Who's sleeping with you

Hotels faced with new challenges as average age of guest drops

Nov 19.2013

 

The average age of hotel guests has dropped, new research has found.

The white paper, “Who’s Sleeping with You: A Detailed Look at the US Online Hotel Guest” was produced in partnership with Hudson Crossing, and took a 3-month sample of the billion monthly travel transactions processed each month from Adara.

The key finding is surprising: 4 out of 10 hotel guests are between the ages of 18 and 36. This provides a solid counterpoint to the prevailing trend of targeting hotels towards Baby Boomers.

The rise of the boutique hotels and larger design-focused properties is most certainly at play here, as the younger generation of Millenials both begin to travel more for business and seek exceptionally unique experiences as they travel.

The simultaneous focus on socializing the hotel experience likely plays a factor in this demographic shift, as trendy hotels like Ace create lobby scenes that create an atmosphere appealing to the more social Millennial demo.

Loyalty – or lack thereof – was also a key finding in the study, which found that only 2 in 5 travelers express loyalty to any one hotel brand. Even those travelers that have elite status are shopping around, and willing to trade loyalty benefits for a better deal.

Henry Harteveldt from Hudson Crossing explains what these results mean for hotels.

“In 2014, hotel chains face a fiercely competitive environment on the web. Their customers are becoming more demographically fragmented and most don’t belong to a hotel loyalty program. So hoteliers really need to know who their customers are and understand them on a deeper level.  They have to earn their customers’ loyalty and fight for every booking.”

The following infographic pulls out the highlights from the study, which include:

• 92% of travelers researching hotels will book online this year.
• Millenials are now the largest segment staying in hotels.
• Supplementing organic hotel searches with paid ads can lead to higher conversions, especially if the ads are seeded with specific targeting like geo-location, previous purchase history, past visits and most recent stays.

The full report lives here and here‘s the larger version of the infographic.

NB: Boy with plane image courtesy Shutterstock.

 

- See more at: http://www.tnooz.com/article/hotels-faced-new-challenges-average-age-guest-drops/#sthash.1VEg30LX.dpuf

Help Improve your Trip Advisor Reviews

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Three insider tips for better TripAdvisor performance

Straight from our own experts, here’s how to improve your property’s performance on TripAdvisor, which influences your direct bookings, online reputation and more.

With all the TripAdvisor advice out there, sometimes you might come across information or tips that can be misleading or even against TripAdvisor guidelines. Getting the most out of TripAdvisor is a hot topic and we want to ensure you get the right information to make the most of your business’s presence on the world’s largest travel site.

With this in mind, we’re presenting three steps to better your TripAdvisor performance, straight from the team here at TripAdvisor.

First, let’s clear up some confusion around terminology. Your “TripAdvisor rating” is different from your “TripAdvisor ranking.” Here’s how it works:

• Based on their experience with you, travelers rate and review your property.
• Based on those reviews, your property receives an overall TripAdvisor rating, with 5 being the highest.
• Your TripAdvisor rating then factors into your property’s overall TripAdvisor ranking among other properties in your location. TripAdvisor rankings are also known as the Popularity Index.
• The better your ratings – and the more recent your reviews – the higher your property’s TripAdvisor ranking can potentially go.

Now on to the tips for improving your TripAdvisor ranking:

Focus on offline service for online results
Want more guest reviews and higher ratings based on those reviews? Emphasize providing a great visitor experience. What you do – or don’t do – during a visitor’s stay determines the guest’s experience and resulting review. From check-in to check-out and anything in between, do everything you can to be welcoming and responsive.

It helps to monitor your reviews on TripAdvisor. What compliments show up in positive reviews? Use them as examples of what you’re doing right with the guest experience, and then find ways to make them even better. If this seems daunting, focus on one thing you can do to stand out from the competition and provide an experience you yourself would love while traveling. You might not have the resources and budget to do everything you want right away, but you can start taking steps right now. Be authentic and determined, and the guests – and their reviews – will come.

Embrace and respond to negative reviews
Some properties want to ignore or hide negative reviews. There are two reasons why you should do the opposite. The first is because writing Management Responses to negative reviews (and positive ones, too) shows prospective guests that you value feedback and providing the best experience possible.

According to recent PhoCusWright research, 84% of users agree that an appropriate management response to a bad review improves their impression of the hotel. While responding to reviews doesn’t have a direct effect on your TripAdvisor ranking, it can mean more bookings and more potential reviews.

The second reason why you should embrace negative reviews is because guest feedback opens the door to making operational improvements. Maybe you’re so close to the day-to-day operations that you miss something a new guest spots easily. Each review is a window into the guest experience at your property. Was a guest’s room not cleaned thoroughly? Discuss it with your housekeeping staff and provide additional staff training if needed. Consideration, communication and implementation are how you turn feedback into a better experience for all future guests, which can have a significant influence on your TripAdvisor ratings and subsequently, your TripAdvisor ranking.

