AXSES Travel Marketing and Bookings Platform launched.
we have published a 16 page color brochure to outline this unique travel marketing, bookings and publishing solution. This new arcRes tourism platform combines technology, services, automation tools, distribution services and application software for hotels and tourism operator, travel destinations, tourism association, chains and affiliate marketing.
Publish your travel products and travel bookings to mobile smartphone, social sites, facebook, google shopping and hundreds of travel sites.
AXSES arcRes Travel Platform Features
arcRes travel platformAXSES arcRes is a powerful travel marketing platform
It can be used for hotels, villas, condos, apartments, car rentals, tourism activities and destinations.
arcRes is a booking engine and a central reservation system
The booking engine comes with easy to install travel booking & shopping widgets for any website. The central reservation system can be a simple widget or a full destination website.
arcRes is a travel publishing system
Rates, specials, packages and destination content in arcRes can be published to channels such as mobile phones, social media and travel portals. Special promotions may be sent directly to travelers via email, RSS and special purpose applications developed by AXSES.
arcRes help you to organise, manage and market your travel business
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
InteractiveBrand
"A brand does not exist on a shelf — it exists in the hearts and minds of people"... Mahesh Murthy 2010
This blog is about the new age of the Interactive Brand. It will point you to a series of newsletters and web sites that explain the secrets of the Interactive Brand. The brand that connects!
To stand out from the crowd you need a purpose that defines your brand as different. This is the hook. It makes your brand news worthy and, if people like it, it may just enter the conversation.
Take a look at our Social network site - it has a great video about social media. Made a few years ago when facebook was still a baby, not the second most visited website in the world, it is very valid.
This social conversation is part of the interaction that successful marketers are engaging in. The Apple iPad and Google Buzz both have created a Buzz of conversation without a single ad.
The Social Media hotel in NY climbed to the top of the conversation using Twitter and facebook to get a message out that they were friendly, open, social and interested in things that are happening in NY. Their hook was connecting with special interest groups and building around events that interested them, like Craft Beer Week and hosting a party for a Mashable Social Media event.
In Barbados theCoconut Court Hotel has hired a Community Manager and moved into the community conversation announcing its social happy hours, breakfast specials and a full calendar of social events which is communicated using social media.
It's a crowded field but brands can take off "hook, line and sinker", via viral marketing, word of mouth, social media and the Internet.
Viral marketing does not need to be conducted through major advertising firms or tech savvy companies. It is managers and staff, real people that make the conversation. Well mostly, we note that Obama needs a social media aid to keep up with the conversation.
Obama's hook was "Yes we can" and his team turned that into a victory, it was clearly a purpose that was different.
Once you have your purpose you need a website that communicates this - see our 10 steps for good website design.
Your website is one of the most powerful communicators of your brand. Your website is where social media will go to discover more about you. If you do it right its where Internet searchers will find you. So make it special, make it have the best content and best process. Be wary of how your content is used on the net and be the guardian of your brand. In particular be wary of how other online channels and online travel agents can effect your brand.
Promoting your brand on the internet has a lot to do with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). All that you do in Social Media will help you get indexed and found on the major engines. Unlike Social Media Interaction, we don't suggest you do your own Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), this is a job for the pros. If done wrong it can wipe you off the Net. See our summary of the key points in Your Brand and SEO
As we note in "Your Brand and SEO", an important differentiation in communications and brand appeal as well as in Search engine Ranking is the Process. The process is about Interaction. The process refers to how the brand is deployed, the methods, form and function and all the ways that it is dynamic, changing with your use, tracking your experience and your interaction to give you what you want. It is, in a way, both the media and the message.
Rates and quotes are a simple example; if travelers perceive that your website rates are not clear and not fair rate, they will go elsewhere. We are in a buyers market and getting the best price is almost a way of life now. It's too easy to find great deals at Expedia and Priceline and if your website is not in line you will lose direct business and brand loyalty. Read about the fair rates perception and your brand Interactive fair rates and brand Integrity
The Hook
A Tourism website and product needs to have a purpose and be different - we can't all be the best luxury hotel or the best budget hotel, so some are opting for the best party hotel, with non stop improvised jazz, jam sessions, beach parties and picnics. Others cater to families, singles, couples, the getaway crowd and to sports tourism etc. Soon these differences are not enough and the hook has to be something more. The "best" is tired and better retired.
A hook is a hook only if it connects with the customer. It has to be more than a market segment; which is best described as travel and holidays theme marketing. The hook, by contrast is about differentiation across market segments or themes, it has to have a global purpose with real appeal. When Nike used "Just do it" it connected. It connected to the sports minded who wanted to just do it, and it connected because of its association with the "Best" athletes. Best is Ok if it's real and not just a tired word. You have to show it.
