Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, are currently the top social networks used for businesses. At this point, these three online communities are more than a trendy buzzword tossed around at parties, they are household names and part of our everyday lives. Hotels, and the hospitality industry in general, were fairly late in catching this new wave of communication, primarily because they didn't understand how to use the networks properly. They are monsters that constantly need to be fed with new information. They are also not going anywhere. Social media are not a fad, they are here to stay, and it is important to learn the tools to use them well. Read this article on how to cultivate this trend for your property. READ MORE

One thing that the brands, chains. representation companies and third-party sites do very well is ensure that your property information, rates, availability and photos are available online - an integral part of ensuring that your hotel can be found and booked online on a functional level. Guests ensure that there are plenty of written reviews of your hotel and user-generated photos and videos of their experiences available to their peers. But there's a missing piece to the puzzle. Hoteliers typically have the best knowledge of what makes their hotel unique. This is why hoteliers have such an opportunity when it comes to marketing and merchandising online. READ MORE

A year ago, hotels assumed social media was a fad. Today, they're quickly trying to figure out how to use the new methods of communication to grow their guest base. Everyone is rushing to get on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr, Google Wave, Yammer, Foursquare, and Google Buzz, but now that you're there, what's next? In this article, we explore what hotels, big and small, are doing with social media to drive brand awareness, engagement, and loyalty. It's time to get on the boat before you miss it! READ MORE

There are many elements that go into planning a group getaway; whether it's a group business trip, a family reunion, a friend's getaway or a destination wedding. For each of these groups the questions of where to stay and what to do will vary. What is the anatomy of a great destination for a group trip? The answer is simple, the right city for the right group of people. Equally important is the right accommodation and service for the group. Some of the most popular types of traveling groups are Corporate, Family Reunions, Friends Getaways, and Destination Weddings. The following is an exploration into these groups and some of their top destinations. READ MORE

The Internet has revolutionized the way consumers make travel purchasing decisions. In fact, according to a recent comScore Media Metrix study, more than 55 million consumers used web searches to research travel throughout the month of July 2006 alone. Moreover, the majority of those who conducted a web search booked travel online. According to Forrester Research, the Internet makes up one quarter of all travel sales today and is projected to grow to just under 50 percent by 2010, making Travel second only to computer software and hardware when it comes to overall category growth. Lodging companies have made significant strides in harnessing the Internet to leverage distribution and make it easy for consumers to research, compare and buy from their desktops; however, when it comes to building brands on the Internet, opportunity exists. With broadband penetration projected to reach 83 percent of U.S. households by 2008, the opportunities to leverage the medium, engage consumers, drive preference and manage channel distribution has never been greater. READ MORE