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abroo041

Proximity Marketing | What is Proximity Marketing? - 0 views

    • abroo041
       
      This website discusses what proximity marketing is, who uses it, the target market, and how a proximity marketing plan is created and implemented. Proximity marketing is the use of cellular technology to market to mobile device users within a certain radius of a business. Almost every business uses proximity marketing in different ways. A restaurant might use it to advertise a new promotional meal, while an airport may use it to provide maps and promote their destination to tourists. The target market is anyone with a mobile device. Knowing your goal of marketing is the first step in creating a proximity marketing plan. Understanding the quick nature of these marketing advertisements and tailoring them to provide the most essential information and attract the viewer, all within a short message, is also important to successful marketing.
  • With mobile devices becoming a staple of modern society and the preferred way of accessing digital content, today’s successful marketing professionals will need to understand how to connect successfully with mobile consumers.
  • Proximity marketing helps companies and service agencies do just that
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  • Proximity marketing—also sometimes called hyperlocal marketing—uses cellular technology to send marketing messages to mobile-device users who are in close proximity to a business.
  • While the audience is limited to those in the proximity of the business and those using its Wi-fi or Bluetooth signal, the message is very user friendly and reaches those most likely to visit a store. Who employs Proximity Marketing?
  • Major retailers, such as Ikea or Macy’s, can send store maps and coupons or offers to apply for their credit card or to enroll in their loyalty or rewards programs. Hotels can inform guests about on-site events and promotions or can offer to enroll them in loyalty or rewards programs. Restaurants can send special menus/daily specials, coupons, offers for loyalty programs, or perhaps send trivia questions or other games to help them pass the time while they wait for their table to be ready. Shopping malls can offer a proximity marketing benefit to their tenants by putting together a package of coupons or offer a discount at any mall retailer. Travel hubs such as airports and public transportation centers can provide maps or display ads that can be sold to local tourist destinations. General information about a product or service can be delivered through proximity marketing even if the fixed location of the business or service agency changes
  • This makes just about every consumer with a smart phone potentially susceptible to a proximity marketing campaign, particularly younger, tech-savvy shoppers who are more likely to own smartphone and use them while shopping.
  • Locations such as shopping malls, large retail outlets, and trade shows, where consumers are generally planning to spend at least an hour or two, are prime areas for a proximity marketing campaign.
  • One of the key benefits of proximity marketing is that its messages reach a high percentage of potential customers who are in the area.
  • The main purpose of the proximity marketing plan is to connect with customers while they are near your business or service and spur them into action
  • In the case of mobile messaging, it’s important to consider adding an opt-in component to your campaign.
  • More and more, customers value control over the messages they receive and desire privacy from unwanted solicitations
  • Mobile devices are made for short messages and quick interaction, and there is intense competition for the attention and time of the mobile device user. Therefore, in developing a proximity marketing plan, messages must be sharpened and honed to be as clear, concise, and impactful as possible.
  • If the goal is to drive as much traffic as possible to the business and maximize sales that day, then an electronic coupon or special offer might be the best strategy. If the store has a high turnover rate, the goal may be to make a connection with customers by offering them incentives to return.
  • The digital and interactive nature of most proximity marketing campaigns provides the advantage of real-time data collection of response and success rates. If a message is failing to connect, it can be easily and quickly adjusted.
robfitzpatrick

Hotelogix announces contactless capability for guests, compliance with COVID-19 guidelines for Hotels | TravelDailyNews International - 0 views

  • Hotelogix, a leading Enterprise-Grade Cloud Hotel PMS provider releases an API stack, enabling complete contactless check-in and check-out experience for hotels
  • various other guest-facing capabilities
  • works ‘on mobile’, without a mobile app
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  • contactless platform in compliance to COVID-19 guidelines, which eliminates the human touch in the entire course of the guest stay at the hotel.
  • collecting feedbacks, selling upgrades, in-room ordering,
  • o perform all check-in related activities from the ease of their own device without having to interact face to face with any hotel staff.
  • digitizing other areas of interaction between the guest and the hotel.”
  • seamless end to end integrated experience with contactless modules
  • pace of recovery
  • how fast hotels can implement technology to adapt to the new normal."
  •  
    The article talks about Hotelogix, a cloud-based hotel PMS, teaming up with Xperium's new technology that enables complete contactless check-in and check-outs. This new technology allows guests to perform all the normal check-in activities right on their cell phone, without the need to download a specific app. It digitizes the paperwork so the guests can electronically review the reservation and sign off on the registration card. They can also select their room right from their phone. This new technology complies with the COVID-19 guidelines and will be key in the industry's recovery. The new technology doesn't just end with the check-in process. It offers various capabilities such as collecting guest feedback and preferences, up-selling rooms, ordering room service, and can even take credit card payments. With the pandemic and the need for contactless services, this will help push cloud-based PMS to the forefront. The speed in which hotels adopt these new types of technologies will be crucial to their recovery in the new normal.
rhoff019

Event Management Software Sales to Flatten Due to COVID-19 Pandemic; Key Market Players to Redesign Developmental Strategies - Bulletin Line - 0 views

