TripAdvisor unveils 2011 travel trends forecast

Americans appear eager to pack their bags in the coming year, as 36 percent plan to spend more on leisure travel in 2011 than this year, while 42 percent expect to spend the same amount. Ninety percent plan to take two or more leisure trips next year - a slight increase on the 89 percent who said they have done so in 2010. TripAdvisor announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travelers. Americans appear eager to pack their bags in the coming year, as 36 percent plan to spend more on leisure travel in 2011 than this year, while 42 percent expect to spend the same amount. Ninety percent plan to take two or more leisure trips next year—a slight increase on the 89 percent who said they have done so in 2010.

While travelers named an increase in online travel deals as the best travel development of 2010 (39 percent), rising airfares (40 percent) and bedbugs (20 percent) are the top two travel concerns for 2011.

On the Road Again: Travelers Globetrotting in 2011

- 69 percent of travelers plan to take international trips next year, and of that group, 52 percent will travel to Europe, 13 percent will visit Asia and 12 percent will journey to South America.

- The top three international destinations U.S. travelers plan to visit in 2011 are Paris, London and Rome.

- 75 percent of respondents plan to visit a U.S. city next year, with Las Vegas, New York City and San Francisco the most popular choices.

- Vacation rentals will be a popular lodging choice in 2011, with 47 percent considering a stay in a vacation rental home – a significant increase compared to 39 percent one year ago.

Best and Worst in Travel for 2010 and the Past Decade

Best Travel Development of 2010:

- More online travel deals – 39%

- Cheaper hotel rates – 22%

- More in-flight Wi-Fi Internet access on planes – 12%

Worst Travel Development of 2010:

- Carry-on baggage fees – 69%

- New hotel fees – 10%

- TSA full body scanners – 10%

Best Travel Development of the Past Decade:

- Online check-in – 26%

- Candid traveler reviews – 16%

- Increased options for online travel bookings – 16%

Worst Travel Development of the Past Decade:

- More airline fees – 45%

- Carry on restrictions for liquids, gels and aerosols – 19%

- Longer security lines – 9%

Up in the Air

- Despite being fed up with airline fees, 24 percent of travelers plan to fly more next year, while 60 percent will fly the same amount.

- Shelling-out for in-flight extras is becoming second nature to travelers, with 77 percent expecting to do so in 2011 – up from 72 percent one year ago.

- In-flight manners leave much to be desired, with the top flyer faux pas revealed to be people kicking the seat back (28 percent). Rude seat recliners (20 percent) and passengers sneezing or coughing without covering their mouths (18 percent) further aggravate travelers.

- 27 percent would pay to sit in a child-free section of an airplane, while 19 percent would pay to sit in a quiet section, should such an option ever exist.

- 65 percent think passengers of size should be required to pay for an extra seat on an airline when necessary.

Popular Pursuits and Eco-Traveling in 2011

Top Five Vacation Activities for Next Year:

- Visiting an historic site – 85%

- Visiting a museum – 73%

- Visiting a national park – 46%

- Attending a festival – 43%

- Hiking – 42%

- Further popular pursuits among travelers for the year ahead include water activities (38 percent), visiting a spa (33 percent) and gambling (29 percent).

- When asked what travel activities they might try for the first time in 2011, 11 percent chose a cruise, while 11 percent are also considering taking an educational course on vacation.

- 47 percent will take eco-friendly factors in to consideration, such as their carbon footprint or “green” hotel policies, when making travel plans in 2011.

- 20 percent expect to be more environmentally conscious in their travel decision and choices next year.

Increase in Connectivity Leads to “Fake-ations”

- Technological advances in 2010 have led to 59 percent of travelers in employment being more connected to work than ever on leisure trips this year.

- 69 percent connect with work while on leisure trips, while 16 percent confess that work always or often impacts their vacations.

- 62 percent check their work e-mail on leisure trips, while 13 percent call the office to check-in.

- Eight percent admit to considering the remoteness of their destination, specifically to avoid connecting with work.

- 90 percent of travelers also connect with home on their leisure travels – but just 26 percent send postcards, instead favoring modern-day technology, including e-mail (74 percent), text messages (40 percent) and social networking sites (28 percent).

Hotel Highs and Lodging Lows

According to the survey, the top three hotel brands that travelers are loyal to are:

- Marriott – 24%

- Hilton – 18%

- Hampton Inn – 7%

- When it comes to booking hotels, travelers are significantly less brand loyal than one year ago, with 39 percent of travelers now faithful to one name – a significant drop from 59 percent in 2010.

