Louisville, Kentucky Nearly Doubles Year-Over-Year Event Volume, Hits 94.9 Percent Growth in July
Knowland | August 21st, 2024
Cendyn Nominated for Two World Travel Awards
Cendyn | October 12, 2017
Boca Raton, Florida – October 12, 2017 – Cendyn, the leading CRM and sales platform in the hospitality industry, has been nominated for two World Travel Awards; World's Leading Hotel CRM Technology Provider 2017 and World's Leading Data Driven Marketing Agency 2017. "It's an absolute honor to be nominated for the fourth year in a row" says Charles Deyo, President & CEO of Cendyn. "We have seen such incredible continued growth from both product suites and have an exciting roadmap in place for 2018 and beyond. This combined with our loyal clients benefiting from both our CRM Suite and Digital Marketing S...
Tambourine Shares We’re Using the Wrong Message to Fight OTAs
Tambourine | October 10, 2017
Looks like we might have been going about this all wrong. The thought that a guest's primary travel concern is saving money is an assumption that needs to be reexamined. According to JD Power & Associates' North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, guests are more likely to be dissatisfied with their hotel experience and come across more problems (like canceled reservations or last-minute changes) if they book through a third-party, such as Travelocity or Expedia. So, what does this mean for you? It's time to change the overarching hotel industry strategy from emphasizing price parity to tapping into consumer fears of OTAs....
Hotels Should Already be Planning Their 2018 Summer Marketing Campaign, According to Industry Experts
Magnuson Worldwide | October 10, 2017
London UK/Spokane WA - October 10, 2017 - High season might have just drawn to a close but hotels should already be planning their marketing campaign for 2018, hospitality expert Magnuson Worldwide says. In a highly competitive sector, independent hoteliers are often too busy focusing on other areas to really put the time and resources necessary into effective marketing strategies. But they have the power to transform a hotel and deliver greater success. The summer months bring a huge number of opportunities for boutique hotels looking to expand their current customer base, with many local areas playing host to events and festivals. How...
Tambourine Shares Why Hotel Management Companies are Obsessed with Marketing Costs
Tambourine | October 6, 2017
Hotel marketing costs are affecting profitability more than ever. With profit growth slowing in the lodging industry, the focus among hoteliers is now shifting toward closely controlling costs, especially among management companies, whose earnings are directly tied to property performance (and incentives are tied to profits). As the pressure to find cost savings mounts, experts say one of the most significant expenses to watch is marketing, which has only grown more expensive with the rapid growth of digital media. In general, hotel management companies care deeply about costs, which have a direct linear effect on their ability to achie...
It’s Not All About Millennials
Chamberlin Public Relations | October 4, 2017
Why is every hotel trying to attract millennials these days? They aren't the only powerful demographic out there, and hotels shouldn't necessarily try to appeal to every generation. Here are some tips that will help hoteliers catch the eye of both Generation X and the baby boomers, and keep them coming back with their families. Baby Boomers These days, many baby boomers have retired and are eager to see the world. According to AARP, 99% of baby boomers planned to take at least one leisure trip in 2017, with an average of five or more excursions expected throughout the year. They are looking for relaxing vacations that give them a chance...
Milestone Shortlisted for Best SEO Software Suite, Best Search Software Tool, & Innovation in Analytics Software by Prestigious US Search Awards 2017
Milestone | October 2, 2017
October 2, 2017, Santa Clara, CA – US Search Awards 2017, a competition that celebrates the very best in SEO, PPC, Digital and Content Marketing, announced today that Milestone, Inc. has been chosen as a semi-finalist in three categories. Milestone CMS, Milestone's Content Management System was shortlisted for Best SEO Software Suite. Milestone Local, Milestone location management product was shortlisted for Best Search Software Tool Milestone Analytics, Milestone's digital marketing analytics product was shortlisted for Innovation - Software The 2017 US Search Awards, in association with their headline sponsor Bing and now i...
All Forces That Do Not Respect the Law Become Tyrannical
Georges Panayotis | September 27, 2017
By Georges Panayotis Today, a major part of distribution and commercialization is in the hands of the Web giants. The advent of Internet has turned away a large share of clientele who were originally attracted by the force of yesteryear's hotel brands. While it should have allowed for substantial savings on the costs of headquarters in terms of commercialization, it is very difficult to evaluate because hotel chains have also let go of their assets, and a majority of hotels are in the hands of franchisees, who have now become the market's main operators. It would have been better if at the beginning they had done like airlines did with ...
Online Hotel Marketing — A Hotelier’s Guide to Inbound Marketing
Nafsika Bourma | September 25, 2017
When done correctly, it's especially effective because it focuses on attracting and engaging the traveler without underestimating their knowledge and evaluation abilities, empowering them to make an informed booking decision they won't be disappointed with. By Nafsika Bourma We're now halfway through the year, which means it's time for hotel managers to take stock of the business goals they set back in January. Are they on track to meet them? If not, there's no reason to stress. There's still time to turn things around and hit every target by the end of the year. By incorporating some inbound marketing activities into a hotel's overall...
