Guest Loyalty Is Not Dead – It’s Just Really Boring
Ellis Connolly | May 19, 2022
Loyalty
When It Comes to Inspiring Loyalty and Direct Bookings, FOMO Marketing Is Out, and Instant Gratification Is In
Ellis Connolly | April 20, 2022
In today’s fast-paced and competitive landscape, guests have high expectations of convenience and a low tolerance for delays, gimmicks, or friction By Ellis Connelly What is the best way to incentivize behavior? This line of questioning keeps marketers and business owners up at night. Why? Because brands can’t protect their bottom line without generating revenue, and they can’t generate revenue without nudging their customer toward a desired purchase. Hospitality professionals, especially, are familiar with this challenge, as travelers are constantly inundated with options and competing product offerings at every stage of their...
The Siegel Group Completes Sale of Artisan Hotel Boutique for $11.9M
The Siegel Group Nevada, Inc. | March 25, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NV – March 25, 2022 – The Siegel Group Nevada, Inc., a Commercial Real Estate & Development Company, announced today that it had completed the sale of the Artisan Hotel Boutique; a 64-room boutique hotel located in Las Vegas, Nevada. The sale price was $11.90 million. The Siegel Group is proud to be one of the first companies to have brought boutique hotels to Las Vegas starting in 2007. As a long-time leader in off-strip, boutique hotel properties, The Siegel Group not only brought this unique style to Las Vegas with the Artisan Hotel Boutique, but also with The Gold Spike Hotel & Casino, Oasis at Gold Spike, The Re...
Using Your Loyalty-Reward Program to Improve Word-of-Mouth About Your Hospitality Business
THE PENN STATE SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT | February 16, 2022
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA — February 16, 2022 — New research from Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management found that companies like airlines and hotels can use their loyalty-reward programs to improve word-of-mouth about their business, both online and in the real world. Research has repeatedly validated the well-worn cliché that word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising. Today, unpaid product and business reviews on sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor constitute a digital form of word-of-mouth that is more important than ever to the success of businesses. Anna Mattila, Marriott Professor of Lodging Management in the School of Ho...
Tripadvisor Content Moderation Transparency Report Reveals New Data in Fight Against Fake Reviews
TripAdvisor | October 27, 2021
2021 Review Transparency Report analyzes a full year of traveler contributions — over 26 million reviews — to examine how review trends shifted during the pandemic A total of 3.6% of all review submissions in 2020 were identified as fake – Tripadvisor’s robust platform protections ensured the vast majority never made it onto the platform In-depth report findings coincide with launch of new Trust and Safety information center on Tripadvisor NEEDHAM, Mass. - Tripadvisor, the travel platform trusted by hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide for its traveler reviews, has today published its 2021 Review Transparency Rep...
Wyndham Unveils All-Inclusive Resort Brand – Wyndham Alltra – Through New Strategic Alliance With Playa Hotels & Resorts
Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. | October 6, 2021
Wyndham's 22nd Brand Debuts with Two Beachfront Resorts in Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, with More Resorts to Follow PARSIPPANY, N.J., Oct. 6, 2021 -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH), the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries, and Playa Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: PLYA), a leading owner, operator and developer of all-inclusive resorts in popular vacation destination in Mexico and the Caribbean, announced today the launch of a new all-inclusive resort brand, Wyndham Alltra. The announcement marks Wyndham's 22nd brand and its first dedicated entirely to the fast-growing,...
U.S. News Reveals 2021-22 Best Travel Rewards Programs
U.S. News & World Report | August 31, 2021
Washington, D.C. – U.S. News & World Report, publisher of Best Hotels, Best Cruise Lines and Best Vacations, today announced the 2021-22 Best Travel Rewards Programs. The annual rankings identify 24 hotel and airline loyalty programs with the most rewarding perks for everyday travelers. After several years at No. 2, Wyndham Rewards improved to be the No. 1 Best Hotel Rewards Program. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan remains the No. 1 Best Airline Rewards Program for the seventh year in a row. This year, U.S. News also considered each travel rewards program's response to the coronavirus pandemic, and factored in how flexible...
Tourism Tidbits: Developing Employee Loyalty in the Hope That Tourism Will Soon Return to Normal
Peter Tarlow | April 5, 2021
By Dr. Peter Tarlow One of the things that the tourism and travel industry learned from the Covid-10 Pandemic is the importance of good and loyal employees. Everyone seems to want loyal employees, yet few tourism businesses seem to know how to win this loyalty. In fact, tourism is known for high employee turnover, low pay, and often capricious management. It is a mistake to overlook the fact that employee-employer relations often impact the tourism experience and may become a major form of positive or negative marketing. In fact, good management inspires loyalty and often results in the type of customer service that produces repeat...
Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Are Coming Together With the Unique, New “Hotel Employee Rate” Travel Program
| March 30, 2021
Offering Hotel Teams The Benefits Of Employee-Rate Hotel Stays Globally Hilversum (Amsterdam), The Netherlands, March 30, 2021 … An expanding collection of hotel chains, hotel management companies and independent properties around the world is coming together with the newly-announced Hotel Employee Rate travel program, offering hotel employee teams the extraordinary benefit of exceptional-value, employee-rate hotel stays, similarly offered by major hotel brands. The innovative global initiative is opening new worlds of travel for hotel employees while helping hotels build guest room occupancy during traditionally low demand periods, ...
