Travel and leisure marketing: 5 sites that are changing the way travelers shop.

February 22, 2012

Several new websites and apps are helping reinvent the travel space.

If you’re a travel marketer, it’s important to understand how these sites are changing the travel game, and how you can use them to attract new guests and gather competitive intelligence.

Here are five fast-growing concepts leading travel experts say are leading us into the future.

1. HotelTonight is an iPhone and Android app that delivers day of booking hotel discounts.

The app gives consumers the ability to book a hotel the same day they need it, at a steeply discounted rate.

The site partners with hotels with too much inventory to fill open rooms with last-minute guests, and save them up to 70% off the hotel price.

Implication for travel marketers: If you’re a hotelier, consider partnering with HotelTonight to sell out your remaining day-of inventory.

2. Backbid allows travelers with a flexible hotel reservation to solicit other hoteliers for better deals.

They post their reservation on the site and wait to see if other hotels will offer them a lower rate or incentives to move a booking over to the second hotel.

Implication for travel marketers: This site gives you an opportunity to see the rates your competitors are offering in real-time, and decide if you want to beat them.

3. Room 77 is built on the philosophy that you should be able to choose a room in a hotel like a seat on an airplane.

Room 77 offers you the chance to see what rooms look like in a hotel and instructs visitors on how to book that exact room. So far, they have well over half a million room sin their database.

Implication for travel marketers: This is one more site to showcase your property and market your inventory to savvy travelers. 

4. Hipmunk is a new flight metasearch site that takes travel planning to the granular level.

In their own words, the site”takes the agony out of travel planning” by giving you more information on your flight.

For instance, if you like to sleep on the airplane, you can find out which ones will be “dark flights.” It also displays in as simple a format as you can get, the flights that are cheapest, quickest, and have the shortest stopovers.

Implications for travel marketers: This is just one more example of how much detail travelers now want in their searches. Look for ways to provide more detailed searches on your site.

5. Gogobot  is built on the belief that people want travel advice from people they trust.

So it offers travelers tips and advice from a member’s network of family, friends and business colleagues.

Implications for travel marketers:  The Gogobot phenomenon proves that people are using social media to make more and more of their travel decisions.

Make sure you’re monitoring social sites like this and responding to both positive and negative comments.

Thanks to EyeforTravel for identifying these sites for their North American Innovation Award. By the way, HotelTonight won, and Hipmunk was the runner up!

4 Comments | Leisure Services, Travel and Tourism Marketing, Trends | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by 5to9branding

Travel and tourism marketing: 6 resources to help you improve your online review rankings

February 16, 2012

If guests like you, ask them to share that love with other travelers.

How to ask for reviews, get more and better reviews, improve your rankings on review sites, and more

Last week I wrote about the importance of paying attention to your rankings in online review sites.

This week I’ve assembled some of my favorite content explaining the value of online reviews, how they work and how to improve yours. Here goes…

1. Why hotels should encourage guests to leave more online reviews

Anil Aggarwal, CEO, Milestone Internet Marketing explains the importance of online reviews to a hotel property’s success, and how to use online reviews to benchmark how you’re doing versus competitors.

2. Five Basic Guidelines for managing your hotel’s online reputation

This post in Hotelier is one of the most succinct overviews of the subject of online reviews, and offers some good suggestions for developing a systematic approach to responding to online reviews.

3. How to respond to online reviews

Explains the dos and don’ts of responding to online reviews, is comprehensive in its approach, and provides some unconventional ideas on how you can respond to negative reviews.

4. How to improve your hotel rankings in TripAdvisor

If you want a good explanation of how TripAdvisor’s Popularity Index works, and how you can affect your Popularity Index scores, read this post.

5. Increasing direct hotel bookings with social media

Joshua McKenzie from ReviewPro focuses on how online reviews can help your search rankings and increasing sales conversion rates by increasing consumer confidence.

In particular, Joshua offers a number of novel suggestions for using online reviews to keep people on your website longer.