There is trend today to be more edgy. I am not sure I like it. I don't think a good cook has to use foul language to win customers but, Hey, It works. Even Mickey Mouse is showing his darker side in Disney's re-branding of Mickey.
Mickey's popularity in the United States has begun to wane with the growing competition from Nickelodeon, Pixar and Dreamworks characters that are more edgy. Mickey's personality has to grow with the times to remain relevant in the marketplace.
Travel writers are doping the flowers in their language and become more outlandish telling the good, the bad and ugly with character. So too the brand needs to be articulated with straight talk and frank conversation - see Mahesh Murthy on Interactive Branding.
AXSES Interactive Brand directory
This blog is about the new age of the Interactive Brand. It will point you to a series of newsletters and web sites that explain the secrets of the Interactive Brand. The brand that connects!
To stand out from the crowd you need a purpose that defines your brand as different. This is the hook. It makes your brand news worthy and, if people like it, it may just enter the conversation.
Take a look at our Social network site - it has a great video about social media. Made a few years ago when facebook was still a baby, not the second most visited website in the world, it is very valid.
This social conversation is part of the interaction that successful marketers are engaging in. The Apple iPad and Google Buzz both have created a Buzz of conversation without a single ad.
The Social Media hotel in NY climbed to the top of the conversation using Twitter and facebook to get a message out that they were friendly, open, social and interested in things that are happening in NY. Their hook was connecting with special interest groups and building around events that interested them, like Craft Beer Week and hosting a party for a Mashable Social Media event.
In Barbados theCoconut Court Hotel has hired a Community Manager and moved into the community conversation announcing its social happy hours, breakfast specials and a full calendar of social events which is communicated using social media.
It's a crowded field but brands can take off "hook, line and sinker", via viral marketing, word of mouth, social media and the Internet.
Viral marketing does not need to be conducted through major advertising firms or tech savvy companies. It is managers and staff, real people that make the conversation. Well mostly, we note that Obama needs a social media aid to keep up with the conversation.
Obama's hook was "Yes we can" and his team turned that into a victory, it was clearly a purpose that was different.
Once you have your purpose you need a website that communicates this - see our 10 steps for good website design.
Your website is one of the most powerful communicators of your brand. Your website is where social media will go to discover more about you. If you do it right its where Internet searchers will find you. So make it special, make it have the best content and best process. Be wary of how your content is used on the net and be the guardian of your brand. In particular be wary of how other online channels and online travel agents can effect your brand.
Promoting your brand on the internet has a lot to do with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). All that you do in Social Media will help you get indexed and found on the major engines. Unlike Social Media Interaction, we don't suggest you do your own Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), this is a job for the pros. If done wrong it can wipe you off the Net. See our summary of the key points in Your Brand and SEO
As we note in "Your Brand and SEO", an important differentiation in communications and brand appeal as well as in Search engine Ranking is the Process. The process is about Interaction. The process refers to how the brand is deployed, the methods, form and function and all the ways that it is dynamic, changing with your use, tracking your experience and your interaction to give you what you want. It is, in a way, both the media and the message.
Rates and quotes are a simple example; if travelers perceive that your website rates are not clear and not fair rate, they will go elsewhere. We are in a buyers market and getting the best price is almost a way of life now. It's too easy to find great deals at Expedia and Priceline and if your website is not in line you will lose direct business and brand loyalty. Read about the fair rates perception and your brand Interactive fair rates and brand Integrity
The Hook
A Tourism website and product needs to have a purpose and be different - we can't all be the best luxury hotel or the best budget hotel, so some are opting for the best party hotel, with non stop improvised jazz, jam sessions, beach parties and picnics. Others cater to families, singles, couples, the getaway crowd and to sports tourism etc. Soon these differences are not enough and the hook has to be something more. The "best" is tired and better retired.
A hook is a hook only if it connects with the customer. It has to be more than a market segment; which is best described as travel and holidays theme marketing. The hook, by contrast is about differentiation across market segments or themes, it has to have a global purpose with real appeal. When Nike used "Just do it" it connected. It connected to the sports minded who wanted to just do it, and it connected because of its association with the "Best" athletes. Best is Ok if it's real and not just a tired word. You have to show it.
There is trend today to be more edgy. I am not sure I like it. I don't think a good cook has to use foul language to win customers but, Hey, It works. Even Mickey Mouse is showing his darker side in Disney's re-branding of Mickey.
