Kimberly Yoong is a student at the EHL Lausanne pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality Management. Since obtaining her Singapore-Cambridge “A” Level diploma, she has tried her hand at running a start-up non-profit organization, and has had experiences in the hospitality industry in various roles across different countries – namely USA, Japan, Singapore, and Switzerland.
iPhone, iPad, iEverything - the world of Apple has become a prime case study for brand marketers, as they continue to boast legions of fans around the world; many of whom would willingly brave the elements in a bid to emerge victorious with the latest iPhone in hand.
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a time when excellent service was the hallmark of a luxury experience - one that was desired by the people and delivered by the best of companies.
Technological progress in today's society has reached unprecedented levels; the World Wide Web did not even exist thirty years ago, while smartphones as we know them today have barely been around for a decade.
The hospitality industry has been abuzz with the growing need to redefine the notion of luxury to cater to an increasingly diverse clientele. Gone are the days when enjoying a luxurious experience meant indulgent in-room candlelight dinners and a rose petal-filled jacuzzi; today's travelers seek authenticity and experiential travel.
OTAs and hotel companies are often said to be in a zero-sum game - hotels invest heavily into their direct channels and loyalty programs to reduce OTA commissions, but ineffective strategies mean that they sometimes end up spending more than what they would have paid to OTAs.
