Louisville, Kentucky Nearly Doubles Year-Over-Year Event Volume, Hits 94.9 Percent Growth in July
Knowland | August 21st, 2024
Travel Outlook the Premier Hotel Call Center™ Expands Agent Sales Training
Travel Outlook The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | August 24, 2022
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO (August 2022): Travel Outlook, the Hotel Call Center as a Hotel Profit Center™, announces an expansion of the hotel sales training of its reservations specialists provided by the Kennedy Training Network (KTN). “We have always used the KTN training resources during our new hire and ongoing education,” said John Smallwood, President of Travel Outlook, “But these recent enhancements by KTN take us to an entirely new level of excellence, in both sales and guest hospitality.” “This summer, we committed to having all new reservations sales specialists participate in KTN’s online, self-study ve...
Lodging Interactive Launches Property Landing Pages to Streamline Job Applications and Drive Sales Opportunities
Lodging Interactive | July 28, 2022
Lodging Interactive, award-winning digital marketing, reputation management, and social media marketing agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry since 2001, today announced the launch of its HotelPage landing page service for hotels and resorts. HotelPage empowers branded and independent properties to create dedicated landing pages for promotions and operational needs. “Hotel customers are deploying HotelPages to showcase their open jobs and career opportunities to candidates,” said DJ Vallauri, Lodging Interactive’s Founder and CEO. “Franchised properties can really benefit from the service as it provides a unique...
Why More Hoteliers Are Flocking to the Cloud: What You Need to Know if You Haven’t Already Made the Migration
Ryan Hamilton | July 28, 2022
By Ryan Hamilton For many of us, the mention of oversized desktop computers and dial-up internet may inspire a rush of nostalgia, lest we forget battling with other family members to ensure a phone call didn’t interrupt our browsing session. While these memories are exactly that – distant memories – it isn’t hard to draw a parallel between those platforms that marked the dawn of the internet age and the legacy platforms that many hoteliers still rely on today. Just as we transitioned from dial-up internet and early computers to today's sleek and modern laptops, desktops, and tablets, many hospitality leaders have switched from leg...
Hilton Introduces First Global Brand Platform “Hilton. For the Stay” Putting the Hotels Back Into Hotel Marketing
Hilton | July 25, 2022
MCLEAN, Va. – Hilton is shaking up hotel marketing and advertising with the announcement of its first global brand platform that identifies what has been missing from hotel marketing – the hotel stay. ”Hilton. For the Stay” places the hotel front and center, elevating the role and importance of the stay at a time when lodging advertising is a sea of sameness, featuring overused destinations, cliché walks on the beach and generic descriptions of travel. Hilton is debuting “It Matters Where You Stay,” a new advertising campaign to introduce the platform, using humor to push against some of the common but unspoken pitfalls o...
Preparing Your Hotel for the Sunset of Google’s Universal Analytics
Tina Markowitz | July 20, 2022
By Tina Markowitz For hotel marketers, there’s a major shift afoot: the transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The moment marks the beginning of an entirely new way to measure performance across websites and mobile devices, one that’s more private and adaptable. And yes: it really is that different! The transition is going to be difficult, as it’s not just the interface that’s changed. The entire product is evolving to keep up with our omnichannel times, focusing less on cookies and invasive trackers and more on holistic user journeys. Here’s a quick explainer on Google Analytics 4, and how your hotel needs to prepare. It...
Onyx CenterSource Unveils Latest Integration for Travel Agency Affiliates of Booking.com
Onyx CenterSource | July 18, 2022
DALLAS (July 18, 2022) — Onyx CenterSource, a leading global provider of B2B payments and business intelligence to the hospitality industry, today announced the launch of its latest payment platform integration for Booking.com’s affiliate travel agencies. The integration is customized for Sabre-connected travel agencies, enabling them to directly connect into Booking.com and streamline revenue share payment processing for completed bookings sent through the platform. “Onyx has a long-standing commitment to ensuring that our offerings provide significant value to our clients,” said Tony Wagner, Onyx chief commercial officer. “A...
