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The use of social media platforms has become widespread, and travelers consistently use social media to express pleasure or frustration about their experiences.

Here are four lessons that we learned to effectively navigate the social media world in order to market our hotels, as well as our company:

Respond, Respond, Respond

Treat TripAdvisor Like Any Other Social Media Platfor

Improve Guest Engagement Through Campaigns

Consider the Overall Guest Experience

In an attempt to clarify the language they’re using to explain the privacy of groups, Facebook has changed group classifications.

Facebook groups centered around your hotel or resort are a great way to engage your guests.

it’s a good idea to double check that your privacy and visibility settings are where you want them to be.

Facebook Announces New Messenger Interactions for Businesses 

Pages can integrate Messenger with their CRM to move guests through the sales funnel, all while setting up more automated processes in the messaging platform to better engage and qualify guests.

Integrated appointment booking in Messenger

Businesses will soon need to respond to users within 24 hours with standard messaging. This puts an emphasis on the requirement for faster customer service. 

Both Messenger features are opening up stronger opportunities to better communicate with potential and existing guests to offer them better service faster.

The 24-hour requirement can feel overwhelming, but it’s a good one to follow even if Facebook didn’t set up this rule, as it will keep your guests happy and your inbox clear.

Twitter is working on a small test that will allow users to follow “interest topics,” the same way that they can currently follow accounts.

allowing users to see content they’re interested in even if it’s coming from accounts they don’t follow yet.

Travel is an interest many people share, and if so, this could be a valuable opportunity to connect with more guests by sharing great content even if they aren’t following you yet.

~75% of leisure and ~80% of business) admitted they have booked and paid for travel on mobile at some stage. 

If providing an end-to-end customer experience is truly the problem the travel industry is trying to solve, the super app could be the solution.

The possibilities for artificial intelligence and machine learning in travel are immense.

forward-thinking travel brands focused on growth recognize the opportunities AI is creating for them in corporate travel.

an accelerated rate of change in the way travel is retailed and purchased online.

the future of customer acquisition will see the travel brands who undertake more targeted traveler engagement – and not the ones with the biggest budgets to spend on search tactics –win the customer.

Consumers want an experience that is transparent, immediate and connected 24/7. 

With the constant flow of new technologies behaviors have changed and consumers now expect to be able to interact with travel brands when they want, how they want, on the right channel, and at the right moment. 

“Technological advances continue to be increasingly important and are leading to more requests for customization and interactivity in meetings and events…We expect technology to be at the core of several trends in the meetings industry in 2011."

Publicis Meetings USA (PMUSA), revealed that the trend of using technology in meeting or event management will drive in forward, thanks to the increasing tech-savvy clients.

Today the trend of using mobile applications for event management has led the Smartphones to increase the technological and interactive aspects of a meeting or an event. There are various audience response and networking apps that helps in accomplishing tasks like customizing program agendas, and messaging.

The entrepreneurs and event managers have a coined the term “hybrid meetings” for the type of event management that comprises both the elements of a live meeting and a conference via the Internet.

With the use of applications like the Windows mobile apps, your Smartphone can be transformed into a hand-held PC.

An event app is basically like a dedicated social network and appointment calendar for the community of participants at a specific meeting. They can be as simple or as complex as a meeting planner wishes, with pricing to develop them ranging from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars.

Micah Solomon:  Can you bring me up to speed on how the Chili’s digital service came to be deployed, and how it’s going so far? Wade Allen, vice president of digital innovation and customer engagement, Chili’s Grill & Bar: We started our digital guest experience journey in Sept. 2013 as the first mover in the casual dining industry to bring tabletop technology to our restaurant tables. The goal was to remove common guest pain points around paying the bill and re-ordering drinks. We’ve seen rapid adoption with 75 percent of guests using the tablets to quickly pay their bill. Furthermore, we’ve been able to gather valuable insights through real-time feedback where 25 percent of guests use the tablets to complete the Chili’s survey at the end of their dining experience. This feedback allows us to make improvements on an individual restaurant level, as well as, provide proof points for national-scale decisions around our Fresh Tex and Fresh Mex menu favorites. Once we had the tablets in place, we took a different approach and launched a fully digital loyalty program, “My Chili’s Rewards,” in May 2015. The goal was easy access/participation for all guests. We also included unique elements around gamification to keep guests engaged. In six months, we went from no loyalty program to 4.2 million members. Furthermore, approximately 18 percent of transactions in restaurant are tied to loyalty members. We’re building on this for what we call “loyalty 2.0” with our latest partnership with the Plenti rewards program, as the newest partner to join representing the casual dining industry. This will allow guests to earn points at partner locations and redeem for their Chili’s favorites.