  • The event management software market is anticipated to witness significant growth during the forecast period, owing to increasing use of social media and proliferation of smartphone usage and rising usage of event management software platforms.
  • The companies have started promoting event management software to improve the efficiency of their events business. These event management software platforms help organisers to increase the number of attendees through social media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well as they help in increasing the sale of tickets by the event management software market.
  • The event management software market is classified on the basis of component type, deployment type, organization size, end users and region. On the basis of deployment type, the global event management software market is segmented into cloud deployment type and on-premise deployment type of the event management software market. On the basis of organization size the global event management software market is segmented into small enterprise, medium enterprise and large enterprise.
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  • The event management software market study discusses the key trends within countries contributing to growth of the market, as well as analyses degree at which drivers are influencing the market in each region. The key regions and countries assessed in the event management software market report include North America (U.S., Canada), Latin America (Mexico, Brazil and Rest of Latin America), Western Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, , Nordic, Benelux and Rest of Western Europe) Eastern Europe (Russia, Poland and Eastern Europe) APEJ (China, India, ASEAN, A & NZ, and Rest of APAC), Japan and MEA (North Africa, South Africa, GCC, and Rest of MEA) in the  global event management software market report.
  • The key competitors covered are Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd., Cvent, Inc., Bizzabo Inc., Eventbrite, Inc., Eventzilla, etouches Inc., Zerista, Certain Inc., Ungerboeck Software International, Social Tables, Gather Technologies, Inc. and Xing Events.
  •  
    After the COVID-19 pandemic, the event registration industry is expected to boom once large scale events restart. Much of this is attributed to social media like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. It is believed that due to the increasing use of social media and smartphones that event registration software will become more apparent in the event industry than it already is.
cleon087

19 Event Trends You Need to Know for 2020 | Social Tables - 0 views

  • Planners should adjust budgets to a
  • nticipate higher rates, and book event space as early as possible.
  • This year’s mantra is “book now!” The longer you wait, the more you’ll pay. Or even worse, you won’t find a viable space for your event.
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  • 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.
  • 16. Sustainability will be center stage at events.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Sustainability initiatives are your chance to make a positive impact while painting your brand in an equally positive light.
  • Meetings are growing and evolving rapidly, and each is an experiment in applying new methods to find a perfect formula.
  • Industry Performance TrendsAttendee Experience TrendsMeeting Destination TrendsEvent Technology TrendsMeeting Design Trends
  • Demand will continue to outpace supply
  • be dynamic, you have to be flexible, and–above all–you have to be in tune with attendee desires.
    • cleon087
       
      This takes a special person and not everyone can so this.
  • 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.
    • cleon087
       
      It's important to be connected because that is what sets you apart.
  • nticipate higher rates, and book event space as early as possible.
    • cleon087
       
      Rates constantly vary and it is important to be up to date and book ahead of time.
  • 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.
    • cleon087
       
      I like this idea because it makes people talk to each other and not be seating all the time.
  • 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.)
  • 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:
  • everage lobbies, rooftops, and other communal areas for networking events.
    • cleon087
       
      Depending on the type of the event, is what makes you decide what to highlight about the space or not.
  • 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.
    • cleon087
       
      It is also important to put this in your contracts and to initially discuss it as well.
  • ess furniture, fewer seats, smaller portions, less irrelevant decor… you get the picture. A
  • 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
  • Have evacuation plan
  • 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.
  •  
    The article talks about major trends in tourism events, ranging from green initiatives through F&B to the 2nd largest reason people go to events is networking opportunities and providing quiet areas where people can network in is a good idea. More events are being planned so it is necessary to book event venues early.
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  •  
    According to the article, in 2020 event planners will have to be more alert and ready. The need for events and meetings is growing rapidly. Due to this, planners need to be more alert and ready to book group event spaces. It would be wise to increase rates to guarantee a profit out of it. Apart from this, planners would need to book months in advance to guarantee a good spot and a decent rate. Planners now need to be open to networking and face-to-face meetings to be able to get good rates, meet more clients, and find good venues to use. A new trend occurring is how people now want their trips or days to be planned out to every detail. Event planners need to be aware to book accordingly and create am agenda for their clients.
  •  
    Like everything nowadays is evolving, also the meetings are evolving in order to stay trendy and appealing for consumers. Meetings are growing exponentially YOY at a rate of between 5-10% according to the prestigious CWT meetings and events company for 2020 (without counting coronavirus). The reality is that the meetings industry also needs to evolve in order to stay in business with the new trends, clientele and times. This list provides 19 trends that every event planner needs to consider to make their event a success, including but not limited to the new demographics in the world (millenials).
  •  
    This article is about 19 event trends that event planners should be informed about. People are expecting different things from events that in the past years where not expected. Trends have changed, for example, it is a trend now to have minimalistic events instead of gaudy ones. Now people also expect creativity out of the event and to have a unique event. People also care about security of the event and fast WI-fi. All these trends are important to know and will continue changing with the years.
Rochelle Perez

Communication Agility is Key to MOHG's Ability to Continue to Deliver Superior Service Amidst COVID-19 | By Andrada Paraschiv - Hospitality Net - 0 views

