Louisville, Kentucky Nearly Doubles Year-Over-Year Event Volume, Hits 94.9 Percent Growth in July
Knowland | August 21, 2024
Sales & Marketing
Hotel Marketing During a Down Economy – Part 2
GCommerce | February 14, 2023
Must-Have Hotel Marketing Channels By Lindley Cotton Last week, in “Hotel Marketing in a Down Economy,” GCommerce’s Founder, Scott van Hartesvelt, shared some important hotel booking pattern signals, what history has taught us about navigating a challenging economy, and how properties can come out stronger on the other side. This week, let’s dig into the specific marketing channels every hotel should leverage in an economic downturn. But first, a really important reminder. Do not lose sight of what makes your hotel special! In challenging times, it’s natural to want to promote special offers to your hotel’s audience. T...
Phoenix Claims Top Event Market and Technology Leads as Industry Driver for January 2023
Knowland | February 8, 2023
Knowland reports on market with highest meeting and event volume and the most dominant industry driver in latest monthly meeting and events report ARLINGTON, Va. — Feb. 8, 2023 — Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, announced today that the Phoenix, Arizona market led the U.S. meetings and events industry by volume for January. Second place went to Orlando, with Washington DC taking third. The leading industry driver for meetings was Technology across four of the top five markets. Knowland is the only company to track ongoing meetings and events in the indu...
Hawaii’s Turtle Bay Unlocks Customer Data for New, Holistic Marketing Strategy
Hapi | February 7, 2023
Turtle Bay turned to Hapi and Salesforce to better understand its guests and develop relationships with them through personalized, omnichannel outreach. In 2018, Blackstone Group purchased the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu with big plans for a new, five-star Hawaii destination. The midmarket hotel wasn’t the main draw, instead, it was all about location, location, location – Turtle Bay sits on prime seaside real estate in a surfing mecca, with five miles of beachfront and 20 miles of trails. “It’s arguably the best piece of dirt in Hawaii,” says Robert Marusi, who has been serving as Chief Commercial Officer of ...
Sojern Expands Leadership Team With Strategic New Hires
Sojern | February 2, 2023
SAN FRANCISCO – February 2, 2023 – Sojern, the leading digital marketing platform built for travel, today announced the expansion of its leadership team with strategic new hires. The new hires come at a time when many technology companies face market challenges. With the recovery of the travel industry underway, Sojern’s business supports travel brands that match the market demand—focusing on specific verticals such as hotels and destinations while investing in technology and people. New hires include: Preeya Patel, Vice President, People and Stephen Fitzgerald, Vice President, Hotels North America. “At Sojern we continue to in...
Hotel Digital Marketing in a Down Economy
GCommerce | February 2, 2023
These days it feels like mentioning the “R” word is tantamount to saying Voldemort’s name out loud. We all know it's here, but maybe if we refuse to acknowledge its arrival, it’ll somehow spare us the battle ahead. Sorry to burst that bubble, but the battle is about to begin. Reading the Tea Leaves GCommerce provides real time reporting to our hundreds of clients; meaning we sit on a metric-ton of data. In the last 90 days: Website conversion rates dropped 36.5% in November 2022 versus October and 26% over November 2021. Portfolio wide ADR in November increased by $50, while overall revenue dropped an astonishing 4...
What the Data Reveals About Key Pre-Stay Questions You Can Automate
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | February 1, 2023
By Adam Mogelonsky, Larry Mogelonsky There’s no panacea to the labor crisis hotels currently face. Instead, the best solutions are often the ones that help you to continuously improve the productivity of your existing team. This is why the two of us persistently extol automation, especially those solutions that are easy to onboard and offer a series of nifty applications well beyond their original aim. As we look ahead to 2023, many of us may try to shrug off this past summer’s staffing woes as a transitionary consequence from all that pent-up travel demand from the pandemic. Economic trends suggest the exact opposite. Our present l...
Lodging Interactive Announces 2022 Hotel Christmas Tree Competition Winner
Lodging Interactive | January 25, 2023
It was a close race, as hotels around the world battled it out for Lodging Interactive’s first annual Instagram Hotel Christmas Tree Competition that aimed to support local hotel charities. The stakes were high, and the competition was fierce, but in the end, only one could come out on top – the JW Marriott Houston Downtown Hotel. “We had a lot of fun with this contest, and more importantly, we are now supporting the winner’s local charity, Heaven Instead, by awarding $1,500 on behalf of the JW Marriott Houston Downtown Hotel,” said DJ Vallauri, Lodging Interactive’s Founder and CEO. “The contest ran from November 30th...
Marriott International Announces Instant Booking Solution for Meetings and Events With Groups360
Groups360 | January 18, 2023
Marriott International now offers online instant booking for group guest rooms and meeting space through GroupSync Marketplace at properties in the U.S. & Canada Marriott International and Groups360 today announced the launch of Instant Booking for Marriott’s portfolio of hotels in the United States and Canada. Marriott International is the first brand to have a direct integration with Groups360 to offer the “Instant Book” functionality for both guest rooms and meeting space at scale on GroupSync Marketplace, providing planners with a streamlined booking process at the click of a button. As the meetings and events landscape be...