Solomon: Is the human element getting lost?  Allen: Absolutely not! A key differentiator of casual dining is the personalized service model. Our technology innovation is not only a win for our guests, but also a win for our team members. With technology, we’re able to remove some of the mundane tasks of the server and allow them to make our guests feel special with a memorable dining experience. Furthermore, technology is completely optional and guests can choose to opt out if they wish. These tablets do not eliminate the personal service our guests receive from servers. In fact, these tablets have served as a good tool for our team members to help eliminate some transactional pain points, such as paying the bill or ordering dessert, and have helped our team members do their job more efficiently. This allows our team members to focus on the duties that make a personal impact on the dining experience, such as getting to know the table, taking entrée orders and delivering meals, among other duties.

Solomon: What are the backup plans for when guests want human rather than kiosk service? Allen: Our model is based on personalized service to make guests feel special when dining with us. So, the personalized aspect will always be a part of what guests experience at Chili’s. The technology innovation is completely optional and guests can choose to opt out if they wish.

Attendees can use a tool like Speecheo to help them view presentations and take notes.

Digital technology is also changing the landscape of events thanks to sensor integration.

incorporate social media into event marketing. Some of the highlights include: Event or company hashtags Hosting a special "happy hour" networking event Gaining media exposure Teaser videos Creating an event-specific page on your site Sharing photos or videos of the event Social giveaways or contests for the event Video testimonials or interviews Lead follow-ups Content for your blog following the event

In the future, virtual reality could provide attendees an amazing experience with a lot of physical products being brought in.

technology that was heavily present at this years CES was robots and drones--yes, drones.

people who can't physically attend an event--they call into Skype, for example, and have a robot roll around an event so that they can hear and see what's going on.

drones, they are being used to capture aerial photography or even to deliver drinks that have been ordered through a smartphone app.

tools like Bizzabo are consolidating all of the previous tools needed to effectively manage, plan, and run an event.

allowing you to create a website for your event, sell tickets, launch an email marketing campaign, and have on-site check-in and an award-winning app for visitors to use.

With all of this access to data and technology, an events planner can now provide attendees a more personalized experience. In fact, don't be surprised if someday the large events are replaced by several smaller events that are focused on data segmentation.

Planners will try to book events further in advance. This leaves hotels and venues in a pickle: Taking early bookings could mean missing out on higher-value events later.To avoid missing out on revenue, hotels and venues need to segment business intelligently. That way, you can avoid the pitfalls of traditional lead-scoring biases that hurt RFP management.

In 2020, brands will invest in events as a marketing channel. In fact, in a recent event marketing survey, 52% of respondents said that event marketing drove more business value than other marketing channels. (Only 8% said it drove less business.)

Planners should create ample private meeting spaces and “collision spaces.” Some events do this by providing fewer chairs than attendees. With fewer empty seats, they’re encouraging movement and interaction.

Large, minimalist spaces with easily accessible bars are the perfect recipe for a networking event. Venues like this can use the networking angle to promote event space to corporate clients.

These attendees blend the worlds of business and leisure. It’s given rise to a new, multi-generational segment that drives destination decisions. (See: our Hotel Market Segmentation Guide for more on this.)

Attendees want more control over the event agenda. In fact, 96% of the Social Tables audience believe events are expected to be more personalized than ever.

While you don’t need to offer 11 choices for every hour, you can empower attendees to mold the event to meet their individual needs.

For proposals, try showcasing multiple event-specific variations. This adds value for the planner by helping them better meet their event objectives, while adding value for the hotel or venue as an upselling technique.

According to Billboard, there over 800 annual music festivals in the U.S. alone, and they attract 32 million attendees in total. 14 million of those attendees are (surprise, surprise) millennials.

At smaller levels, adding performances to the agenda can go a long way in engaging attendees. However, for larger events, creating a festival-like atmosphere requires access to a variety of spaces that are exclusive to one group.