Do NOT offer incentives for reviews
Incentives, like offering vouchers or upgrades in exchange for writing a review, actually violate TripAdvisor rulesbecause special treatment or discounts can hinder the validity and accuracy of a guest’s reviews. Incentedreviews are removed so they don’t influence your TripAdvisor ranking, and other penalties against your property and ranking could be imposed. Importantly, businesses that incent guests to write reviews are not eligible forTripAdvisor awards, such as Travellers’ Choice or Certificate of Excellence.

Instead, use one of the free marketing resources TripAdvisor offers to business owners to collect more reviews, such as our free Review Express tool allowing you to email recent guests asking them to write a review. In just minutes, you can create and send a customized and professional-looking email to up to 1,000 recent guests at once. Also, hoteliers tell us that it helps to make a connection with guests during their stay. Host a mingling event for guests and senior staff, or make an effort during each visit to ask how the guest is doing and if you can help with anything. These kinds of interactions make a real impression on travelers, even when they return home and are ready to share their experiences and opinions with others.

By following these three steps, you’ll be in a good position to improve your TripAdvisor ratings and ranking. These tips have worked for many of the 2.7 million hospitality businesses on TripAdvisor, and they can work for you, too.

And remember, if you want recommendations or tips on how to succeed on TripAdvisor, it’s always best to come directly to the source – TripAdvisor Insights – for the latest insider tips, news and industry trends.

Help improve your TripAdvisor performance. Visit your Management Center

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Posted on September 23, 2013

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Living Social

Deals website LivingSocial has come back online after an outage lasting nearly two days which left it “embarrassed and ashamed”.

The site, part-owned by Amazon, went down on Tuesday afternoon due to what it described as a technical issue.
On its official blog it said: “Suffice to say, we are ashamed and embarrassed.

“Our teams continue to work to address the internal issues with our website and mobile app – we anticipate that our systems will be live overnight here in [Washington] DC. We know you are frustrated. So are we.”

“We will do better and we will be back. We are committed to making this right with you, our customers and our merchants.”

A later post published this afternoon said: “We are back. We are here to help every LivingSocial customer and merchant resolve outstanding issues. We will make this up to you.”

The blog posts said LivingSocial did not believe any customer information or sensitive data had been compromised during the outage.

A cyber attack this year has already forced 50 million subscribers to change their passwords.

 

 

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Marriott Hotels in Africa

Marriott doubles presence in Africa

By Phil Davies

Nov 08, 2013 08:24AM GMT

 

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African hotel chain Protea is being taken over by Marriott for an undisclosed amount.

Cape Town-based Protea Hospitality Holdings operates or franchises 116 hotels across three brands with 10,184 rooms in South Africa and six other countries.

The transaction will nearly double Marriott's presence in Africa to more than 23,000 rooms.

The deal will also allow the US giant to accelerate expansion plans in the region.

Protea has 80 hotels and resorts under three brands in South Africa and properties in Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Alex Kyriakidis, president of Marriott International for the Middle East and Africa, said: "The development cycle for opening new hotels in Africa is typically long due to the challenges posed by emerging infrastructure, so joining forces with Protea Hotels and their highly respected management team is the strongest way to jumpstart Marriott's footprint in Africa.

“We believe this would also result in more job creation in South Africa and across the continent."

Terms of the transaction, which is expected to be concluded in the first quarter of 2014, are not being disclosed, Marriott said.

Protea is to create a property ownership company to retain ownership of the hotels it currently owns and enter into long-term management and lease agreements with Marriott. It would also retain a number of minority interests in other Protea managed hotels.

Marriott would manage about 46% of the rooms, franchise approximately 40%, and lease 14%.

Marriott International president and chief executive Arne Sorenson said: "Africa has significant untapped potential for travel and tourism, both as a destination and source of new global travellers.

“The continent's GDP is anticipated to grow at over 5% annually over the next several years which we expect will raise more people into the emerging middle class.

“With the Protea Hotels acquisition, our expanded footprint should allow us to become the first choice of Africa's rapidly growing population of young, sophisticated travelers, and drive loyalty to our Marriott Rewards programme both within Africa and globally.”

He added: “Protea Hotels enjoys unparalleled brand recognition in Africa, and our combined portfolio of Protea Hotels and current Marriott International brands would create a platform for accelerated growth and new job growth in South Africa and across the continent."

Arthur Gillis, chief executive officer of Protea Hospitality Group, said: "Protea Hotels has grown organically to become the largest and leading hotel group in sub-Saharan Africa. Aligning with a global giant such as Marriott ensures we can realise the group's full potential for all of our stakeholders.

“In Marriott we have found a perfect fit across culture, values and commitment to industry leadership which will ensure that we remain at the forefront of African hospitality."