- 96 percent believe that U.S. hotels offer room for improvement in 2011, with higher standards of cleanliness topping travelers’ wish-lists (22 percent).

- Of those who have stayed in international hotels, 90 percent believe these could be bettered next year, with wider availability of free internet access the most-wanted enhancement (20 percent).

Americans Deemed Friendliest and Most Annoying Travelers

For the second consecutive year, Americans are voted both the friendliest travelers – and also the most irritating.

Friendliest Travelers, According to the Survey

- Americans

- Australians

- Canadians

Most Annoying Travelers, According to the Survey

- Americans

- French

- Japanese

“With over a third of travelers revealing that they start planning their vacations more than six months before a trip, many Americans are already eagerly anticipating some terrific travel adventures for 2011,” said Karen Drake, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor. “Online travel deals, named as the greatest travel development of 2010, will continue to offer aspiring vacationers fantastic opportunities next year – whether they’re planning a nearby weekend getaway, or the dream trip of a lifetime.”

Fuente: Hotelmarketing.com

Turismo aumenta en Latinoamérica

Más de 800 mil turistas recibió Buenos Aires, Argentina, en julio de 2010 durante las vacaciones que invierno, de acuerdo con las cifras planteadas por el ente de Turismo de la localidad.

La mayor ocupación la obtuvieron los establecimiento de cuatro estrellas con máximos hasta del 80%, y los de 3, 4 y 5 estrellas obtuvieron índice promedio de 71%. La mayoría de los visitantes fueron de Brasil, los cuales gastaron en promedio US$140 al día, un 40% más que los turistas de otros países, quienes gastan US$98 dólares por día.

El ingreso total de julio en Buenos Aires, por concepto de turismo, fue de US$430 millones. Los principales países emisores de turistas para Argentina fueron Chile, Uruguay, Colombia y México.

En Brasil, por su parte, en el primer semestre del año los ingresos por turismo extranjero alcanzaron los US$2.940 millones, con un crecimiento interanual de 14.5%, según informó el Instituto Brasileño de Turismo (Embratur). El organismo espera que para finales del año la cifra se acerque a los US$6.000 millones. Las divisas por turistas extranjeros alcanzaron en junio un crecimiento interanual de 3.3% para un monto de US$416 millones.

Fuente: Gerencia de Viajes

Top 10 Strategies to Promote Hotels on Social Media Channels

Create

1. Create and Upload Custom Facebook pages - Facebook allows the hotel to customise the tabs to tailor it to your specific hotel or business. Some best practices to follow while creating Facebook page are:

a. Integrate Reservation widgets
b. Have event pages
c. Create custom tabs to highlight hotel specific items such as meetings and conferences, things to do, etc.
d. Sample Facebook Pages for a hotel
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Lion-Hotel-Denver-Southeast/167741797528

2. Create/ Promote Destination Blogs showcasing local events, news, and specials. Information posted on the blog gets index right away.

a. Example of Destination Blog - http://blog.aquaresorts.com/
b. Example of destination blog – http://blog.rivernorthhotel.com/

3. Search Optimised video

a. Create and promote a search optimised video about your destination, local attractions and upload them on Video Search engines such as Youtube. Youtube is the fourth largest search engine and drives significant traffic.
b. Example of search optimized video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HraOIiqdIn4/

4. Photo Sharing

a. Create a channel or an account on photo sharing sites such as Flickr, Picassa and post hotel and destination photos on the sites. Tag the pictures with relevant keyword phrases. Pictures about the destination that convey information to potential viewers are more likely to produce better results
b. Example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8209088@N07/

5. Twitter

a. Create Custom Twitter Profiles with hotel phone number in the background
b. Example: http://twitter.com/vallartagv

Manage and Promote

6. Integrating and Cross-Linking Channels
Once your channels are set up, it is crucial to integrate and cross network all your channels. Make sure that the social media icons are displayed clearly on your website so that consumers can get to those channels. Cross-link Flickr, Twitter and YouTube to your Facebook account. Integrating and Cross-linking the channels will help you in optimisation, keeping it fresh as well as in expanding your network. Bring live feeds from your social media channels into your website. Example: http://www.nickhotel.com/html/social-media.asp

Integrate live feeds from social media channels on your website

7. Grow Fan-base

a. Facebook – Be My Friend - Become friends with organisation which are most important for your business
b. Promote Facebook Profile Page - Upload email list of your customers, business associates and ask them to become friends with you on Facebook
c. Convert your friends on Facebook by offering time sensitive specials
d. Network with local organizations and grow fan base
e. Twitter Follow - Stay connected and current by finding out relevant businesses in your area and following them

8. Press Releases and Articles - Using online news channels such as Business Wire and PR Web to release Articles and news information enhances search engine optimisation and web.

