, for statewide recognition of its internal United Way campaign. Second, the Florida Airports Council honored the port authority with the General Aviation Airport Environmental Excellence Award for Page Field’s Pollution Prevention Program and its commitment to voluntary prevention measures during the last seven years. Lastly, RSW was honored with an award from Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) in the 2011 Excellence in Marketing and Communications Contest for its “Fly Me to the Moon” art exhibit brochure.
The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) announced that the fiscal year completed in September (October 2010 – September 2011) represents the highest bed tax collection on record with revenue of $24.2 million.
During the month of September 2011, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel hosted 252,000 visitors, who spent $95 million. Visitors staying in paid accommodations contributed $68.2 million to the total – a 1.8 percent increase year-over-year. Total visitor expenditures for calendar year-to-year continued to show improvement over last year with a 12.7 percent gain. Average occupancy rate rose 4.7 percent year-over-year for September. RevPAR was up 2.0 percent from September 2010 to September 2011.
During September 2011, 351,881 passengers traveled through Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), a decrease of 6.1 percent compared to September 2010. Year-to-date, passenger traffic is up 2.7 percent from the same period last year
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To submit items for future blog columns, please send info to jwfranklin1@gmail.com Best, Julie Wernick, HSMAInsider
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
“Hospitality Marketing Medley” – October/November 2011
(Editor’s Note: Here are some recent trends and hospitality marketing hints collected from various websites, releases, etc. Best, Julie Wernick, HSMAInsider.)
Many hotel brands are redefining and redesigning their conference and/or lobby areas to meet the needs and expectations of a new breed of traveler looking for social spaces that serve multiple purposes, particularly networking and impromptu meetings. The Hotels are trying to modernize their public spaces to be extremely flexible, to encourage meeting and mingling.
Hotel companies are racing to create a better room key. The big selling point of the new keys is that they let travelers skip the front desk and go straight to their rooms. Some chains are adopting permanent keys that repeat guests can carry in their wallets and use for multiple trips at a variety of properties. Other establishments are doing away with physical keys altogether; instead, guests can open their room doors by holding their cell phone next to the lock. Hotels don't see much cost savings from the changes but expect the moves will help them stand out in customer service. So far, tests of new types of keys have been limited and it is unclear how widespread the new technologies will become.
Running on radio frequency identification technology, Smart Check-In caters to a new generation of guests on the go who are more interested in high-tech than high-touch service. This works on radio frequency id technology. Starwood Preferred Guests can use this in certain properties. On their check in day, they receive a text message to their mobile device with their room number. This allows them to skip the check-in lines and go straight to their room. Aloft Hotels, part of Starwood Hotels, was the first tech-savvy hotel group in the industry to try an automatic-check in program. They had such great success that they have expanded this service to others in their program.
Travelers are turning to personal devices instead of forking over fees for hotel-based services. Phone calls, movies, Internet access - hotels are learning that guests want to do anything but pay when it comes to in-room add-ons. The number of people bypassing hotel-based Wi-Fi has been tough to quantify. Even as more hotels offer complimentary Wi-Fi — it's more prevalent at lower-cost hotels than high-priced ones — the proliferation of Web-enabled devices is a trend to watch.
High-end hoteliers' investments are shifting away from fancy freebies like lotion and soap and toward expert service that reflects a real understanding of the guest's preferences. The recession caused luxury hotels to look at what it offered in each room and decide what current items guests would not miss.
Hotels have used scent, art and food to set themselves apart. New on the horizon: To use indie musicians as a way to define itself. The musicians can be found on playlists created by hotel groups (like Morgans or W Hotels). The playlists are meant to match emerging independent bands with each of its hotels. On the playlist for the Delano in Miami, for example, they aimed for “sexy and sophisticated” music.
