April 2012 Independents have Opportunities

April 2, 2012

Having traveled independently through Sri Lanka and back I've decided that if you are considering how to compete with the big boys; things are looking up.

The savvy hotelier will be able to compete on a level playing field if they take advantage of many new technologies available to them. Be encouraged by travelers that do their own research relying on sites like trip advisor and website links.

"The independent hotelier has realized that they can offer the same product often without expensive marketing, trans-action fees, commissions, and value added surcharges that are often part of the standard relationship with franchisees, GDS, Travel Agents and 3rd Party Reselling Channels."

If this quote from an industry consultant intrigues you then read the complete article located at the following link: http://www.intellatech.com/Our_New_Economy_Brings_Profound_Opportunity_DOC_003.pdf

February 2012 Media in Flux

February 2, 2012

Travel to any airport these days and notice that most people are always very focused and looking at ... a bird, a plane, Superman? No; it is their laptop or handheld device.

Google says two-thirds of businesses now plan their travel using search engines, with 2010 smart phone bookings rising by 69 %. The internet has overtaken word of mouth as the primary medium for businesses choosing destinations. Data showed that 69% of businesses compared to 63% of consumers plan travel by searching the internet, visiting an average of 22 sites before deciding on a destination. Meanwhile, mobile travel bookings accounted for 15% of all reservations in 2010, up 69% from 2009, when around nine percent used the medium, according to Corporate & Incentive Travel. (Travelmole, February 2011)

Phonebooks are almost obsolete. A smart hotel owner and manager will now get those fingers to do the walking right into their own hotel. This means better get your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in order. Do you have a good website designer? Do you know your analytics? Do you coordinate your marketing campaigns to boost your current revenue sources available from that data? Do your campaigns link to specials on your website? Does your website interface to your property PMS in a seamless manner? When the gaze is on the device searching the web, make sure the web finds you.

For a good article on Web Analytics Action http://www.hebsdigital.com/articles/2010.php