  • araschiv: How is Mandarin Oriental using technology to assist you operationally during these unprecedented times? Luthje: From the onset of the pandemic, we as hotel operators had to ask ourselves two important questions: 'How do we keep guests and colleagues safe?' and 'How do we stop the spread of COVID-19? One avenue and tool that helps us achieve these goals is simply 'Digital Communications.' While many of our hotels remained open, some closed and teams were furloughed. We knew we needed to stay engaged with our furloughed colleagues to keep them updated on the company and re-opening plans, etc. Fortunately for everyone at Mandarin Oriental, we have been using the Beekeeper employee communication platform for more than five years. Through the app, colleagues can access an RSS feed from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to keep apprised of new guidelines and they can receive alerts from us showing the many layers of protection we are putting in place with our "We Care Program" to keep them and our guests safe.
  • Luthje: Because of our digital communication strategy, we don't have employees who want to cut corners on the new procedures; instead, they are more engaged and prouder to do their part in keeping everyone safe. Many offer ideas on how to improve processes. We attribute this success to Beekeeper; the platform really makes a difference in empowering our colleagues to deliver a delightful and genuine guest experience. We can explain in the app how colleagues can find the tools they need, and in return, they tell us what we can do to make processes better. Being agile is key.
  • Paraschiv: How is technology helping employees to do their jobs right the first time? Luthje: Beekeeper offers failsafe communication in how tasks need to be performed. If a colleague forgets how to do something, they can open the Beekeeper app and see what needs done. To go a step further, Beekeeper integrates to other technologies like LUA (formerly Whispr). LUA provides digital checklists in the user's own language to personalize the room cleaning experience. Housekeepers see step-by-step instructions on how to perform each task on the list. It also forces accountability by requiring housekeepers to confirm when tasks are complete. This tool is also a big help in public area cleaning. Management can use it to provide checklists for cleaning public restrooms. A rule can be set that every 20 minutes an attendant must refresh the space. If 25 minutes have passed and the bathroom attendant has not confirmed cleaning, management will get an alert.
  •  
    An explanation how the Beekeeper platform has assisted a hotel group during COVID-19
tcale003

Party, event planners lose business over coronavirus pandemic - 0 views

  • Natasha Miller expected her San Francisco event planning company to organize more than 600 events this year, basking in the glory of previous corporate parties planned for corporations such as Google and Yelp.
  • As more cases of coronavirus are confirmed globally, Entire Productions feels the crimp caused by the outbreak as her clients are “pulling the plug” on contracts.
  • four to six more weeks of cancellations.
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  • organizers are canceling or postponing events throughout the country because of the outbreak of COVID-19.
  • which has 10 full-time employees, suffered a loss of more than $15,000 in the past month alone.
  • Smaller-scale event planners also feel a high level of uncertainty.
  • “None of this is going to allow us to make up for the lost revenue and growth,” she said. 
  • “My prediction is that my business will make 50% less of what it expected to do, if not less.”
  • 'No Income at all for this month'
  • The event planning business generates $325 billion of direct spending in the USA and helps support more than 5.9 million jobs with $249 billion of labor income, according to an Oxford Economics and Events Industry Council study in 2018. 
    • tcale003
       
      An event company in San Francisco was planning over 600 events this year. As the Covid-19 pandemic has spread globally, many clients have canceled or postponed their events. Organizers are predicting that their businesses will make 50% less than what is expected if not less.
  • organizers are canceling or postponing events throughout the country because of the outbreak of COVID-19.
  • “My prediction is that my business will make 50% less of what it expected to do, if not less.”
  • which has 10 full-time employees, suffered a loss of more than $15,000 in the past month alone.
  •  
    With Covid-19 crippling businesses everywhere, event planning companies are no exception. With gatherings more than 10 people, being postponed or cancelled, most events and concerts have been cancelled. With contracts, deposits paid for, and purchased tickets, event planners are struggling to stay afloat.
rhoff019

IBM Security BrandVoice: Why Managing Windows PCs Like Mobile Devices Is A Smart Long-Term Solution - 1 views

  • videoconferencing tool Zoom has seen its daily usage rise by more than 300% from before the pandemic. And on March 18, Microsoft announced that its collaboration tool Teams added 12 million daily users just that week, bringing the total to 44 million.
  • This transition to remote work on such a massive scale would not have been possible in the server-led infrastructure of 15 to 20 years ago.
  • Cloud computing, which has been touted for its flexibility, reliability and security, has emerged as one of the few saving graces for businesses during this pandemic.
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  • they're referring to a hybrid public-private model they've adopted to balance their concerns about security breaches with their desire to reap the benefits of running some enterprises through a public cloud vendor.
  • Within a full cloud, operations are streamlined among all teams — support, professional services and security — leading to less redundancy of tasks and greater overall efficiency
  • Multiple providers can deliver different levels of services, leading to differing outcomes within cloud and on-premises operations.
  • Gartner Inc. predicted that through 2020, 95% of cloud security failures will be the customer's fault
  • According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2017 to 2018, only 29% of American workers could work from home.
  •  
    Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a massive surge to online conferencing. This conferencing would not be possible without the cloud. Moving forward this could be the way most work is done as some employers would prefer to have their employees work from home.
mannypjr

