tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40308708982538400692011-11-29T13:02:43.906-05:00Provides insightful commentary, frank opinions, and valuable advice for travel companies on the topics of marketing, advertising, digital marketing and Chinese market entry.Armando Lopezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04176145058143276569noreply@blogger.comBlogger321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-73825808835188742082011-11-09T15:37:00.000-05:002011-11-29T13:02:43.917-05:00

Once upon a time there was an iPad Recently, while reading about the iPad in the late Steve Jobs' biography, I started to see some parallels in the way tech companies innovate and how the hotel industry does it. Read on. Launched not long ago, the iPad has seen great success and it has also spurred several reactive competitors that scrambled to compete with their own tablets. Most

Armando Lopeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-4644239106960853112010-06-19T14:28:00.003-04:002011-11-09T15:38:30.181-05:00

The Premise: A recent issue of the "Facebook Ads Newsletter" featured one of Facebook's newest advertisers, the Arizona Office of Tourism. Upon reading the article, I imagined Arizona's Facebook page would face an onslaught of negative criticism related to the recent passing of a controversial immigration law. So, naturally I clicked on the link and went to the page. The Shock: Initially I was

Armando Lopeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-66102846523511191252010-02-14T09:13:00.000-05:002010-06-19T15:58:51.983-04:00

A friend and client recently shared with me an article from Hotel Interactive that referred to "The New Normal" in business travel.In it, the author argues that the decline in business travel caused by the recession is likely to be permanent. It explains that the recession has forced companies to evaluate the real benefit of moving executives half way around the world at great expense just to

Armando Lopeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-65360698707415539452009-08-05T13:25:00.003-04:002009-08-06T10:04:13.281-04:00

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Armando Lopeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-387769997556435122009-04-28T13:37:00.003-04:002009-04-28T13:41:48.399-04:00

I’m sure you’re monitoring the swine flu situation and thinking that it could not have come at a worse time, just when the economy was showing signs of hope.Keep in mind that the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended not to close borders or restrict international travel. Click here to read today’s WHO statement.If you have properties in affected destinations such

Armando Lopeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-37293576867883255712009-03-27T13:45:00.003-04:002009-04-28T14:02:53.901-04:00

While guests still check the Internet first for best deals, an increasing number calls the hotel directly, stressed by spending countless hours online researching. Here are some great sales training tips for your next reservations meeting, on how to convert these calls into bookings.For veteran hoteliers who are experiencing our industry’s fourth economic downturn in the last twenty years, it is

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-22543484850769955772009-03-05T10:37:00.006-05:002009-03-05T11:00:00.368-05:00

The SituationA few weeks ago we were contacted by our friends at the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores).They were concerned about attendance figures for DATE (the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange), the country's most important travel industry trade show. The number of advance registrations was down significantly due to the challenging economy

Armando Lopeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-24006334248970777562009-02-27T11:03:00.012-05:002009-03-04T14:48:15.417-05:00

Following are the results of the survey we conducted a couple of weeks ago, which was sent to a group of 600 Hospitality Marketing Professionals in the U.S., Canada, and Europe:Summary and Comments:RevPar is in clear decline for 2009Based on all the responses, it does look like almost everyone’s RevPar will be impacted in 2009. This impact is primarily due to softer demand and rate resistance;

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-28324500851050370822009-02-26T16:15:00.005-05:002009-03-03T15:58:13.169-05:00

Here are seven rules that will guarantee a strong first impression and a powerful, lasting one. Rule #1: Respond within 24 Hours During the course of researching my next book, I came across an interesting trend. The people who run the most successful companies are the most responsive. When I leave a voice message or send an e-mail these individuals get back to me immediately with information,

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-27249852466918924812009-02-26T15:51:00.008-05:002009-03-03T15:50:57.406-05:00

The advancement of technology has made the world a smaller place. Movies, television, and the Internet have created a world which has fostered a better understanding of and access to different cultures. Teenagers in remote areas of the world dress and speak like teenagers in the most urban areas of the world based on their journeys thru the Internet. And a rural homemaker has access to shopping

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-3333887107613205662009-01-21T16:23:00.005-05:002009-01-30T09:38:28.832-05:00

These are the results of a survey we recently sent to a group of hospitality marketing professionals in North America to better understand their view of the current economic cycle and its possible RevPar projections impact for 2009:Online marketing is definitely on the rise for 2009 More traditional forms of marketing, such as print advertising, are being considered less relevant due to the ROI

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-35218002139014477862009-01-21T15:43:00.008-05:002009-03-03T15:52:54.995-05:00

(Click on image to enlarge)The issue of whether or not to discount is becoming increasingly contentious as hotels and groups struggle to compete in an ever more strained market.Reception at the Malmaison Belfast hotel. The group's chief executive, Robert Cook, told delegates at the Hotelier of the Year conference that rates at its hotels were flexible according to demand.Veteran hotelier George

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-1062596094091420562008-12-08T17:28:00.006-05:002009-04-15T14:42:26.049-04:00

DUST OFF THOSE MEATLOAF RECIPES...TOUGH TIMES ARE HERE. The global economic meltdown is forcing profound changes in the hotel and restaurant world. Costly frills are out. Wanton indulgence is now bad manners. Here are 14 major trends plus a flock of buzzwords to look for in the year ahead.THE BISTROS ARE COMING, THE BISTROS ARE COMING! Restaurants, especially hotel restaurants, are lagging

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-69644810356369367632008-11-24T11:52:00.006-05:002009-01-21T12:49:22.442-05:00

As 2009 shapes up to be the most challenging year in more than a generation for luxury items such as high-end apparel and fragrances, marketers' plans for targeting aspirational 16-year-olds and expanding rapidly into the new money hubs of Russia or the United Arab Emirates are suddenly "out," according to a panel at the recent Wharton Marketing Conference. What's now "in" for marketing luxury in

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-12401430310278781272008-11-12T10:27:00.009-05:002008-12-01T14:54:31.147-05:00

We are all aware of the challenges facing the hospitality industry for 2009. The latest market forecasts in the new PhoCusWright U.S. Online Travel Overview reflect that with a declining demand and uncertainty for the future, the strategy to hold or even raise prices has shifted as travel sellers look to salvage what they can of 2008 while holding steady in 2009.By this same source, the overall

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-59038598375573451732008-10-22T14:33:00.004-04:002008-10-22T14:39:35.780-04:00

The primary trends identified are that travelers appear to be going lean and green by visiting national parks, hiking, and engaging in adventure activities. A greater amount of Americans said they will be environmentally conscious in their travel decisions in 2009.TripAdvisor announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travelers. The primary trends identified

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-37649489552177894102008-10-17T14:31:00.018-04:002008-10-22T14:40:38.478-04:00

Following is an excerpt from "Innovation Through Recession - When the Going Gets Tough, The Though Innovate" an excellent article by Professor Andrew J. RazeghiMoments of economic turbulence provide the unique opportunity to start new businesses, launch disruptive new products, and strengthen customer loyalty – often at a discount. During these challenging times, here are a few pointers on what

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-27815548228036260362008-10-02T09:18:00.001-04:002008-10-02T09:23:50.045-04:00

An interesting article from the folks at MediaPost explores how both parties are ignoring e-mail best practices and even violating CAN-SPAM rules when communicating with voters. It seems as if the rules enacted by government to protect constituents don’t apply to senators and other political candidates who simply want your vote and don’t care to use e-mail to strengthen their relationship

Armando Lopeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-34164503104119096652008-10-01T23:19:00.009-04:002008-10-02T09:50:48.802-04:00

Faced with a challenge from our client: "can we do something cool with Facebook?" we put on our thinking caps and developed a very interesting concept.One key requirement we imposed on ourselves was coming up with something that is interesting, worth sharing, easy to execute and most important of all: be on brand. Baymont is a mid-scale leisure-oriented brand, its brand positioning puts emphasis

Armando Lopeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-15123436344034204002008-09-21T14:06:00.002-04:002008-09-30T23:19:18.489-04:00

What Messages Must Western Businesses Communicate?Successful marketing communicates to a target audience that its needs can be met by a particular supplier’s offering. Any marketing campaign should have at its core the communication of the target market’s needs. With this in mind, it is essential to consider what Chinese businesses require from potential Western suppliers. We have excluded ‘price

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-14038431102874900982008-09-08T14:41:00.014-04:002008-09-23T15:52:57.255-04:00

How many of us have heard of terms such as Web 2.0 and sites like MySpace, Tripadvisor, Facebook, Flicker, LinkedIn, etc.? What all those sites have in common is that the site users, not the site publishers, contribute most of the content on those sites.If you do a search, you will see there are many, many more sites that allow users to interact with one another. So many in fact that keeping

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-47421330984892707422008-07-21T14:50:00.001-04:002008-09-30T22:51:02.327-04:00

