Louisville, Kentucky Nearly Doubles Year-Over-Year Event Volume, Hits 94.9 Percent Growth in July
Knowland | August 21st, 2024
How Effective Is Your Property’s Digital Signage? Three Tips to Improve Guest Experience
Flyte Systems | November 16, 2016
Location, Interactive Content, and Relevant Information Make the Difference Hotel guests are familiar with digital signage. It can be found nearly everywhere. If you are an operator, you probably have at least one display in your lobby. Digital signage is a good way to provide property and regional information to guests; it can even be a profit center. But, do you wonder if it is doing its job? Here are three tips on how to improve your digital signage and add value to your property's guest experience. 1. Placement is important – do guests see your message? If you want your digital signage to be effective, whether it provides pro...
Marketing Outside the BOX 2017
November 11, 2016
by Priya Patel Hospitality marketing has made waves in the revenue stream in the last few years and lately we are seeing more and more ad campaigns, banners, articles, and webinars on the importance of proactive marketing. It is all very effective and has definitely spread fast among hospitality professionals trying to fit into today's trends. But there are a lot of unsung heroes, marketing must haves that seem to get swept under the carpet. The not-so-common marketing tips that need to be revisited. Here is a small list of marketing ideas that are geared to bring in online customers that are visiting your site, and are either passi...
Rake in The Revenue in 2017 With These Hot Hotel Trends
Joseph Zarrahy | November 10, 2016
by Joseph Zarrahy Though it may only be November, the new year will be here in the blink of an eye. The hospitality industry is constantly evolving, and you better believe plenty will change and evolve in 2017. Due to the rapid pace of technology advances and social media, it often seems that hotel owners struggle to simply keep up with the changes. Yet, to be truly competitive in an increasingly competitive market, keeping up with trends isn't always good enough – you want to strive to be ahead of the trends. No one can predict the future, but based on data from 2016, you can likely expect these hot hotel trends to take root in 2...
MEET THE GROVE RESORT & SPA, ORLANDO’S NEXT BIG FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MECCA AND LURE AGENCY’S NEWEST INBOUND MARKETING PARTNER
Lure Agency | November 10, 2016
Orlando, Florida, the entertainment capital of the U.S., never ceases to surprise and delight. The latest offering of the sunny city is arriving in the form of a mind-blowingly enormous and luxurious resort, The Grove Resort & Spa. Passion-based marketing agency, Lure Agency, has been selected to hit the ground running with a full-inbound marketing strategy to ensure The Grove makes a splash even before it's scheduled opening in February 2017. We're calling it a fusion of vacation and residence, and there's no doubt that The Grove will help revolutionize trips, whether they be business, leisure, family event related, or anything els...
OTAs Hitting Hotel Owners Where It Hurts: Real Estate Values
Tambourine | November 3, 2016
A new report from the AHLA has sent a ripple of concern through many hotel owners. According to the report, entitled: Demystifying the Digital Marketplace, "the revenue retained by US hotels after paying all customer acquisition costs declined by almost .4% or $600 million… That $600M in additional cost would have contributed directly to net operating income. Using an 8% capitalization rate (which most investors require), these additional acquisition costs of $600 million reduced the asset value of the overall hotel industry by at least $7.5 billion." Translation: Costly third party bookings are eroding profits and overall hotel ...
Hotel Emperador Sees the Impact of Advocacy as Guests Reach 200K Global Travelers with Flip.to
Flip.to | November 1, 2016
Advocacy platform puts Madrid hotel at the center of conversations sparked worldwide Orlando, FL — November 1, 2016 — Flip.to—a marketing platform that lets your guests become advocates to introduce your hotel and earn new guests—has helped Hotel Emperador Madrid amplify its reach to over 200,000 potential new guests. The four-star property in Madrid's city center has attracted an enormous network of potential guests from around the world, perfect for this classic European locale. "It's so simple, and it works beautifully," noted Pilar Lanchas, Director of Sales at Hotel Emperador. Designed to be incredibly easy ...
RMS Bringing Email Marketing Manager to ‘The Hospitality Cloud’
October 27, 2016
Hotel marketers can now create, send and track email campaigns and store them in the cloud [SAN DIEGO, CALIF.— October 27, 2016] — Next month, RMS Hospitality Solutions will unveil an Electronic Direct Marketing (EDM) tool that enables hoteliers to create, send and track custom marketing campaigns. The new Email Marketing Manager will be a premium module that resides within RMS – The Hospitality Cloud. With this feature, hoteliers can view past campaigns and create new blasts as needed. RMS – The Hospitality Cloud is a one-stop-shop in the cloud for all property systems. The platform is comprised of a group of we...
Six Things Scaring the $%#@ out of Hotel Marketers This Halloween
Tambourine | October 27, 2016
For Halloween, we asked hotel marketers from coast to coast, representing properties of all sizes, what they're most spooked about right now. Here is what they said: 1. Unrealistic Goals on Tight Budgets Hotel marketers have always had notoriously full plates. Now, those plates aren't just full – they're stacked sky-high with multiple marketing priorities to oversee, manage and implement. This upcoming year, the number of channels, campaigns, audiences, assets and tools will only get bigger and wider. This obviously calls for more marketing dollars, more staff and more assistance, right? Not exactly. More and more hotel owners are...
