Weekly Roundup: Travel, Tech and Social Media
It's Friday, so you know what that means: time for our weekly roundup! Even in the madness of Oktoberfest we've been on the lookout for great travel and hospitality news for you. Click through for the best of this week's stories.
Ein Prosit!
Is Reputation the Key to Loyalty?
Loyalty is hard to come by, yet essential to profitable operations in a competitive market. Repeat guests are far more valuable than one-time guests, and according to studies, engaged guests spend 46% more than unengaged ones. So what should hotels focus on to gain guest loyalty? Is reputation the answer?
What Metasearch Sites Adopting Instant Booking for Hotels Really Means
Instant booking on metasearch sites is nothing new, but is becoming a big thing, with Google having recently doubled down on it. Is the classic metasearch model shifting towards an OTA model?
Google Accelerates Moves to Become Leading Hotel-Booking Player
Google announced a series of moves this week to ramp up its hotel advertising and booking features. Find out more in this Skift article!
Q&A: Independent Hotelier Tackle Challenges
The concerns independent hoteliers face are varied and often different from those of their branded counterparts. Hotel News Now surveyed three independent hoteliers to get their takes on specific challenges they’re facing and how they’re turning them into opportunities.
What My Facebook Friends Think of Airbnb
Wondering what's it like to stay with Airbnb and why travelers choose to use the site over booking a hotel? Here are five first-hand experiences with the sharing economy website.
7 Basics for Telling an Authentic, Effective Travel Brand Story
30 seconds or less is the average length of time that consumers spend reading or listening to online marketing communications. So if you haven’t caught a prospective customer’s attention in that time, chances are that you will have lost them to the competition. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Celebrity Cruises and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) share brand storytelling techniques.
Fast-Food Restaurants Are Where Food Trends Go to Die
"As hoteliers, it’s our job to be food leaders, entrepreneurs and inventors. The challenge for your executive chef and culinary team is to be aware of when a food craze is petering out, and then adjust accordingly. It’s a perpetual game of cat and mouse to stay ahead of the curve, but that’s also part of the fun of it!" says Larry Mogelonsky for eHotelier.