Monitor

9. Create Social Media Reviews Platform on your website to encourage users to upload viral content on your website. Example: http://www.nickhotel.com/guestreviews/orlando-hotel-guest-reviews.aspx

Encourage users to post viral user generated content on your website

10. Monitor Social Media Channels and Review Site

We recommend hotels should actively monitor social media channels and review sites. The success of social media efforts can be measured in many different ways:

a. Awareness
- Number of friends & followers
- Social media mentions
- New relevant links
b. Conversion
- Track through promo codes
- Google Analytics
c. Relationships
- How much interaction
- Who is initiating
d. Engagement
- Unique visitors
- Time on site
- Frequency of visit

There are many options available for hoteliers to monitor the social media activity.

a. Analytics –hotels can integrate Google Analytics code on Facebook pages, blog pages and track the activity on these channels. In addition, Youtube, Flickr, provide reporting tools that can help you gauge activity on those channels.
b. Using sophisticated social media and reputation management software such as eBuzz Connect. These tools tell you what people are saying about your property on different channels, video views, photo views, etc., and can benchmark your performance month-over-month to determine whether the social media strategies are effective. These tools also help in proactively respond to negative /positive reviews and minimize the risk of not knowing what people are saying about your hotel online. Here is a screen shot of one such tool from Milestone Internet Marketing, Inc. http://www.milestoneinternet.com/html/online-social-media-management-system-for-hotels.asp

eBuzz Connect Social Media and Review Monitoring Tool

Summary

Social Media is an integral part of the real-time search algorithm. Social media creates real connection between companies and customers, and that connection equals purchase intent. Ongoing connection and relationship with your customers will eventually turn them into a volunteer marketing army. Make sure that social media is an integral part of your overall marketing plan. If you are limited on budget and resources, still keep monitoring the social media domain and do the best you can. Hoteliers who want to be ahead of the curve, should invest today in the media that is fast emerging as the future of internet marketing.

Fuente: hotel-online.com

Traveling with Twitter

For wired travelers everywhere, Twitter is increasingly becoming the go-to site for everything from getting hotel recommendations to sniffing out midtrip dinner companions, writes The Wall Street Journal.

The travel industry, it seems, has good reason to home in on tweeters; while only about 46% of all Internet users report using social networks like Twitter, a recent survey by travel-research firm PhoCusWright found that the figure jumps to 60% when you count just people who buy travel online. With the economy still keeping many would-be vacationers at home, getting in front of so many proven travelers is a no-brainer for companies. What’s more, Twitter gives providers a chance to spot unhappy customers and, ideally, to fix the problem before their griping has a chance to spread through cyberspace.

But by all accounts, traveling by Twitter remains a bit buggy. To begin with, the technology is so new that travelers and companies alike are still working out the best ways to use it. Too many companies are missing the chance to engage travelers with tips or news, says PhoCusWright analyst Douglas Quinby, and instead are using the site only for self-promotion.

Fuente: Wall Street Journal.com

New opportunities arise in online travel marketing

It has been an interesting week for online travel. There have been a couple of key announcements from Google that could dramatically change hotel’s PPC strategy and on the mobile side of things, John Tigg, head of mobile at Yahoo, claimed that the travel sector are playing catch up when it comes to mobile marketing.

Google first stirred up a bit of a storm in the travel sector last week, when they announced a trial of hotel price listings in Google Maps. Google brought up text results to the left of the map, that showed a dropdown of hotel price listings.

So why did this create quite a furore? Because the text results are based on an advertiser’s prices in PPC ads. Anyone that has ever worked in the online travel sector will know that hotels and travel agencies have an aggressive SEO strategy – being number 1 in Google is a hallowed ground that is fought tooth and nail. So what this potentially means is that while you may have successfully fought your way to the number 1 spot, that could quickly be irrelevant if the hotel in position 3 has a PPC ad that advertises a cheaper rate hotel.