A bigger focus on wellness could revolutionize F&B — replacing beef with the proverbial Brussels sprout.

16. Sustainability will be center stage at events.

Sustainability initiatives are your chance to make a positive impact while painting your brand in an equally positive light.

Demand will continue to outpace supply

Industry Performance TrendsAttendee Experience TrendsMeeting Destination TrendsEvent Technology TrendsMeeting Design Trends

Meetings are growing and evolving rapidly, and each is an experiment in applying new methods to find a perfect formula.

be dynamic, you have to be flexible, and–above all–you have to be in tune with attendee desires.

Meetings are growing and evolving rapidly, and each is an experiment in applying new methods to find a perfect formula.

predicts 5-10% growth in demand. At the same time, the development pipeline is slowing.

It’s also the spontaneous conversations that come with serendipitous networking.

nticipate higher rates, and book event space as early as possible.

At the same time, face-to-face time takes a hit — making it a more treasured commodity in our modern world.

redict it’ll grow about 2.41% in North America. CWT expects an even higher hike of 3.7%.

Planners should create ample private meeting spaces and “collision spaces.” Some events do this by providing fewer chairs than attendees. With fewer empty seats, they’re encouraging movement and interaction.

everage lobbies, rooftops, and other communal areas for networking events.

For events — especially large-scale events — sustainable initiatives are now the expectation.

Fast, reliable WiFi will soon become the norm, opening up new engagement opportunities and nontraditional venues for events.

“I think many hoteliers will be unhappy with the significant investments they are making now into cabling that will become obsolete just as soon as 5G launches.”

Apps present an opportunity for personalization and engagement at each stage of the event lifecycle.

Hotels and venues are developing sophisticated apps that enhance the in-venue experience. Whether it’s Wembley Stadium’s virtual tour guide or Marriott’s sophisticated in-app chatbot functionality, branded apps are adding value in multiple ways:

Why? Well, take the speed of your current 4G LTE smartphone internet and multiply it by 1,000. (Think: putting the Millenium Falcon into hyperdrive.)

Because today, 86% of consumers expect companies to act on social and environmental issues — and they’re more than ready to vote with their dollars.

0% of event planners reported that their jobs require more experience creation than just 2-5 years ago

Content:

Destination

Technology:

90% of respondents stated that event security should still be a top priority for the industry.

That could mean avoiding coastal destinations during hurricane season or avoiding certain areas of the city to ensure safety outside of event hours.

. Event diagramming software can help in this regard by allowing venues and planners to collaborate on a single source of truth

Security is a significant value add and a key selling point in initial communications.

you’re providing any personnel, such as security, custodians, and administrators.

Have evacuation plan

reate a step-by-step safety checklist for execution during on-site setup, and another safety checklist for the day of the event.

Less is more when it comes to the material.

It’s a movement that stands in direct opposition to the gaudy ballrooms of old

ess furniture, fewer seats, smaller portions, less irrelevant decor… you get the picture. A

c, open floor plans that make minimalism a possibility.

lassic combinations of whites and greys

ewer seats means more mingling.

lutter-free to promote a clean, open feel that keeps the focus on content.

Hotels, however, may find themselves scrambling to reinvent their event spaces. It could be time to rethink these spaces — along with lobbies and other communal spaces that set the aesthetic tone for the hotel at large

Larger chains should look to boutique hotels, which create visual identities that are often more closely aligned with the appeal that nontraditional venues offer.

Complex Events

by Oxford Economics, around 1.5 billion people participate in business events every year, across more than 180 countries. Global business events generate over $1 trillion in direct spending, and supported 10.3 million direct jobs globally.

2. The value of events

To understand planners’ goals and expectations for the event they’re tasked with creating, let’s start with the basics. Events generally are categorized by size, purpose, and type — all of which are increasingly dependent on a technology footprint and a digital experience.

3. What makes an event: size

Understanding the basic mechanics around an event can help clarify the planner’s approach, and improve communication.

"Simple" Events

Defined as small, repeatable meetings with “simple” requirements such as basic audio/visual facilities, these events are usually limited to 100 or fewer participants.

Midsize Events

Larger meetings rely on technology, and require a robust marketing effort to attract attendees. Planners handling these more complicated events want fully branded websites, advanced registration options, and the ability to send targeted emails to their various attendee segments.