HEBS Digital Wins 5 WebAwards for Industry-Leading Technology and Design
HEBS Digital | September 21, 2017
New York, NY – September 21, 2017 – HEBS Digital has won five WebAwards from the Web Marketing Association in the Hotel and Lodging category, including two Hotel and Lodging Standard of Excellence awards and 3 Outstanding Website awards. The firm that provides best-of-class hotel technology and solutions fundamental to engaging and acquiring hotel guests, increasing direct bookings, and lowering acquisition and distribution costs is proud to be included on the list of 2017 WebAward winners. HEBS Digital received the following WebAwards: Outstanding Website – Hotel and Lodging: Atton Hotels - the leading chain of loca...
Are Hotels Coveting only Half of the Millennial Market? Part Two
David M. Brudney | September 21, 2017
By David M. Brudney, ISHC, Founder and Principal, David Brudney & Associates Part I dealt with understanding the millennials and their mindset - - now spending more than $200 billion annually on travel - - the influence of personalization, local expertise, location, and technology on their travel preferences - - Faced with the very real impact of Airbnb and other alternative-lodging providers, I ended Part I with a question: what hotels can do/are doing to compete? What hotels can do/are doing to compete? In competing with lodging rentals, hotel brands have taken note and taking action. Hotels are working to individualize their prop...
Benchmark’s Wanderlust Lifestyle Travel Guide Takes Top Honors in “Best Digital Marketing Campaign” Category at the 2017 INDIE Awards
September 21, 2017
Independent Lodging Congress Award Recognizes Innovation, Sense of Place, Spirit to Serve The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, September 2017 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, is the winner of the prestigious 2017 INDIE Award for the "Best Digital Marketing Campaign" from the Independent Lodging Congress. The INDIE Awards recognize independent hospitality enterprises, celebrating those independently-branded hotels and hospitality professionals who have created a path to success through innovation, a sense of place, and a spirit to serve. "We are extremely pleased that our innovative Wanderlust Lifestyle Tr...
Tambourine Shares Why We Need to Talk About Hotel Marketing Metrics
Tambourine | September 21, 2017
Unfortunately for hotel marketers, our industry is drowning in metrics. From "look-to-book," to unique visitors, to sentiment scores, to clicks…the list of stats goes on and on. With so much to measure, it's easy to get caught up in the wrong metrics. Don't waste precious time and resources by analyzing metrics that don't matter in the grand scheme. It's time to get perspective. So we've outlined 5 popular marketing KPIs that are currently distracting you from what really matters – driving traffic into your direct booking environment and call center. (As a bonus, we've also included the metrics that we think hotel marketers...
Must-Read Whitepaper Available: The Smart Hotelier’s Guide to 2018 Digital Marketing & Technology Budget Planning
the Authors and HEBS Digital | September 20, 2017
Budgeting season: the time to analyze what initiatives are driving performance, review trends in the industry that should be taken into account when constructing your budget, and start thinking about any major upgrades your property needs to take in its digital technology and marketing strategy. The Smart Hotelier's Guide to 2018 Digital Marketing & Technology Budget Planning whitepaper is created every year to guide hoteliers on the budgeting process by outlining the tools needed to engage, acquire, and covert travel consumers, as well as enhance the on-property guest experience, and inspire guests to book a future stay. Here is a ...
Are Hotels Coveting only Half of the Millennial Market? Part One
David M. Brudney | September 18, 2017
By David M. Brudney, ISHC, Founder and Principal, David Brudney & Associates Like so many of you, I am smitten with reports on how hotels - - heavily coveting the critical millennial market - - are battling competitors such as Airbnb, HomeAway, and other short-term home-sharing lodging industry providers, for share of market in this new sharing economy age. Millennials currently spend more than $200 billion annually on travel; and they plan to increase frequency and spending Inspired by destinations and authentic experiences 44 percent of millennials prefer rentals to hotels Airbnb understands the millennial's mindset Nearly half ar...
Why Travel & Hospitality Brands Can’t Ignore the Power of LinkedIn Pulse for B2B Marketing
Alan E. Young | September 18, 2017
By Alan Young As a hotel or travel brand, if you're not focusing your attention on LinkedIn Pulse, you're missing out on a potentially huge opportunity and audience. In April 2017, LinkedIn reached an impressive milestone, as it confirmed over 500 million people use its professional social network. Yet the platform often doesn't enjoy the same level of affection nor respect as other, seemingly more trendy networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Today's consumers and executives, regardless of industry, are looking for transparency, not self-serving promotion. LinkedIn Pulse offers an incredible vehicle to meet this demand by pu...