What Will It Take to Succeed in Hotel Sales in 2023?
Doug Kennedy | January 11, 2023
By Doug Kennedy The skills required to succeed in hotel group, event, and BT sales are going to be hugely different here in 2023, but the disruptions that have caused these changes began much earlier. Traditionally, succeeding in hotel sales was more about personality than process. Target rates were locked in well ahead of time and fees were few, so negotiations were much simpler. A focus on filling the house made it easy to get concessions approved, but since most planners and BT buyers were novices, they weren’t asking for that much anyway. Closure rates on inbound leads were much higher because initiating an inquiry required more e...
Knowland Closes Recovery Data Reporting as Monthly Meeting Volume Exceeds 2019 for Second Month in a Row With December Reaching 103.1 Percent of Pre-P
Knowland | January 11, 2023
Data insights leader established as the preeminent source of analytics and insights for meetings and events with unmatched recovery reporting for more than two years ARLINGTON, Va. — January 11, 2023 — Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, released its final U.S. monthly meetings and events data benchmarked against 2019, reporting December 2022 achieved 103.1 percent of December 2019 volume, exceeding monthly pre-pandemic levels for the second month in a row. Knowland began tracking and releasing monthly group recovery data in October 2020 to inform the in...
The Latest Group Sales Trends & Stats for 2023 That Every Hotelier Should Know
Daniel Melnyk | January 10, 2023
By Daniel Melnyk, CEO and Founder of Parclane In what felt like the blink of an eye, 2022 came and went. 2022 was the year we found our way back to relatively normal, and for industries like hospitality, it was a year defined by recovery. 2023, however, promises to be defined by something else entirely – growth. For a long time, hospitality brands found themselves patiently treading choppy waters, and now it’s finally time to swim ahead. As we prepare for what lies ahead, it’s more important than ever before for hoteliers to get acquainted with the trends and statistics set to shape our industry moving forward. The group sales and...
HSMAI to Honor GCommerce Solutions With 6 Adrian Awards for Outstanding Travel Marketing
GCommerce | January 4, 2023
Award winners to be celebrated at in-person event in Los Angeles in February McLean, Virginia, January 4, 2023 – GCommerce Solutions will be honored for travel marketing excellence by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) at the annual Adrian Awards Celebration at the JW Marriott LA Live on Thursday, February 23, 2023. The Adrian Awards, now in their 66th year, are the largest and most prestigious competition in global travel marketing. For 2022, Adrian Awards are being presented in advertising, digital, PR/communications, and integrated campaign categories, as well as the following “focus categorie...
SalesAndCatering.com Now Servicing Over 150 Management Companies Worldwide
SalesAndCatering.com | January 4, 2023
With a business model built on innovation, affordability and trust, SalesAndCatering.com has attracted over 150+ management companies to the industry-leading STS Cloud platform Charleston, SC – (January 4, 2023) – SalesAndCatering.com has had a year defined by exciting additions to its growing client portfolio, which now includes over 150 management companies using the company’s flagship sales and catering solution, STS Cloud. Founded over 30 years ago and currently serving over 2,300 of the world’s leading hotels, resorts, and meeting venues, STS Cloud is developed and supported from the company’s US-based offices. Only STS...
HSMAI Honors Top 25 ‘Extraordinary Minds’ of 2022
HSMAI | December 19, 2022
McLean, Virginia, December 19, 2022—The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association (HSMAI) is proud to recognize the 20th class of the “best and brightest” in the hospitality industry with its list of the 2022 HSMAI Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization, and Distribution. These 25 professionals, selected by a panel of senior industry executives, will be celebrated February 23 at the JW Marriott LA Live in Los Angeles in conjunction with the annual Adrian Awards Celebration. HSMAI’s 2022 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds not only adapted to the post-COVID travel environment but anticipated and capital...
GCommerce Launches Balboa Bay Resort’s New Website
GCommerce | December 13, 2022
Park City, UT, December 13, 2022 - GCommerce Solutions, a leading hospitality website design and development provider, has launched a new, dynamic website for Balboa Bay Resort. GCommerce was hired to increase the resort's website performance, specifically focused on increasing direct bookings and improving organic search engine ranking. Through stunning visual design, lifestyle photography, and an intuitive user experience, the new website solidifies Balboa's reputation as the number one hotel in Newport Beach. Approachable to luxury travelers, wedding parties, and even the million-dollar yachts docked outside, Balboa Bay Resort offers...
HSMAI to Honor Marketing, Public Relations Visionaries Peter Strebel and Mary Wagstaff
HSMAI | December 12, 2022
McLean, Virginia, 12, December 2022—An innovative marketing executive who has left a lasting imprint on multiple hotel brands and a public relations expert who founded her own hospitality media and marketing firm and a food and travel entertainment company are being honored by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) for their significant achievements. Peter Strebel, chairman of Omni Hotels & Resorts, is receiving the Albert E. Koehl Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Marketing. Mary Wagstaff, partner and managing director at MMGY Wagstaff, is receiving the Winthrop W. Grice Award for Hospit...