6. How hotels can increase the volume of their reviews

If you’ve always wondered how and when to ask guests for reviews, read this ReviewPro report.

It also offers excellent case studies on how hotels have successfully increased their reviews using some of the recommended techniques.

What have you learned about online review sites, and how to manage your online reputation? Share your experience with us.

Leave a Comment » | Digital Marketing, Online Marketing, Online Review Sites, Travel and Tourism Marketing | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by 5to9branding

A few statistics on how travel brands are using social media to boost ROI (infographic)

February 14, 2012

Thought you would enjoy this infographic on social media created by the travel experts at Simplifying and EyeforTravel.

Before we show it to you, here are a few statistics on social media Simpliflying didn’t want you to miss:

  • Travel marketers surveyed revealed that using social media reduced PR costs by at least 24%.
  • Most companies in the travel industry are spending over 25% of their marketing budget on social media.
  • 61% of companies surveyed will spend more money on social media efforts over the next quarter.
  • Interestingly, social media is being seen as a viable way to drive customer loyalty given that almost82% of frequent flyers use Facebook and place the most importance on great customer service.
  • Airlines are increasingly taking to performing customer service on social media as almost 86% of tweets to airlines are about customer service issues.
  • There’s an increasing investment in social media platforms to engage customers. About 191 airlinesnow have Twitter accounts and tweets sent out by airlines increased by over 51% from March 2011 to July 2011.

Credits: Simplifyling and EyeforTravel

Leave a Comment » | Social Media, Travel and Tourism Marketing, Trends | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
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A closer look at why Expedia introduced verified reviews after spinning off TripAdvisor

February 8, 2012

Reports of widespread use of fake reviews has hurt TripAdvisor's image.

Is Expedia’s latest move an attempt to combat the negative image of its former brand?

As complaints about fake reviews rise, Expedia tries to distance itself from the problem.

As travelers are doing more and more of their research online, hotels and resorts are relying on online reviews to entice new guests to stay at their properties.

In the process, critics have complained that an entire cottage industry of paid reviewers has sprung up, calling into question the validity of reviews found on booking sites like Orbitz, Travelocity and Hotels.com.

Review site TripAdvisor has received its share of those complaints.

The New York Times reported recently that the average review on TripAdvisor receives 3.7 stars, thanks no doubt in part to the rise in fake reviews on the site.

According to the New York Times, a team of researchers from Cornell University has developed an algorithm for identifying fake reviews.

As Expedia spins off TripAdvisor, it has also announced a new service to combat this growing problem.

They call it Expedia Verified Reviews.  And only guests who stay at the property will be able to submit a review, using a form emailed to the guest after he or she has completed their trip.

Expedia says consumers in Australia and New Zealand are already using the new feedback loop and it’s expected they will launch the program in more markets soon.

Although Expedia has spun off TripAdvisor, its users will still be able to click on the TripAdvisor logo and be directed to the corresponding hotel page on TripAdvisor.

Certainly, the concept of verified reviews is not new. But the announcement does seem timely.

The travel blog Tnooz found it interesting that Expedia would announce this new service shortly after it had spun off TripAdvisor, which is receiving a lot of complaints about the number of false reviews on its sites.

What do you think? Is Expedia trying to distance itself from TripAdvisor? What do you recommend the industry do to combat the problem of fake reviews? Share your thoughts with us.

1 Comment | Online Marketing, Online Review Sites, Travel and Tourism Marketing | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by 5to9branding

Travel marketing: Before you put a QR code in your next travel ad, read this.

February 6, 2012

According to Forrester, only 5% of Americans surveyed actually scanned a QR code.

QR codes are showing up in all sorts of travel ads, but are they effective?

According to a Forrester Research, only 14 million Americans scanned QR codes in a recent 3-month period.

Their research found that only 5% of Americans who own mobile phones actually used the 2-D codes in a recent 3-month period.

And the majority of those 14 million early adopters were young, affluent males.

Ad Age recently interviewed some experts in the field and reported three reasons that QR codes haven’t caught on:

  1. People are confused about how to use them.
  2. There’s little uniformity among the apps that read them.
  3. Many of the codes link to useless information or to the company’s website.

