Weekly posting for december 15th 2006

Online video ‘eroding TV viewing’

http://www.hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/061128_online_video_eroding_tv_viewing/

This article deals with online video vs TV viewing.

The emergence of videos kept and watch on websites is eroding - as the title means - TV viewing. I think it's because people want to watch what really interests them mainly in terms of news and events as long as they want. If they didn't catch a thing they can watch it again compared to TV where you watch passively.

There are still some things that can not be replaced as the surprise of catching a very good movie or documentary while switching channels, and seat back on a comfortable sofa.

Weekly posting for december 8th 2006

Boutique hotels going cheap, going everywhere

http://www.hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/061105_boutique_hotels_going_cheap_going_everywhere/

This article is about a new concept of luxurious hotels accessible to a cheaper price range with the same luxurious concept that could be found in an expensive palace. They aim young people and I think it's a very good and bad idea that could be revolutionary because this would maybe put the luxury affordable which could kill it directly. What is luxurious should stay expensive. GMs of these hotels should be very careful about the luxurious image they give and want to keep. Club Med had created another range of more affordable villages but still with a certain quality of comfort and style which situation became quickly quite chaotic as they couldn't aim the target market they've planned to and the Club Med brand name suffered from its reputation.

But the good point is that it will attract a lot of people as the luxury will be finally affordable. Who wouldn't be attracted by this? A Louis Vuitton bag sold half price would attract almost...everybody. But this would be the same theory. If the Louis Vuitton bag is becoming affordable by more than half of a population, it wouldn't be anymore "haute couture" but only "chic". It goes the same for the hotels which should kill prestigious palaces image and new luxurious hotels would find some difficulties to break into a market, where people would believe it is a real one or not.

Weekly posting for december 1st 2006

Personalized, interactive marketing is the future

http://www.hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/061107_personalized_interactive_marketing_is_the_future/

This article deals with a new marketing strategy aiming an increase of guest's satisfaction. It consists in another kind of service based on guest's recognition and individuality. Indeed, the guest is known by all the staff and treated as "the king" as it seems he is alone in the hotel with all the staff and services available for just himself, just like home, but a luxurious home.

The good point is that the guest is recognized as an individual and not only a "guest". But it can be good also for the guest to avoid all administration upon arrival with the check-in process and let the guest enjoy from all services of the hotel. But everything sounds like heaven. I think it can be frustrating for all the staff because guests could become more and more demanding on the expectation of the service; guests also could feel tracked by all staff because everywhere they'd go they'd be recognized and won't feel as comfortable as expected also.

I think this new method should be used by moderately as for the guest and the staff comfort.

Weekly posting for november 24th 2006

Versace plans luxury hotels to woo the wealthy

http://www.hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/061120_versace_to_build_15_luxury_resorts/

This article is a new concept of the Versace brand consisting in opening 15 luxury resorts around the world. I think it is a very good idea as people is getting richer and needs luxurious accomodations but their project is a little bit large. They should start little by little, seeing how it works and then build other hotels otherwise they would lose a lot of money and Versace is not the only luxurious brand. After that, other brands as Gucci or Burberry can build their own resorts and the competition could be very rude.

This is a very good idea to create this kind of hotel brands but then it would encourage other brands to create their hotels and concepts and it would create a new concept based on the brand. It could be very dangerous for hotels as Hyatt, Marriott or other big hotels that would lose their customers who'd be interested in this kind of concept.

Weekly posting for november 17th 2006

Soaring average room rates drive hotel performance in China

http://www.hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/061011_soaring_average_room_rates_drive_hotel_performance_in_china/

This article is an analysis on the current situation of the hotel industry in China. The performances have been very amazing since the preparation of the Olympic Games in 2008. The number of constructing hotels and hotel revenue performances are still growing highly. It is not only thanks to the Olympic games, the hotel growth went up thanks to the Disneyland opening near Hong Kong, the development of convention and exhibition centers in Shenzhen and the launch of the new Oasis Hong Kong low cost airline to London is promising China a very good year.

Weekly posting for november 10th 2006

European hotel guests get room keys on mobile phones thanks to NFC

http://www.contactlessnews.com/library/2006/10/05/european-hotel-guests-get-room-keys-on-mobile-phones-thanks-to-nfc/

This article written by Andy Williams is about a revolutionary system to check-in in European hotels. This system is called the NFC (Near Field Communications) consisting in unlocking doors with NFC users' cellphone.

This can be revealed as a very usefull method as most of guests don't like checking in and out. This system avoids queues and waists of time by allowing guests to go directly to their room when they arrive.

The impact on the hotel business can be increased thanks to that system because guests will be satisfied by this revolution but the point is that all hotels will have to renovate the hotel and equip the doors with this card/cellphone reader system.

Another point is that the NFC system is compatible on cells that can receive NFC system which is another negative point because it is a very particular and modern system that most of people don't have. So if guests who don't have this particular cellphone they still have to line up to the front desk to pick up the card which replaces the cellphone.

As a conclusion, we could evaluate this system as very efficient but it would take time to have it in place in all hotels but also to inform guests of the system.