Online hotel guest experience surveys have been growing in popularity recently across the industry. It is sent to guests after they have stayed at a hotel, making it very easy for them to give their feedback direct to the hotelier. If there is something they would like to say, they are able to do so when it is convenient to them and after they have completed the hotel experience. This type of survey helps hotels evolve and anticipate changing guest needs.
Travelers rated hotels nearly 3% higher than last year in the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which measures travelers' satisfaction with products and services during the first quarter of each year. Low rates and more perks such as free Wi-Fi and upgraded exercise facilities have increased satisfaction. But the rates and perks haven't made guests more loyal as more people still shop around for the best deal rather than staying loyal to one brand.
Stayed at a rundown Holiday Inn, a lackluster Sheraton, or a '70s-era Hilton? The owners of several chains are revamping their classic properties to appeal to a new crop of business travelers—and hopefully ward off brand extinction. Surveys reveal that business travelers like hotels (and pretty much despise airlines). Their decisions usually come down to one word: choice. Airlines don't give you any, but hotel chains are all about choice. But all that "segmentation” has come at a high cost. The middle ground of the hotel business has turned murky. Some big hotel chains are struggling to redefine their once-iconic full-service lodging brands.
Banish any preconceived notions you may have about retired senior citizens as merely bargain hunters, says a new Amadeus analysis of the travel market. In 2011 and in the future, this burgeoning demographic will be a driving factor in the luxury tourism industry. Amadeus also identifies senior citizens as an “important source of future income” for travel agents including the lucrative luxury travel segments. Here are some other insights into this market segment: Today’s seniors—ranging from age 50 to 90-plus—are physically fitter, healthier, have more disposable income, and are increasingly interested in experience- and destination-based journeys; Agents should cultivate face-to-face business with retired seniors by becoming “lifestyle managers” who provide high-margin, tailored services. Agents who focus on “superior” customer service and listening to what their customers have to say are likely to be the ones who prosper in the future.
There had been a dramatic increase in women business travelers and addressing the needs of this market segment has become increasingly critical for hotel companies. According to a new Cornell study, Managers should focus on how combinations of services, amenities, and facilities contribute to the desired affective responses sought by the growing women business travelers segment. Women are developing a clear and consistent message about the need to feel safe, comfortable, empowered, and pampered.
One of the easiest ways that every small business can compete with their competition is by reaching out to and soliciting business from current and past customers. In most cases, a repeat business strategy can be implemented by the company directly without the need for outside consulting. It can be as simple as calling or emailing a past-customer. This method is also very inexpensive with very little overhead. It also allows you to directly engage a large group of extremely targeted buyers who have previously purchased your services.
According to data from PKF Hospitality Research demand for U.S. hotel rooms in 2011 will increase a solid 4.9 percent, while the average daily room rate (ADR) paid by guests will rise a modest 2.4 percent.
Many hotel brands are redefining and redesigning their conference and/or lobby areas to meet the needs and expectations of a new breed of traveler looking for social spaces that serve multiple purposes, particularly networking and impromptu meetings. The Hotels are trying to modernize their public spaces to be extremely flexible, to encourage meeting and mingling.
Hotel companies are racing to create a better room key. The big selling point of the new keys is that they let travelers skip the front desk and go straight to their rooms. Some chains are adopting permanent keys that repeat guests can carry in their wallets and use for multiple trips at a variety of properties. Other establishments are doing away with physical keys altogether; instead, guests can open their room doors by holding their cell phone next to the lock. Hotels don't see much cost savings from the changes but expect the moves will help them stand out in customer service. So far, tests of new types of keys have been limited and it is unclear how widespread the new technologies will become.
Running on radio frequency identification technology, Smart Check-In caters to a new generation of guests on the go who are more interested in high-tech than high-touch service. This works on radio frequency id technology. Starwood Preferred Guests can use this in certain properties. On their check in day, they receive a text message to their mobile device with their room number. This allows them to skip the check-in lines and go straight to their room. Aloft Hotels, part of Starwood Hotels, was the first tech-savvy hotel group in the industry to try an automatic-check in program. They had such great success that they have expanded this service to others in their program.