From a consumer point of view, this is an excellent move by Google. As they are also going to allow you to search by available date, it has made searching for a hotel room that little bit easier - entire trips can theoretically be planned out without ever having to leave your first search destination - Google.

Fuente: simplyzesty.com

Death of the travel brochure as travelers opt for online reviews

Reviews written by strangers on independent websites such as TripAdvisor, search results on Google and word of mouth advice from family and colleagues are more influential than brochures, advertising, media reviews and advice from travel agents when it comes to booking holidays, according to a new study.

The survey of 1,375 consumers found a quarter now used online reviews by strangers to determine their travel plans, compared to 13 per cent who used travel programmes and 11 per cent who used magazines and newspaper supplements.

The results found that almost 50 per cent of travellers over 45 are using websites to recommend or warn fellow travellers by posting a review of their travel experiences online.

Nick Oram, director of media agency Total Media, who commissioned the report, said: “There has been a decline in the traditional glossy brochure in favour of the internet and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The traditional glossy brochure was expensive to produce and the travel industry has embraced e-commerce as a way of making the booking process far more cost effective.

“The impartial online opinion of travellers who have firsthand experience of a destination is second only now to what you hear from friends, family and work colleagues.”

Fuente: Telegraph.co.uk

Social media empowers new modes of travel

Analyzing the findings of its study of 2,357 adults in the U.S., France, and the U.K., Euro RSCG reveals how changes in consumer consciousness are molding entirely new modes of travel - and a new industry to service them.

Travel is undergoing a profound and even revolutionary shift, according to a broad new study by the leading global communications agency Euro RSCG Worldwide. The results of the study were released this week in KNOW magazine’s “The Future of Travel: The New Vocabulary of Travel and Tourism.” KNOW is a publication of the Euro RSCG Worldwide Knowledge Exchange, a global initiative that pushes knowledge and insights across the Euro RSCG network of agencies.

Analyzing the findings of its study of 2,357 adults in the U.S., France, and the U.K., Euro RSCG reveals how changes in consumer consciousness are molding entirely new modes of travel—and a new industry to service them.

“For years, people have regarded travel as a way to splurge, an indulgence centered on escapism and fun,” said Marian Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, North America. “Now, we’re looking to make our travel experiences more meaningful and better aligned with our personal values and goals. With millions of people wanting to feel good about the impact they have on the world, there’s been a reboot of travel values and expectations.”

The study places a special focus on the segment of respondents identified as Prosumers. This highly influential group is ahead of the curve in adopting a more mindful approach to consumption that incorporates concern for the environment, local communities, and the global citizenry. For Prosumers, travel is about much more than getting from Point A to Point B and back again.

According to the study:

- 66% consider themselves “Citizens of the World,” suggesting a more globally minded attitude and approach.

- 73% believe extensive travel is key to making a person more interesting.

- And 59% contend that where and how they travel says a lot about who they are.

Where and how Prosumers travel is undergoing a decisive shift, as detailed in the report. Their objectives for vacation periods are changing and so are the demands they are placing on their brand partners. To lead in the category going forward, it is vital that brands fulfill these four imperatives:

- Accept and embrace “green” as the standard way of doing business

- Offer products and services that satisfy Prosumers’ desire to live more mindfully

- Master social media in order to engage Prosumers before, during, and after each travel experience

- Embrace the new models of luxury and customer service Euro RSCG has identified

Awareness of environmental impact has been all but absent from most travel considerations until recently. “Whereas not so long ago the issue of ‘going green’ was one of exhortation and persuasion,” KNOW magazine explains, “now it is more a matter of shade, degree, and implementation.” Brands and companies are finding that eco-consciousness has progressed from a fringe notion to a business mandate. Euro RSCG research into the New Consumer (2009) has found that 74% of Prosumers feel good about making environmentally friendly choices, and 63% are paying more attention to the environmental and social impact of the products they buy. Travel and hospitality brands are speaking to this heightened consciousness through such means as eco-accommodations built with reclaimed and recycled materials, “100 mile” menus centered on locally produced foods, energy-efficient “EcoRooms,” and rewarding travelers for their green behaviors.

Also revolutionizing the category is an emerging mindfulness among consumers fed up with excess consumption and our increasingly artificial, disconnected way of living. Euro RSCG has found that people are hungry for greater meaning in their lives:

- 79% of Prosumers worry that society has become too shallow, focusing on things that don’t really matter.