How Restaurants Can Minimize the Impact of COVID-19 - 0 views

  • This article presents strategies and tips to help restaurants minimize the revenue impact of the coronavirus, and for driving new revenue where possible.
  • make your restaurant as clean as possible.
  • Send a message to your customers that your restaurant is a haven from what’s outside.
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  • Lower rates of walk-ins and new bookings mean that you should plan to overbook more than usual.
  • Stay on top of stimulus options
  • Analyze POS data for food cost savings
  • In general, make sure your team has a plan in place for dealing with a sick customer. Protecting your employees and making the other customers feel safe remains your number one priority.
  • Partner with nearby restaurants
  • Even if diners end up going to restaurants less frequently during this period of social distancing, they might still come together for notable calendar events, such as Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day, Graduation celebrations, and so on.
  • Market your restaurant as a safe place to gather.
  • Engaging your regulars is going to be critical during the coronavirus. These are the people who probably already see themselves as part of your community.
  • Offer your community a safe place to come together, get to know them, serve them. You will inscribe a place for your restaurant in your community’s shared history.
  •  
    This article is about how restaurants can use new and creative ways to minimize the impact of COVID-19. Specifically it gives some great ideas and context around cleanliness, flexibility in reservation policies, identifying cost saving opportunities, and unique ways of driving revenue.
mannypjr

Resy's response to COVID-19 - Resy | Right This Way - 1 views

  • Resy has committed to providing 100% relief on all fees and billing (effective beginning March 9) now through the end of June.
  • Resy has added a module to restaurant pages on Resy.com that links to restaurants’ current revenue streams.
  • Resy has also compiled map-based lists in many major markets of Resy restaurants that have shifted to takeout and delivery options,
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  • Resy’s reservations ticketing feature allows restaurants to package ‘takeout meals’ for their guests to book online.
  •  
    This article is about how Resy's reservation platform has been addressing and redirected restaurant needs during COVID-19. It has specifically made adjustments in offering relief on fees and billing, aggregating resources, and highlighting takeout/delivery options.
Lymaris Collazo

EventTow Online service booking for Event Management Wedding Planning - Everything Experiential - 0 views

  • Event Tow, the one-stop Android application and website for event management & wedding planning, announced its launch today. With a sharp vision of solving age-old problems of event planning through AI, the company is targeting to change the way people plan their events & weddings. Using the EventTow app, customers can easily book all their events and wedding needs online. The EventTow app is the first attempt to provide customers seamless booking experience through transparent availability for venues/artists/DJs/makeup artists/salon services/birthdays/caterers, etc. at the best prices. Now, from the comfort of their homes, users can book vendors for different events as easily as they buy products online. For vendors, Event Tow offers year-round opportunities and a superior reach to millennials for events in all categories‐ from big fat weddings to corporate parties.
  • Event Tow also provides concierge services and helps the customers and corporates to make their events and wedding planning hassle-free and smooth. The app has bridged the gap between consumers and businesses by collaborating with large salon chains and hotel chains and offering their services directly to the clients.
  • To ensure safety and hygiene during the pandemic, Event Tow requires its vendors to maintain social distancing norms and other best practices such as wearing masks and sanitization. The app enables customers to organize their events safely without taking the risk of going out.
  •  
    Another Article about how Covid-19 has affected the industry. In this one in particular, is about an application that can be accessed by Android phone or website called Event Tow. With this new app that was inspired in millennial technology and Covid-19 pandemic, the customers can book events from the comfort of their homes and/or office. I believe this could be another example like the Smart-bar
ldevaul

The Benefits of Hiring an Influencer for Hospitality Marketing | By Colin Hannan - Hospitality Net - 0 views

  • Influencers have been a part of modern hotel marketing strategies for several years now, and it could be argued that influencers have played a key role in traditional hotel marketing for many decades
  • Think of how The Ritz in Paris became synonymous with icons like Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway - who they've named their old world cocktail bar after.
  • Inspire an Established Audience
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  • The right influencer should match both your brand values and the values of your audience, bringing an already-established crowd of relevant consumers to your digital door.
  • The audience's goal is to use that influencer's experiences to guide and inform them as they choose their next getaway destination - positioning your property as the place to be.
  • Educate Your Audience
  • Hotel guests can't get enough of reviews - the more in-depth, the better. An influencer can provide the most detailed content about your brand and the guest experience you offer through high-impact channels utilising video, blogs and photography.
  • The best influencers are seen by their audience to be unbiased and objective, which puts them in a position of authority and trustworthiness when it comes to purchasing decisions.
  • People follow influencers and engage with them because they believe they have a wider range of experience to better understand the brand, products and services they are talking about, similar to a professional hotel reviewer.
  • influencer marketing actively builds trust in your brand.
  • it's an ongoing challenge for hotels and hospitality marketing departments to keep coming up with something fresh and exciting - something their audience wants to see.
  • Good professional influencers really shine when it comes to this side of hotel marketing strategies. Not only do they have a deep understanding of what their audience (and therefore your audience) is looking for and what resonates with them, they are also creative specialists in finding fresh and entertaining ways to deliver this content.
  • leveraging their creative expertise is not only rewarding in terms of results, but helps to avoid critical missteps that can happen in a marketing strategy. You'll get more engagement, avoid the kind of faux pas that can cost you, and drive followers and leads to your website and social pages.
  • COVID-19 has made social media more powerful than ever before
  • Instagram, a primary platform for many influencers, saw some of the biggest increase in terms of use, with 2020 projections showing 14% growth - an additional 3 minutes of time per user on the platform per day.
  • One of the best ways of leveraging these changes in user behaviour work for your hotel marketing strategy is to get an established influencer who understands you brand and already has a relationship with your target audience to work on your campaigns.
  • Influencer Marketing is the Edge Your Hotel Marketing Strategy Needs
  •  
    This article discusses the benefits of utilizing influencer marketing to give your hotel/restaurant marketing strategy a more competitive edge. They noted that influencers inspire an already established audience and provide inspiration to followers to live more fully and "experience something out-of-the-ordinary." I learned that the key to a great influencer is finding someone who matches both your brand values and the values of your audience. They also discussed how influencers add authority and trust and how they are seen by their audience to be unbiased and objective. This puts the influencer in a position of great trustworthiness when it comes to purchasing decisions. The article also discussed how influencers help marketing departments by coming up with fresh and exciting content that their audiences will want to see. Lastly, the article touched on that since the COVID-19 pandemic social media has become more powerful than ever before. People are spending an additional 3 minutes on Instagram per day. The best way to leverage this new increased usage is to get an established influencer who understands your band and who already has a relationship with your targeted audience to work on your campaigns. Overall, influencer marketing is here to stay and if carefully researched you'll see a strong surge of engagement on your social media platforms.
bruss031