Flip.to and b4checkin Partner to Help Hotels Convert Personal Introductions into Future Guests
Flip.to | October 27, 2016
Strategic partnership allows hotels to drive direct business with advocacy ORLANDO, FL — October 27, 2016 — Flip.to—the marketing platform that lets your guests become advocates, introducing your hotel worldwide, attracting travelers and earning new guests—announced its strategic partnership with b4checkin, a hospitality developer and software provider offering cloud-based solutions including chameleon, their next generation hotel booking software. chameleon adapts to a hotel's website, offering hoteliers flexible design options rather than a single booking experience. Hoteliers on the platform have the ability t...
Is Your Hotel Web Design a Trick or Treat?
Susan Tucker | October 21, 2016
by Susan Tucker You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That's why your website is undoubtedly one of the most important assets your organization can have. For any given property, your website is a virtual front door and face to the world. If it scares off a new visitor at the get-go, their quick reaction is to scamper away and head out to a more welcoming destination. However, if you have a deliver thoughtful, engaging and relevant content not only will you pull them in, you'll likely have them converted into raving fans. Are you scaring away potential guests or giving them the sweet stuff? Let's find out. WEB DESIGN ...
How Guests Can Amplify Your Hotel Marketing Budget
Tambourine | October 19, 2016
There is no one we trust more than a friend or family member. According to Nielsen Media, 83% of people say they trust recommendations from family and friends over all other forms of marketing. This is the modern anti-advertising dynamic that has enabled TripAdvisor to grow into a global powerhouse; making past guest reviews critical to your property's success. And now, more and more smart hoteliers are taking 'word-of-mouth' marketing to the next level by investing in technology that converts their own guests into a powerful extension of their hotel marketing team. By using social advocacy platforms like Flip.to, hotels are providing a...
Milestone’s Galexi™ is the First CMS in Hospitality to Launch Google’s AMP Website
Milestone | October 18, 2016
Milestone's Galexi™ CMS System Delivers an Exceptional Mobile Experience Santa Clara, CA | October 18, 2016: Milestone announced today that its Galexi CMS is the first in the hospitality market to launch an AMP site compatible with Google's AMP guidelines. The website for Millwood Inn (http://www.millwoodinn.com/) in the AMP format, provides an exceptional user experience with lightning fast download speeds. It is expected that AMP pages will be Google's preferred method of delivering content (https://www.ampproject.org/) to mobile users because they are designed to provide a significantly faster download experience compar...
Your Property: ‘On Fleek’ with Millennials
Cory Falter | October 13, 2016
By Cory Falter What's an 11 letter word, beginning with an "M" leaves many advertisers clueless? Millennials. The group of young adults currently between the ages of 18-34. The group that wields over a trillion bucks in purchase power. A generation of independent, technology obsessed, globally focused individuals who are not to be overlooked in your advertising and marketing strategy. We get it, it's challenging to connect with this group. First off, the millennial generation is the most populous generation yet, and trying to find general strategies to attract the entire group seems daunting (especially when they have their own language...
The Pros And Cons of Building an App for Your Hotel
Tambourine | October 7, 2016
Modern travelers expect your hotel to be mobile-friendly. After all, they use their devices during all phases of the travel, from dreaming, to planning, to booking, to experiencing and finally… to sharing. So, you need to be there every step of the way. Hotels must embrace the mobile guest. They are not just the future for hotels, but the "here and now." And, there is no longer any viable excuse to delay offering an all-encompassing mobile presence for them. However, the question most hotels get caught up on is whether or not a custom mobile app is necessary for them to stand out from their competitors, attract more bookings and ...
C&J Bus Lines Keeps Airport-Bound Clients Informed with Flyte Systems®
C&J | September 29, 2016
Luxury Motorcoach Company Implements FlyteBoard Real-Time Airline Information in Three Terminals Portsmouth, NH – September 29, 2016 – C&J Bus Lines, one of New England's premier transportation providers, installed FlyteBoard flight information displays at three of its terminals. C&J operates scheduled intercity motorcoach services from New Hampshire and Massachusetts seacoast to Boston's South Station, Boston Logan Airport and New York City. Flyte Systems is the leading provider of cost effective airport travel and flexible digital signage property information. The company delivers displays and digital signage c...
Get out of Your Blog Fog – 5 Reasons You Should Be Blogging for Your Hotel Now
Cory Falter | September 28, 2016
By Cory Falter There's no doubt about it, in today's online-centric world if you aren't blogging then you're simply pouring revenue down the drain. Business blogging is essential, your business blog is a place to share insights, current events and general useful information. Invest in a content publication strategy starting with a blog, and reap the rewards. Search visibility, leads, sales and so much more will improve with a successful blog. To help drive home our point, here are our top 5 reasons why blogging is essential. REGULAR BLOGGING FOR HOTELS DELIVERS…. New Search Engine Ranking Heights How are you supposed to attract f...