Small Events

The number depends on the area, but as a general rule a small meeting is between 100 and 250 attendees.

Forty-three percent of planners in Cvent’s Planner Sourcing Report cited live music and entertainment as their top strategy for building memorable experiences.

Planners tasked with arranging large-scale events need an array of solutions that help manage cost and risk, optimize the experience, and measure business impact — including ROI. 

4. What makes an event: point and purpose

One can only imagine the chaos of a meeting without a point or purpose!

For venue managers, understanding the purpose of an event is critical in helping planners design the right experience, from registration to conference space needs and room management.

For Profit

The key is in keeping costs as low as possible without sacrificing the experience.

Corporate

Planners arranging a corporate event will likely need help driving attendance to sessions, generating leads, and tracking ROI.

Membership Growth

Associations and consumer groups rely on member events to raise funds and recruit new members. So it makes sense that planners are acutely interested in driving attendance.

5. What makes an event: the experience

The popularity of events is due to the quality of the experience — one that’s a good measure more than a speech and a presentation.

1. Why events matter

Live Entertainment

A Quality Keynote Experience

There’s also an emerging desire for shorter sessions and more interaction with the expert — before and after the keynote. Perhaps most of all, keynote speakers must be able to use real-world examples to support their data.

Food and Beverage

The trends underscore a preference for locally-sourced and creative, exotic cuisine. Consider that more attendees have dietary restrictions, requiring hotels and caterers to be accommodating and flexible.

6. What makes an event: technology that puts everything together

Innovations such as virtual reality grab the headlines, and for good reason: according to a Consumer Technology Association survey in 2017, 77% of U.S. consumers are interested in purchasing VR equipment.

Branded Websites

Websites that promote the brand to attendees also create anticipation for the coming event experience. More practically, these websites help ease registration, check-in, and more.

Room Block Management

Venue managers who expect planners to use spreadsheets to manage room blocks risk losing business.

Digital Check-in Desks

Digital signs, self-service check-in kiosks and on- demand badging are increasingly expected as part of a smooth and easy event registration experience.

Real-Time Surveys

Branded Mobile Event Apps

This technology can expand the influence of the event to at-home registrants, and is effective at showcasing event space to planners.

Data Dashboards

We all prefer our mobile devices, and that doesn't change during an event. Attendees want instant access to agendas, updates, and networking.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Chatbots are popular with planners and hoteliers because they provide answers in real-time, and do so without much staff oversight.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

RFID makes it easier for planners to collect data, such as surveys and session attendance.

7. What makes an event: technology in the moment

Today, exceptional experiences also include a healthy amount of technology. From easing a time-consuming process, enhancing a stay or improving the level of interest or interaction with a topic, technology is at the forefront of helping planners create exceptional in-event experiences

To put it simply: if your guests are sitting idle and passively listening, then their energy and engagement is sure to decrease.” The great opportunity is to instill a sense of excitement and enthusiasm in your events through the connective power of technology.

Websites: It’s not just for registration. A good event website can drive engagement before, during, and after the event through interactive content, video and images.

Room Block Management: Helping every participant register quickly and efficiently gets the event off to a great start; it’s also a great way to offer upgrades and package offers to attendees

Virtual Reality (VR):

At-a-glance analytics provide quick insights that can help optimize events and offerings.

Augmented Reality (AR): Digital interaction is the name of the game, and that's exactly what AR does: Have attendees use their phones to transform your venue with visual effects.

Beacons: Few solutions are better at connecting events and mobile devices. Period. At events, Beacons improve communication, push updates, and promote targeted content — all through Bluetooth.  

Planner Expectations Around Technology

Technology has indelibly changed the hospitality industry. Professionals on both sides of the meetings and events ecosystem — planner and supplier — now expect technology to power their events and increase efficiency.

The Value of Technology

That finding reflects an emerging requirement for venue managers to stay abreast of the application of technology in order to provide a best-in-class experience for planners. Some of the significant benefits planners and hoteliers can expect to achieve include improved engagement, increased revenue, an improvement in managing costs, and greater ROI insights.

After the Event: What Attendees and Planners Want

Event attendees are also hotel guests. So, in addition to their expectations for a memorable event, they’re also looking for amenities and options during off-hours.