Local Measure Partners With Two of the World’s Premier Luxury Hotel Brands, Expands Into More Than 600 Cities Worldwide
Local Measure | September 18, 2017
Local Measure's Social Guest Intelligence Platform 125% Year over Year in the Hotel Industry Growth New York and Sydney – September 15, 2017 – Social Guest Intelligence provider Local Measure announced partnerships with two of world's premier luxury hotel brands, wrapping up a year of expansion which brought the company's proprietary social intelligence platform to hotels in more than 600 cities around the world. The company announced it is partnering with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, whose luxury properties span several continents and many major markets across the globe. Each is an ackno...
How to Turn Your Hotel Guests Into Brand Ambassadors
Kacey Bradley | September 13, 2017
By Kacey Bradley Whether you're running the world's most successful business or one that's just starting out, you're going to have one problem in common with other business owners: marketing. You need good marketing to attract people and make money, but you need to have money to have good marketing. It's a tough situation to be in, but there are some ways to get yourself out on top that are actually catching on in popularity with the general public. Brand ambassadors have become a more widely known way of advertising to gain customers. They're used by all different kinds of companies, and could prove to be a bene...
Lodging Interactive Launches End of Summer Website Sale
Your Lodging Interactive | September 11, 2017
PARSIPPANY, NJ - September 11, 2017 Lodging Interactive, an award winning digital marketing and social media engagement agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry, today announced its End of Summer website sale program. Through the program Lodging Interactive will credit full service customers for the cost of developing their new website, essentially providing customers with a free website. "Hoteliers realize that ongoing budgeting and investment is required in order to keep their websites competitive and with End of Summer website sale program they can be assured they have a budget for future website enhancements and deve...
Tambourine Shares Losing Focus: Six Things Hotel Marketers Should Avoid
Tambourine | September 8, 2017
Hotel marketers face endless daily distractions. As a hotel marketer, it's fairly easy to lose focus. You can spend countless hours each day doing different things just because you think everyone else is doing it. Or, there's FOMO, "fear of missing out," driving some hotel marketing professionals to jump on every hot new bandwagon that rolls by, just in case it turns out to be next big thing. Some clarity and direction is sorely needed. Here's a few of the common pitfalls and distractions we recommend hotel marketers avoid: 1. Returning emails all day The average American white collar professional spends an average of 4.1 hours each day...
Is Room Service Dead?
Chamberlin Public Relations | September 7, 2017
Not yet, but it seems to be on the way out. While plenty of hotels still offer traditional room service, guests' tastes are evolving, and food and beverage programs must change to suit new demands. Many hotels are limiting costly room service, or completely scrapping it in favor of new F&B concepts that give guests more convenience at lower prices, plus opportunities to experience local fare. Hoteliers, here are the newest F&B trends you need to consider now. Special Delivery Room service can take many forms, and while many midscale and upscale hotels already have restaurant space on-site, not every kitchen has time (or staff) t...
For the 4th Time, Milestone, Inc. Appears on the Inc. 5000 list, Ranking No. 4180 with Three-Year Sales Growth of 64%
Milestone | September 6, 2017
Inc. Magazine Unveils 36th Annual List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies—the Inc. 5000 September 6, 2017, Santa Clara, CA – Inc. magazine today ranked Milestone, Inc. number 4,180 on its 36th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment— its independent small and midsized businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Domino's Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first nation...
5 Reasons You Can’t Miss EyeforTravel North America in Las Vegas this Year
EyeforTravel | September 1, 2017
On October 19, EyeforTravel will kick off its 19th annual North American summit– the only travel conference in America that guarantees you will walk away with actionable insights & take-aways. With 400 senior distribution, marketing, mobile, revenue management, and data &technology executives present, it will be the ultimate location for knowledge sharing, strategy formulation as well as partnership advancement. Here are just a few quotes from past attendees: "Having never attended this conference before, I did not know what to expect. I can honestly say, after participating, that this was one of the best conference...
The Secret Weapon Page on Your Hotel Website – Tambourine Insights
Tambourine | September 1, 2017
It may be the most boring place on your hotel website today, but your policies (and/or FAQ) page represents a major magnet for SEO traffic. Why is that? Because Google pays serious attention to the content on this page. And, OTAs can't. Expedia, Priceline and all the others simply can't keep up on every hotel's policies and can't compete for searches for information on pet policies, cancellation policies, etc. Use this to your advantage and get more people to land on this page, while gaining an edge on the OTAs in the process. Too many hotels skimp on content on their hotel policies page. But, it's one of the main anchors that Google us...
Facebook & Instagram Help Put African Tourism on the Social Media Map
September 1, 2017
Attending the Annual World Tourism Conference in Rwanda, Facebook (www.Facebook.com) and Instagram representatives were in Kigali this week (28-31 August) to discuss and explore ways in which social media can be used to effectively drive tourism growth across the Continent. Showcasing how both platforms can be used as a tool to creatively help change the narrative of Africa as a tourist destination, the team also took part in a live panel discussion exploring the'Evolution of Online Travel and Lifestyle Tourism: Leveraging Africa's Diversity'. The event, developed by the Rwanda Development Board, the Corporate Council on Afr...