HFTP Announces 2020 Paragon Award Recipient – Ian Millar, CHTP
HFTP | August 27, 2020
Ian Millar, CHTP was selected as the 2020 Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) Paragon Award recipient for his unwavering support of the association and substantial contributions to increase knowledge sharing and promote growth in the hospitality industry at large, specifically amongst students and hospitality professionals within Europe. Millar is a senior lecturer of IT at EHL in Lausanne, Switzerland. He has been a member of HFTP for 15 years and served in multiple association leadership positions including as vice-chair of the HITEC Advisory Council and on the HFTP Global Board. Millar will be honored on October 29 ...
HVS: Emerging Hotel Brands
Brittany Hart | June 23, 2020
By Brittany Hart As COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, the hospitality industry began to experience sharp declines in lodging demand given the cancellation of events and the travel restrictions set by the government, which contributed to the drop in all performance metrics. For example, RevPAR for U.S. hotels was down 65% for the week of May 31 through June 6, compared to the same week in 2019. Nevertheless, franchisees continue to search for brand-growth opportunities. Several new brands, ranging from economy to upscale products across all service levels, are being created to occupy...
You May Not Know It, But You’re in the Subscription Business
Shep Hyken | June 18, 2020
By Shep Hyken I have an idea about renewals. Most people think that a renewal applies to some type of subscription. You renew your subscription to a magazine, a maintenance contract or a software program. But what if renewal had a broader meaning? What if renewal simply meant that the customer comes back—again and again? While repeat business may not be as steady as a subscription renewal, it can still be tracked in a similar way. A business with a true subscription model can predict renewals. Over time, any business can track return customers who, in a sense, are renewing their trust in the business to purchase from them again. ...
The Relevance of Brand Relevance
Kimberly Yoong | April 2, 2020
By Kimberly Yoong iPhone, iPad, iEverything – the world of Apple has become a prime case study for brand marketers, as they continue to boast legions of fans around the world; many of whom would willingly brave the elements in a bid to emerge victorious with the latest iPhone in hand. But what’s in a brand? Quality, consistency, and now – an ideology. CitizenM seeks to “inspire a new generation of modern travelers”, affectionately referring to its guests as citizens, while Aman’s discreet, exclusive luxury has enthralled more than its fair share of Aman junkies. As consumers continue to seek the novel and unique, the attracti...
Hotels Are Right to Prioritize Loyalty Schemes Over Rate Reductions During and After COVID-19 Pandemic, Says GlobalData
GlobalData | April 1, 2020
Major players in the hotel industry are using loyalty schemes in order to create value for their customer base and increase demand during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Ralph Hollister, Analyst, Travel & Tourism at GlobalData, offers his view: “Instead of advertising future room rates at discounted prices, offering perks through loyalty schemes means that hotels can protect their pricing and margin strategies. “Providing added value instead of price reductions such as offering reward extensions, as Hilton have done, or following IHG’s lead and lowering the entry requirements for their next loyalty tier, shou...
commingle:engage Provides Marriott Hotels Social Media Marketing & Brand Compliant TripAdvisor Guest Review Responses From $499
Lodging Interactive & commingle:engage | February 25, 2020
PARSIPPANY, NJ - February 25, 2020 - commingle:engage, by Lodging Interactive, the hospitality industry’s premier provider of full-service social media marketing and guest reputation management services today announced the roll-out of its Marriott Hotels social media marketing and brand-compliant guest reputation management services. Priced at just $499 per month, the Marriott services include fully managed weekly postings on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter along with responding to all TripAdvisor guest reviews 7 days a week. “As we continue to partner with full-service Marriott properties, it became evident to us that we needed to...
US Hotel Brand Loyalty Contribution Reaches an All-Time High in 2019
Kalibri Labs | February 11, 2020
February 11th, 2020 – ROCKVILLE, MD – The hotel brand loyalty programs continue to play a major factor in where and how guests are booking their stays, and today loyalty-related bookings account for more than 50% of the total hotel bookings in the U.S., according to new, full-year 2019 booking data from Kalibri Labs. Throughout 2019, total US Loyalty Contribution increased 7.6% to 56.2%, a jump of 8.3 percentage points or 17.3% since the top hotel brands launched aggressive book-direct campaigns in 2016. However, top-line growth rates slowed in 2019, meaning it's more important than ever for hotels to control t...
Lifestyle Is the New Trend in Loyalty
Kenneth Purcell | January 30, 2020
By Kenneth Purcell Engagement was the word for the 2010s. Every major consumer brand spent countless hours and resources finding ways to get their customers to engage with their company- whether it be on social media, purchasing products or participating in loyalty programs. This strategy of corporate relationship-building has created a more competitive landscape for brands to gain the attention of consumers. Now in the roaring 20’s (that’s 2020’s), travel and financial services brands need to look outside of their core industry to best engage consumers. Everyday Rewards Travel and Finserv brands have a harder journey to gain lo...