Mickey's popularity in the United States has begun to wane with the growing competition from Nickelodeon, Pixar and Dreamworks characters that are more edgy. Mickey's personality has to grow with the times to remain relevant in the marketplace.
Travel writers are doping the flowers in their language and become more outlandish telling the good, the bad and ugly with character. So too the brand needs to be articulated with straight talk and frank conversation - see Mahesh Murthy on Interactive Branding.
AXSES Interactive Brand directory
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
SEOContent
SEO Content and your Brand in the age of interactive Brands
I like when Max Starkov (eHotelier) says "Creating
the best, deepest, most unique and relevant content (textual and visual) about your hotel on your own website, naturally optimised for the search engines (SEO), should become a top priority for any hotel in 2010.
A year ago we did a study to see where our hotels placed on searches for their own names. The results were not great, in some cases they were not even on the first page, falling behind TripAdisor, Expedia and a dozen other mega sites. After reading Max's article we did another study of hotels we host and surprise! they are tops.
Well we have been preaching the benefits of strategic content and putting it into practice for years. It has helped, but we cant be patting ourselves on the back to hard. Google and all are always tweaking their search systems to be more RELEVANT.
If you are looking for a brand name hotel you probably want to see the official website in the top results. The engines are getting it right at the same time as hotels have become more aware of managing their brand, mastering their own url and optimising their content, taking control of their intellectual property and product.
Max's insights are helpful - here is my annotated summary of his views relating to a hotels SEO for its brand:
- Keep your own website content unique (duplicate content will hurt your SEO)
- Use the Best content on your website
- Be very smart about sharing content - Don't give away your brand
- If the channel is not linking to your site, be sure their description is “different”
- Make sure your content is optimised for your USP and for the Search Engines (SEO)
- Offer live quotes and availability calendars
- Display available Rate Plans and seasonal Specials
- Dont Duplicate content - see the full report
Giving away your best content and best rates to other websites can be bad for business.
Search Engines send travelers to the BEST content।
If you want direct business, be sure your website is better that the rest.
The pressing question today is how will a brand get top billing, not only for its own name but for its target markets and keywords.
It is a good time to review the whole business of Search Engine Optimization. For those of you who care to look under the hood, here is my summary - for a summary of this summary see our newsletter. For more detail see our SEO hints page.
The 5 essential of SEO optimisation
1. Define key pages.
The first point is that we never optimise a site - we optimise
a page at a time. Each page must have its own distinct message and content. If you duplicate content it will hurt your SEO.
2. Establish key phrases.
The point is that you need to translate the message into a simple word or short phrase; for example, if you want to be on the top of searches for "Caribbean Romantic Holidays" then that might be your phrase. Check it out by doing a search - there are 2 million results- can you get to the top? Remember only 10 of 2 million will be on the first page. look at your top competition and be sure you can compete. Is your
site going to be as authentic, relevant and with great content?. If not try to refine your phrase to something you can be best in and that is relevant (ie has a market use https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal).
3. Tags. The phrase then must become the name of the page (eg caribbean-romantic-holidays.html)- it must be added to the search engine tags (meta tage in the page) and it must be the title of the page, it must appear thru the content and again in the end of the page.
4. Links. Of course there are 2 million pages vying for top spot for that phrase, so all this will not get you top billing. SEO choose the pages that are most relevant and have most authentic links. You need respected links. Links from the AXSES and barbados.org network are high valued links. Be sure to be linked from several of AXSES urls: BookingsBarbados.COM, realholidays.com, barbados.org, barbadosHolidayThemes.com, barbadosholidaypackages and barbardaosholidayspecials
are all excellent links.
Seek out similar directories and listing opportunities that have good Page Rank (popularity - over 5 is good Borg is 6 out of 10. Expedia is 8).
5. Social. A good place to start linking is on social media. Write comments
that link to your page. Find other sites that will link to your page and subscribe
to appropriate directories. Create a facebook page and use twitter to send out
invitation to vist your page. twitter about event in your area and of interest.
Twitter about your activities it all gets counted.
Dont loose site of the objective.
If a traveler gets to your site make sure they find what they want, have a reason to buy and an easy way to do it, right away.
Content is king. In the end it all comes down to content. Search engines
look for relevant and rich content. Use videos, sideshows , images, dynamic
content, quotes and calendars. The technology you use counts. Form, function and process is an important factor in determining relevance. Event the speed of your site will get it points or loose them. Optimise everything, make your site dynamic and interactive.