From Looking to Booking – Digital Marketing Tips for Luxury Properties
Susan Tucker | September 18, 2016
By Susan Tucker By now you've probably heard it enough to know that in today's digital age every hotelier must have an online presence in order to effectively reach current and potential guests. Particularly unique and independent properties, which may not yet have the benefit of widespread brand recognition. Now that the public is exposed to more media than any time in history, the success of your luxury property will depend on the ability to really hone in on how to attract the right kind of guests. It's not about making your reach more expansive, it's about creating a digital action plan with a goal of precision targeting and engagin...
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dallas-Love Field Increases Revenue with Flyte Systems®
September 15, 2016
Real-Time Airline Information Helps Property Increase Occupancy when Flights are Cancelled CHICAGO, IL – September 15, 2016 – The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dallas-Love Field installed three FlyteBoard flight information displays to give guests greater confidence in their travel plans. The newly renovated 244-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel is directly across the street from Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL). Flyte Systems is the leading provider of cost effective airport travel and flexible digital signage property information. The company delivers displays and digital signage content for hotels, corporate training centers, c...
What Every Hotelier Should Be Doing Before 2016 Ends
Tambourine | September 15, 2016
Newsflash: There are just four months left of 2016! With Labor Day behind us, the dust has settled from your summer season and you're just now beginning to think of the rest of the year ahead. Before you get swept up in end-of-year chaos and coming up with holiday hotel marketing campaigns, September is the opportune time to set the foundation for your success in 2017. Get smart about planning ahead. Here are five must-do tasks to ramp up for your 2017 revenue goals: 1. Evaluate the True Needs of Your Hotel's Business Mix We often see hotels that invest too much of their marketing focus and resources on attracting leisure business. Mean...
6 Ways To Survive Hotel Budget Season
Tambourine | September 9, 2016
As budget season approaches, we're here to help you plan for a profitable 2017 with six smart hotel sales and marketing budget strategies. The most vital component of your budget planning is taking time for thorough introspection, honest reviews of what is currently working and not working, and open conversations with your hotel owners, colleagues, sales staff, guests and even your comp set. This due diligence will give you real information and real numbers to build your budget, instead of blindly relying on your gut for what will work and what won't. Here are six proven best practices from our in-residence DOSM, Jeff Spaccio, to help y...
What’s New in B2B Marketing?
Softscribe Inc. | September 7, 2016
Meet with us at Hotel Data Conference September 6 - 8 in Nashville, Tennessee The Micro + Visual Trend: All Grown Up NASHVILLE – September 7, 2016 – Technology companies that sell into the global hospitality market are asking, "What's new in business-to-business marketing?" The answer is, a maturing Micro + Visual trend that entertains and informs via newsletters, whitepapers, and short videos with pings of humor, says Julie Squires, CEO of Softscribe Inc., one of the industry's leading tech PR firms. Squires is attending the 8th annual Hotel Data Conference, September 6 to 8, 2016 at the Omni Nashville Hotel with a group o...
Seekda Acquires Regatta Travel Solutions
Regatta Travel Solutions LLC | September 7, 2016
Charlottesville, Virginia (September 7, 2016) – Regatta Travel Solutions announced today that it has been acquired by Seekda. Terms of the deal were undisclosed. Together, the two companies will focus on increasing direct booking volume for hotels through optimized meta-search and a powerful hotel booking engine. Seekda will also expand on Regatta's work with Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs). Ashwin Kamlani, the Founder & CEO of Regatta Travel Solutions, has been appointed President of Seekda. His team will be expanding their offices in Charlottesville, Virginia over the next few weeks as they prepare to lead Seekda'...
5 Ways to Attract Last-Minute Labor Day Bookings from Your Drive Markets
Tambourine | September 2, 2016
Millions of travelers will be packing their bags and hitting the roads this Labor Day weekend to take advantage of summer's last official weekend. While most travelers will already have their travel plans booked, you still have a chance to attract last-minute vacationers from your drive markets using Facebook advertising, your own email subscriber lists and social media accounts. Here's a list of our favorite hotel marketing tips to amplify the number of Labor Day travelers checking in this weekend: 1. Play Up Summer Fun Amplify all things summer that guests can enjoy at your hotel – soaking up some sun by the pool, the close prox...
The Incredible OTA Stat That Everyone Has Forgotten About…
Tambourine | August 31, 2016
Sometimes, we all need to be reminded of just how much we're throwing away by leaning too heavily on OTAs as a primary source of online bookings. Everyone knows that OTA bookings cost more, but very little is ever made of the amazing fact that OTA bookings are usually much lower in total value than direct bookings. Siteminder, which is a unique position to see booking flow from both OTAs and direct websites, recently stated: "The average booking value hotels are realizing on their direct website is nearly double the value they are receiving from third-party booking channels. (The finding is based on the 43.5 million reservations)." And ...
