A practical guide for independent hotels on joining consortia and TMC programs to gain corporate GDS visibility, including fees, requirements, and key deadlines for the 2027 season.
Mews Creative Director argues hotels must define their emotional brand territory before visual design work to create authentic guest experiences.
The report identifies rudeness, inconsistent support, and time-wasting experiences as the primary drivers of customer defection based on survey data.
Hotels lose revenue during brand conversions because digital systems like OTAs and search don't automatically update, creating visibility gaps and booking confusion.
Hotels often pay for bookings from guests who already decided to stay there, with attribution models masking this "recycled demand" problem.
The article argues destinations must use AI-driven demand prediction and personalized marketing to compete for more selective travelers during economic uncertainty.
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
The author advocates distilling your customer problem-solving into one word for marketing clarity, using "retention" and "inconsistency" as examples.
The article argues independent hotels need clear strategic positioning beyond aesthetic appeal to compete effectively in an oversaturated boutique market.
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.
Google's 2025 revenue grew 15% to $403B despite AI search rise, with traditional search still receiving 34 times more visits than AI platforms.
The article argues hotels need dedicated CRMs for prospecting since traditional sales systems only manage booked business, citing one property's $1.2M in direct group revenue from nurturing campaigns.
Hotels waste marketing spend chasing demand instead of creating it, allowing OTAs and intermediaries to control traveler decisions from the start.
The article explains how most hotel websites convert only 2% of visitors, losing guests to OTAs due to decision friction rather than traffic problems.
Hotels outside FIFA 2026 host cities can capture significant demand through early positioning as strategic bases for teams, corporations, and multi-city travelers.
The shift to storytelling-driven hospitality reflects rising guest expectations for authentic, immersive experiences rooted in place and history.
The article argues businesses should help customers achieve aspirations rather than just deliver services, citing examples from fitness equipment to Disney parks.
Industry expert explains why vendors fail at hotel sales: they pitch to people without authority, lead with features over business problems, and ignore hospitality's complex decision hierarchy.
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.
Hotels lose significant revenue when staff fail to convert phone inquiries into direct bookings, missing opportunities to avoid 10-25% OTA commissions.