We are in the age of the interactive Brand
More on SEO see http://arcres.com/search-engine-optimisation-tourism-marketing.cfm
I like when Max Starkov (eHotelier) says "Creating
the best, deepest, most unique and relevant content (textual and visual) about your hotel on your own website, naturally optimised for the search engines (SEO), should become a top priority for any hotel in 2010.
A year ago we did a study to see where our hotels placed on searches for their own names. The results were not great, in some cases they were not even on the first page, falling behind TripAdisor, Expedia and a dozen other mega sites. After reading Max's article we did another study of hotels we host and surprise! they are tops.
Well we have been preaching the benefits of strategic content and putting it into practice for years. It has helped, but we cant be patting ourselves on the back to hard. Google and all are always tweaking their search systems to be more RELEVANT.
If you are looking for a brand name hotel you probably want to see the official website in the top results. The engines are getting it right at the same time as hotels have become more aware of managing their brand, mastering their own url and optimising their content, taking control of their intellectual property and product.
Max's insights are helpful - here is my annotated summary of his views relating to a hotels SEO for its brand:
- Keep your own website content unique (duplicate content will hurt your SEO)
- Use the Best content on your website
- Be very smart about sharing content - Don't give away your brand
- If the channel is not linking to your site, be sure their description is “different”
- Make sure your content is optimised for your USP and for the Search Engines (SEO)
- Offer live quotes and availability calendars
- Display available Rate Plans and seasonal Specials
- Dont Duplicate content - see the full report
Giving away your best content and best rates to other websites can be bad for business.
Search Engines send travelers to the BEST content।
If you want direct business, be sure your website is better that the rest.
The pressing question today is how will a brand get top billing, not only for its own name but for its target markets and keywords.
It is a good time to review the whole business of Search Engine Optimization. For those of you who care to look under the hood, here is my summary - for a summary of this summary see our newsletter. For more detail see our SEO hints page.
The 5 essential of SEO optimisation
1. Define key pages.
The first point is that we never optimise a site - we optimise
a page at a time. Each page must have its own distinct message and content. If you duplicate content it will hurt your SEO.
2. Establish key phrases.
The point is that you need to translate the message into a simple word or short phrase; for example, if you want to be on the top of searches for "Caribbean Romantic Holidays" then that might be your phrase. Check it out by doing a search - there are 2 million results- can you get to the top? Remember only 10 of 2 million will be on the first page. look at your top competition and be sure you can compete. Is your
site going to be as authentic, relevant and with great content?. If not try to refine your phrase to something you can be best in and that is relevant (ie has a market use https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal).
3. Tags. The phrase then must become the name of the page (eg caribbean-romantic-holidays.html)- it must be added to the search engine tags (meta tage in the page) and it must be the title of the page, it must appear thru the content and again in the end of the page.
4. Links. Of course there are 2 million pages vying for top spot for that phrase, so all this will not get you top billing. SEO choose the pages that are most relevant and have most authentic links. You need respected links. Links from the AXSES and barbados.org network are high valued links. Be sure to be linked from several of AXSES urls: BookingsBarbados.COM, realholidays.com, barbados.org, barbadosHolidayThemes.com, barbadosholidaypackages and barbardaosholidayspecials
are all excellent links.
Seek out similar directories and listing opportunities that have good Page Rank (popularity - over 5 is good Borg is 6 out of 10. Expedia is 8).
5. Social. A good place to start linking is on social media. Write comments
that link to your page. Find other sites that will link to your page and subscribe
to appropriate directories. Create a facebook page and use twitter to send out
invitation to vist your page. twitter about event in your area and of interest.
Twitter about your activities it all gets counted.
Dont loose site of the objective.
If a traveler gets to your site make sure they find what they want, have a reason to buy and an easy way to do it, right away.
Content is king. In the end it all comes down to content. Search engines
look for relevant and rich content. Use videos, sideshows , images, dynamic
content, quotes and calendars. The technology you use counts. Form, function and process is an important factor in determining relevance. Event the speed of your site will get it points or loose them. Optimise everything, make your site dynamic and interactive.
We are in the age of the interactive Brand
More on SEO see http://arcres.com/search-engine-optimisation-tourism-marketing.cfm
Friday, 22 January 2010
MediaMessage
The Medium and the Message
One has to marvel a bit at how on target Marshall McLuhan with his statement that "the medium is the meassge", meaning that the form of a medium embeds itself in the message. This is so true when we look at how the message and the brand is effected in the Online Travel Agents (OTA) channel. A medium of significant importance in the tourism industry.
Here we look at how aspects of brand integrity are influenced by this medium.