Melissa Parish, Forrester’s senior analyst-social and mobile marketing had this to say:

QR codes are “another instance of shiny-object syndrome.  Something becomes trendy or sexy, and marketers feel they have to jump onboard to position themselves as innovative and make sure they don’t fall behind.”

If you want to increase the likelihood of prospective guests scanning your QR code consider the following:

  • Make the content you link the QR code to rewarding and valuable.
  • Make sure your QR code is readable.
  • Don’t post codes on billboards in areas with no internet access or poor cell phone coverage like subways or in-flight magazines.

For examples of how not to use QR codes, check out QR Blaster’s list of the worst campaigns of the year using QR codes.

And while you’re’ at it, tell us how you’ve used QR codes effectively. Or if you’re really brave, tell us how they haven’t worked for you.

Leave a Comment » | Mobile marketing, Research, Travel and Tourism Marketing, Trends | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
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Travel & tourism marketing: How Virgin Air keeps brand buzz high when marketing dollars are low

February 3, 2012

Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson is a master of media buzz.

Virgin Air founder Richard Branson recently shared his secrets on creating marketing buzz with a shoestring budget.

As you know, Sir Richard Branson is a serial entrepreneur, having founded or acquired 400 companies that bear the Virgin name.

He’s also helped breathe new life into the travel and tourism industry with his novel efforts at branding and promotions.

Business Day recently published a column by Branson that highlighted some of those novel marketing efforts:

  • When they launched Virgin Atlantic, Branson created free publicity for the airlines by taking part in a series of extreme challenges like a speed boat crossing of the Atlantic and several around the world balloon trips.
  • When Virgin Atlantic did buy advertising for the airlines, they made sure their ads were cheeky, topical and newsworthy. Which often got them press in addition to the media space they paid for.
  • Expanding air service to other countries helped transport the Virgin brand name to countries which did not have their record stores.
  • This created awareness and trust for the broader Virgin brand name and allowed Branson to export Virgin mobile phone service, financial services and health clubs to those countries.
  • When they launched Virgin Air in emerging countries in Latin America and Asia,  there was virtually no recognition of the Virgin brand name.
  • So Branson’s team used a three-pronged approach featuring adventure, film and social media. This strategy has attracted a younger, more media-savvy audience to the brand in those countries.
  • Virgin’s space program, Virgin Galactic has given them lots of free worldwide media coverage. And reinforced that the brand is associated with groundbreaking adventure.
  • Virgin’s film production company Virgin Produced has successfully introduced several popular movies, including Limitless and Immortals.
  •  This has helped reinforce that the Virgin brand name is associated with cutting edge ideas and the best of pop culture.
  • Above all, Virgin uses Twitter, Facebook, the company’s blogs and Google+ to build a stronger following for the Virgin brand, especially in markets where they do not have a physical presence.
  • They do this by broadcasting Virgin news, opinions, image and causes to millions of people across the world.

How are you using your brand’s strategy, products, or your destination’s leading personality to bring media attention to your travel and tourism brand? Share your ideas with our readers.

Here’s a video of Virgin Galactic’s launch of their new “spaceport.”

1 Comment | Marketing Leadership, Online PR, Travel and Tourism Marketing, Viral Marketing | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by 5to9branding

The top travel reports, predictions and forecasts for 2012

January 30, 2012

According to most industry forecasters, the pace of change will only increase in the coming year.

No one does a better job of compiling the latest travel industry economic outlooks, trends and forecasts  than the About Tourism blog.

Once again, they’ve published an excellent compilation of  forecasts and predictions for the coming year.

As we all know the industry is in the midst of dramatic change and rapid technological advancements, and the prognosticators are predicting more of the same for the coming year.

The consensus among most travel sources is that 2012 is shaping up to be a year of moderate growth for the industry due to stable employment and incomes.

