Wayne O. Overton Blog: January 2019

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Hotel sales and marketing trends to watch in 2019

Sales and marketing is a constantly evolving discipline within the hotel industry, and some experts in the field recently shared their takes on what to expect heading into 2019.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HIYW2O

Travel firms urge Facebook to tackle fake pages

Travel companies are calling on Facebook to remove fake pages after their brands were used to dupe customers in bogus promotions.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2t1ebdg

Chinese travel spending, mobile transactions on the up

Last year, the average budget and actual spending of 2,806 Chinese outbound travelers increased to US$6,026 (+6%) and US$6,706 (+15%) respectively.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HIYUrI

Ctrip, Shangri-La deepen partnership to target Chinese travelers

The agreement enables Shangri-La Group's brands - including Shangri-La, Kerry, Hotel Jen and Traders - to be directly connected and promoted on Ctrip's platform.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2sZ0BXJ

Corporate hotel loyalty programs may drive adoption

A recent survey of European business travellers reveals that 43% would be motivated to book a hotel with which their company has a corporate loyalty account if it guaranteed better rates.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HIYSjA

What will the perfect hotel room look like in 2019?

"Guest experience" is a trending phrase in hospitality design. In the coming year, guest experience should be the number one prime consideration for every design.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2sZ0BqH

New era. New brand. New Triptease Platform.

Triptease has unveiled a major rebrand to reflect the company's evolution from on-site conversion solution to full-funnel direct booking channel.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HIZu8S

Data protection and privacy: why earning guest trust and building security is crucial

In this age of consumer uncertainty and increasing levels of cybercrime, what can hotels do to protect guest data and build trust?

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HIZtBQ

Beaufort Landing at Hampton Cove

Beaufort Landing by Polygon Homes is a new townhouse development located at Hampton Cove in Delta. This project will offer a special waterfront collection of 124 executive 3 & 4 Bedroom Townhomes in the Charming Town of Ladner. These three and four bedroom homes offer charming seaside-inspired architecture and a variety of floorplan options. Every detail is thoughtfully designed to give you places to gather and share, and spaces for everyone to enjoy peace and quiet.Nestled between a marina and a golf course, walking and biking trails surround the neighbourhood, and a beautiful new riverside linear park will give residents a natural place to explore their own backyard.

The post Beaufort Landing at Hampton Cove appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

from Projects – Vancouver New Condos http://bit.ly/2Uzb8ol

Beaufort Landing at Hampton Cove

The post Beaufort Landing at Hampton Cove appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

from Projects – Vancouver New Condos http://bit.ly/2Uzb8ol

Dive Myanmar with the Phinisi

Beginning in November 2018, the Phinisi, officially called Cheng I Sao, began sailing the waters of the Andaman Sea with four different itineraries including 4-, 6-, 7- and 10-night dive cruises in Myanmar and Thailand. And, as of February 4^th 2019, the Phinisi will return to the pristine waters of Myanmar. It will be the first time it returns here since its last visit in December 2009. Two fantastic itineraries of 7 & 10 nights cover the Mergui Archipelago and take divers to the best parts of these scenic islands.

Pristine, rarely dived sites promise stunning hard and soft corals, plus an astonishing array of marine life: sharks, mantas, and massive sea-fan forests. There is plenty to enjoy for the macro lover as well: tiger-tail seahorses, nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, just to name a few.

Underwater cave in Myanmar (Credit: Mark Strickland)

Myanmar waters topside (Credit Mark Strickland)

Myanmar sea life (Credit Mark Strickland)

A dramatic wall in Myanmar (Credit Mark Strickland)

Limited spaces are still available on the Phinisi's four Myanmar cruises this year – with up to 30% introduction discount!

Regular Myanmar trips will start in the 2019/2020 season. The Phinisi accommodates 18 divers in seven en-suite cabins with individual air-conditioning units. Guests can choose between flexible double/twin, fixed twins, and quad cabins. Full of charming character and with an amazing crew, the Phinisi is your finest option to dive in Myanmar. Along with its sister boat The Junk; it also visits the Similan and Surin Islands, as well as the south of Thailand on a 10-night "Best of Thailand" itinerary.

