Activity

Hotel branding is a complex process which takes many forms. One sort of branding, Parent Branding, generally presents an image of a family-run resort using symbols of family life and values. Another sort of resort branding, Hotel Resale Branding, generally presents a hotel as a place where families frequent but whose basic model has not changed to suit the needs of the families. This article look at how the nature of the service, the degree of which clients perceive and control, and the degree to which customers take these points into account when making their resort decisions about brand extension assess the results of parent brand branding on resort customers’ overall perception of brand extension and the role that these relationships play in influencing the hotel brand in general.

A relatively new area of study is studying the impact of long term trends in hotel industry performance on customer perceptions of brands. Long term trends can either affect or hinder hotel sector performance based on the existing trend and how deeply embedding the trend is in society at large. In this study we apply four different approaches to the question of how clients perceive the impact of long term trends on hotel industry performance to identify how these perceptions can impact profitability.

The first strategy is to evaluate how long term hotel industry trends directly affect the quality and service level of the standard of hotel lodging offered to guests. This approach focuses on the number of guests and the average length of stay as well as the average age of guests and frequency of visits by guests with kids. We consider whether guest satisfaction and retention are positively impacted by recent trends and if not, what steps can be taken to mitigate the impact of these trends on hospitality and guest satisfaction.

The second step is to assess the impact of present and previous guest perceptions on the perceived value of the standard of hotel accommodation offered to guests. In this step-down sort of analysis we examine the effect on the perceived value by the number of people spending time at the resort, average time spent in the room per guest and average number of guests staying per night. In addition, we consider whether the perceived value offered by new lodging services which are provided to current customers can be improved by measures such as step-up extensions.

The next step considers the extent of gamification in the hotel industry to provide information to clients about the availability of particular goods and services. We use a multiple regression analysis model to compare the degree to which the availability of food and beverages and other services is related to overall perceived value and profitability of the resort. Our regression analysis indicates that variables such as hoteliers’ knowledge of their availability and quality of products and beverages, frequency of trips to local stores and other destinations, and guests’ satisfaction with the quality of these services are strong determinants of hoteliers’ perception of the customers’ value. We conclude that hotels should consider offering step-down or step-up extensions for their lodging to capture and channel the increased value that these services represent to potential guests.

After developing and testing several accor system point system activities, we found that one task stood out to be particularly effective in capturing the gamification perspective of the enterprise. This activity involved offering guests special offers and incentives for every incoming guest that comes into the resort. By way of instance, a hotel could provide a $5 discount to every guest that brings a family member or a friend, or provides a free breakfast or a $5 breakfast pass if the guest books a weekend stay. Further, this reduction or gift may be valid for just 1 night, so that it requires only a limited amount of time for the guest to acquire it. Again, these offers do not have to be relevant to the core business, but the focus on the personal touch provides an opportunity for hotels to find out more about the manner in which clients perceive value in their own lodging experience.

In an upcoming article, pandemic communications specialist, Bay said that there is still much research that needs to be done to fully understand the best number of days a hotel needs to go on vacation without a mass rollback of services. However, he did note,”Our comprehension of the dynamics of the customer and how they make buying decisions have certainly shifted in the ideal direction.” He went on to say that the ability for resorts to work with the clients directly and create real relationships with them has increased as well. The goal is to shorten the travel time between when the guest arrives at the hotel and when they depart.

Hoteliers are now realizing that to attain the ultimate objective of greater earnings, they need to take their business online. Hotels should go beyond traditional advertising strategies and engage in social media advertising using mobile apps, email, and text messaging. A hotel with a program for its website can announce special promotions and track and monitor the engagement and loyalty levels of guests. On the other hand, an email campaign that engages guests through their frequent use of the hotel’s services can inform them of updates and changes to their daily experiences. Ultimately, the hotel can send out coupons and exclusive offers for purchases which can be redeemed with a loyalty card.