Here are my 25 favorite reports and forecasts for the travel industry from that list:

  1. ITB World Travel Trends Report 2011/12
  2. World Travel Market 2011 Industry Report
  3. World Travel Market Global Trends Report 2011
  4. Tripadvisor’s 2012 Travel Trends Forecast
  5. Carlson Wagonlit Travel 2012 Global Travel Forecast
  6. Google, Facebook and TripAdvisor on what is next for travel
  7. Amex Survey Predicts Increase in Holiday Travel Spending
  8. 2012 Travel Trends
  9. Lonely Planet’s  2012 Travel Trend Predictions
  10. Most Important Travel Trends of 2012
  11. Top Luxury Travel Trends for 2012
  12. Travel Trends – 2012 Predictions
  13. World Tourism Performance 2011 And Outlook 2012
  14. UNWTO- World Tourism Barometer- Sep 2011 update
  15. PATA reveals Tourism Forecast for 2011-13
  16. Wellness Tourism 2020
  17. The emerging trends of Medical Tourism
  18. Top Luxury Travel Trends for 2012
  19. Top 10 Hospitality Industry Trends for 2012
  20. UK hotels forecast 2011 & 2012
  21. Hospitality trends to watch in 2012
  22. HEDNA Hotel Distribution Trends for 2012
  23. 70 Restaurant and Hospitality Trends for 2012 
  24. 16th Annual Gay & Lesbian Tourism Market Report 2011-2012
  25. Food and Travel Trends 2012

You’ll find links to 50 more reports at the About Tourism blog.

Leave a Comment » | Research, Travel and Tourism Marketing | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by 5to9branding

5 ways travel and tourism brands can market to the Hispanic traveler

January 27, 2012

Hispanics like to bring their families on business trips.

Travel Market Report recently interviewed Kelly McDonald, author of How to Market to People Not Like You on catering to the Hispanic traveler.

Although originally addressed to travel agents, Kelly’s recommendations are good advice for any travel and tourism marketer.

To understand why you should market to Hispanics, just look at the numbers

  • According to the 2010 census, Hispanics are now the largest minority group in the U.S.
  • There are 50 million Hispanics living in the U.S. and 1 in 4 of Americans under 18 are Hispanic.
  • The Hispanic population grew by 43% from 2000-2010, and accounted for 56% of the population growth in the U.S.

Here are 5 recommendations from Kelly on how travel and tourism marketers can help attract Hispanic travelers:

1. Make it operationally easy for Spanish-speaking guests to deal with your brand

  • Present a Spanish-language option for your website, even if it’s just FAQs.
  • Do the same for your phone answering system.
  • Many Hispanics are in service industries so they work late hours. Consider extending your hours to 8 pm on weekdays and opening on weekends.

2. Speak Spanish

  • This seems obvious, but what you may not know is that many English-speaking Hispanics prefer to speak in Spanish if the choice is given to them.
  • Make sure you have at least one Spanish-speaking reservations or information agent on staff. It’s important, too that they have good travel expertise and service skills.

3.  Develop expertise in what the Hispanic market wants and needs

  • Hispanics often bring family members on business trips, so cater to spouses and kid of the Hispanic business traveler.
  • Other trends in Hispanic travel include extended family and multigenerational travel and a love of shopping. Understand them and cater to them.
  • You can also cater your menu and service offerings to Hispanics. The Westin Hotel in San Antonio serves Mexican cookies in its afternoon tea time because American cookies are too sweet for their Mexican guests.

4. Market through social media

  • If your marketing budgets are limited, social media is an efficient way to reach Hispanics.
  • Hispanics spend a larger portion of their time on social sites than other ethnic groups.
  • They also trust what their friends say on social sites more than other groups.

5. Understand that Hispanics make decisions differently

  • Hispanics usually want to involve the whole family in the decision-making process. So your reservations and customer service reps need to be more patient and consultative.

Thanks to Nick Verrastro and the crew at Travel Market Report for this excellent advice.

How about you?  What are you doing to make your travel and tourism marketing more Hispanic-friendly?