HSMAI Names Outrigger’s Sean Dee Marketing Professional of the Year
Outrigger Hospitality Group | July 18, 2022
HONOLULU – Sean Dee, Outrigger Hospitality Group executive vice president and chief commercial officer, has been named Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Marketing Professional of the Year for 2022. The award honors the very best of marketing in the hospitality industry during HSMAI’s Marketing Strategy Conference in Florida this summer – where senior leaders in hotel marketing connect to discuss the most important strategic issues facing the industry. The recognition is indicative of Dee’s efforts to further position Outrigger Hospitality Group as the premier beach resort company in the world. “I...
GCommerce Launches Metadesk to Empower Hoteliers to Take Control of Their Metasearch Channels
GCommerce | July 14, 2022
Park City, Utah, July 14, 2022 -Officials of GCommerce, a leading, hospitality digital marketing agency, today announced the launch of a new metasearch platform, Metadesk. Metadesk is a software-driven experience designed to address known pain points and frustrations experienced by hoteliers regarding the management of their metasearch channels while leveraging GCommerce’s world-class media management and optimization skills. “Metasearch is quickly being categorized as a revenue management tool, and Metadesk is here to challenge that notion,” said Lindley Cotton, president & partner, GCommerce. “Metasearch advertising shou...
Hyatt Expands Collaboration With Knowland Focused on Increasing Group Business Market Share
Knowland | July 13, 2022
Relationship provides revenue-generating tools to managed and franchised hotels to outsell competitors ARLINGTON, Va.— July 13, 2022 — Knowland, one of the world’s leading providers of data insight within the hospitality meetings and events industry, announced today that Hyatt has expanded its relationship with the company to deliver value across its portfolio. Knowland continues to partner with brands and management companies to expand its data set and enhance its intelligence-driven technology. Hyatt is the first global hotel brand to offer its managed and franchised hotels access to the Knowland database through a holistic portfo...
CoMMingle Provides Total Customer Engagement Services to Hotels, Restaurants, and Spas
Lodging Interactive | July 11, 2022
Lodging Interactive, award-winning digital marketing, reputation management, and social media marketing agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry since 2001, today announced the launch of its updated CoMMingle services. CoMMingle provides enhanced guest review reputation management and social media marketing services to hotels, restaurants, and spas. "Over the past six months we’ve invested heavily in ‘rebooting’ CoMMingle to ensure we continue to address the ever-changing technology landscape and the needs of our hospitality customers,” said DJ Vallauri, Lodging Interactive’s Founder and CEO. “Since 2006 we have wr...
5 Telltale Signs It’s Time to Change Your S&C System and Why It’s Quicker and Easier Than You Might Think
Ryan Hamilton | July 6, 2022
By Ryan Hamilton, Co-Founder, SalesAndCatering.com and Bluebuzzard Technology Group Within the hospitality space, groups and events represent a profitable business segment. From events to group bookings and corporate meetings, the sales and catering software hotels have in place will ultimately make or break a hotel’s ability to attract high-ticket group business. With this in mind, many hotels (independent properties and chains alike) have begun seeking more modern, cloud-based S&C platforms that provide their teams with the tools needed to attract group business and, more importantly, ‘wow’ event planners and attendees. Hotelie...
Why User Generated Content Can Benefit the Hospitality Industry This Summer
Adam Dornbusch | June 16, 2022
By Adam Dornbusch From weekend getaways to tropical escapes, hotels and resorts across the globe will see an influx in guests staying at their locations this summer. In fact, Expedia Travel Group predicts this summer will be the busiest travel season yet as consumers continue booking flights both domestically and internationally. Fortunately, this increase in the number of travelers also brings an increase in the amount of potential marketing content hotels and destinations can gather. As guests visit new locations, they’ll also be snapping photos and videos to remember their trip in key spots such as pools, spas, dining spots, rooms, an...
Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten Select STS Cloud, ProposalPath and e-Signature to Enhance Group Business Across Oceanfront Properties
SalesAndCatering.com | June 14, 2022
Sonesta Resorts features a duo of stunning oceanfront properties that have experienced great success leveraging SalesAndCatering.com’s suite of hotel sales solutions to drive group business and growth Charleston, SC – (June 14, 2022) - Sonesta Resorts in Sint Maarten has partnered with SalesAndCatering.com to equip their luxury properties with best-in-class sales and catering technology. When considering ways to scale and enhance their industry-leading brand and support growth across both oceanfront properties, Sonesta Resorts selected STS Cloud, ProposalPath, and e-Signature as their platforms of choice. “When vetting prospective...
Clairvoyix and Fetch Partner to Bring On-Property Guest Communication and Incident Reporting to The Wallace
Clairvoyix | June 9, 2022
Leading hotel marketing automation system provider utilizes their Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP) expertise to bring big dividends to their partner Fetch and The Wallace NYC. LAS VEGAS, NV (June 9, 2022) – Vendor partnerships come in many forms, but the best ones bring true added value to their client properties. In the case of The Wallace, a luxury hotel in New York City, the property is benefiting from Fetch’s industry leading guest engagement platform made possible by utilizing the Clairvoyix OHIP connector for Oracle Hospitality OPERA Cloud. “The Wallace saw the value in our guest engagement solution, but as a...
Zoox Smart Data Reveals How Investing in Data Protection and Privacy Initiatives Encourages Technological Innovation
Zoox Smart Data | June 9, 2022
The technology leader aims to educate organizations on what it calls, “the sustainable use of personal data.” ALPHARETTA, GA – June 9, 2022 – Zoox Smart Data (“Zoox”), a global provider of technological solutions that harness big data to build customer profiles from existing Wi-Fi networks, today announced it has released a review entitled, “The Value (Not the Price) of Investments in Privacy and Information Security.” The company is educating clients on the importance of investing in privacy practices to protect customer data and promote business growth. "Globally in 2021, the number of weekly cyber attacks increased ...
HSMAI Announces Inaugural Marketing Award Honorees
Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) | June 7, 2022
McLean, VA—The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will celebrate three remarkable marketing leaders during HSMAI’s Marketing Strategy Conference in Orlando on June 28. Jessie Burns, Senior Director of Brand & Public Relations Strategy for Terranea Resort, and Sean Dee, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Outrigger Hospitality Group, will be presented with the Marketing Professional of the Year Awards for single/multi-unit and corporate categories, respectively. Dr. Katerina Berezina, Associate Professor at the University of Mississippi, will be honored with the Marketing Educat...
Knowland Monthly Meetings and Events Report Marks Significant Growth of 276 Percent Over May 2021
Knowland | June 7, 2022
Month-over-month increase of 12.5 percent over April 2022 indicates the industry is moving faster through recovery ARLINGTON, Va. — June 7, 2022 — Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, today released its monthly meetings and events data for May with a significant increase of 276 percent over May 2021. May 2022 rebounded from April 2022 with a 12.5 percent increase month over month. • Average attendees per event continue to outpace 2019 – The average number of attendees per event for May 2022 was 123, compared to 65 in May 2021 and 92 in May 2019. •...
Leading Management Company Columbia Hospitality Partners With SalesAndCatering.com to Deliver Next-Generation Sales Optimization Tools Across 30+ Prop
SalesAndCatering.com | June 1, 2022
Award-winning hotel management company leverages STS Cloud, ProposalPath, and RFP Forms to drive revenue, efficiency, and productivity across its expansive portfolio of hotels and resorts, golf clubs, distinctive venues, and more. Charleston, SC – (June 1, 2022) - Columbia Hospitality, the sought-after hospitality solutions provider and management company that has established a reputation for exceptional experiences and remarkable properties has deployed ProposalPath and RFP forms across 30+ properties, and SalesAndCatering.com’s STS Cloud at 19 properties. Columbia Hospitality features a diverse portfolio of properties and venues, inc...