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Snake on a plane

Snake discovered on easyJet plane from Israel

By Phil Davies

Nov 01, 2013 08:24AM GMT

 

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A snake was taken on board an easyJet flight from Israel to London, it emerged last night.

The airline said the reptile was harmless and passengers were not in any danger.

Authorities were called out to meet the aircraft when it landed at Luton on Wednesday evening.

A spokeswoman said: "EasyJet can confirm that a passenger brought a small, pet snake in a container on board a flight from Tel Aviv to Luton.

"As soon as crew became aware of this they dealt with the issue in a professional manner, immediately contacting the authorities to ensure they met the aircraft at Luton.

"The safety of passengers is always our highest priority. The harmless snake remained in its container at all times and passengers were not in any danger.

“We have raised the issue with the airport to understand why the reptile was not detected during security."

Customers getting more positive about holidays

Customers getting more positive about holidays, says Feefo

By Phil Davies

Oct 31, 2013 08:18AM GMT

 

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Consumer satisfaction levels hit 90% for holidays taken this summer, according to new research.

The figure is based on a sample of 13,000 holiday ratings and reviews left by holidaymakers over the summer released by global feedback engine Feefo.

The study found that ‘excellent’ ratings increased by nearly 9% compared to last year, while negative reviews declined by more than 2% over summer 2012.

This demonstrates that tour operators continue to deliver the high standards expected by consumers, according to Feefo.

The report also highlights the top five drivers for positive ratings, with one in three (33%) citing ‘staff service’ as the most significant factor, closely followed by the quality of the hotel accommodation (31%).

Feefo chief executive Andrew Mabbutt said: “This is excellent news for the travel industry and also for consumers whose voice is clearly being heard.

"These positive trends highlight the improvements that the industry continues to make in delivering the choice and quality that drives consumer satisfaction.

“Compared to positive reviews, negative ratings are often supported by a more in depth qualitative review.

"Negative customer verbatim is often feared by businesses when, as highlighted in the report, used effectively it should actually be welcomed.

“By using customer feedback effectively travel businesses will demonstrate to consumers that they not only value their feedback, but that they are also willing to act upon it in a transparent way.”

The report highlights a good year for UK ‘staycations’ – with 68% of consumers who chose to stay and holiday within Britain rating their holiday as ‘excellent’ - an increase of 3.5% over last year.

But the findings suggest that although negative reviews have decreased by more than 2%, more can still be done among the 9% that rated their holiday as a negative experience.

People taking more holidays

Holidaymakers plan to take more breaks next year

By Ian Taylor

Oct 31, 2013 08:47AM GMT

 

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Three out of four consumers planning holidays between now and next September intend to take the same or a greater number of trips than in the previous 
12 months.

YouGov research for First Rate Exchange Services suggests 60% will take as many holidays and 17% more holidays than in the past year, with in excess of one in two (56%) planning more than one trip abroad.

The results produced a three-point rise in the First Rate Holiday Frequency Index compared with its launch in March, taking the measure to 52 points. The index is one of six used to produce an overall Holiday Confidence Index, also launched in March.

First Rate attributed the improvement to a falling number of people planning fewer holidays. It noted “almost one-third of those planning more trips overseas are aged 55 or over”. The research found those in the 25-34 age group were the most likely to reduce their holidays abroad.

There was no movement in the proportion planning longer holidays (14%) but there was a fall in numbers intending to reduce their holiday duration – from 14% in March to 11% in September.

First Rate noted: “Fewer than half the respondents (44%) intend to take only one holiday abroad in the next 12 months. More than one in five (22%) plan to take three or more, significantly more than in March (17%). This may represent a seasonal change and/or increasing confidence in the economy.”

Alistair Rennie, First Rate head of business decisions, said: “The proportion saying they will take fewer holidays or spend less on holiday or go away for less time has fallen.”

First Rate also noted: “Younger consumers are significantly more likely to take shorter holidays of one to three or four to six nights.”

Holiday spending: Britons expect to increase outlay

First Rate/YouGov respondents were asked whether they are likely to spend more or less on their next overseas holiday than 
on the last.

Spending was broken down into the cost of booking, amount of spending money taken on holiday, and spending in destination to produce three separate indexes. All three rose in September compared with March.

First Rate’s Cost of Booking index was 
up three points to 55 and its Travel Money and Destination Spend indexes each up 
four points to 54.

More than half of prospective holidaymakers expected to spend the same amount in each area as in the past year, but a greater proportion expected to spend more on the booking (23%) than in resort.

However, the results suggest an improving UK economy has yet to translate into greater interest in overseas holidays among those who have not travelled in the past year.

They also suggest 40% of those who intend to travel abroad had booked a holiday at the time of the September survey. This would include late summer 2013 holidays as well as winter 2013-14 and summer 2014 breaks, but it seems high – suggesting 22% of all respondents have booked a holiday.