Technology is creating both opportunities and challenges for hotels in the eternal battle to drive conversion, build yield and increase loyalty. Traditionally hotels have sought to do so at the point of purchase or via loyalty programs. But by aiming to connect with travelers at every stage of their journey (even before they know it is a journey), hotels have the opportunity to raise their profile in the decision and get that all important loyalty advantage. However, it's important to understand what consumers needs are at each stage and reflect these in both communication and product innovation. READ MORE

All signs point to continued favorable conditions in the hospitality industry in the foreseeable future. Supply growth is modest compared to prior up-cycles, plus demand is at historical highs, so everything is right with the hospitality world - right? Not quite. Profitability isn't as strong as it could be, neither is average rate. As sure as the sun rises and sets, we will once again experience a downturn. Leveraging the full capabilities that the revenue management discipline offers now can drive incremental short-term profits and help insulate your property when the tide eventually turns. READ MORE

ometimes it's right under your nose—hundreds, perhaps thousands, of additional room nights for your hotel—not from a previously unknown prospect, but from an existing client. It happens over and over: a hotel sales team happily enjoys the repeat business of a major corporate or government account while never considering that they have barely scratched the surface on the account's potential. Countless times I have discovered that a hotel's best clients are also the best clients of one, sometimes several, of the hotel's competitors. So, I learned that my hotel was not getting as much of my best account's business as I had previously believed. READ MORE

As I write this article, I am working with a plethora of hotels and daily being asked to justify distribution. While I work for Travelzoo, (Nasdaq: TZOO) my background is revenue management based as well as hotel distribution through the Online Travel Agency side. I get it and understand where you sit. So without adding bias, I came up with the following points to help them understand where they should focus their strengths based on what they are capable of affording and managing. First, let us define distribution as outlined for commerce in businessdictionary.com: The movement of goods and services from the source through a distribution channel, right up to the final customer, consumer, or user, and the movement of payment in the opposite direction, right up to the original producer or supplier. READ MORE

The introduction of technology has had a dramatic influence on hotel sales and marketing strategies and tactics. Revenue management and control of distribution channels now dominate the time spent by lodging industry marketing personnel. These changes have impacted the dollars spent at the property level within the Sales and Marketing Department. To gain a better understanding of how U.S. hotels are deploying their unit-level marketing dollars, and the fees they pay to franchisors, PKF Hospitality Research examined Sales and Marketing Department expense data from its Trends® in the Hotel Industry database of annual operating statements. READ MORE