In only a few short years Google has become a major player in the travel industry. Its influence extends beyond simply searching for hotels or airline flights. It now appears Google's goal is to be the online choice for booking all travel arrangements – all in one place.
More and more consumers are discovering great restaurants through social media. Once they find an interesting restaurant, their next step is to look for reviews. As an experienced restaurateur, this may not be news to you.
Best Practices, Guest Reviews, Infographics, Social Media
As we enter the month of May, many begin looking forward to Summer vacation. Your future guests are certainly doing this! They’re starting to think about where to go, how to get there, and where to stay.
Infographics, Social Media
The Summer travel season will be here before you know it – Are you ready for your guests? We took a look at the latest research available to show us which channels are used most by travelers to search and book, how far in advance they book, and their preferred travel searches online.
Best Practices, Case Studies, Infographics
It may be considered an understatement to say there were a lot of changes in the social media landscape in 2018.
Best Practices, Case Studies, Social Media
In the past few years, there have been concerted efforts by hotel brands to offer incentives and advertise to consumers the benefits of booking direct. Brands have ramped up their loyalty programs and spent considerable dollars on marketing campaigns.
Case Studies, Guest Reviews, Infographics
Facebook IQ recently released the
Best Practices, Case Studies, Infographics, Social Media
If you’re not an active Instagram user, you may be wondering what the fuss is all about. You know that Instagram is a social networking app made for sharing photos and videos but why is it important to your hotel or restaurant?
Hotels are facing an increasingly competitive market. Most trip planners aren’t just looking at price points - they’re reading online reviews before they book a room.
Best Practices, Guest Reviews
It is amazing that a social networking site that was originally created for college students is now the most prominent social site used to connect and share with family and friends online. What’s more amazing is its broad use across generational lines.
Infographics, Social Media
You may have seen Google’s recent announcement that they will slowly shut down their Google+ social media platform. Frankly, this should come as no surprise.
Best Practices, Social Media
When I heard the recent announcement by Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson regarding their PILOT in London with …
Case Studies, Infographics
As if calculating the ROI of digital marketing wasn’t complicated enough! Time and effort is spent crafting creative ideas to capture an audience and to convert that audience to loyal guests who then become impassioned cheerleaders.
Infographics, Social Media
It wasn’t very long after reviews became the ultimate influence in decision-making for shoppers of products or services that it became a part of our Hospitality industry.
Guest Reviews, Infographics
It’s business planning time again! Here are 5 things you can do now to get ready:
1. Review the current year
Best Practices, Guest Reviews, Social Media
What you post on your social channels matters. Quality content is the key to growing your social followers and turning your followers into customers. So, what should you be posting?
Best Practices, Social Media
Managing a successful social media account for a business takes more effort than many people realize. A schedule or calendar must be created along with taking or locating appropriate photos, creating captions, responding to comments, engaging followers, etc.
Best Practices, Social Media
According to a January 2018 report by the Pew Research Center, 68% of US adults use Facebook, 73% use Youtube, and 35% use Instagram.
Best Practices, Social Media
In just two years, Millennials will be in the driver’s seat with their purchasing power. Are you equipped to reach them so that your hotel is in their consideration set?
Best Practices, Social Media
In the midst of a tumultuous time in our history, it’s inspiring to witness women coming together to make changes for themselves and each other. One of the biggest celebrations of women happens on International Women’s Day which is observed on March 8.
It’s no secret that Hotel Brands have been looking for ways to compete against OTA bookings since the inception of online travel agencies. The quandary is figuring out how.
Case Studies
Brands are working overtime trying to bring booking customers back to hotel websites, rather than have them book with an online travel agency. Do you know who is performing the best?
Case Studies
Congratulations to #Hyatt for its 60th Anniversary! This milestone made me think back to the days when I worked for Hyatt and what that looked like. We trained our front desk associates to recognize guests by their names each time they approached the front desk.
Best Practices
As you’re setting your goals for the upcoming year, an important element to consider is how you will manage your guest reviews and satisfaction surveys. A first step is to take an honest assessment of how your reviews are being managed now.
Best Practices, Infographics
Your guests have many paths to find your hotel. The growth of online visibility has created an entirely new avenue for guest service – online reputation management.
Infographics
You’ve been asked to handle the responses to reviews for your hotel. You’re seen as the person on staff who is the most social media savvy, so you are the obvious choice. Right? Perhaps. But being a consumer...
Infographics, Social Media
Before we all speed off into 2017, I wanted to slow down and acknowledge our progress in the past year.
Best Practices
We all know that it is easy to get locked into focusing on just what is in front of us. Our planners and lists drive the progress of each day as we move from tackling one task to the next.
Best Practices
This study is based on data from 3rd party/OTA websites and Rewards Member websites (Marriott.com, Starwood.com, IHG.com) during a 10 month period from January 1 - October 31, 2016.
Infographics
When you are a kid in school, testing is not something you look forward to. In fact, for some of us, it can create high levels of anxiety and require many hours of preparation.
Best Practices, Case Studies, Guest Reviews, Infographics, Social Media
When online travel agencies (OTAs) and other third-party booking channels empowered past guests to judge their stay experiences with a star rating, hoteliers had to pay attention. Then guests shared photos and wrote reviews, and hoteliers had to get involved.
Best Practices, Case Studies, Guest Reviews, Infographics, Social Media
Results of a case study with 150 full service, select service and extended stay hotels located in the United States and Canada during July 1 through September 30, 2016. The focus of case study was to determine whether responding to hotel guest reviews on all respondable channels 24/7/365…
Infographics
Earlier this fall, I attended a large luncheon at an upscale hotel. As an event planner myself, I am always tuned into the details of the event...
Guest Reviews
A recent report sparked a debate in our offices: should you take notes by hand or on a device? Is there any value in writing anything by hand?
Best Practices, Guest Reviews
The other day while shopping at my local grocery store, I looked up from my list and made eye contact with the woman coming toward me. We both made that face – you know the one where you realize you’re supposed to know that person, and you can’t remember her name.
Best Practices, Social Media
