Mr. Trump Jr.

Executive Leadership

Border Crossing: Establishing Your Hotel Brand Internationally

By Donald Trump Jr., Executive Vice President Development & Acquisition, The Trump Organization

Co-authored by Mickael C. Damelincourt, General Manager, Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto® and Mark Stevenson, General Manager, Trump Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower® Panama

The seeds for TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION were planted with the 1997 opening of Trump International Hotel & Tower New York, in the heart of the financial and cultural capital of the U.S. Ten years later, in October 2007, the brand’s official launch was accompanied by the announcement of impending openings in two more major domestic destinations – Chicago and Las Vegas, followed by Waikiki and New York’s SoHo neighborhood. Yet, the word “International” imbedded in the names of most of the brand’s properties revealed from the onset our global intentions.

That goal was realized in 2011 with the July opening of Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower Panama, to be followed in January 2012 by its northern counterpart, Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto. The back-to-back launches of these two sisters – hermanas, as our Panamanian compatriots might say – have put the brand tenets that have secured our success on the domestic front to their first international test. Here are a few lessons learned as we developed our own marketing strategy to establish brand identity across borders:

From the very first missives, communicate what distinguishes your hotel from others in the region. Our marketing efforts for both properties have focused on their brand promise to set new standards of luxury hospitality in their respective markets. Well before its opening, Trump Ocean Club had already “introduced” itself with a strong visual statement, thanks to its iconic, sail-shaped architecture towering above the Panama waterfront and its stature as Latin America’s largest building. In a market whose only true luxury product has been on a boutique scale, the establishment of the Trump brand in Panama made front-page news throughout Central America.

For Trump Toronto, we continue to underscore the hotel’s ideal location in the heart of the financial district of one of the world’s great financial capitals – a vibrant city that has lacked a five-star, international-caliber hotel. Our strategy has focused on promoting the scale of the Trump hotel from an architectural standpoint (it is the tallest residential building in Canada), interiors that bring a distinctive touch of glamour to the Toronto luxury hotel scene, and the signature services that will differentiate it from other hotels in the city.

Use local resources and promote those connections. For both the Panama and Toronto hotels, TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION tapped the talents of prominent architects in the region: Colombia’s Arias Serna Saravia created the distinctive profile of Trump Ocean Club while Toronto-based Zeidler Partnership Architects designed Trump Toronto’s 65-story tower, crowned by an articulated spire that distinguishes it on the Toronto skyline. The Toronto hotel’s interiors were also the work of an award-winning local firm, whose design captures the vibrancy and multicultural flavor of the city. Of the 400 employees at Trump Ocean Club, only 12 are non-Panamanian. Similar statistics are true at Trump Toronto, where even the star chef is Canadian, having honed his world-class culinary skills in restaurants within Toronto as well as some of the most famous kitchens in Europe.

These local connections have been a crucial part of the marketing communications for both hotels. They underscore our commitment to contributing to the economies of the cities we inhabit, and reinforce the message that we are adapting the Trump brand to the local market, versus imposing our brand on it.

Capitalize on opportunities to garner positive media coverage. Establish contact with the local media early and foster those relationships throughout the pre-opening period. In Panama, press events were strategically scheduled to announce milestones leading up to the opening of Trump Ocean Club. Notably, five months prior to opening, Trump Ocean Club held an on-site preview press conference with Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump, that also included remarks by Panama’s minister of tourism, model room tours, and one-on-one interviews for senior Trump executives with major business and lifestyle media in the region. Such events played an important role in allaying any fears on the part of the Panamanian community regarding inevitable delays. Similarly, in Toronto, Donald Trump Jr. and other key Trump executives have been a familiar presence in the Canadian media, conducting one-on-one interviews in the pre-opening months.

