December 19, 2014
How can a hotel, resort or casino effectively reach a target audience through online media?
One of the most pervasive challenges hoteliers face is how to effectively speak to and engage with their various customer segments online. Couples, families, business travelers, international travelers, and event planners all require customized messaging on the site and in advertising campaigns to address their individual needs.
Online media and retargeting is the perfect advertising format to target specific customer segments and drive direct bookings and customer engagements.
The following case study clearly shows that any hotel property interested in targeting international feeder markets can effectively do so via online media. This strategy allows the hotel to lessen dependency on the OTAs to reach customers overseas.
Case Study: Targeting Affluent International Travelers Generates Significant Return for Luxury Hotel in NYC
The New York Palace, a luxury Manhattan property, was looking to target affluent international travelers in 2014. Their main goals were to increase direct bookings, as well as increase website traffic and awareness of the property from this particular market segment, which in the past was left almost entirely to foreign-based OTAs and intermediaries.
To help The New York Palace achieve these goals, HeBS Digital developed rich foreign language content and SEO for the property website. HeBS Digital determined that the Adara Travel Ad Network was a great option to reach the affluent international market traveling to New York City and set up a display campaign, utilizing ‘intent to travel’ targeting and the retargeting of affluent international travelers in fly-in feeder markets. The campaign utilized four sets of banner creative conceptualized, designed and developed by HeBS Digital- one set targeting French speaking travelers, one set targeting Spanish speaking travelers, one set targeting English speaking travelers, and one set targeting Portuguese speaking travelers.
HeBS Digital tracked results using Google’s DoubleClick DART for Advertisers (DFA), the industry’s standard display advertising solution. Tracking post-impressions and post-click activity and conversions, we were able to provide a deep understanding of the campaigns’ returns.
Results
- Direct foreign traveler engagements quadrupled
- Number of foreign users to the property website doubled
- ROI from foreign traveler engagements exceeded 10:1
