In the past, whenever a customer had a question online, companies were quick to offer them FAQs, and perhaps an email address. While these self-help strategies are fine for handling routine questions, they are ineffective at turning undecided prospects into customers. The days of using the Web as an interactive brochure are long gone. Hotels need to do much more to assure they turn online lookers into bookers. In addition, now that the competition is just a click away, customers will not hesitate to leave your site (and your brand) if they do not get quick resolution to their problems. READ MORE

According to recent Group Travel Research conducted by PhoCusWright, the total groups and meetings market is projected to be $175 billion in gross bookings by 2008, of which hotels can expect $34.3 billion. Among the baby boomer generation, leisure travel alone has increased by 25 percent since 2003, according to a report in USA Today. Generation X, though smaller in numbers, is making up the dollars spent difference by spending more per trip than wealthier baby boomers. In 2004, Xers, the 60 million Americans aged 25-40, spent an estimated $2,140 per capita on travel involving a hotels stay, versus the boomers' $2,016, according to travel research firm D.K. Shifflet & Associates. This generation of savvy, well-funded travelers is also more likely to go online to research and book their group getaways. After all, this is a generation used to booking their individual travel on websites such as Travelocity and Orbitz or hotel and airline websites. It's highly unlikely that those weaned on online travel sites will change gears when it comes to researching and booking their group travel. READ MORE

Don't let the title of this article mislead you - what hoteliers need to do to sell hotel rooms online is no secret. It's all about better merchandising with content that inspires and motivates shoppers to book. More than just rates, inventory and driving traffic to a booking engine, selling hotel rooms online involves making engaging, detailed visual and written content available to travel shoppers on all the digital channels they use throughout the shopping journey. READ MORE

Many independent hotel managers are unhappy with the amount of business generated by their websites. This should come as no surprise as many of these websites have been designed as "online brochures" and lack the features to incent visitors to book. Creating a sales-focused website is not trivial: there are many important details that must be taken into account. Some high-end marketing agencies have focused on delivering custom solutions to four and five-star hotels; smaller, independent hotels have traditionally relied on freelance web designers and developers to keep costs under control. Now, a few vendors provide integrated solutions that enable a high-end web presence that is focused on maximizing the number of online bookings on a small hotel budget. READ MORE

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" So my boss in the banking world used to keep telling me. But what if it is broke? Or, even worse, what if you don't know whether or not it is "broke"? Maybe your website is performing well enough now, but some changes could bump your results to stellar? These are the quandaries many hoteliers face when it comes to changing their websites. READ MORE