Market the hotel within the context of its destination. Public relations programs for both hotels have a strong destination focus. Detailed backgrounders on the location, its culture and its attractions are included in each press kit. In Panama in particular, our press materials bring to light the immense natural beauty and surprisingly diverse appeals of a destination known primarily to Americans for the shared history of the Panama Canal. And for both properties, we promote the ideal locations of the hotels and the services of the brand’s signature Trump Attachés as our guests’ personal connection to the best each destination has to offer.

Celebrate the community in your opening events. Invite and enlist local dignitaries and public figures to participate in your opening. The presence of Panama’s minister of tourism at Trump Ocean Club’s preview press event helped to nurture an important relationship with the Panamanian tourism community. At our July ribbon-cutting ceremony, the president of Panama and the mayor of Panama City stood alongside Donald, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump. Entertainment by a Panamanian dance troupe and an appearance by Miss Panama added to the distinctly local flavor of the event. While plans for Trump Toronto’s opening events are still underway as this article goes to press, they will also focus on the hotel’s relationship to the Toronto community.

Cross-promote throughout the brand. Use your existing hotels to promote new openings abroad, particularly via social media. All of the hotels within TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION continue to actively support the brand’s expansion by posting key messages, renderings, photos and news via Facebook and Twitter. These have ranged from photos documenting the progression of construction to congratulatory messages upon the hotel’s opening. Tasking our existing hotels with a “head cheerleader” role in this way has kept our international openings front-of-mind with those who are already positively disposed towards the brand via their experiences at our U.S. hotels.

Give back. Your brand-wide philanthropy might be generous, but as you grow internationally, does it impact the new communities you’re entering? TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION, for instance, has an ongoing program benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an exceptionally worthy organization but one without a direct presence in Panama. Accordingly, we’ve reached out to an affiliated program in Panama and have adapted our campaign to share the proceeds with that affiliate.

And finally, never miss an opportunity to emphasize your brand tenets. Every communiqué we issue highlights the hallmarks that define TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION brand-wide, from new-build, iconic architecture to enviable locations to signature services such as the Trump Attaché. Every associate we hire, too, is intensively trained in these tenets – and this is especially vital in new markets that may be unfamiliar with the level of service your brand intends to deliver. Be sure your own brand tenets are clearly defined and communicate them tirelessly as you establish your brand identity overseas.

This article was co-authored by Mickael Damelincourt and Mark Stevenson.

Mickael Damelincourt has served as general manager of Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto since July 2010. Mickael was selected to lead the Toronto hotel after his instrumental role in the opening of Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago. He joined TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION and the Chicago hotel in 2007 as executive assistant manager. Born in Beauvais, France, Mr. Damelincourt launched his hospitality career in 2001, moving with Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts from New Orleans to Chicago. He holds an MBA degree in international management and finance from the MBA Institute, a French-American business school located in Paris. Mr. Damelincourt can be contacted by email at mdamelincourt@trumphotels.com.

Mark Stevenson is vice president & managing director of Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower Panama. Tapped by TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION in 2010 to open its first hotel outside the U.S., Mr. Stevenson brought with him more than three decades of hotel management experience and a stellar record of luxury launches. Mr. Stevenson holds an MBA in finance from the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore School of Business and Economics, and dual bachelor’s degrees in geological sciences and geological oceanography from the University of Washington in Seattle. He had been active in a number of industry organizations, including serving on AH&LA’s Resort Committee. Mr. Stevenson can be contacted at mstevenson@trumphotels.com.

Donald J. Trump Jr. is an innovator and leader in today's young business world. As an Executive Vice President at The Trump Organization, he works in tandem with his siblings Ivanka and Eric to expand the company's real estate, retail, commercial, hotel and golf interests nationally and internationally. His extensive real estate development experience, rigorous education and inherent business sense add a level of detail and depth to the management of all current and future Trump projects. Mr. Trump Jr. can be contacted at 212-832-2000. or donjr@trumphotels.com Extended Bio...

HotelExecutive.com retains the copyright to the articles published in the Hotel Business Review. Articles cannot be republished without prior written consent by HotelExecutive.com.