Airbnb, VRBO, and vacation rentals did surprisingly well during the pandemic. Many travelers choose to stay in home-sharing or vacation rental facilities over hotels for a reason. That shows how strongly consumers demand a new type of lodging product.
The Washington, D.C., chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International today invited hospitality professionals from throughout the metropolitan area to attend its annual Directors Roundtable & Conference on Oct. 18 at the Washington Marriott Capitol Hill.
The question is fallacious, as it's set up in black-and-white terms. We're stuck in this loop of "traditional hospitality good, alternative hospitality bad." But, you know what? We have to stop thinking like that! Travelers certainly don't; for them, hospitality is hospitality, no fancy labels needed.Do vacation rentals speed up gentrification?
The impact of inventory loss within the travel and hospitality sector's key markets is a multifaceted issue with far-reaching consequences for both businesses and their clientele. These markets are often the lifeblood of demand, making any decline in resources a matter of significant concern.
I believe the vacation rental industry is to blame itself for these very restrictive regulations and all of its recent woes. For years it fought against licensing its hosts. Fought against including local hotel taxes in its pricing as if their customers didn"t need public infrastructure and safety, street lighting, etc.
The ability to source detailed information based upon complex questions is an extremely powerful tool. The time saving possibilties from the travel research perspective are tremendous. While there is critique of the quality of feedback and recommendation at what is still a relatively early stage, this will continue to improve as information portals increase their suitability for access of their information to the various AI tools.
In the near term, the biggest opportunities AI provides for driving direct revenue revolve around creating richer, more personalized experiences at each stage of the guest journey. Hotel marketers can use AI to better segment potential guests based on behaviors and deliver content and offers — at scale — that match those segments' intent. Increasingly, you can let the AI select and orchestrate campaign messages, images, and offers that align with the needs of potential guests, and drive conversion. Similarly, these tools can provide intelligent rate displays and offer attractive upsell opportunities to guests to improve the revenue you achieve during each stay. Real-time guest service during the booking process, including chat, can help improve that experience and increase conversion rate.
The goal of OTA1s has always been a one stop shop. Whatever ChatGPT-based travel planning toolkits they will have access to - Brand.com will also have, so the question is as it always has been, how to get Brand.com to stand out and entice guests enough to book directly. AI can have its shining moment here as well.
AI can certainly do a lot of things and holds great promises at various levels in business and tourism. But let's not kid ourselves - OTAs are way ahead of the game not only in providing great platforms to book on - UX, imagery, etc.
I spoke at a conference in Norway last week and had the privilege of attending a keynote by Terry Jones. He said something that really resonated with me: "AI is the new UI." In traditional UI, the focus is primarily on how users interact with a system.
According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, they are planning more travel for every trip category this fall when compared to 2022. For example, 66% are planning to visit friends and family this fall, up from 56% a year ago, and 53% are planning fall road trips, up 10% from 2022.
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Sales Leader Forum will take place in Long Beach, CA on Nov. 8, 2023. This year’s event, organized by HSMAI’s Sales Advisory Board, will focus on “Leading the Way,” when it comes to important trends, critical insights, and evolving customers and what they mean for leading hotel sales teams today and in the future.
The Broadmoor is a legendary 700-room, Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond resort in Colorado Springs with impeccable service and distinctive amenities. Here, the spirit of the West inspires the adventurer within, providing endless opportunities to explore the picturesque mountains, streams, and canyons.
The Slate Denver, Tapestry Collection by Hilton pays homage to the building’s original past as a school with thoughtful touches.
Nashville-based Graduate Hotels has unveiled its 2023 brand campaign, “Generation G,” the brand’s most comprehensive campaign to date. Inspired by the Graduate Hotels community, Generation G celebrates the common threads of the lifelong student experience: curiosity, adventure, and enthusiasm for life. g, welcoming people from all stages of life to experience the best of the world’s most vibrant college towns. Graduate Hotels have become the backdrop for building life’s most meaningful memories—Generation G celebrates the timeless traits that define and connect all Graduate guests. Anyone who considers themselves curious, an adventurer, a lifelong learner, and a lover-of-life is part of Generation G.
The global business travel industry and in-person events continue to build momentum as evidenced by the robust attendance, critical insights and attendee engagement that took place this week at GBTA Convention 2023 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds and the Marketing and Public Relations Lifetime Achievement Awards. Nominations are open now through Sept. 8, 2023, via the HSMAI registration page.
Officials of the California Lodging Investment Conference [CLIC], the only hospitality conference focused on the California hotel market, today announced that the upcoming, seventh annual gathering will take place March 6-7,2024, at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Do the OTAs generate demand in hospitality? Absolutely. But are they the biggest driver in the decision-making process? That would be a different question altogether...
In my view, people who claim that the OTAs generate travel demand completely ignore the complexity of the Digital Customer Journey and its five phases Dreaming, Planning, Booking, Experiencing and Sharing/Retention. According to them, the customer Journey consists of a very simplistic "cast the hook" (marketing) and "catch the fish" (booking).
In May 2023, during their annual Expedia Connect event in Seattle, Expedia shared recent insights from this latest "Path to purchase" report, due for publication this summer. At the inspiration stage, for example, we see that OTAs are NOT the main online source.
Flip.to, the marketing platform that helps reach, inspire, and win over travelers, is excited to announce it is now a Choice Hotels® Qualified Vendor (QV). The development lets Choice’s portfolio of legacy brands in the U.S. tap Flip.to to drive direct channel growth and convert LTR to revenue growth with impact tracked to reservations and in real time.
Omni Hotels & Resorts is launching a brand evolution as it continues significant growth comprised of nationwide portfolio enhancements, service training and marketing investments. Driven by Omni president, Kurt Alexander, the announcement signals a new era for the brand and marks the first major shift in visual identity in more than a decade.
The Washington, D.C., chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International today invited hospitality professionals from throughout the metropolitan area to attend its annual State of the Industry program Aug. 24 at the Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf.