Hoosta Magazine

6. Security Detail: Don’t Let Me See The Whites Of Their Eyes!
The competition’s eyes, that is! While guests and planners are feeling relatively safe and secure in luxury properties across the country, a “competition clause” is now requested more often in contracts, precluding the presence of competitors anywhere on property while a company’s executives are present. Competition within industries is fierce and industrial espionage is a big concern.
To be sure of privacy, some companies are buying up the entire hotel during their stay to control those they come into contact with. Oh, and what we said about WiFi earlier — it better be secure hotel-wide!

7. Optimize … or Goodbye!
Benchmark property websites are delivering a substantial amount of guestroom business to the company’s hotels. Yes, reservations and bookings through the Global Distribution System are on the rise, but much of Benchmark Hospitality’s business originates directly through either the corporate or property’s websites. A growing amount of meeting inquiries do as well.

So optimization is critical. Web searches better present the hotel in the Top Five listings to ensure consideration by the customer … and the site must be appealing, easy to navigate, and effortless to book through.

8. Training & Strategic Planning: Back Again, Big Time.
Business is back and corporate training and planning for future growth is surging.
While mid-level and lower level managers are in meeting rooms brushing up on selling and management skills, senior executives are down the hall in the Boardroom strategically mapping out the company’s future.
Training meetings and strategic planning sessions are back, big time.

9. Goodbye Print? Hello E-commerce? … Not So Fast.
Yes, how hotels and conference centers communicate with consumers and planners is rapidly changing as e-commerce seeks dominance. Print advertising, however, is by no means dead and direct mail is alive, well and kicking.
Budgets are shifting and online marketing is growing every year, but print’s power remains a force to be reckoned with … its obituary has not yet been written.

10. Blogs, Blogging? What?
For all the talk of blogs in the meetings and hotel industry, who’s really logging on and participating? Customers don’t mention them, providers aren’t contributing much to them, and business doesn’t seem to be originating through them.

> see all the story