The Medium – Choice of channel often reflects on the Brand.
It is not always good to be seen as Expedia or as Kayak etc. In many cases a different drum attracts travelers to the small hotels. Many travelers are looking for a personal touch.
The Message – The message is much more than content.
It is also about form, function and process. You choose to buy at store X for many reasons but if there are no price tags and you have to go to the counter to get a price, would you bother? Creating a message that is not fully integrated with the product is similarly dissonant. The shopping experience should be fully fluid.
Promise & Expectation – A Brand is a promise.
It can say we are a small family hotel, we are local, we are friendly, we are different, we care. What is the Brand of an OTA? Expedia mission statement says: “We are on a mission to be the largest and most profitable reseller of travel in the world”.
Differentiation & Personality - Differentiation and personality are conveyed by the suppliers’ website, by its individual tastes, its use of colour, its layout and its processes. The OTA does not create a brand personality for its suppliers. Properties are compared on features and price and location, but the brand is the OTA, the hotels is its product, and they all look the same.
Relationship – Travelers build a relationship with their suppliers.
If you have bought from an OTA and you got what you wanted, you will most likely go there again to check out other options (properties, products, destinations). Creating the OTA relationship diminishes the hotel brand and can result in loss of repeat business
Loyalty – OTAs are building its own loyalty program.
Much like the airlines. Small hotels can and should reward repeat clients and clients that refer others to them. Loyalty programmes work. The visitor’s loyalty should be to the hotel . AXSES has loyalty solutions for the hotel brand. Appropriate use of branding and loyalty programmes can significantly increase repeat business.
Ownership – With AXSES arcRes booking engine, and arcres powered marketing systems, the database belongs to the supplier.
This database is unique in that it captures leads as well as committed shoppers. arcRes database marketing allows hotels to market directly to their leads and their guests. OTAs have their own marketing tools, aimed at promoting its own Brand.
Sustainability – if you don’t own the brand and don’t have the relationship and loyalty, your business will not be sustainable.
related blog - building your tourism brands
For more information on how you can build and sustain your brand
contact iclayton 'at' axses.net
More about AXSES see
http://axses-travel.com | arcRes marketing
One has to marvel a bit at how on target Marshall McLuhan with his statement that "the medium is the meassge", meaning that the form of a medium embeds itself in the message. This is so true when we look at how the message and the brand is effected in the Online Travel Agents (OTA) channel. A medium of significant importance in the tourism industry.
Here we look at how aspects of brand integrity are influenced by this medium.
The Medium – Choice of channel often reflects on the Brand.
It is not always good to be seen as Expedia or as Kayak etc. In many cases a different drum attracts travelers to the small hotels. Many travelers are looking for a personal touch.
The Message – The message is much more than content.
It is also about form, function and process. You choose to buy at store X for many reasons but if there are no price tags and you have to go to the counter to get a price, would you bother? Creating a message that is not fully integrated with the product is similarly dissonant. The shopping experience should be fully fluid.
Promise & Expectation – A Brand is a promise.
It can say we are a small family hotel, we are local, we are friendly, we are different, we care. What is the Brand of an OTA? Expedia mission statement says: “We are on a mission to be the largest and most profitable reseller of travel in the world”.
Differentiation & Personality - Differentiation and personality are conveyed by the suppliers’ website, by its individual tastes, its use of colour, its layout and its processes. The OTA does not create a brand personality for its suppliers. Properties are compared on features and price and location, but the brand is the OTA, the hotels is its product, and they all look the same.
Relationship – Travelers build a relationship with their suppliers.
If you have bought from an OTA and you got what you wanted, you will most likely go there again to check out other options (properties, products, destinations). Creating the OTA relationship diminishes the hotel brand and can result in loss of repeat business
Loyalty – OTAs are building its own loyalty program.
Much like the airlines. Small hotels can and should reward repeat clients and clients that refer others to them. Loyalty programmes work. The visitor’s loyalty should be to the hotel . AXSES has loyalty solutions for the hotel brand. Appropriate use of branding and loyalty programmes can significantly increase repeat business.
Ownership – With AXSES arcRes booking engine, and arcres powered marketing systems, the database belongs to the supplier.
This database is unique in that it captures leads as well as committed shoppers. arcRes database marketing allows hotels to market directly to their leads and their guests. OTAs have their own marketing tools, aimed at promoting its own Brand.