- 66% worry that people have become too disconnected from the natural world, while 53% worry that digital communications are weakening human bonds.

- Alarmed by current realities, 84% are making a real effort to improve who they are and how they live.

“New modes of travel—including cultural and educational tourism, geotourism, voluntourism, and so-called slow travel—are catering to this newly emerging desire for more,” said Claus Lindorff, managing director of Euro RSCG agency BETC Luxe. “The shifts in mindset behind these new modes of travel have been building strength for years. What has brought them to a broader market is the ascendancy of social media. Now that mainstream consumers can participate in real-time communities focused on a new approach to travel and living, this hyper-focus on social values in travel has blossomed.”

For brands, social media offer creative ways to keep Prosumers engaged well before and long after each actual travel event. New York City’s Pod Hotel saw sales and traffic spike 40% after it created PodCulture, a closed social network in which guests can connect with one another and schedule get-togethers in advance of their stays. Such smart use of social media keeps brand conversations going and carries tremendous scope for a new generation of customer service offerings. This is of particular importance at a time when luxury and service are being redefined by consumers sick of tinny smiles and canned responses, and eager to engage with the real people behind the brand.

Understanding this emerging world of travel—with all its overlapping and interconnected trends—will be vital for any brand looking to grow in the space.

Fuente: Erurorscglife.com

Where German travelers are headed in 2010

HotelsCombined reports the top 10 domestic and international travel destinations for Germany residents in 2010. Statistics are based on the Web site’s current booking leads for the upcoming year. Berlin and Hamburg top the list for domestic destinations while New York and London rank highest for international destinations.

The largest metropolitan cities in Germany and around the world rank at the top of these lists, and travelers find the largest variety of hotel deals in these cities on HotelsCombined.de. In Berlin alone, travelers choose from 922 hotels on HotelsCombined.de, and in London, 1,437 hotels are available to choose from.
Berlin, Germany’s number one destination for meetings and conventions is also the number one HotelsCombined.de destination for German travelers in 2010. According to the Berlin Tourismus Marketing, the number of visitors and events in Berlin continues to increase, an indicator that the global economy is on the rise.
New York City ranks as the number one international destination, indicating that a high average room rate does not deter Germans from visiting this city consistently ranked the number one travel destination worldwide.
Of the top 10 international destinations, seven of those cities are within Europe, indicating a strong desire among Germans to stay close to home.
One of the most budget friendly cities (Bangkok) and one of the highest cost destinations (Dubai) are both within the top five international destinations. HotelsCombined General Manager Michael Doubinski comments, “This indicates German travelers focus travel choices on the unique experience and not on the overall cost. However, due to the continually increasing number of visitors to our site, travelers are definitely still interested in hotel deals, and they can find both budget and luxury options at HotelsCombined.de.”

Fuente: Hotelscombined.de

Turismo y Neuromarketing: innovar generando emoción

La crisis del sector turístico exige innovación en formas de venta y estrategias de comunicación. El neuromarketing se presenta como una herramienta para ayudar a entender las razones y emociones por las que se guía un turista y su elección final hacia un determinado servicio y no otro. Gracias a dicha técnica, tanto el turista como el proveedor de los servicios, son los beneficiados.

Grandes multinacionales como Pepsi, pero también empresas más pequeñas y vinculadas al sector, como Mindness Hotel, han investigado en esta rama del marketing. Verónica Aimar , e-Tourism Project Manager de Prestigia Online, ha elaborado un artículo en el que recoge ejemplos de diferentes estudios de neuromarketing, y se centra en la idea que “se trata de vender productos o servicios turísticos que hayan sido capaces de emocionar al turista y ‘emocionalizar la marca’, con la finalidad de fidelizar una futura compra o elección”.

Verónica Aimar explica la existencia de diversas técnicas aplicadas al neuromarketing, como el fMRI (Funtional Magnetic Resonance Imaging o Resonancia Magnética Funcional por Imágenes) y el EEG (Electroencephalography o Electroencefalografía), para medir el espectro de actividad regional específica de las respuestas del cerebro.

La autora centra su discurso en que el neuromarketing es una ciencia que puede ayudar a determinar qué experiencias, servicios o productos turísticos emocionan a una persona, aunque hasta el mismo cliente lo desconozca. La especialista se centra en que la emoción es la clave del turismo, y su gestión, la garantía de su éxito.
Fuente: Prestigia Marketing