Doing that takes more than spa services and local tour packages. By keeping the connection alive, there’s an opportunity to build an ongoing relationship. This makes it easier for planners to return to your venue for the next event.

Put your hospitality management professional learnings into practice

With all that goes into an event – the sourcing, logistics, and managing of hundreds of issues – what most planners want is for attendees to walk away satisfied and rewarded for spending time at the event. Post-event special touches, from a relaxing spa treatment to a simple survey and “thank you,” send them on their way with an unforgettable final impression

shopping habits are changing and online spending continues to increase. Yet, there are parts of the consumer journey that online-only technology can’t fulfil - and this is where retailers need to innovate most.

The technology that powers proximity marketing is only going to improve as smart cities grow and IoT becomes a part of our everyday lives. But the technology, in its current state, is already there to redefine customer experiences and the way consumers engage with brands, based on their immediate location.

When Apple launched iBeacons in 2013, proximity marketing became the industry’s favourite trend. With the right technology, this hyper-localised strategy was supposed to bridge the divide between online content and offline consumer action but Apple’s iBeacon platform ultimately failed to take off.

One of the biggest strengths of a cloud-based hotel management system is that it can be easily connected to other software applications, even if these applications don’t share the same provider.

It is high time now for the hospitality industry to consider building gamification apps to engage their customers. You can create games that help customers win discount coupons of the nearby restaurants or theme parks.

Using augmented and mixed reality headsets,  such as Microsoft Hololens, companies can show all this information to the manager and employees in real-time.

Many hoteliers have leveraged augmented reality to make the hotel environment more enjoyable to customers. For example, one of the leading hotel chains,

Augmented reality can help facility managers to increase their engineers’ productivity and decrease costs to keep them safe. Incorporating AR mobile app into EAM and CMMS solutions can help them work more efficiently.

Hoteliers can use this technology to create virtual keys that allow customers to unlock their rooms when they come near one.

From the brand’s standpoint, beacons help collect data which could help them improve their operations, marketing, sponsorship, and more. This helps track the movements of customers in a crowded place and engage with them person

locale and sends timely messages to their smartphone or tablet.The travel industry uses this to add value to tourists visiting a new place. To help retain the spontaneity of travel, beacons could alert travelers about different events an

Some industries have implemented beacon technology to target customers

disposable income during their commute. Cabs in the United Kingdom are using beacons so customers receive personalized marketing messages during the com

In the food industry, beacons could be used for everything from processing grocery orders, to notifying a passerby about promotional offers, to creating a pleasant dining experience for the customers. Beacons allow customers to book their table, reduce the waiting time, collect bill payments directly through the app. Restaurants in Tokyo have gone a step further in making the menu and the user reviews visible to the customer through their apps.

Beacons use small physical objects located in specific areas. Programmed to detect signals from user mobile devices in range, the beacons trigger servers to send in-app or SMS ads.

Geo-aware targeting uses real-time location data from mobile service providers to deliver ads via app or SMS to customers within so many feet of the store. 

The idea of proximity marketing is that a specific message can only be communicated to the right person by its proximity.

Enhanced customer experience: Using a proximity marketing strategy enables your company to personalize the customer experience in a way that varies your offerings based on the customer’s past, present, or future location and behavior. App utilization: Using proximity ads to provide valuable info and offers can improve user interaction with a business’s app, which can be a place for users to read regular updates and withdraw discounts, etc. Cost-effectiveness: Mobile proximity marketing is a cost-efficient way to target ads to the desired audience. Customer relationship boost: Proximity ads help businesses better understand the needs of their customers. This allows them to meet these needs to enhance relationships and interactions.

Businesses of all sizes use proximity marketing to engage with potential customers,

The aim of proximity marketing is to deliver marketing campaigns to consumers in close proximity to retailers, restaurants, or other locations of interest to the target audience.

method of location-based marketing via a company’s use of their customers’ location is a foundation for a proximity marketing strategy.

as long as they’re physically near to the business. It makes ads more practical and efficient, as well as more personal.