Sustainability – if you don’t own the brand and don’t have the relationship and loyalty, your business will not be sustainable.
related blog - building your tourism brands
For more information on how you can build and sustain your brand
contact iclayton 'at' axses.net
More about AXSES see
http://axses-travel.com | arcRes marketing
Branding Crossroads
Branding at a Crossroads
Today, a brand must appeal to the psyche of customers to make a connection. For example: many senior travelers want hospitality and service above all. The core seniors market does not typically care for technology. They don’t like answering machines, PCs and automation. Younger travelers, in contrast, like casual and tech-friendly hotels with convenience, where food and drinks is a priority. They prefer to stay in hotels that have the look, feel, and comfort of their own homes.
Targeting a market niche start at the design stage.
Starwoods created the ‘Aloft’ brand for the young entrepreneur market and designed its hotels to include a bar, a food and beverage center offering fresh bagels, fruits and drinks, an outdoor area serving light meals, a fitness center with swimming pool, wireless Internet access property-wide, and flexible meeting and function space. Guest rooms have 9-foot ceilings and oversized windows, a signature bed, a work space with an MP3 docking station, and a flat-panel TV. Bathrooms are furnished with Bliss amenities and walk-in oversized showers. Starwood plans call for 500 Aloft to be open by 2012 (average daily rate: $100 to $125).
Brands for Small Island Hotels
Small hotels often don't have the opportunity to rebuild for a market. Nevertheless, the market for differentiation is strong and the small hotel is often sought out, particularly in Europe, where chain brand penetration is low (i). Small hotels can tap into the booming market for Boutique hotels, where uniqueness and character are preferred over big brand names. Differentiation and personality are the key.
Building a strong brand requires use of all appropriate channels, but too much reliance on the OTA channels can be have very negative side effects. Choice hotels discovered it had created a monster by building up its business with Expedia. In re-negotiating its contract with Choice, Expedia suggested that its brand was more important and that Choice just had no option but to abide by its rules and demands. The widely known secret is that OTAs don’t want all the hotels in the world, so many are going to get left out. Its wise to be direct!
Brand Integrity in the OTA Channel
We have seen chain hotels make great progress in building their own brand marketing and direct business, reducing their dependence on the OTAs, like Expedia. (81% of bookings to major chains are now direct). The Chains understand that reliance on OTAs is not good for Brand integrity.
Brand Integrity is a measure of the cohesiveness of the brand message and your ownership of it. This integrity is influenced by your message and how you present it, the medium/channels you use, what you promise and what is expected.
Your brand is your differentiation & your personality. How you market will influence your relationship with guests, their loyalty and your ownership of both the brand and the business.
See more on The Medium and the Message.
First be clear and then be seen
Branding requires being clear about your market and your USP and putting this across in words and pictures, with the right emotion and the right process in the right place. Next, get the message out with an appropriate call to action on all advertising, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and with appropriate exposure on the right marketing channels.
Shoppers need a reason to remember you and to return to complete their shopping experience. Create stickiness and be in true shopping channels, like Barbados.org, BarbadosVacationSpecials.com and BarbadosHolidayThemes.com, where shoppers can add you to their shopping lists and compare options. Shoppers must be able to visit your website and take action on interest; get a quote, save it or buy at any point.
The AXSES Travel Shopping Network is unique in its ability to provide easy access to your website at many strategic decision points. AXSES also provide many POS opportunities with bookable-maps, bookable-ads, bookable-banners, bookable-lists, etc. (click here for details). In fact, the entire AXSES network is bookable, every advertisement, listing and link is or will be driven by arcRes Tourism Bookings & Reservations System.
Branding with fair pricing and revenue management
A recent Cornell University study shows that travelers are confused by hotel pricing and often see it as unfair. This is not good for your brand! Many hotels now offer travelers a choice of rate plans and full disclosure. Many chains offer best rate guarantees.
We recommend that you manage rates and expectation with loyalty programs and special group pricing. Travel shoppers want to act (get a quote, save it, add it to a list, buy it) when they are ready, and they want to know they are getting a fair price.
AXSES is now introducing a new collaborative marketing solution, where we help tourism suppliers use technology to brand and market their products, get exposed and close more direct sales!!
For more information on how you can build and sustain your brand - please contact iclayton 'at' axses.net
More about AXSES: see
http://axses-travel.com | arcRes Marketing
i. The brand penetration index that measures the percentage of hotel rooms that belongs to a flag out of the total capacity, is over 70% in the US, while France is the market with the highest brand penetration index in Europe, with less than 30%.
Today, a brand must appeal to the psyche of customers to make a connection. For example: many senior travelers want hospitality and service above all. The core seniors market does not typically care for technology. They don’t like answering machines, PCs and automation. Younger travelers, in contrast, like casual and tech-friendly hotels with convenience, where food and drinks is a priority. They prefer to stay in hotels that have the look, feel, and comfort of their own homes.
