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How to reduce your hotel’s dependency on OTAs?

OTA (online travel agency) has a real importance for hotelier and especially for the revenue management department.

As the article says, hotelier need to focus on the strategy that can provide the most important revenue at the different time of the year. This is all about the revenue's strategy. Questions are always: Do we need to focus on  large groups? small groups? individuals? OTA?; all of these depending of  low or high season.

So at the question of how to reduce hotel's dependency on OTAs? the answer could be by focusing on the website to avoid the commision and have good contract with the OTA and also to sell on opaque and focus on packages like Hotel+flight.

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Comment about Deborah's article

Facebook is a great tool but still many companies or hotels do not know how to use it. Marketing is really different than digital marketing, customers are the same but the tools to target them are different.

If we take the example of Schweppes, their facebook page is a disaster as they talk more about the app than their brand. Then, they want to show that they are interested by Art by showing pictures of for examples a man with Vuitton tattoos, Chanel condoms etc. They are doing publicities for other brands in their page. 

We could also cite the example of Mcdo with the "McDonald deals", they didn't hire a community manager to take care of their facebook page and now it is a mess as they got very bad comments and even insults.

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Net Literacy

Net Literacy on Prezi

Consumers wary of location-based services

In this survey, we learn that 5% of people use location based service as Foursquare and Facebook places and this number increases to 10% in U.S. Those people are also concerned about privacy.

Many people do not understand the Foursquare interest for instance. If you are a company, Foursquare is a way to show that your company exists, you have to register it. Then, you have the possibility to attract new customers by offering gifts and special badges. Thanks to this kind of website, you could also make your customers loyal.

Moreover, Foursquare offers much information as statistics, which permit to know better our client, and obviously the clients of our competitors.

At the end, it is also a way to create a buzz by creating games and offering a gift to the winner.

These kinds of websites are useful especially professionally as the privacy is less important when we talk about location. As an individual it is nice to show where you are at the moment but it could be dangerous. 

So, I would say, use location-based, but with moderation! 

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Sixth Sense in Hospitality

Sixth Sense in Hospitality on Prezi

What consumers want more from a hotel in 2011 !

This study published by Orbitz retained my attention. What could be more interesting than learning the consumers expectations for a woman like me who wants to work in Hospitality ?! 

"Consumers are looking to get more for less", this sentence resumes perfectly the article.

In this study, we learn that promotional offers, swimming pool and extras are the TOP three in the consumer decision.

Obviously people are looking for more, and I won't disagree as I am the first one when I am looking for a hotel to check what could I have in addition for the same category and the same price. The swimming pool is also a key factor in my decision, as I am going to travel and wish to be able to relax and practice some sport.

With this information, we could say that having more facilities and offer amenities is for sure a success key.

As it was mentioned in the article, now you see more and more hotels which are welcoming pets. It is the proof that hoteliers are taking in account consumer wishes.

In other words, hotels have to offer more than others to be competitive.

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