Smiling in the face of adversity

2008-10-20

How can we ensure healthy hotel occupancy rates in times of crisis? Increase direct sales and earn our customers loyalty. This was the expert consensus at the ON-LINE MARKETING: NEW TRENDS WITHIN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY event, which was held during the morning of Thursday, 16th October, at the Centro Insular de Turismo (Playa del Inglés) on Gran Canaria, before a packed audience comprising over one hundred businessmen and directors from the tourism industry, particularly the hotel and non-hotel accommodation trade. Following a brief welcoming speech by the representatives of the organising companies VMAR turismo and Global Red, and by the event promoter, the Tourism Board of Gran Canaria, represented by its manager, Ms Cristina del Río Fresen, the floor was given to the speakers. First up was Mr Joan Bota, e-Business Sales Manager for Hotetur & Blue Bay Resort. During his talk, entitled -How to sell more and better-, Mr Bota underscored the seven deadly sins that hotel owners must commit if they wish to position their establishment and attain their desired levels of marketing. These include avarice, essentially meaning that we must be able to fine-tune distribution depending on the needs and location of the establishment. On this particular point, Mr Bota stressed the importance he places on the corporate website of his hotel chain, as it allows him to access customers directly, sell at better prices and adapt his marketing tools to prevailing demand. In Majorca, we have different kinds of tourists. In summer, we have tourists seeking the sun and the beach, whereas come winter, we have cycling tourists. Our website therefore features a range of different offers tailored to our target audiences. That said, it is essential to have a presence throughout all distribution channels, as you can guarantee that the one thats bringing in business today will let you down tomorrow. We must be hyperactive, analyse every step we take, make constant decisions, modify our prices and, last but not least, channel sufficient resources and time to ensure we -commit all the sins-. After his talk, the floor was given to Mr Jules Bazley, Sales Manager for Affili Red, who showcased the benefits of affiliate marketing for hotel owners. Affiliates can make up a significant part of the marketing mix within a given company. In times of crisis, its vital to unearth market niches, such as the affiliate networks through which you can access 35,000 virtual sellers, all willing to publish your product in exchange for a simple commission on sales. By citing examples of hotel chains, such as Mac Donald and Legacy Hotels, he explained the success of their affiliate advertising campaigns, which helped to augment their hotels facilities and enhance brand image. The third talk was given by Mr. Jaume Pons, Marketing and Project Manager for ITH, who presented a highly interactive discussion on the new 2.0. client, also known as ADPROSUMER: Adprosumers pay little attention to the vast majority of advertisements found on TV, radio, magazines, catalogues, tourist information points, tourism offices, tourism websites, etc., but rely much more on the recommendations or good experiences of other customers sharing the same profile. According to Pons, it is therefore becoming increasingly important for the hotel owner to pay careful attention to the comments published by hotel guests and to answer them. The ultimate aim with this is for guests to see that their complaints have been duly listened to, and for those who are searching for information on the establishment to see that it does in fact listen to its guests. This is the only way of earning your guests loyalty and maintaining healthy occupancy levels in times of crisis. The event concluded with a round table, comprising the speakers, the representatives of the event organisers and the manager of the Tourism Board for Gran Canaria. During this final stage of the event, the participants aired their views and exchanged opinions and questions, highlighting, above all else, their concerns over what the immediate future has to hold for the island, including short-term measures to be adopted by the local tourism bodies and courses of action to tackle the current tourism crisis on Gran Canaria. The event organisers, namely VMAR Turismo and Global Red, were delighted with the results obtained, and particularly for having helped to provide businessmen and directors alike with a raft of useful ideas from the talks to enhance their business.