Flight prices dip amid COVID. Will it impact holiday travel? - Los Angeles Times - 0 views

  • This month, domestic airfares are down 5% from September 2019 and international fares down about 8%
  • Prices for flights to Europe are at a five-year low, down more than 30% compared with the same month in 2019, according to the travel website.
  • For the first time since COVID-19 took hold in spring 2020, travel demand this summer began to match and briefly surpass pre-pandemic levels
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  • But in the last few weeks, airlines have reported a steep drop in demand and an increase in reservation cancellations.
  • The average domestic round-trip flight costs $260, down from $290 at the end of August
  • The average round-trip price of a flight to Europe from the U.S. is $565, down from $665
  • In its own Sept. 9 investor update, Delta Air Lines said “initial revenue expectations were predicated on an acceleration of business travel through the September quarter. The pace of business travel recovery has paused as companies delay or scale down initial office reopening.”
  • “Most airlines have said Thanksgiving and Christmas and year-end holidays remain solid,” Unnikrishnan said. “So far, people are not canceling their holiday plans.”
  • Domestic round-trip airfares around Thanksgiving are priced at an average of $300, up 23% from 2020 ($245) but down 11% from the pre-pandemic 2019 fares ($335), according to Hopper. The average domestic round-trip airfares for travel around Christmas are $430, up 71% from 2020 ($250) and up 10% from 2019 ($390).
  •  
    Airlines around the world are sadly continuing to battle the ever lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently domestic airfare prices are down 5% since September 2019 and international fares down 8%. These price drops are expected after summer month travel exhaustion, although these prices are at a lower price than 2 years before. The biggest question within the industry right now is whether or not prices will see a steady uptrend in the coming months as we approach the holiday season.
mmoutsatsos

Why Germ-Zapping Robots and AI Technology Could Be the Future For Cruise Ships - 0 views

  • Cruise lines have arguably been well ahead of the game when it comes to new technology in the travel industry
  • -- even before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March and led to a global suspension of operations.
  • What COVID-19 has done is to add a more 'urgent' element that will force the industry to speed up that process of adding to the passenger experience and enhancing health protocols."
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  • thermal imaging cameras to test passengers' temperature; the aim of the technology is to give a ship's medical team the information to decide whether a passenger should be allowed to board.
  • Royal Caribbean's fast track check in -- take a selfie and scan your own passport; Celebrity's facial recognition technology; MSC Cruises' artificial intelligence system, Zoe, an Alexa-like onboard assistant; and Princess' Ocean Medallion, a part-app, part token approach to customized cruising.
  • Princess Cruises' Ocean Medallion, for example, unlocks the door as you approach so guests don't need to touch their door handle. It was simply a luxurious feature pre-COVID-19; now, in our new world it, holds far more practical importance."
  • Another possible change passengers might see are disinfection tunnels leading to the terminal and an entirely biometric system operating in the terminal, according to Jennifer Willy, editor at the
    • mmoutsatsos
       
