Getting the Business Traveler to Choose You Webinar

Copyright © 2014 Leonardo Worldwide Corporation

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Getting the

Business Traveler

to Choose YouFebruary 26, 2015

Darlene Rondeau, VP, Best Practices, Online Merchandising, Leonardo

Nathan Brooks, Director of Client Services, Egencia

Rupesh Patel, President & Chief Operating Officer, Zenique Hotels

Melissa Bruckler, E-Commerce & Revenue Management Consultant, Granite Hospitality

Technical Difficulties?Contact

Citrix GoToWebinar

1-800-263-6317

[email protected]

Darlene RondeauVice-President,

Best Practices, Online Merchandising

Leonardo

@darlenerondeau

Follow:

@VFMLeonardo

Tweets & Questions:

#LeoWebinar

Nathan BrooksDirector of Client Services

Egencia

@NathansBrooks

Rupesh PatelPresident & Chief Operating

Officer

Zenique Hotels

Melissa Bruckler

E-Commerce & Revenue

Management ConsultantGranite Hospitality

Nathan BrooksDirector of Client Services

Egencia

@NathansBrooks

“…kids can grasp

new tech skills long

before they even

learn how to swim

or tie their

shoelaces”

AVG Software

2012

Technology is pervasive

Lines between business and leisure blur

Every generation will expect more

The Future is Here

2005

2013

Who AreBusinessTravelers?

75%of travelers use

smartphones and tablets for personal and

business use

Source: 2013 Expedia – Egencia The Future of Travel Study link

42%of millennial travelers

report they spend more on high-end meals when the

company is paying

Source: 2013 Expedia – Egencia The Future of Travel Study link

53%of business travelers

say location is the most important feature when booking hotels

Source: 2013 Expedia – Egencia The Future of Travel Study link

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat

Who Are They?

So, what do

business travelers want?

Solutions That Are Consumer-

Inspired Beautiful, delightful

experiences

Intuitive, fast and easy-to-use

Prices, options, reviews –

seeing all relevant information

Solutions That Are Integrated

► Tools that work together

seamlessly

► Consistency of data

► Connectivity to offline

systems

► Technology and service

Solutions That Are Mobile

► Fast, intuitive and aware

► Up-to-date notifications

and info

► Make last-minute

changes

► The ‘new world of work’

How Can You Target Business Travelers?

► In a world of online booking

tools, sort order matters

► Over 70% of bookings

come from the 1st page of

results, so maximizing your

participations with TMC’s is

critical

● Preferred Hotel Programs

● Advertising/Marketing

● Value Adds to Travelers

Location is important, so talk about it

Business travelers also want to be inspired

Today’s office is everywhere

Key Takeaways

#LeoWebinar

Rupesh PatelPresident & Chief Operating

Officer

Zenique Hotels

Why is Targeting Important?

How Do We Target?

• Use targeted images

• Have more than one template

• Put your marketing mind in

the shoes of each market

segment

• Customize marketing to the

audience on each channel

Mobile Implementation

2013 2014

Mobile Usage Increasing

16 mobile visits per day!

Over 50% increase YOY!

Bleisure travelers are those that combine business with leisure in a single trip

Bleisure Travelers

Combine multi-media with targeted

descriptions

Mobile is a must

Turn Business travelers into Bleisures

Key Takeaways

#LeoWebinar

Melissa Bruckler

E-Commerce & Revenue

Management ConsultantGranite Hospitality

Leisure vs. Corporate Needs

Why Corporate?

Business travel

spending is expected to

grow by 7.6% in 2015

U.S. business travel

spending is expected to

increase to over $310

billion and 490.4 million

trips in 2015

► Business travelers are an important channel

► Business travelers are more likely to book with hotels that recognize and speak to their personal needs and preferences

► Social channels are important (learn about local events, historic landmarks, read reviews, linking business with leisure)

Why Corporate?

Discovering Your Hotel’s Corporate Story

► Digital brochures speak to

the needs of the corporate

guest

► You decide what your

corporate story is

► Specific travel channels

like Concur and Cvent

Targeting the Corporate Market

CONTEXT

EASY TO

NAVIGATE

MULTI-MEDIA

What is Your Corporate Story?

Most Important Business Travel Amenities

Access to

travel experts

24/7

Free WiFi

Free and/or

on-site dining

Convenient

location

Loyalty

programs

Social Media is

for Corporate

Travelers Too!

Know the Stats

52% post

photos and

videos during

their travels

Over 150

million reviews

70% of

Americans read

reviews before

booking

► 620+ million conversations related to

travel

► 284+ million monthly active users

Volume of Users Talking About Travel

► 1.35 billion users

► 70% of FB users update their page while on

vacation

► These vacationers are also corporate users

increases engagement

Photos and special

offers drive more

engagement than simple

text

Engagement on

Facebook higher than

other types of

communication

Hotels with 1,400-1,500

fans get much more

engagement

► Importance of multi-media

► Tell a story

► Book directly without

leaving the page

Attracting Business Travelers on Social Media

Media

Descriptions

Easy to Navigate Book

► Compelling visuals tell the

story

► Draws travelers in

► Encourages booking

without leaving Facebook

Target Corporate Guests

The Value of Social Media for Your Hotel

BUILD

Grow your

audience and

generate loyalty

LISTEN

Hear first hand

what people are

saying while they

are on property

CARE

Immediate

feedback –

positive or

negative

Mobile and Social

704 million active users

are currently accessing

Facebook through their

mobile devices (2010 –

just 100 million)

456 million

mobile-only users

The Power of Reviews

► Studies have proved that an one point increase in TripAdvisor popularity rank % corresponded to a

37bp occupancy increase. Academic studies have reached similar results (54bp occupancy

increase, via Cornell)

1. Source: Custom Survey Research Engagement – Independent PhoCusWright study of 12,225 global respondents prepared for TripAdvisor, December 2013

August 2014 47

of travelers say TripAdvisor reviews make them more confident in their travel decisions

of travelers say management responses to reviews make them MORE likely to book

of travelers have an improved opinion of a hotel after reading an appropriate management

response to a bad review

of travelers are LESS likely to book a hotel with aggressive and defensive responses to a

bad review

83%

62%

87%

70%

Highlight the amenities business travelers

care about

Don’t discount their interest in social

Corporate travelers are leisure travelers all

dressed up for work

Key Takeaways

#LeoWebinar

► About Leonardo

► Invitations to upcoming webinars

● March’s topic is Get More Value from Twitter, Vine

and Facebook

► Recording of this webinar

● Share it with your colleagues

It’s a Wrap

www.leonardo.com

1.877.593.6634

@VFMLeonardo

blog.leonardo.com

Connect with us!

@NathansBrooks

Nathan Brooks

Rupesh Patel

[email protected]

www.egencia.com

www.zeniquehotels.com

[email protected]

Melissa Bruckler

www.granitehospitality.com

melissa@getinternetmarketing.

com