Marketing & Guest Loyalty

The hospitality industry has been inundated with technology solutions promising to free hotel brands from the constraints of legacy systems and elevate the guest experience. For years, the message has remained the same: “Invest in cutting-edge technology and automation, and you’ll empower your staff to focus on what truly matters—the guest.” After all, technology should be an enabler rather than a barrier to real-world connections.

Building your hotel’s digital presence requires meticulous planning and execution across various channels to ensure maximum visibility and seamless operations. From GPS submissions to paid marketing and content optimization, here’s how to effectively position your property for success.

Marketing, at its core, is about making people want something. It’s about shaping perceptions so that customers actively seek out a product or service. Yet, time and time again, when diving into product research or company data, the first thing people highlight is what’s wrong—the market conditions, the competition, the regulatory challenges, the inclusion concerns. Important discussions, sure. But they don’t sell.

Let’s be honest, the current influencer marketing model for hotels often feels like a race to the bottom. Hotels are bombarded with requests for free stays, often from "influencers" with questionable engagement and a focus on their own personal brand, rather than the hotel’s story. Meanwhile, genuine storytellers and content creators who could truly showcase a hotel’s unique offerings are often overlooked. Something needs to change.

Every hotel can benefit from automated revenue management. Boutique or hostel, independent or chain, there are huge potential revenue uplifts that can’t be ignored.

Every hotelier schemes ways to boost their hotel profitability. From poring over data to scouring competitors and hoping the room rates are the “right” price to attract visitors, they can make daily adjustments that never quite “work.”

How do you see 2025 panning out?

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to interview Brian Hamilton on Amazing Business Radio. Brian is the chairman of LiveSwitch and an entrepreneur who has started, built up, and sold numerous businesses. At the end of every show, I ask, What last nugget of wisdom can you share with our listeners? He shared an amazing answer:

Our partner, Shiji ReviewPro, recently released its ReviewPro Guest Experience Benchmark Report 2024, which benchmarks global trends in the guest review industry.

In the ever-evolving landscape of travel and hospitality, understanding the new traveler archetypes is pivotal for industry leaders seeking to tailor their offerings effectively. Let’s delve into the predominant archetypes and their distinct characteristics: