Ever wanted to learn about how Web 2.0 is affecting travel distribution, marketing and promotion? Then you should have been at the Online Revealed Conference Tourism Internet Marketing Strategy Conference in Puerto Rico mid September.
Citing itself as a source for solutions to the declining airlift, global recession and nervous consumers, the conference provided strategies and tips on how to maximise return on investment, target your specific travel niche and exploit the increasingly frugal consumers’ love of special deals and offers. According to a number of sources, with over 42% of online travel consumers researching and purchasing travel online today, for travel marketers the Internet is definitely the place to be.
The Conference series which was the concept of “A Couple of Chicks e-Marketing Agency”, a dynamic Canadian company seeking to make Internet marketing strategies more accessible to the travel industry, provides a forum with a unique approach to the ever-changing online marketplace and what it means to hospitality suppliers, vendors, hotel groups, individual hotels, tourism operators, travel intermediaries, agencies and other Travel Professionals.
Patricia Brusha and Alicia Whalen were the best hostesses ever and made the topics a cool, clear obvious path to success rather than geeky and intellectual.
Whereas most forums leave you feeling more confused and overwhelmed with all the jargon and technical techniques reserved for smart Harvard grads, “the chicks” seemed intent on “dumbing” down the topic and making it a really simple subject (RSS?). Even the obviously very experienced and successful presenters seemed to have been well schooled by “the chicks” to avoid “infomercials” and to speak in ordinary understandable language.
The small intimate group of participants left the conference on the final day as team members and colleagues, not as strangers, intent on conquering the Internet to ensure the Caribbean travel industry gains its rightful share of global business.
With attendees from a number of Caribbean countries including Tourist Boards and hoteliers from St. Thomas, St. Croix, Jamaica, Antigua and Montserrat, in addition to participants from the US mainland including Minnesota, Florida and further afield, the seminars, workshops and one on one sessions, provided expertise from some of the most respected advocates in the travel business, focussing on using the Internet to more effectively market the Caribbean.
The best part of the Conference was the unusual accessibility of the presenters through both structured one on one ten minute sessions allowing all attendees to sign up to speak to presenters on more specific issues related to their business, as well as the luncheons which were not structured formal stuffy affairs, but quick buffets allowing people to mingle with those experts and colleagues that could help them tweak their marketing strategies. The entire Conference had a special informal and casual feel - had to ditch the suit on day 2 - which made for a more productive, educational experience, no hard pitches, just a willingness for complete sharing of information.
I have already received feedback and follow up from two presenters- thanks Richard Kunz and Edward Perry. Hoping to add you to my mentor list!
Top notch presentations were given by Hari Nair, Vice President of Market Management at Expedia; Richard Kunz, Principal Consultant - Tourism and Hospitality for T4G Ltd; Marvin Dejean, Senior Vice President of Media Strategies and James Shan, Strategic Global Markets Advisor of Poweri Technologies; Edward Perry, Director of E-commerce for WorldHotels; Mandy Gresh of Travelzoo; Cal Simmons Founder of Five Star Alliance; Mark Carlinski, VP Sales and Business Development of VFM Interactive; Carson Pierce, President of Idea Market; Melinda Van Patter, Client Relations Manager at Marketwire; Brian Silengo of TIG; and Patricia Bruscha and Alicia Whalen of A Couple of Chicks e-Marketing.
The small intimate group of participants left the conference on the final day as team members and colleagues, not as strangers, intent on conquering the Internet to ensure the Caribbean travel industry gains its rightful share of global business.
With attendees from a number of Caribbean countries including Tourist Boards and hoteliers from St. Thomas, St. Croix, Jamaica, Antigua and Montserrat, in addition to participants from the US mainland including Minnesota, Florida and further afield, the seminars, workshops and one on one sessions, provided expertise from some of the most respected advocates in the travel business, focussing on using the Internet to more effectively market the Caribbean.