3 Simple Steps to Promote Your Hotel’s Sustainability Initiatives to Group Customers and Grow Your Sales
Ryan Hamilton | December 6, 2022
By Ryan Hamilton Sustainability is becoming a higher priority, and more importantly, a decision factor for meetings, groups and event planners In case you haven’t noticed, sustainability is currently the talk of the town – or should I say, the talk of the hospitality industry. Although green initiatives have been edging their way into hotel best practices for years, the post-pandemic landscape seems primed to embrace a more sustainable and eco-conscious approach. If you ask me, this shift is not only warranted but long overdue. In a 2022 article published by Forbes, author John Mariani wrote, “We should be focusing on mak...
Global Survey: Travelers Want More Inclusive, Authentic Content on Social Media
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | December 6, 2022
San Francisco (December 6, 2022) – Today, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle Collection, released findings from a new global survey on consumer sentiment on social media content of travel brands and traditional travel influencers. Kimpton polled more than 4,000 people from Australia, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. and found an overwhelming need for more authentic and varied travel content as well as a high demand for travel brands to do more to feature inclusive and diverse content creators and experiences. “At Kimpton we take pride in being a different type of hotel. Our foundi...
PROVision Partners Introduces an Expanded Set of Strategic Growth Services for the Travel and Hospitality Industry
PROVision Partners | December 5, 2022
Hospitality-focused professional service framework encompasses business growth acceleration, strategic marketing and technology advisory services for three core industry market segments. New Smyrna Beach, FL — December 5, 2022 — PROVision Partners (“PROVision”), a leading global strategic growth marketing, technology, and commercial services advisory firm to the travel and hospitality industry, has launched an expanded professional service framework that allows organizations in three core segments of the market to access powerful industry-specific solutions that are designed to accelerate growth, drive results and benchmark program...
81 Percent of Hoteliers See a Lift in Revenue Once a First-Party Data Strategy Is Implemented
Sojern | November 30, 2022
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 30, 2022-- Sojern, the leading digital marketing platform built for travel, today released the findings of a 2022 survey to discover "How Hotel Brands Are Using First-Party Data to Drive Revenue and Build Stronger Relationships." The study, conducted by Benchmark Research Partners with global hotel executives, sought to understand how hotel marketers are thinking about and using first-party data to inform go-to-market efforts. When surveyed about measures of success for their businesses, 81 percent of hoteliers said they have seen a lift in revenue as a result of implementing a first-party data strategy. Hotel exe...
Bravo Hospitality Group Expands Partnership With SalesAndCatering.com to Include STS Cloud and ProposalPath
SalesAndCatering.com | November 29, 2022
The Chicago-based hospitality group celebrates a seamless implementation and a successful launch of STS Cloud + Proposal Path across all properties Charleston, SC – (November 29, 2022) – Bravo Hospitality Group, the highly regarded hospitality management company headquartered in Schiller Park, Illinois, has built a reputation on its expert oversight of select-service hotels with full-service restaurants and bars. Today, they are further solidifying that reputation with the implementation of STS Cloud and ProposalPath. With multiple properties, including the 160-room Comfort Suites of the Choice Hotel family, and the 149-room Fo...
Connecting People, Places, Planet With the Future of Tourism
Jennifer Andre | November 28, 2022
By Jennifer Andre Regenerative travel The pandemic has accelerated people’s desire to lessen the environmental impact of tourism, travel more responsibly, and meaningfully reconnect with nature to preserve our planet. The trend of sustainable travel has become mainstream – our Sustainable Travel Study shows that 90% of consumers are looking for sustainable options when traveling. Our research also shows that nearly two-thirds of consumers would like to opt for environmentally friendly transportation or lodging on their next trip and many are willing to pay more for sustainable options, like carbon offsets, the next time the...
Market Snapshot by Knowland Delivers Key Market Insights in a Fast, Easy-to-Consume, and Share View
Knowland | November 16, 2022
Platform feature adds self-service market trends to better guide group sales strategies and grow market share ARLINGTON, Va. — Nov. 16, 2022 — Knowland, the world’s leading provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, today introduced Market Snapshot. This new feature delivers data insights sales leaders can use to understand their markets better, define sales strategies, and grow group business share. In an ever-changing competitive landscape, hospitality professionals need to understand how market trends change and define those impacting their business. Property leaders and sales managers o...
It’s Launch Day for Growth Advisors International Network – GAIN
Growth Advisors International Network - GAIN | November 10, 2022
A collective of seasoned C-level commercial, tech, investment and marketing executives, GAIN is set to drive growth for organizations in the travel, hospitality, and restaurant technology sector Phoenix, Arizona, 10 November 2022: Today marks the official launch of Growth Advisors International Network – GAIN, bringing together some of the world’s most experienced strategic leaders in the travel, hospitality and restaurant technology industry that work closely with organizations around the globe from tech-based startups to large enterprises and venture firms, to drive growth, industry impact and intelligent commercial expansion. Ide...