1 Comment | Audiences, Ethnic marketing, Travel and Tourism Marketing | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by 5to9branding

Travel and leisure marketing: Industry leaders identify the latest luxury travel trends

January 25, 2012

Luxury travelers have money again and are spending it.

Ancestral travel, destination weddings and booking further in advance top the list of trends industry experts see for the coming year

This year’s Luxury Travel Expo featured a panel discussion of four upscale tour companies who made the following predictions:

Swain Tours, Abercrombie & Kent, Classic Vacations, and Tauck identified these three trends:

  • Watch for an uptick in destination weddings. One of the panel discussion participants noted that on a recent visit to an upscale Mexican resort there were four weddings a day.
  • Savvy luxury travelers follow a crisis. After the protests in Egypt, Abercrombie & Kent lowered their prices by 50% and suddenly luxury travelers weren’t afraid to visit.
  • Look for more all-inclusive pricing because luxury travelers are getting tired of having additional travel fees piled on to their bills.

The Travel Experts, a cooperative of 200 travel agencies specializing in luxury travel recently surveyed their member agencies, who identified these trends:

  • First off, the luxury travel market is back. Luxury travelers have money again, and are spending it.
  • There is more high-end travel being booked through agents, but less mid and low-end travel.
  • Luxury travelers are once again planning their travel well in advance of their trips.
  • Due in part to a decrease in discretionary spending by Gen X and Y, multi-generational travel is back with grandparents taking their kids and grandkids on trips.
  • Italy is the hottest destination for luxury travelers, with the rest of Europe, South America, Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa, Australia, Cambodia and Vietnam rounding out the top destinations.

Luxury Travel magazine recently asked Thomas Cook, head of Cox & Kings The Americas, to name his top trends for the segment. His picks:

  • Travel that helps benefit the conservation of wildlife and preservation of historic sites around the world.
  • Traveling to one’s ancestral roots.
  • Off-season travel, which allows travelers to experience a destination with fewer crowds and better deals.
  • Traveling with an expert: small group travel with best-in-industry experts.
  • Stanley picked these as “hot” cities for 2012: Sao Paulo, Brazil; Salta, Argentina, Beirut, Luang Prabang, Stockholm, Tallinn and Mostar.

What kinds of trends are you seeing from the luxury travel segment?  Tell us about your experience.

Special thanks to Tim Scott for reporting on the Luxury Travel Expo at the Luxury Latin America website.

6 Comments | Travel and Tourism Marketing, Trends | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by 5to9branding

Travel and leisure marketing: Are you taking advantage of the rise in same-day mobile bookings?

January 20, 2012

The Hotel Tonight app has been downloaded by more than 800,000 iPhone users.

A variety of new mobile tools and apps cater to procrastinators and locals

If your hotel or resort property’s website isn’t optimized for mobile, you could be losing out on the growing market for same-day bookings.

According to a recent story in USA Today, online travel agencies are introducing a rising number of booking tools and features geared towards people who book a room on the day of their stay.

The statistics indicate this phenomenon is not just a passing trend

  • 60% of mobile bookings on Priceline are for the same day
  • 65% of Orbitz’ mobile bookings are same-day reservations versus 14% for desktop computers
  • Marriott recently reported that 50% of its same-day bookings came through the mobile channel
  • More than 800,000 iPhone users have downloaded Hotel Tonight an app featuring daily hotel deals

Who are these people and why do they wait until the last day to book?

They include:

  • travelers who don’t like to plan
  • long-distance commuters working late
  • homeowners without electricity
  • travelers whose flight are cancelled
  • suburban deal seekers
  • couples celebrating anniversaries

Should your travel brand take advantage of this new trend?

  • Hotel Tonight reports that participating hotels like their service because they don’t have to commit a minimum number of rooms
  • Given that an average of 40% of rooms go unbooked each night, why wouldn’t you explore this new opportunity?

How much of your bookings are coming through same-day mobile reservations?

Tell us how this new trend is affecting your business and what you’ve learned so far.

9 Comments | iPhone Apps, Mobile marketing, Travel and Tourism Marketing, Trends | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by 5to9branding

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