Targeting a market niche start at the design stage.
Starwoods created the ‘Aloft’ brand for the young entrepreneur market and designed its hotels to include a bar, a food and beverage center offering fresh bagels, fruits and drinks, an outdoor area serving light meals, a fitness center with swimming pool, wireless Internet access property-wide, and flexible meeting and function space. Guest rooms have 9-foot ceilings and oversized windows, a signature bed, a work space with an MP3 docking station, and a flat-panel TV. Bathrooms are furnished with Bliss amenities and walk-in oversized showers. Starwood plans call for 500 Aloft to be open by 2012 (average daily rate: $100 to $125).
Brands for Small Island Hotels
Small hotels often don't have the opportunity to rebuild for a market. Nevertheless, the market for differentiation is strong and the small hotel is often sought out, particularly in Europe, where chain brand penetration is low (i). Small hotels can tap into the booming market for Boutique hotels, where uniqueness and character are preferred over big brand names. Differentiation and personality are the key.
Building a strong brand requires use of all appropriate channels, but too much reliance on the OTA channels can be have very negative side effects. Choice hotels discovered it had created a monster by building up its business with Expedia. In re-negotiating its contract with Choice, Expedia suggested that its brand was more important and that Choice just had no option but to abide by its rules and demands. The widely known secret is that OTAs don’t want all the hotels in the world, so many are going to get left out. Its wise to be direct!
Brand Integrity in the OTA Channel
We have seen chain hotels make great progress in building their own brand marketing and direct business, reducing their dependence on the OTAs, like Expedia. (81% of bookings to major chains are now direct). The Chains understand that reliance on OTAs is not good for Brand integrity.
Brand Integrity is a measure of the cohesiveness of the brand message and your ownership of it. This integrity is influenced by your message and how you present it, the medium/channels you use, what you promise and what is expected.
Your brand is your differentiation & your personality. How you market will influence your relationship with guests, their loyalty and your ownership of both the brand and the business.
See more on The Medium and the Message.
First be clear and then be seen
Branding requires being clear about your market and your USP and putting this across in words and pictures, with the right emotion and the right process in the right place. Next, get the message out with an appropriate call to action on all advertising, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and with appropriate exposure on the right marketing channels.
Shoppers need a reason to remember you and to return to complete their shopping experience. Create stickiness and be in true shopping channels, like Barbados.org, BarbadosVacationSpecials.com and BarbadosHolidayThemes.com, where shoppers can add you to their shopping lists and compare options. Shoppers must be able to visit your website and take action on interest; get a quote, save it or buy at any point.
The AXSES Travel Shopping Network is unique in its ability to provide easy access to your website at many strategic decision points. AXSES also provide many POS opportunities with bookable-maps, bookable-ads, bookable-banners, bookable-lists, etc. (click here for details). In fact, the entire AXSES network is bookable, every advertisement, listing and link is or will be driven by arcRes Tourism Bookings & Reservations System.
Branding with fair pricing and revenue management
A recent Cornell University study shows that travelers are confused by hotel pricing and often see it as unfair. This is not good for your brand! Many hotels now offer travelers a choice of rate plans and full disclosure. Many chains offer best rate guarantees.
We recommend that you manage rates and expectation with loyalty programs and special group pricing. Travel shoppers want to act (get a quote, save it, add it to a list, buy it) when they are ready, and they want to know they are getting a fair price.
AXSES is now introducing a new collaborative marketing solution, where we help tourism suppliers use technology to brand and market their products, get exposed and close more direct sales!!
For more information on how you can build and sustain your brand - please contact iclayton 'at' axses.net
More about AXSES: see
http://axses-travel.com | arcRes Marketing
i. The brand penetration index that measures the percentage of hotel rooms that belongs to a flag out of the total capacity, is over 70% in the US, while France is the market with the highest brand penetration index in Europe, with less than 30%.
Saturday, 31 October 2009
OTAs
The debate on Direct VS. Distribution took center tage this week with the release of PhoCusWright stats on OTAs, a survey that finds hotel not competitive with OTAs and the decision by Choice to quit Expedia. There are many discussions on the net.
Direct sales have been gaining market shares over the last several years. But that seems to be changing, or might change. OTAs are holding their own and gaining shares in these troubled times, when all markets count more that ever before.
The OTAs have taken the lead in travelers' minds as the best place to shop for deals. Hotels are not competing - USATODAY.com: Travel Deals Compared.
