Orea Hotels CEO Gorjan Lazarov shares how the Czech group grew direct bookings from near zero to 60% of revenue by combining brand investment, data infrastructure, and technology-driven guest experience.
Opinion piece arguing Southeast Asia hoteliers can cut OTA dependency from 65-70% to 35-40% within 18 months using AI chatbots, behavioural triggers, and direct-rate advantages now available for under $50/month.
Study of 2,700 AI queries shows five London luxury hotels captured 57% of AI recommendations, with Google AI Mode routing favouring OTAs over direct booking
Bradley Spielman at Whittlebury Park shares strategies for marketing to diverse audiences including spa guests, golfers, motorsport fans, and corporate groups using data-driven personas.
Bradley Spielman from Whittlebury Park explains how the hotel uses guest personas and targeted CRM data to market effectively across golf, spa, events, and motorsport audiences.
A whimsical corridor of mushrooms. A painting of a floppy-eared dog dressed to the nines in military finery. An inclusive spa that favours family time over restrictive hours. A dog bath before you’ve even reached the lobby. I’ve only been exploring New Park Manor for five minutes, and already it’s clear there’s something a little bit different about this hotel.
A whimsical corridor of mushrooms. A painting of a floppy-eared dog dressed to the nines in military finery. An inclusive spa that favours family time over restrictive hours. A dog bath before you’ve even reached the lobby. I’ve only been exploring New Park Manor for five minutes, and already it’s clear there’s something a little bit different about this hotel.
South Place Hotel's VIP pet strategy increased weekend dog bookings from zero to 3-5 rooms, driving higher guest spending and repeat business.
Booking.com responds to Dutch consumer legal action by citing Oxford Economics research showing OTAs saved travelers $69.4 billion in Europe between 2019-2021.
Knowland by Cendyn's London MICE market report shows Corporate segment leads at 48% share, with Training and Education showing highest growth driven by employee upskilling trends.
The travel and tourism sector is predicted to grow 5.8% every year until 2032 (World Travel & Tourism Council). This should bode well for hotels.
Santorini possesses one of the most irrefutably incredible landscapes in the world. From its soaring cliffs overlooking the calm azure Aegean Sea to the white, red, and black sand beaches formed by eons of volcanic activity, Thera, the island’s official name in Greek, has become synonymous with the nation’s interpretation of hospitality. It remains a longstanding and foremost destination for luxury romantic escapes and families looking for authentic experiences.
What does it take to be recognized as the best hotel in the world? With the latest estimates putting it at around 187,000 properties worldwide, winning this distinction is, statistically speaking, more prestigious than the Academy Awards or nearly any other glamorous honor for other industries. While some may think its perfect service and glamorous accommodations, the real answer is soul.
At the luxury and ultraluxury levels, what we see throughout the world is not just lavish amenities and impeccable service, but a dedication by the brands, developers, owners and onsite teams to steward the local community, cherishing its past while responsibly guiding its present for a better future.
For some, the Eurovision Song Contest is just another TV show on a Saturday night, but for many, it is THE event of the year! To countless viewers, it’s the Olympics of music - a moment to share with friends and family, and to root for your favorite entry. For some lucky die-hard fans, it’s even time to travel to Basel, as the live broadcast is staged in front of a large, enthusiastic audience. As such, the Eurovision Song Contest represents a unique opportunity for the city's hospitality sector to showcase its offerings on a global stage. Beyond the spectacle, Eurovision is a prime example of – a growing travel trend where fans journey to experience live music events. Let’s review how such a cultural event can drive “event tourism” to Basel and impact the city's international attractiveness.
Truly, there’s no place like Rome. The Eternal City is forever a delight to visit for work or for pleasure. Over the past five years, the Italian capital has gone through a hospitality renaissance, with incredible hotels opening (or reopening) throughout its ancient center. This has forced every market participant to step up their game.
Booking.com creates a large positive impact in the Netherlands. This is the finding of a new study by consultancy KPMG based on its True Value methodology. This research project provides a holistic assessment of Booking.com’s economic, social and environmental impact in the Netherlands.
As COVID-19 restrictions have eased and vaccination rates have increased, so too, has interest in traveling abroad. As we highlight in our latest Travel Recovery Trend Report, bookings for many cities surged during the third quarter of the year, both globally and regionally. Additionally, travel shoppers have been searching and booking more international destinations than before. The question for destination marketing organizations (DMOs), then, is how to inspire travelers to visit their destination? In this post, we’ll look at a new advertising solution from Expedia Group Media Solutions’ Creative Partnerships team: the Journey platform, which DMOs can use to not only promote their destination, but also the unique attractions and other points of interest visitors can see while there.
London has reopened. In fact, London was perennially open for the 25 years that I lived in the town before the pandemic hit. Hence there was no rush for me to rediscover the Capital even though it is an ever-changing metropolis. But Covid-19 has changed our perspective about wanting to escape to far-flung cities for a few days rather than being content to explore our own hometown. A few days ago, I took my son to see the Brent reservoir known as ‘the Welsh Harp’. It isn’t that far from my home but I got close to it only once, on a bike trip to Wembley.
A picture is worth a thousand potential visitors to a destination! Destination marketing organizations have used photos to inform, persuade and remind tourists. The popularity of selfie culture further reinforces the importance of pictures, as millennials always search for that Kodak moment! Yet, is there a method to select the best images to promote a destination? After one and a half years of research, we have developed the "Imagery Diagnosis Model," which is the answer.