With international travelers projected to almost double by 2020, the most significant increases are expected to take place in markets like China, India and destinations in South-East Asia. The Gulf States and emerging Eastern Europe complete this picture, followed by the Latin American and finally African markets.Many of these are becoming important outbound markets, backed by growing middle

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-26814358826266919822008-06-20T12:28:00.008-04:002008-09-30T22:52:44.539-04:00

When visiting China for business or leisure you should be culturally aware of some basic customs to make your trip more successful.Interesting points to consider:1. Make sure you know who's the boss. China is a hierarchical society. It is important to understand who is in charge, and who is genuinely authorized to make decisions. If you need something done, make sure you’re talking to the boss,

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-56055341812184565812008-06-17T14:51:00.013-04:002008-06-20T10:43:18.461-04:00

The question of how to market and sell to companies based in China is one that is debated endlessly by foreign companies seeking to profit from the huge potential of the country. Views expressed by businesspeople claiming to know the secret of success in China vary wildly, from those (generally newcomers) who say that marketing and selling in China is ‘just like home’ through to those (usually

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-62685712216797323712008-06-17T12:05:00.007-04:002008-06-30T17:16:18.669-04:00

Click to read any of our previous issues:How effective is your ad?Eight Things You Need To Know For PR SuccessGetting Your Brand Recipe Just Right

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-22226306383574956952008-05-28T12:04:00.008-04:002008-05-28T12:13:31.554-04:00

Once upon a time, there was a very successful barber who had a thriving business. He was well known in his city for giving top notch haircuts for only 10 dollars. His customers loved him, because he was giving extraordinary value for a fair price. He was truly giving people MORE than they paid for.One day, the barber got into a disagreement with one of his customers (who happened to be a wealthy,

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-49504073611143703332008-05-12T10:11:00.029-04:002008-05-12T15:23:13.275-04:00

By Kathy Hernandez Public Relations and Publicity are very cost effective and efficient tools for companies to tell their story well. That means letting consumers know what you have to offer, how it’s a good value for money, how you differ from the competition and what makes you unique. More important than that, getting your story out in the media also drives sales.When you utilize public

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-34386720102004948052008-05-09T16:15:00.015-04:002008-05-12T15:22:21.641-04:00

Los siguientes artículos están disponibles en Español:¿Qué Tan Efectivo Es Su Anuncio?Ventas directas: Cómo sacarle el mejor provecho a su inversiónLa Nueva Segmentación De Mercado & Estructura De Tarifas Para Hoteles IndependientesOcho Cosas Que Debe Saber Para Tener Éxito Con Sus RR.PP.Si le gustaría recibir una copia de algunos de estos artículos en español, puede mandar su solicitud

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-87349160471858356612008-05-06T16:28:00.009-04:002008-06-30T17:21:08.728-04:00

One of the single greatest challenges facing independent hotels today is pricing. Pricing the inventory effectively can lead to profitability and helps lay the foundation for long term success. But, pricing the inventory ineffectively can lead to disaster.Frequent questions asked by hoteliers today are:- Should Rack Rates be established for positioning, even though Promotional Rates, frequently

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-16185698650887178452008-05-06T16:14:00.005-04:002008-05-08T12:54:51.904-04:00

Did you know that Sylvester Stallone was considered for the role of Han Solo in Star Wars? Can you imagine it? And even more absurd – Lucille Ball was considered for Scarlett O’Hara in Gone WithThe Wind … I kid you not.My response to stories like this is typical: “How could they have even thought that?” But now having been through a creative process myself – of creating something and then

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-39970626950941406742008-04-23T17:00:00.001-04:002008-09-30T23:08:50.044-04:00

The truth is, we are constantly bombarded with hundreds of ads everyday… But, have you ever stopped to think “wow” that was really nice, that message touched me! Or better yet, I am definitely trying this!So, here are some pointers to consider for your next ad creation:1. What is more impactful, the image or the text?An image is worth 1,000 words. It takes something special to make your ad stand

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030870898253840069.post-88641412441385378232008-04-23T13:27:00.010-04:002008-06-30T17:20:33.808-04:00

The past decade has been unprecedented in the hotel industry. All success indicators (occupancy, average rate, and RevPAR) have climbed steadily year after year and owners have enjoyed record profits. So what are your sales people doing?During these "feast" periods in full service hotels, it is likely that the sales person is turning away more business than is booked. And in limited service

Catherine Reseknoreply@blogger.com