Introducing Cloudbeds Amplify: The Intelligent Digital Marketing Solution Driving More Direct Bookings for Independent Hoteliers
Cloudbeds | May 25, 2022
Leading hotel technology platform Cloudbeds acquires AdsHotel and Odysys to level the playing field in the high-cost competition for direct bookings with new digital marketing service (SAN DIEGO) — Cloudbeds, the hospitality industry’s fastest-growing technology provider, unveiled today the expansion of its hospitality platform with its newest solution, Cloudbeds Amplify. Set for release in early Fall, the comprehensive done-for-you digital marketing service leverages advanced technologies to optimize customers’ online presence, drive more direct bookings and increase revenue. Cloudbeds Amplify services include website creation and...
Marriott International Introduces Travel Media Network, Powered by Yahoo
Marriott International, Inc. | May 16, 2022
Marriott debuts the hospitality industry’s first global omnichannel media network, enabling advertisers to deliver curated experiences to millions of travelers Marriott International, Inc., today announced the launch of the Marriott Media Network, an omnichannel cross-platform advertising solution for brand advertisers, enabling curated content experiences and offerings to guests throughout their travel journey. To power its network of owned channels, Marriott is exclusively collaborating with Yahoo, an industry-leading unified stack advertising platform. The Marriott Media Network initially will offer brand advertisers exposure to trav...
HotelSiteXPRESS Helps Hotels Thrive With Affordable Website Solutions
Lodging Interactive | May 11, 2022
Lodging Interactive, award-winning digital marketing, reputation management, and social media marketing agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry, today announced the next generation of its HotelSiteXPRESS bespoke website and digital marketing solutions tailored to meet the needs of independent and branded properties. HotelSiteXPRESS offers an affordable mix of hotel website design and hosting along with digital marketing services on a low-cost, monthly subscription basis with no long-term contracts. “Since 2001, we’ve helped hundreds of full-service luxury properties capture increasing levels of online market share throu...
Knowland’s Meetings and Events Report Indicates 323 Percent Increase Over April 2021
Knowland | May 4, 2022
Meeting’s volume shows signs of continued momentum as the industry recovers ARLINGTON, Va. — May 4, 2022 — Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, today released its monthly meetings and events data for April with a significant increase of 323 percent over April 2021. Despite the normal cooling factor of the Easter holiday, there was still a 3.7 percent recovery of events from March to April 2022. • Average attendees greater than 2019 levels – Attendees were ahead of 2019 levels for April with the average number of attendees per event at 118, compare...
Wedding Bells Are Ringing – Are Hotels and Venues Ready to Answer the Demand?
Ryan Hamilton | April 20, 2022
How to perfect your sales process to win more group business and become a sought-after wedding venue By Ryan Hamilton, Co-Founder, SalesAndCatering.com and Bluebuzzard Technology Group Lately, everywhere you turn, there seems to be a tangible shift in energy – an exciting buzz in the air as we await the change of season, with cool spring mornings soon to become warm summer nights. Of course, this isn’t just any seasonal transition; this marks the first ‘normal’ summer most of us will have had in two years due to the pandemic, and it’s easy to understand the anticipation we all feel. But there is, perhaps, no group of people mo...
Experiential Hotel Packages Set to Bloom in the Post-Pandemic
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | April 20, 2022
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky The travel recovery that hotels are gearing up for over the next year will not see the same guest behavior as in 2019. The world has changed and hotels have to adapt to the new demands. One key direction where travel is headed is towards time maximization – filling a vacation or work trip with meaningful moments because you never know when the prospects of moving freely about the globe will grind to a halt once again. This concept of time maximization means that guests will be seeking hotel brands that aid with this goal by designing trips and itineraries that make those experiences a reality. Travelers ar...