      In our discussion we talked about how to justify spending money on technology and I believe this article does a good job at showing all the different tech the different cruise lines were investing in and how it todays day with COVID it has become money well spent. We also talked about disruptive innovation and how if a company doesn't adapt it will fail. The cruise industry see the move to things become touchless and have already taken steps to meet expectations.
  • Apple and Google both are developing track and trace apps, which can alert crew whether someone has been near an infected person.
  • "Most likely to be rolled out first across most cruise lines and port terminals is temperature scanning, for example, thermal imaging using infrared to detect elevated skin temperatures, not only at embarkation, but for monitoring throughout the cruise."
  • One of the aspects that we might lose, at least in the short term, is the personal touch --
  • "There are systems for air purification and pathogen removal for the whole terminal facility that could be implemented, along with UV lighting, and the obvious thermal imagining for temperature checks,"
  • touchless tech. This is already used widely by the lines in the form of apps, which allow you to do a whole variety of things -- often without the need to log onto onboard Wi-Fi.
  • ct as a keycard to open your cabin, to order and pay for drinks; make bookings at restaurants, shows and the spa; book shore excursions, check your account, track your loved ones or even control the lights and temperature in your cabin.
  • "For instance, a ship could use virtual queueing apps to limit how many people are able to go to a certain area at any given time, which would make certain there is no crowding at a lunch buffet, in the fitness center or at the pool.
  • MSC Cruises' geo-location wristbands mean you can find your friends or family wherever they are on the ship (using your app), rather than meeting them at a central point somewhere.
  • Ocean Now on some of Princess Cruises' ships, passengers can order food, drink and a selection of other products and receive them in a different location, away from other passengers or shopping areas.
  • "Royal Caribbean's Bionic Bar cocktail maker was surely little more than a publicity stunt when it was conceived but it now seems a prophetic move by the cruise line. People will be understandably worried about food and drink preparation -- and shared buffets in particular - when they return to cruising. We may see an increase in automation as a result."
  • Most of the major lines have been running with enhanced technology for a couple of years.
  • could cruise lines introduce some of the changes that are already being pioneered at hotels such as limited housekeeping, no room service and surfaces devoid of many items to help with cleaning?
  • whose LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots (they've been likened to R2D2) are already being used in hotels, restaurants, food processing facilities, and office buildings -- and it has built protocols for cruise ships.
  • The robots use broad spectrum UV light to quickly decontaminate rooms and public spaces.
  • Xenex, Texas Biomedical Research Institute tested the robot against the virus that causes COVID-19 and it killed it in two minutes.
  • worried about touching surfaces in your cabin, just ask Zoe to look up information or power items on or off for you – MSC Cruises' voice activated Alexa-like speaker is in every cabin onboard MSC Bellissima and MSC Grandiosa, and is likely to be retrofitted onto other ships in the fleet.
  • "Voice tech will become important in the new touchless world too. Rather than having to turn off the lights or lower the blinds by hand, just ask 'Alexa' to do it for you,
  • "It will be an expensive time for cruise lines when they can least afford it. Lifelong cruise lovers will return after the pandemic ends but convincing new people to give a cruise a try may rely on ships becoming as touchless as possible."
  • I think onboard technology will augment the ways guests can communicate and interact with the crew, rather than replace them."
  • "Once again, completely replacing a human being is unlikely, and handing off conversations will be an important step."
  • Royal Caribbean found out to its cost in 2014 when it first introduced tablets for waiters to take orders, and were hit with a deluge of complaints because it meant waiters were buried in their screens
  • Cruising is all about the personal attention and relationships built with crew and other guests. 
  • "Personal contact with the ship board staff is and always has been a very important component of creating memorable experiences. The cruise product cannot eliminate that essence of the cruising experience.
  • He added: "Otherwise it will be just transportation from one place to another."
  •  
    This article talks about the different technology cruise lines have implemented and the future technology they plan to include as they move for a more touchless approach to certain things.
sydneywolfson

What is Contact Tracing? - 0 views

  • Contact tracing is a public health practice that health departments use to identify and notify people who have been exposed to someone with an infectious disease.
  • Public health workers reach out to these exposed people to tell them that they've been in close contact with an infected person and to give them information and support to help them keep themselves and their loved ones safe.
  • People who have tested positive for COVID-19 infection receive a phone call or a short survey by text or email from the health department, asking them who they may have exposed while they were contagious
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  • Your identity and health information that you provide to a contact tracer is always kept confidential. It will not be shared with anyone who may have been exposed. 
  • Anyone who was within 6 feet (2 meters) of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more within 24 hours is considered to be a "close contact."
  •  
    This article talks contact tracing with Covid-19. Health care works will contact anyone that person has been in contact with via phone call or text to let them know about the exposure.
vincentsalazar

HNN - 0 views

  • Recent global data released by TravelClick projects 2015 to be a record year for bookings through global distribution systems, the channel used when guests book through traditional travel agents. TravelClick is projecting 62 million bookings through GDSes in 2015, which is up from 61 million in 2014 and 42 million during the depths of the recession in 2009.   According to the data, a total of $12 billion in revenue was booked across all channels in the second quarter in the top 50 global markets, encompassing 69 million roomnights. GDS bookings covered 16.3% of those bookings. The highest portion of bookings came through direct bookings (36.9%), followed by Web bookings (22.5%). Central reservations system bookings (12.8%) and OTA bookings (10.2%) represent the remaining portion.   GDS bookings have managed to hold their share of transient bookings through the past two years, staying steady at 19.1% during the second quarter of each year. The total revenue from transient bookings in the top 50 markets during the second quarter grew year over year from $11.5 billion in 2014 to $11.8 billion this year.  
  •  
    "Recent global data released by TravelClick projects 2015 to be a record year for bookings through global distribution systems, the channel used when guests book through traditional travel agents. TravelClick is projecting 62 million bookings through GDSes in 2015, which is up from 61 million in 2014 and 42 million during the depths of the recession in 2009. According to the data, a total of $12 billion in revenue was booked across all channels in the second quarter in the top 50 global markets, encompassing 69 million roomnights. GDS bookings covered 16.3% of those bookings. The highest portion of bookings came through direct bookings (36.9%), followed by Web bookings (22.5%). Central reservations system bookings (12.8%) and OTA bookings (10.2%) represent the remaining portion. GDS bookings have managed to hold their share of transient bookings through the past two years, staying steady at 19.1% during the second quarter of each year. The total revenue from transient bookings in the top 50 markets during the second quarter grew year over year from $11.5 billion in 2014 to $11.8 billion this year. " This article elaborates the rise in current and predicted bookings by GDS systems in the Hospitality industry. Over 12 billion dollars in revenue has been recorded thanks to the rise of GDS systems. This revenue has managed to hold on to a steady rise since over the last 5 years. If projections are correct, revenue in top markets will only grow larger.
jie shen

