Hotel trends, tips and news

Let’s embrace our new blog series the so called weekly recap. Every week we read through the industry news to provide you with best tips and trends  in the hospitality industry, so you can make smarter decisions for your hotel. Read something interesting and want our two cent on it? Email us at marketing@customer-alliance.com.

Straight tips from the big 4 of online travel

Take these advices from Google, TripAdvisor, Facebook & Twitter executives and listen to what their unison opinion for the travel industry’s social media strategy in 2014.

• Be there, where your guests are – no matter at what stage of the customer journey
• Interact with your audience through comments, photos, videos etc.
• Don’t be afraid to test à la try and error, post relevant content & listen to the feedback from your fans, followers, etc.
• Respond to feedback, whether it is positive or negative
• Connect your on & offline activities into a unified & authentic picture
• Animate users to share their own content, may it be reviews, photos, etc.
• Measure your activities, what was more successful, what less

Be aware that it is about how to inspire, build relationships & create loyalty.

For more tips on social media marketing in the hospitality industry read our white paper like, share, tag as well as  our article hotels & social media – a difficult friendship or the perfect relationship.

The power of pictures

Let’s face it, images make the difference between you and your competitors. Be aware that your hotel photos have an enormous influence on booking decisions of guests. If you save on well-made hotel photos, then you save money at the wrong end. But what exactly are well made hotel photos? And how to choose the right one among many photographers? Jeremy Mason McGraw, Global Image Creation, a specialist in travel photography,  answerered these questions to ehotelier.com. We have summarized his tips for you.

Ask the photographer to show you some sample work form previous jobs. Look specifically on whether the representation of the room – because that is what you make money with – corresponds to your wishes and requirements. A photographer of great outdoor shots, e.g. the surrounding mountains, the nearby beach does not neccessarily provide you with perfect interior shots of your hotel. These are completely two different areas of photography. Now I hear you saying, but the destination is as important – without any doubt. Therefore, you as seasonal hotel should always adjust images on the website accordingly to the season. But let us also be honest with you, for great views of the surrounding valleys guests can also book a room at a neighboring hotel. Your hotel’s interiors need to shine in the right tone. Because lighting makes the significant difference when shooting indoors.

Update pictures after renovation work quickly. Not without reason have you renovated your hotel and it would be unfortunate if the investment does not pay off.

Show the photographer around your hotel, be sure that your opinion is heard. Only then you will be able to transport your hotel’s message correctly. The job of the photographer is it to put your ideas into pictures and he may of course also bring in proposals. But for heaven’s sake only accept ideas that you agree to 100%.

Trend: mobile check-ins

Whether it is an inhouse solution à la Hyatt, Marriott or Starwood Hotels & Resorts or a third-party solution mobile check-ins are on the rise. While Marriott plans a complete rollout to all 500 hotels worldwide in the first half of 2014, Starwood Hotels will test the function with its Aloft brand. Checkmate, a californian based company, also offers a mobile check-in software for individual hotels. The company  also allows guests to add via their mobile check-in software special requests, arrival time and loyalty numbers, which will be provide to hotel in advance.

Mobile check-ins on a rise

New: Facebook Feature Trending

With Trending Facebook rolls out the counterpart to Twitter’s “trends”. On the homepage you will soon be able to see popular topics & hashtags that are being discussed amongst your friends, pages and the general public. It is a very personalized feature as it takes in consideration the interest of facebook users.

Trending is the newest Facebook feature (photo rights: Facebook)

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