The best part of the Conference was the unusual accessibility of the presenters through both structured one on one ten minute sessions allowing all attendees to sign up to speak to presenters on more specific issues related to their business, as well as the luncheons which were not structured formal stuffy affairs, but quick buffets allowing people to mingle with those experts and colleagues that could help them tweak their marketing strategies. The entire Conference had a special informal and casual feel - had to ditch the suit on day 2 - which made for a more productive, educational experience, no hard pitches, just a willingness for complete sharing of information.
I have already received feedback and follow up from two presenters- thanks Richard Kunz and Edward Perry. Hoping to add you to my mentor list!
Top notch presentations were given by Hari Nair, Vice President of Market Management at Expedia; Richard Kunz, Principal Consultant - Tourism and Hospitality for T4G Ltd; Marvin Dejean, Senior Vice President of Media Strategies and James Shan, Strategic Global Markets Advisor of Poweri Technologies; Edward Perry, Director of E-commerce for WorldHotels; Mandy Gresh of Travelzoo; Cal Simmons Founder of Five Star Alliance; Mark Carlinski, VP Sales and Business Development of VFM Interactive; Carson Pierce, President of Idea Market; Melinda Van Patter, Client Relations Manager at Marketwire; Brian Silengo of TIG; and Patricia Bruscha and Alicia Whalen of A Couple of Chicks e-Marketing.
My greatest takeaways:
· How hotels can maximise their business from online sources resulting in major increases in online bookings. By recognising the reduction in airline capacity and the increased airfares to the region, hoteliers can seek to ensure that guests receive value for money by utilising online channels and packaging options.
· The case study of Tourism British Columbia which has successfully shifted much of its marketing budget (70%) to online marketing giving significantly higher and measurable return on investment.
· Key drivers for lucrative online bookings- Websites with virtual tours, videos, social networks and blogs, in addition to utilising the growing number of travel review sites for vital feedback and promotion, developing a good email database for email campaigns, and maximising testimonials and recommendations to better position hotels.
· Rich media increases online bookings by 36% for virtual tours; 112% for videos and 149% for a combination of virtual tours and videos.
· Essentially, travel is a highly visible and experience based product, lending itself to a more interactive method for marketing and a greater reliance on customer perception, which is most often shaped by the experience of others. The Caribbean images and lifestyles are made for rich media. The Internet has the potential to bring a property or destination to life more effectively than magazine editorials or print advertising.
“The chicks” are hoping to bring the forum back to the Caribbean in 2009 in their well received fun, interactive and non- intimidating environment. I will definitely be booking for the next conference - the Caribe Hilton was a great venue also - give me the dates so I can plan my vacation around the conference. Perhaps August would be a better time or early December so I can Xmas shop also? Hopefully by then I will have a case study to present on my success using the strategies and tips learnt in the inaugural conference.
· The case study of Tourism British Columbia which has successfully shifted much of its marketing budget (70%) to online marketing giving significantly higher and measurable return on investment.
· Key drivers for lucrative online bookings- Websites with virtual tours, videos, social networks and blogs, in addition to utilising the growing number of travel review sites for vital feedback and promotion, developing a good email database for email campaigns, and maximising testimonials and recommendations to better position hotels.
· Rich media increases online bookings by 36% for virtual tours; 112% for videos and 149% for a combination of virtual tours and videos.
· Essentially, travel is a highly visible and experience based product, lending itself to a more interactive method for marketing and a greater reliance on customer perception, which is most often shaped by the experience of others. The Caribbean images and lifestyles are made for rich media. The Internet has the potential to bring a property or destination to life more effectively than magazine editorials or print advertising.
“The chicks” are hoping to bring the forum back to the Caribbean in 2009 in their well received fun, interactive and non- intimidating environment. I will definitely be booking for the next conference - the Caribe Hilton was a great venue also - give me the dates so I can plan my vacation around the conference. Perhaps August would be a better time or early December so I can Xmas shop also? Hopefully by then I will have a case study to present on my success using the strategies and tips learnt in the inaugural conference.