For more information and bookings, visit the website or send an email here.

The post Dive Myanmar with the Phinisi appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://bit.ly/2MIz1qB

Dive Myanmar with the Phinisi

Limited spaces are still available on the Phinisi‘s four Myanmar cruises this year – with up to 30% introduction discount!

For more information and bookings, visit the website or send an email here.

The post Dive Myanmar with the Phinisi appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://bit.ly/2MIz1qB

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

The effect of hotel pricing on OTA search results positioning

A new research paper finds that for a given price at Booking.com or Expedia, a lower price at the other OTA or on the hotel's website leads to a worse ranking position.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2Rp71Jj

Report: Hotel direct booking efforts create lasting loyalty

Hotels need to ensure that consumers continue to remain loyal and to book direct - whether driven by discounted rates or the promise of a better guest experience for loyalty members.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2Wu2yJg

Cvent data shows potential group booking slowdown

Advance bookings on the Cvent platform seem to be lagging, which could indicate either a downturn in event bookings or simply the fact that event organizers are booking closer to the time of the actual event.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2TiGpeS

Why are Chinese tourists shopping less?

The recent headlines proclaiming that Chinese tourists are shopping less abroad may seem alarming, but it's not all bad news, particularly not for the travel industry.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2BaxyoH

Peek inside the world’s first vegan hotel room

This suite at the Hilton London Bankside is completely vegan, from the furnishings to the room service.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2SfeeQM

Google takes first steps toward killing the URL

Google isn't trying to induce chaos by eliminating URLs. Rather, it wants to make it harder for hackers to capitalize on user confusion about the identity of a website.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HTe7GP

'Future proof' your hotel with total sales culture

Triptease speaks with Sandy Russell, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Wharf Hotels about cultivating loyalty, a perspective beyond the points schemes.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2SjKnqc

Revenue Science 101: A better way to revenue

Discover how IDeaS uses revenue science to deliver results and transform revenue across the planet.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2UvpxBT

Bahrain Announces New Underwater Theme Park

Bahrain recently announced that it will launch the world's largest underwater theme park, which include a sunken, decommissioned Boeing 747 as its primary attraction. The park will cover an area of around 25 acres (100,000 square meters), with the 230-foot-long (70 m) jet as the highlight.

According to the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA):

The project was designed to have a positive impact on the marine life within the park and every effort has been taken to limit the project's environmental footprint.
A pearl-merchant house will be replicated on a large scale, then submerged using design features to maximize the surface area and volume of the structure, increasing its capacity as a refuge for marine life.
The wind towers of the pearl merchant house will extend alongside the aircraft and will extend off the sea floor by 40 feet (12 m), placing them in the photic zone, which allows the park to explore and experiment with coral nurseries.
The project's extensive surface area will promote the growth of invertebrates, particularly oysters.
Rigorous field investigations were done during the stage of choosing the project site so as to avoid naturally ecological sensitive sites.
The project will serve as a valuable tool in educating the public on the importance of environmental preservation.
The site will be available to school and university students as a 'live lab,' allowing them the opportunity to conduct practical experiments.
The 747 has been decontaminated from all wiring, all hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems, and all adhesives, insulation, plastics, rubbers, chemicals or other potential toxic substances.
The aircraft surfaces will be subjected to a high-pressure wash with bio-friendly detergents to ensure all post-production coatings, oil and grime are removed before being submerged.
Efforts have been expended to ensure delivery of the project in the most environmentally sound manner and under the strictest of regional and international waste management guidelines.

In addition to the aircraft, the dive site will also include a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant's house as noted above, artificial coral reefs and other sculptures that will be fabricated from eco-friendly material. Parts of the park are slated to open in summer 2019.

The post Bahrain Announces New Underwater Theme Park appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://bit.ly/2RpI8gH

Bahrain Announces New Underwater Theme Park

Bahrain recently announced that it will launch the world’s largest underwater theme park, which include a sunken, decommissioned Boeing 747 as its primary attraction. The park will cover an area of around 25 acres (100,000 square meters), with the 230-foot-long (70 m) jet as the highlight.