Travelers are turning to personal devices instead of forking over fees for hotel-based services. Phone calls, movies, Internet access - hotels are learning that guests want to do anything but pay when it comes to in-room add-ons. The number of people bypassing hotel-based Wi-Fi has been tough to quantify. Even as more hotels offer complimentary Wi-Fi — it's more prevalent at lower-cost hotels than high-priced ones — the proliferation of Web-enabled devices is a trend to watch.
High-end hoteliers' investments are shifting away from fancy freebies like lotion and soap and toward expert service that reflects a real understanding of the guest's preferences. The recession caused luxury hotels to look at what it offered in each room and decide what current items guests would not miss.
Hotels have used scent, art and food to set themselves apart. New on the horizon: To use indie musicians as a way to define itself. The musicians can be found on playlists created by hotel groups (like Morgans or W Hotels). The playlists are meant to match emerging independent bands with each of its hotels. On the playlist for the Delano in Miami, for example, they aimed for “sexy and sophisticated” music.
Online hotel guest experience surveys have been growing in popularity recently across the industry. It is sent to guests after they have stayed at a hotel, making it very easy for them to give their feedback direct to the hotelier. If there is something they would like to say, they are able to do so when it is convenient to them and after they have completed the hotel experience. This type of survey helps hotels evolve and anticipate changing guest needs.
Travelers rated hotels nearly 3% higher than last year in the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which measures travelers' satisfaction with products and services during the first quarter of each year. Low rates and more perks such as free Wi-Fi and upgraded exercise facilities have increased satisfaction. But the rates and perks haven't made guests more loyal as more people still shop around for the best deal rather than staying loyal to one brand.
Stayed at a rundown Holiday Inn, a lackluster Sheraton, or a '70s-era Hilton? The owners of several chains are revamping their classic properties to appeal to a new crop of business travelers—and hopefully ward off brand extinction. Surveys reveal that business travelers like hotels (and pretty much despise airlines). Their decisions usually come down to one word: choice. Airlines don't give you any, but hotel chains are all about choice. But all that "segmentation” has come at a high cost. The middle ground of the hotel business has turned murky. Some big hotel chains are struggling to redefine their once-iconic full-service lodging brands.
Banish any preconceived notions you may have about retired senior citizens as merely bargain hunters, says a new Amadeus analysis of the travel market. In 2011 and in the future, this burgeoning demographic will be a driving factor in the luxury tourism industry. Amadeus also identifies senior citizens as an “important source of future income” for travel agents including the lucrative luxury travel segments. Here are some other insights into this market segment: Today’s seniors—ranging from age 50 to 90-plus—are physically fitter, healthier, have more disposable income, and are increasingly interested in experience- and destination-based journeys; Agents should cultivate face-to-face business with retired seniors by becoming “lifestyle managers” who provide high-margin, tailored services. Agents who focus on “superior” customer service and listening to what their customers have to say are likely to be the ones who prosper in the future.
There had been a dramatic increase in women business travelers and addressing the needs of this market segment has become increasingly critical for hotel companies. According to a new Cornell study, Managers should focus on how combinations of services, amenities, and facilities contribute to the desired affective responses sought by the growing women business travelers segment. Women are developing a clear and consistent message about the need to feel safe, comfortable, empowered, and pampered.
One of the easiest ways that every small business can compete with their competition is by reaching out to and soliciting business from current and past customers. In most cases, a repeat business strategy can be implemented by the company directly without the need for outside consulting. It can be as simple as calling or emailing a past-customer. This method is also very inexpensive with very little overhead. It also allows you to directly engage a large group of extremely targeted buyers who have previously purchased your services.
According to data from PKF Hospitality Research demand for U.S. hotel rooms in 2011 will increase a solid 4.9 percent, while the average daily room rate (ADR) paid by guests will rise a modest 2.4 percent.
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