“Marketing Medley” – July 2010

Here are several recent trends and hospitality marketing hints collected from various websites, releases, etc. (Editor’s Note: JWF)

--Hoteliers should have a plan to counteract negative comments on social media websites by cultivating customer advocates. If you can find supporters in your “fan base”, they will respond on your behalf and will appear more credible in the marketplace.

--In these economic times, most hoteliers are accepting anyone who wants to book with them. From a revenue management standpoint, the key is to figure out what is the optimal price to quote to maximize your chances of getting the booking. Trends show that due to lower costs and data availability more people are turning to automated computer programs to figure out at what point more discounting won’t stimulate more demand.

--A new trend is for hoteliers to identify the guest names of online reviewers by matching locations, dates, usernames, and loyalty programs. Hoteliers can then reward positive reviews with perks (on the next stay, for example) or send the reviewer an apology or invitation for a future free stay.

--Smith Travel Research says that economic recovery (occupancy and revenue per room) is stronger in luxury hotels than in other segments of the domestic hotel industry. (Of course, this might be related to the fact that luxury hotels were also hit the hardest by the recession.)

--More hoteliers are spending money to ensure that their hotel rooms are fully-equipped for more tech-savvy guests. Other hotel chains are working to make sure that reliable, high-speed wireless internet access is a basic quality service.

--Travel Market Report indicated that booking windows have changed. Travel agents are seeing mostly bookings within 90 days of travel or very long-term bookings for travel a year or more in the future. Most agents reported very few bookings in between.(What percentage of your hotels are still booked by TA’s?)

--Two Holiday Inns are testing out a program whereby guests download an application to their smart phones. This enables them to open their room door by holding their phone to a sensor and would eliminate the need for keycards.

--Trump Hotels has customized their Facebook page to allow viewers who are interested to book right from that site. They have added a booking “widget” for convenience and to take advantage of potential hotel guests who are using social media more.

Best, Julie Wernick, HSMAInsider