Many independent hotel managers are unhappy with the amount of business generated by their websites. This should come as no surprise, as increasingly sophisticated consumers are looking for easy ways to decide and book, but many times official websites have confusing displays and lack competitive pricing and special offers. The last article of the series on how to pursue a structured online strategy lists six simple tips to ensure best success for offers on your website. These tips coupled with creativity and discipline to manage rate parity will allow you to create an offer strategy that ensures e-commerce success for your official website. READ MORE

Since using video to market hotels online is a concept that the industry as a whole has been slow to adopt, hotel marketers are demanding guidance on how to get the most value from their investment in online video. They buy into the value, but don't know where to start when adding video to their eBusiness strategies. There are no hard and fast rules for hotel video that guarantees the greatest conversions because there are a number of factors that come into play - hotel location, type, seasonality, just to name a few. There are, however, steps any hotel can take to get started with video. READ MORE

Occupancies have stabilized and are recovering around the world. It's time for ADRs to make the same recovery. No more hibernating with the bears. For those regions still in hibernation, the time to act is now. At best, consumers will accept a 5% increase in rate annually. While that might not seem much, it's better than a 5% move in the opposite direction. For hoteliers, every day in the foreseeable future should be a run with the bulls—with the same sense of urgency and confidence. Viva San Fermin! READ MORE

Over the course of the past few years, I have been approached by hotels that want to attract more international traffic to their websites. They were looking for the easiest way to optimize their sites for each country. Some may think it is simply a matter of translating the site and traffic will come. International SEO is not that easy. Here are a few challenges that companies with an international Web presence face, and some tips for creating an optimal Web presence that can perform well in international search engines. READ MORE

Smart hoteliers go above and beyond what's required to provide their guests with an exceptional, personalized experience that leaves travelers feeling welcome and important. Yet, hotel executives often miss the mark by not extending this best-in-class experience throughout all of their communications channels, including the booking process. By providing a cohesive, easy and pleasant encounter from start to finish, you can arm your guests with unforgettable memories that will build customer loyalty and word-of-mouth exposure that likely cannot be replicated by a marketing campaign. READ MORE