According to the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA):

The project was designed to have a positive impact on the marine life within the park and every effort has been taken to limit the project’s environmental footprint.
A pearl-merchant house will be replicated on a large scale, then submerged using design features to maximize the surface area and volume of the structure, increasing its capacity as a refuge for marine life.
The wind towers of the pearl merchant house will extend alongside the aircraft and will extend off the sea floor by 40 feet (12 m), placing them in the photic zone, which allows the park to explore and experiment with coral nurseries.
The project’s extensive surface area will promote the growth of invertebrates, particularly oysters.
Rigorous field investigations were done during the stage of choosing the project site so as to avoid naturally ecological sensitive sites.
The project will serve as a valuable tool in educating the public on the importance of environmental preservation.
The site will be available to school and university students as a ‘live lab,’ allowing them the opportunity to conduct practical experiments.
The 747 has been decontaminated from all wiring, all hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems, and all adhesives, insulation, plastics, rubbers, chemicals or other potential toxic substances.
The aircraft surfaces will be subjected to a high-pressure wash with bio-friendly detergents to ensure all post-production coatings, oil and grime are removed before being submerged.
Efforts have been expended to ensure delivery of the project in the most environmentally sound manner and under the strictest of regional and international waste management guidelines.

In addition to the aircraft, the dive site will also include a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant’s house as noted above, artificial coral reefs and other sculptures that will be fabricated from eco-friendly material. Parts of the park are slated to open in summer 2019.

The post Bahrain Announces New Underwater Theme Park appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://bit.ly/2RpI8gH

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

A quarter of hotels more expensive on OTAs

Ranking of hotels is not optimised to show best results for the consumer, but to achieve maximum profit for OTAs.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HG7Iyx

PwC updates US lodging outlook

Fourth quarter lodging fundamentals came in just below expectations, with year-over-year RevPAR growth of 2.4 percent, driven by an average daily rate increase of 2.0 percent.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2SgI0EL

Booking CEO opposes proposed EU tax as an innovation killer

Gillian Tans sounds like a typical corporate boss, opposing additional taxation as anti-business, as the proposed EU tax on revenue would amount to double taxation.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HG7I1v

Cvent CEO looks at 2019 & beyond

Cvent has spent the past two years integrating and upgrading technology after acquiring Lanyon in 2016.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2Slq109

Hotel execs ponder threats to record growth

While executives at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) touted a 10th straight year of growth during opening sessions here, the triumph was tempered by economic and political uncertainty.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HCPcXS

Hotels need to better control onward distribution of rates

Like Booking.Basic, many online travel agencies sell rates that they have sourced from a third party without a direct relationship with the accommodation provider.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2Si0J2I

Cendyn voted as North America’s leading hotel CRM technology provider

The prestigious World Travel Awards recognizes companies, organizations and brands that push the boundaries of hospitality industry excellence.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2HG7GXr

W63 Mansion On Vancouver’s Westside

W63 Mansion by Hansen Pacific is a new condo development located one block from Winona Park, on Vancouver’s westside. This project will offer a boutique collection of thoughtfully designed 1, 2 and 3-bedroom homes. W63 Mansion provides a tranquil westside lifestyle on South Cambie’s most beautiful block.

The post W63 Mansion On Vancouver’s Westside appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

from Projects – Vancouver New Condos http://bit.ly/2sSBjuf

W63 Mansion On Vancouver’s Westside

W63 Mansion by Hansen Pacific is a new condo development located one block from Winona Park, on Vancouver's westside. This project will offer a boutique collection of thoughtfully designed 1, 2 and 3-bedroom homes. W63 Mansion provides a tranquil westside lifestyle on South Cambie's most beautiful block.

The post W63 Mansion On Vancouver's Westside appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

from Projects – Vancouver New Condos http://bit.ly/2sSBjuf

Net Affinity wins booking engine category at HotelTech Awards

At the 2019 Hotel Tech Awards Net Affinity received the award for Top Rated Hotel Booking Engine.

from Hotelmarketing'com http://bit.ly/2Rp6Mhx