In many ways, the hotel industry in Asia is setting the pace for reaching a global customer base. A particular trend in this region that many hoteliers are experimenting with has to do with a world-sweeping technology-localized mobile applications. Asia has the highest potential for mobile growth in the world; at the same time, an increasing number of international travelers are expecting personalized service with the swipe of their fingers on their mobile devices. How are today's hotels in Asia addressing this need? And what is involved in localizing a mobile application for multinational and multilingual audiences? As more businesses become savvy in this arena, we are seeing more exciting developments in marketing and technology as global hotels expand into additional markets. READ MORE

In today's world, it is important now, more than ever, for each individual hotel to carve out a name for itself to help distinguish the brand from its competitors. At Hilton Garden Inn, the brand is dedicated to achieving success by cultivating key relationships with key internal and external players. By providing a brand promise to provide assurance for both employees and consumers, employing proper training for team members, staying on top of industry trends and adapting to suit consumer wants and needs, Hilton Garden Inn shares some best practices when it comes to growing a brand inside and out. READ MORE

The purpose of a recent Market Metrix global hotel study was to analyze the reasons why guests select a particular hotel or casino. The results offer insight into the current behavior of guests around the globe and market opportunities for companies who have a deeper understanding of guest preferences and decision making. This study is based on results from the Global Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI), and includes surveys responses from 40,000 American, European, and Asian travelers during 2012. We focused on several questions that ask guests why they selected a particular hotel or casino on their most recent visit (refer to insert for more information about the MMHI). READ MORE

Prior to the digital age, traditional market research practices involved collecting consumer data mainly either by mail, telephone or in person. The arrival of the internet, however, revolutionized how consumer data was collected, and now, the online channel is a key driving force behind most consumer initiated feedback and behavior. Today, companies have access to more data about their customers than ever before, and therefore have the opportunity to not only improve their product offering, but also to personalize their brand experience both online and in the hotel. READ MORE

Online reviews have yielded an interesting by-product, a wealth of data about customer preferences. Historically hotels have relied on surveys to ascertain levels of customer satisfaction and find areas for improvement, but customer sentiment from public reviews can provide a more detailed view of how to please customers. Learn how sentiment analysis can overcome the bias from traditional surveys, by evaluating customer driven feedback rather than customer responses. See how hotels are shifting focus away from surveys to reviews and improving operations, creating detailed incentives for managers, and getting closer to customers. READ MORE