“Marketing Medley” – October/November 2010

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

Every web savvy hoteliers knows that the Internet has changed the way in which customers plan and purchase travel. Hoteliers need to tailor their online marketing strategies to include these initiatives and evolve with changes in the travel purchase process.

It is no longer a question of whether your target markets are engaging with these initiatives or are active on Facebook and Twitter. Statistics show that social media is popular even among the older generation. If you are not reaching the hyper-Interactive traveler, then you are going to quickly lose market share.

Visual imagery is becoming increasingly important on your hotel’s website. The photos need to appeal to the emotional as well as intellectual side of your viewers. Potential visitors need to be able to imagine themselves potentially staying at your hotel. This “bonding” will change viewers to bookers. Photos also need to be able to down loaded fast as website visitors have limited patience.

Positive reviews are an extremely powerful marketing tool. By extending the customer voice across all marketing channels, brands and retailers can drive incredible value from their customers' opinions. In other words, customer input creates great ad copy. (It’s important to respond to negative reviews, but don’t forget to respond to the positive ones, too. Shows you are “paying attention”.)

There are 5 basic ways that travel companies are using social media successfully. These are: 1. Relevant Customer engagement; 2. Crisis Communications (to keep customers informed; avert disasters); 3. Discount Deals; 4. Building Online Communities; and 5. Real Time Monitoring and Responding.

On the other hand:
According to an American Express survey, more than one-third of travelers turned to offline resources, including travel agents, for planning and booking.

According to Fast Company, “live” travel agents deliver service that online travel agents have never been able to replicate much less replace, despite endless claims to the contrary. This is especially true in times of crises (when cancellations occur; weather related problems, etc.).

Trends from the retail sector?
Taking a lead from department store retailers, hoteliers are luring guests by offering “special” private sales that save as much as 60 percent on rooms, to get through the rough times of low occupancies and economic downturns.

And: Coupon sites are now offering discounts on travel. (Any South Florida hoteliers using these effectively?)

Meeting Segment:
As we learned from our recent September 2010 meeting planners’ panel presentation, sustainability and conservation are becoming more important to meeting planners and to attendees. Starwood Hotels has introduced sustainable-meeting guidelines at their properties. The guidelines range from menu choices and bottled water alternatives to using potted plants as centerpieces (instead of cut flowers). In addition a “Meeting Impact Report” will be generated for clients demonstrating the impact of their meetings on the environment.

Personal Service/Quality:
Setting your hotel apart from the crowd has always been a challenge. One way to do this is by providing personal service that can make a visitor want to return. For larger hotels, a concierge can be your number one salesperson. If they provide excellent service, people will remember this and want to come back.

According to SQInsight Hospitality, Guest satisfaction is a direct result of quality. And quality is more important than price in telling hospitality companies apart from one another. Though no agreed definition of what service quality is exists, it is generally accepted that service quality is dependent on guest’s needs and expectations. Guest perceptions can be measured effectively through carefully designed surveys.

Travel Trends/Research:
According to Smith Travel Research, for June, 2010, U.S. hotel occupancy climbed to 65 percent, up 6.9 percent from its levels in June of 2009. Average daily rate increased by 1 percent, and revenue per available room was up 8 percent. Upper hotel tiers increased rates year over year in June, while lower tiers continued to see rates fall.

Research intensity has been increasing steadily. Travelers are consuming more content online before booking a trip. Google has seen a 15 percent increase in site visits and 30 percent increase in search clicks prior to booking.
Over half of business and personal travelers interact with online travel videos in all stages of their travel planning.
Consumers are booking their trips online closer to the travel date.
Travelers are searching more for local, point-of-interest-based information around a destination while planning for and during a trip.

Google has seen a 66 percent growth since 2004 in “Near +” and “Close To +” terms in the Hotels & Accommodations Category on Google.com.