Hilton Launches Lifestyle Brand Tempo by Hilton
Hilton | January 16, 2020
Tempo by Hilton launches with 30 hotels under development and 30 more pending deals MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today launches Tempo by Hilton, an approachable lifestyle brand curated to serve a growing segment of “modern achievers” who seek a hotel experience that reflects their ambition. By combining thoughtful design and diverse lifestyle partnerships, Tempo by Hilton provides hotel owners and developers with a highly scalable brand that is both uplifting and within reach for future guests – all powered by an efficient service model. “For more than 100 years, Hilton has pioneered the hospitality industry as we know it,...
Dream Hotel Group Continues Partnership With No More for 2019 Holiday Season
Dream Hotel Group | December 23, 2019
Global hotel company launches charitable giving initiatives across all U.S. properties to help movement to end domestic violence & sexual assault You indulged in turkey and all the trimmings. You scored great deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Now it’s time to take a moment to spread the word on Dream Hotel Group’s charitable giving campaign benefiting NO MORE. Renowned hotel brand and management company Dream Hotel Group today announced plans to renew its charity partnership with NO MORE, an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault by increasing awareness, inspiring action and fueling culture cha...
Hotel Brands: Who Owns What?
Jennifer Luo | November 25, 2019
Hilton, The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Wyndham, Hyatt, and so many more - discover the names behind the hotel brands. By Jennifer Luo #1. Marriott International Inc. Brands Marriott International - Overview Properties: 6,906 Rooms: 1.32 million Number of Countries: 130 Revenue 2018: $20.8 Billion Four categories of hotel brands make up Marriott's portfolio: Luxury: Bespoke and superb amenities and services Edition, The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels Worldwide, St Regis Hotels & Resorts, Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts. Premium: Sophisticated and thoughtful amenities and services. Sh...
RMS Announces New Guest Loyalty Module for 2020
RMS - The Hospitality Cloud | October 23, 2019
[San Diego, CA - October 23, 2019] - RMS - The Hospitality Cloud, a leading provider of all-in-one, cloud-based hospitality solutions, has introduced Guest Rewards, a brand-new module that allows hotels to reward guests for staying with them. This new module enables hotels using RMS to create their own bespoke rewards programs and encourage loyalty to their brand by allocating points for guest stays and activities. “Our clients have been asking for loyalty program functionality and we’re excited to add yet another feature to our property management system that drives bookings and revenue and improves the guest experience,” stated ...
Loyalty Programs Have Little Impact on Influencing Next Leisure Travel Booking
SmarterHQ | September 25, 2019
Marriott, Hilton and Southwest Airlines Lead in Having Most Loyalty Among Consumers Across the Travel and Hospitality Industry, According to New SmarterHQ Survey INDIANAPOLIS, IN – September 25, 2019 – What factors do consumers consider when they’re in the midst of booking their next leisure travel plans? SmarterHQ, a leading personalization platform, can confidently tell the travel and hospitality industry that loyalty programs are not one of them. The latest consumer survey results from SmarterHQ showed that loyalty programs have only a small impact on helping travelers decide their next trip. Instead, the report showed that Mil...
4 Steps to Take When You Get Negative Feedback
Pipeline Social Media | September 23, 2019
By: Maiya Wall / Pipeline Social Media Though we all strive for positive feedback, receiving a negative review on your hotel’s social media is inevitable. In our hyper-connected world, opportunities to offer an opinion are prevalent and growing. Not to mention, the open line of communication empowers guests to serve up their opinion whenever and from wherever. We’re here to give you some practical advice on how to deal with negative feedback. First, begin to think of your hotel’s negative reviews as a path to improve guest experience and your online image rather than something to avoid. Keep reading to learn how you can respond to...
Why Aren’t Hotels Referring Friends
Larry Mogelonsky | September 11, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Common to modern apps as an incentivization tool for gathering new users, hotels should start to think of ways that they can drum up new business by prompting happy customers to refer their properties to other guests, either through digital or other ‘low tech’ methods. First, though, it’s important to note why these peer-to-peer systems work so well, particularly when deployed in a way that’s convenient for guests – that is, via email or mobile. Via a system of credit reward, you subtly encourage a user to be a brand advocate within his or her social group while also motiv...
The Difference Between Loyalty Programs and Loyalty to a Brand
Alan Young | September 5, 2019
By Alan E. Young Loyalty is earned, and certainly not given, and there is a definite difference between loyalty programs and a guest’s loyalty to a brand. Hotel loyalty programs might seem ubiquitous today, but nearly 60% of guests still don’t belong to one. During the 2019 Skift Tech Forum, industry experts agreed that today’s travelers seek more than just opportunities to earn points – they want experiences. Mind you, that doesn't mean it's beyond reach. Hoteliers must work a little harder to understand precisely what factors drive guest loyalty in the modern age. Which brings us to the ultimate question — what makes guests l...