So what, if OTAs are bringing in business, does it matter? There are hotel managers who think OTA distribution is great. In many parts of Europe, hotels have almost opted out of the reservation business, allocating the majority of rooms to tour operators. There are hotel managers who do not like distribution and have done much to get out of that channel. Some have been burned, some just find the terms are getting more and more difficult, some say it is blackmail!
The issues are complex. For a very good analysis, see Robert Coles' article - Expedia and Freedom of Choice
We have also prepared a detailed analysis about brands in the channels. Watch http://tourismplatform.com/ for the latest news. Our first issue explains branding from a new perspective. It outlines AXSES' approach to the Next Generation Tourism Platform, which integrated all media and attempts to strikes a balance with direct and distribution marketing. http://axses.com/destinationmarketing/1-shopping.html
LINKS
What happened when Georgia lost its OTA listing
OTAs Rev up at hotels' expense
OTAs' market share breakdown
Get out of the OTA Trap
LESSONS
What is the Brand definition: Johnson & Johnson Customer Business Analyst, Hannah Chi, says, "Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, I feel like they all give you the same options, with results from multiple airlines, kind of giving you a slew of what fits that criteria.” “Each doesn’t give me anything that another travel engine wouldn’t give me!”
Consumers will go where they find the best deal. This is good for Hotel Websites, if they are competive!
Direct sales have been gaining market shares over the last several years. But that seems to be changing, or might change. OTAs are holding their own and gaining shares in these troubled times, when all markets count more that ever before.
The OTAs have taken the lead in travelers' minds as the best place to shop for deals. Hotels are not competing - USATODAY.com: Travel Deals Compared.
So what, if OTAs are bringing in business, does it matter? There are hotel managers who think OTA distribution is great. In many parts of Europe, hotels have almost opted out of the reservation business, allocating the majority of rooms to tour operators. There are hotel managers who do not like distribution and have done much to get out of that channel. Some have been burned, some just find the terms are getting more and more difficult, some say it is blackmail!
The issues are complex. For a very good analysis, see Robert Coles' article - Expedia and Freedom of Choice
We have also prepared a detailed analysis about brands in the channels. Watch http://tourismplatform.com/ for the latest news. Our first issue explains branding from a new perspective. It outlines AXSES' approach to the Next Generation Tourism Platform, which integrated all media and attempts to strikes a balance with direct and distribution marketing. http://axses.com/destinationmarketing/1-shopping.html
LINKS
What happened when Georgia lost its OTA listing
OTAs Rev up at hotels' expense
OTAs' market share breakdown
Get out of the OTA Trap
LESSONS
What is the Brand definition: Johnson & Johnson Customer Business Analyst, Hannah Chi, says, "Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, I feel like they all give you the same options, with results from multiple airlines, kind of giving you a slew of what fits that criteria.” “Each doesn’t give me anything that another travel engine wouldn’t give me!”
Consumers will go where they find the best deal. This is good for Hotel Websites, if they are competive!
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
SEO2
SEO 2 - Themes marketing
Following the success of page ranking for st lucia apartment rentals for Poinsettia apartments, Stlucia. We added a new page for St Lucia catamaran sailing trips to the pitons, Soufriere volcano, the diamond waterfalls and the botanical garden in St lucia. Poinsettia apartment resort can arrange day sailing adventures to several destination; including a tour of a St. Lucia Coco plantation and heritage sites.
The page proved powerful and was soon listed on Google for searches such as "st lucia sailing pitons" and "st lucia catamaran sailing to volcano"
Sailing to the St lucia pitons from Poinsettia Apartments
This is also promoted on BookingsStlucia.com
see Bookings St. lucia sailing charters and trips
This concept of themes marketing is very important to destination and tourism marketing.
also see http://holidaythememarketing.com
Following the success of page ranking for st lucia apartment rentals for Poinsettia apartments, Stlucia. We added a new page for St Lucia catamaran sailing trips to the pitons, Soufriere volcano, the diamond waterfalls and the botanical garden in St lucia. Poinsettia apartment resort can arrange day sailing adventures to several destination; including a tour of a St. Lucia Coco plantation and heritage sites.
The page proved powerful and was soon listed on Google for searches such as "st lucia sailing pitons" and "st lucia catamaran sailing to volcano"
Sailing to the St lucia pitons from Poinsettia Apartments
This is also promoted on BookingsStlucia.com
see Bookings St. lucia sailing charters and trips
This concept of themes marketing is very important to destination and tourism marketing.
also see http://holidaythememarketing.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)