What is a green hotel? - Green Friendly Hotels - 1 views

  • What is a GREEN Hotel?“Green” hotels are environmentally friendly properties that take the initiative and implement very important practices and programs to reduce energy, water, and waste. 
  •  
    This article tells the definition of what is a green---- an environmentally friendly property. And it also lists several tips that may help encourage hotels to go GREEN. These tips are mainly focus on using a energy saving facilities and operating the hotel in a low-carbon way. It also give the reason why hotels should take steps to go green, it figures out that the green concept can lean to cost saving and also makes the hotel more liable for their wasting.
Jia Kim

Hilton's sustainability system, LightStay. - 0 views

  • its sustainability measurement system, LightStay.
  • LightStay has allowed the company to save more than $74m in utility costs as a result of a 6.6% reduction in energy use, a 7.8% reduction in carbon output, a 19% reduction in waste output and a 3.8% reduction in water use.
  • Hilton is attempting to reduce energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and waste output by 20%, as well as lower water consumption by 10% from direct operations within its owned hotels and corporate properties by 2014.
  •  
    This article is about Hilton's sustainable system, LightStay. This sustainability measurement system has allowed the company to save more than $74million in utility costs. This system decreased the amount of waste remarkably around 19% down. From the article, sustainability is not just an option or responsiblity on the environment, it also could reduce the costs so that contributes to maximize profits.
danakissane01

How your room-access bracelet might become a tracking device - 0 views

  • Since 2013, the travel industry has been replacing easy-to-lose room cards and cumbersome, old-fashioned keys with room-access wristbands.
  • These wearable room keys can be worn in the shower, pool and ocean, and won’t get lost at the bottom of your bag or dropped on the ground. Some can even be connected to your hotel account and your credit cards, so you can seamlessly make purchases during your trip. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the uses for these bracelets and wristbands have evolved. Some are now capable of tracking your whereabouts.
  • Room-access bracelets, which function with a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, first made a splash in the tourism sector when Disney’s MagicBand appeared at the Florida theme parks in 2013. Taking the place of a visitor’s admittance ticket and FastPasses, MagicBands also allow parkgoers to make on-property purchases and enable keyless entry for resort guests.
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  • Wearables debuted on the open seas in 2014 when Royal Caribbean launched its Wow Bands. Three years later, Princess Cruises debuted its Ocean Medallion technology. This wireless gadget can be worn as a bracelet or discreet pendant necklace, and it enables contactless boarding, keyless stateroom entry and onboard payments for everything from drinks to purchases in shipboard shops.
  • Now, instead of just making it possible to keep an eye on your kids while they’re having fun at a watery splash zone, these devices are now capable of keeping tabs on travelers who are quarantined due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As part of Kauai’s so-called “enhanced movement quarantine,” six resorts on the Hawaiian island use a mobile app paired with a wearable surveillance device to ensure guests comply with a mandatory 72-hour quarantine upon arrival. Some properties provide the bracelets for free, while others charge guests up to $100.
  • The British Virgin Islands also mandate that guests wear tracking bracelets. Arriving passengers, including residents and citizens, must take a COVID-19 test at the airport and use a contact-tracing system on their phones linked to a government-issued wristband during a four-day quarantine before being tested again. The two required tests, the mobile contact tracing app and monitoring bracelet are provided at the visitor’s expense, costing approximately $175.
  • There are also environmental concerns. Most properties don’t reuse the bracelets. Chapur, of Le Blanc, said their beachfront resort uses plastic-free vinyl wristbands, but they still generate more waste than a keycard, which can be reprogrammed.
  • With more travel providers (and entire nations) turning to wearable technology in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 amongst travelers, we’ll likely see new innovations in the wearable space. A single device could become your room key card, a quarantine monitor, theme park pass and mobile payment device. It could even use biotechnology to monitor your health, like the buttons deployed by the Cayman Islands to help travelers enjoy a reduced quarantine period. But hopefully, these wearable devices will become increasingly comfortable, eco-friendly and more discreet, so guests and travelers aren’t easily singled out — and aren’t deterred from using the technology in future applications.
  •  
    This article explains how devices like Disney's MagicBand technology might become a tracking device during your vacation.
anonymous

Effect Of COVID-19 On Hospitality Industry - Web Hosting | Cloud Computing | Datacenter | Domain News - 0 views

  • Effect Of COVID-19 On Hospitality Industry
  • At a time when consumer confidence is at an all-time low, communication will play the lead role in re-assuring the guests of the safe environments at different hotels. Also, within the hotel premises, the way hotels empower their guests with increasingly relevant and timely information, will also hold the key to future.
  • Hotels will need to review their existing service offerings to adapt to the “new normal” and provide a touch-free experience to their guests when they arrive at the property.
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  • Providing them with safety kits and eliminating the different touchpoints while serving the guests are the major needs of the hour.
  • Digital solutions that can identify touchpoints and ensure minimum physical contact among the guests and the employees at each point of contact will take the center stage.
  • The journey starts the moment guests/staff enter the property where a touch-less identification and mobile check-in is needed to avoid the long queues at the reception. Digital keys to access the rooms or elevators would be another aspect to avoid the physical touchpoint with the doors.
  • Smart devices such as sensor-based lights or gesture control features in washrooms can further elevate the touch-less ecosystem of the hotel
  • In spite of many solution providers working with the hotels to incorporate such offerings, the major challenge which the hotels face is to get their applications downloaded onto the guest’s devices.
  • Besides engaging guests at the premises based on their locations, Proximity Marketing can enable the hotels to notify them regarding any violations of the allowed number of people in a surrounding area, information about room-service delivery, or even informing them if their room is ready to check-in.
  • Reviewing and updating standard operating procedures, upgrading towards cloud-based platforms should be a standard for the hospitality ecosystem.
vanessavioli

Choosing the right IT and cloud services provider post-Covid: A guide - Cloud Computing News - 1 views

  • Now, as most economic indicators begin to trend positive, companies are once again ramping up their IT projects. Long term solutions are necessary at the scale required for sustained operations and cost effectiveness.
  • In this article, we look at three options – IT consulting firms, IT outsourcing companies, and cloud systems integrators
  • There’s also the reality that many of the larger consultancies really aren’t positioned to efficiently or cost effectively help organisations implement necessary IT strategies. Their areas of expertise lie in assurance services, taxation, management consulting, advisory, actuarial, corporate finance and legal services, to name a few.
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  • They may have the staff to take on something like a cloud migration or cloud-native application development project. But technology implementation is not a strategic part of their business, so they aren’t necessarily eager to take on these types of projects — particularly if they aren’t of a scale that would allow them to make a sizable profit.
  • They have to rely on proven, repeatable methodology to remain efficient — even if it’s at the expense of better project outcomes for their customers.
  • Companies that specialise in IT outsourcing aren’t faring much better than the big consultancies. While they may be more cost effective than a large professional services provider or consultancy, many potential clients are becoming hesitant about working with them.
  • That’s not to say there still isn’t a place for the large technology consulting firms or IT outsourcing companies. But for companies that want the flexibility, scalability and cost benefits that cloud services provide, working with a company specialising in cloud technologies – as a true, long-time strategic business partner, rather than just a point-in-time technical resource – may be the optimal solution.
  • A viable option may be to go with a mid-sized company that specialises in technology implementation — particularly in the areas of cloud migration and cloud-native app development.
  • Cloud systems integrators are able to be more innovative than larger companies that have no wiggle room for experimentation or exploring new methodologies.
  • These companies develop solutions that can meet current requirements and adapt as those new requirements emerge. For many, their work for a customer is just the beginning of a much longer partnership that will evolve to help that customer continually leverage cloud technologies to meet changing needs.
  • However, many of the cloud-centric companies have chosen to focus their efforts on specific platforms, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft, enabling them to gain familiarity with and expertise in the many tools and services those particular platforms offer. They can effectively leverage those resources to help their customers implement targeted, effective solutions.
  • Like the large technology consulting and professional services companies, the IT outsourcing companies also tend to rely on standard processes that can be repeated over and over to keep costs down. There’s no room for innovation.
  • Pandemic or not, hiring a big-name IT consulting firm often comes with an equally big price tag. Forgoing work with these higher-priced companies or simply cancelling projects reduces expenditures.
    • vanessavioli
       
      Cost is something that is a very serious part of any technological consideration by management. Will that investment be worth it in the long run and pay for itself. Smaller businesses cannot afford a misstep.
  • Few, if any, industries escaped the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even in the technology sector, where change is a normal part of business, many professional services and technology consulting firms struggled to cope with the disruption.
    • vanessavioli
       
      COVID-19 was/is the ultimate disruptor. It affected every single industry, but affected the hospitality industry in the most profound ways.
  • Yet another potential downside: larger firms tend to be less agile than their smaller counterparts. While they sell innovation to their customers, they are often too big and cumbersome to embrace the new ways of working and thinking that they promote on the consulting side.
    • vanessavioli
       
      It is interesting that it actually takes larger businesses to adapt to new technology, however once again it must come down to cost. Revamping a large company technologically is extremely costly and a very long complicated project.
  •  
    This article provides insight on three various types of IT providers and there methodologies. It definitely emphasizes the benefits of specialized companies that focus on cloud computing as their IT service and business model and their ability to b=continually adapt to the changing environment and their desire to create long term relationships. It also talks about how larger IT companies are more focused on strategy rather than implementation of systems. It also talks about how the larger IT companies are much more focused on their own profit than providing services to the client and how cheaper off shore IT companies basically provide the same services at a lesser quality
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