Since the "GSA Scandal" and "AIG Effect" prompted a media frenzy a few years ago, it seems as if most of the meeting industry has continued to shy away from resort hotels and conference centers because they might appear as opulent or over-the-top. While these two meetings were egregious examples of...read more

One of the best ways to market a meeting venue is to share your story through digital and print magazines. For a larger brand, a media team exists at the corporate level/home office, but for hoteliers without these resources, what can be done? In an interview with Randy Hennen, Publisher for Midwest...read more

When destination events are popular enough to result in hotels selling-out, hoteliers can relish it. Events like the Presidential Inauguration and Jazz Fest in New Orleans are popular events where most hotels sell out. But, what if your tentative bookings aren’t resembling a “sell out?" You'll need...read more

Hotels offer points for guests who book and complete a stay at one of their locations. And in general, people feel accomplished and satisfied when they’re striving towards something that will offer a return. Think about the sandwich shop you visit at lunch - it’s all about getting another stamp for...read more

Remember when Grandma's telephone was a shared line with the neighbors (a party line) and the only computers were in big hidden rooms in banks and other businesses? Remember when you got your first cell phone and it stayed in the car because it was larger than a bread box? Remember your first...read more

Leisure, group business, and weddings are three traditional avenues that generate revenue for your hotel. Both a destination and a hotel can have peak, low and shoulder seasons based on how individuals and group business travel; influencers on these cycles can be geographic weather, the fiscal year,...read more

Often, the best marketing comes from trial and error, seeing what works or doesn’t. While it can be an expensive route, everyone hopes to get it right the first time. Yet, most marketers realize there are mediums that won’t always perform as expected – and its “OK” to fail at marketing. There are...read more

Statistics are abundant showing that Internet usage, in particular social media, is growing by leaps and bounds all over the world! Internet Statistics shows an overall growth of over 12% between 2011 and 2012 of those using Facebook and a total of 835,525,280 users worldwide with more being added...read more

Everyone knows that digital marketing is here to stay—but do you know how to use it in your hospitality marketing mix in order to achieve a competitive advantage? If you find the whole Internet marketing confusing, you are not alone. Things are changing so fast and industry giants such as Google and...read more

Sitting in a large ballroom with theater style seating watching a PowerPoint presentation with the lights dimmed, isn't the way we learn any longer. Due to the integration of smartphones and tablets, attendees are demanding more from the meeting environment than ever before. Andrea Sullivan,...read more

Hotels have long vied for the attention of the weary by promising a good night’s sleep. With more and more hotels adopting mascots, counting sheep (or dogs or cats) will be easier for the somnolent traveler. Industry experts know that developing trust and relationships is key when booking group...read more

Last week, I had the honor of attending the annual conference for the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC). After being at the conference for a day, I was able to identify a common theme among the attendees. Most wanted to know how to successfully launch social media as part of...read more

Looking for new hotel market concepts? Providing unusual service offerings can create buzz for your hotel and potentially build brand loyalty. When you advertise for group travel, your property might consider "out of the box" offerings like the ones listed below.  The Benjamin Hotel in New York City...read more

EyeforTravel, a business intelligence company specializing in the travel and tourism industry, said 2011 was the year for CVB, resort and hotel online marketing. Hoteliers and other travel entities focused on ways to increase their search engine ranking by: Updating their website Improving their...read more

Are you overwhelmed with Social Media choices to reach event planners, often wondering how digital marketing efforts will really pay off? What is the power of Facebook? What should you blog about? Or Tweet? With so many choices today and limited time or creativity, below are real life examples of...read more

The proper handling of group business RFPs is critical to your success as a hotelier. In order to get more group business on the books in 2012 and beyond it is important to understand your meeting and event planner clients. As planners become more strategic in their venue sourcing and expect more...read more

We recently reported 5 Key Meeting Trends for 2012 from a recent survey of meeting planners, buyers and hotel suppliers from around the world that was conducted by American Express Meetings & Events. In its research summary, Amex also highlighted some interesting global projections by region for...read more

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts recently published a Luxury Trend Report identifying who the luxury traveler is and how resort online marketing should take advantage of these new consumer behaviors. Below, are the highlights of the report, along with some of my own hospitality marketing...read more

Are you looking to drive more visibility and traffic to your property? Duh! Of course, you are! Google recently announced changes to their ranking algorithm that will provide more relevant results to the user, based on the criteria of their search. This new search system will bring fresher content...read more

Hi! I'm Reema Kodesh and I am a Senior Product Consultant on Cvent's Client Services team. The venue clients that I work with know that responding quickly to RFPs with high quality proposals can win more business on the Cvent Supplier Network and lead to more effective hotel marketing online. I want...read more