Near field communication (NFC) proximity marketing is a marketing tactic in which retailers put a chip on the product that works as a transmitter and connect to in-store visitors’ mobiles to send them various info about certain products.

designed to identify the customer profile and send the message directly to the person.

n the form of coupons or discount cards, advertisement banners in the store, or a personalized advertisement on a store companion website.

this is done by utilizing mobile location tech technologies, such as GPS. But technologies such as Bluetooth and WiFi also serve this type of marketing.

A hyper-local sales campaign is one in which a local retailer maximizes their geographic location to house a specific sales event and makes use of the surrounding local culture to generate interest.

WiFi proximity marketing is integrated with in-store marketing to provide guests with personalized, customer-activated content based on their proximity.

Using proximity marketing technology, the ad campaigns reach a more personal level with their audience, adding a more engaging and personalized touch.

One such method is radio-frequency identification (RFID) proximity marketing. It allows companies to embed a unique identifier on their product, insert it into the RFID proximity marketing imaging system, and then automatically customize their targeting.

granting you a valuable asset: consumer data. When a customer wants to log in to your WiFi network, ask them to provide their email first so you can reach out to them later and send personalized offers.

meaningful data points like demographic, location/geography, platform, and time.

GPS-based proximity marketing. Also called geo-targeting and geo-marketing, this tactic lets companies identify and engage customers based on their location. It is mainly used in retail, services, and real estate.

Those locations – your local grocery store, fitness club, a particular bar- can leverage that information to send you exclusive offers and promotions.

Beacons, easily installed in every store and retail space, use an electrical signal to identify customer location and transmit data to them through Bluetooth.

calculate daily traffic patterns and broadcast promotional messages to individuals nearby, making product recommendations or simply notifying them of discounts and beneficial deals.

Modern business owners rely on digital marketing channels for both growth and retention.

Beacons can create interactive experiences and offer valuable information (such as displaying discounts) to smartphone users as they walk near to encourage them to stay or shop longer or make a purchase.

However, this technology is still considered to be one of the most expensive ones for marketing purposes.

There are less expensive proximity marketing solutions for budget ad campaigns. For instance, QR (Quick Response) Codes are a powerful tool that allows companies to create digital proximity marketing opportunities by simply creating one and hanging it on the wall in the store.

mobile browser detection. When visitors arrive at your website, many factors are taken into account, including their IP address, browser, and device. Every time a visitor to your website activates their mobile phone or pulls up your page on their laptop browser, you have a chance to reach out and, potentially, monetize them.

Enhanced customer experience: The use of a proximity marketing strategy enables your company to personalize the customer experience in a way that varies your offerings based on the customer’s past, present, or future location and behavior. App utilization: The use of proximity ads to provide valuable info and offers can improve user interaction with a business’s app, which can be a place for users to read regular updates, withdraw discounts, etc. Cost-effectiveness: Mobile proximity marketing is a cost-efficient way to target ads to the desired audience. Customer relationship boost: Proximity ads help businesses better understand the needs of their customers. This allows them to meet these needs to enhance relationships and interactions.

hotel visitors can receive information about the hotel and the various offers it has. Also, as guests are looking for the best cafes or restaurants for a good price, hotels can partner with local bars and restaurants and inform the guests of the deals they could get.

Businesses are uncovering the benefits of marketing to clients in their proximity.

Even worse, the US currently has no formal federal legislation regulating e-waste

exported up to 40% of its e-waste to other countries.[5] However, the waste landscape is changing quickly: China, a major waste importer, banned foreign waste shipments as of January 2018.[6] As the US must begin processing more waste domestically, it is increasingly important that proper regulations are set in place

25 out of 50 states have independent e-waste recycling policies, but a federal policy has yet to come to fruition

Consumer Product Safety Commission possesses the ability to enforce durability standards.

Congress should pass an act

mandating a warranty on all electronic devices

Congress should officially instate a minimum warranty length of 2 years for all electronic devices.

By simply extending product lifetimes by even just a quarter through the measures mentioned above, the US can massively reduce the amount of e-waste that pollutes the US.

he mural stretches across the YMCA building and measures 70′ x 200′, making it the largest Augmented Reality installation using the Spark AR Studio on Facebook.

The AR experience is being promoted through the Dallas Mavs website, mobile App, social channels as well as on the mural. Fans can engage with it by clicking on the posted links or through the Mavs App, where they will be automatically taken to the Facebook Camera Filter to activate the mural. Then all they need to do is point their camera at the mural.