1. Special Treatment Based On A Guests‟ Social Influence
In San Fran, A Weekend Is 49 Hours Long
Social Trip-Planning Site Target Group Travel With Friends
Colorado City Taking Market Direct To The Public
And more

2. SPECIAL TREATMENT
BASED ON A GUEST’S
SOCIAL INFLUENCE SMURFS AND BILLY THE KID
HAVE SOMETHING IN
The Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas has COMMON: THEY ARE BOTH
introduced the Klout Klub as part of its Social PROMOTING TRAVEL
Rewards Program, allowing high-ranking social
media influencers (based on their Klout score) to
access additional amenities during their stay in The bipartisan US House-Senate
hopes that they will share these positive committee charged with finding US$1.5
experiences with their online networks. Their trillion to be cut from budget deficits is now
Social Rewards Program awards points to in operation, though virtually no one thinks
anyone who Tweets about the hotel, and for it has much of a chance for success. No
each offer that someone Tweets, they earn 10 one expects it to have much influence on
travel, either.
points, and for each offer that their friends purchase, they receive 250
points. Accumulated points can be redeemed for free rooms, dinners, But it does raise the question of what the
drinks and more. Furthermore, customers who check-in to the hotel via federal government has done to promote
Facebook Places may receive two drinks for free. overseas travel, which virtually all groups
Source: psfk.com and kukimedia.com (picture) say is a desirable goal not only because of
its highly favorable economic impact but
also to help polish the image of the US.
CONCRETE PIPES
The US is far from alone in wanting more
tourism, and Billy the Kid and the Smurfs
TRANSFORMED INTO
are among creative gimmicks other areas
and countries are doing to promote much-
ECO-HOTEL IN MEXICO
needed tourism in tough times.
But first, what has the US Congress done?
Combining the concept of pod-like hotel rooms, with the growing trend of Source: travelmole.com
eco-responsible tourism and the use of waste materials for construction,
architects T3arc have created the 20 room Tubohotel made from recycled
concrete pipes.
Inspired by dasparkhotel which opened in Germany in 2006, T3arc have
extended the concept by stacking pipes to form two mini pyramids with
ladders to access the upper level. Located 45 minutes south of Mexico City,
T3arc completed the project in three months, furnishing the 2.44m by 3.5m
pipes with a queen-size bed, desk light and fan, with space for under bed
storage. Unlike dasparkhotel which operates a pay-as-you-wish system,
rooms at Tubohotel are priced at USD 42 a night, which they hope will
attract backpackers and those looking for alternative and unique
accommodation that won‟t break the bank. Unfortunately the cement pipe
doesn‟t allow for bathroom facilities, but there are two communal
bathhouses onsite with private showers.
Both Tubohotel and dasparkhotel have explored the possibilities of using
unwanted construction materials in natural surroundings to create hotels
that are cheap and quick to build, better for the environment and boast the
benefits of affordability and a quirky experience for visitors. Plenty here to
be inspired by!
Source: springwise.com

3. FIND A PLACE TO STAY
WITH GOOGLE’S HOTEL
FINDER
Google is now offering users the ability to look for a hotel for their trip in the
U.S., with options to refine that search by preferred location, dates, price
and ratings. Recommendations are then shown in either a list or on Google
Maps and the user can book a room from a range of available partners or
directly from the hotel.
Some of the features include a „tourist spotlight,‟ where Hotel Finder
highlights the most visited areas of U.S. cities so you can see the popular
areas on the map. A „compared to typical‟ section shows you how each
hotel‟s price compares to its historical average, so you can see if you are
IN SAN FRAN, A WEEKEND IS
getting a good deal. 49 HOURS LONG
Google Hotel Finder makes it fast and easy to compare. When you select a
hotel, you are shown a collage of images, Google Places reviews and key A weekend is 48 hours but the number 49
information. You can also use keyboard shortcuts („J‟ and „K‟) to flip through is significant in San Francisco. And now
the results quickly. As you do so, you can add the hotels you like to a tourism officials there are capitalizing on
shortlist to easily keep track of your favorites. that unlikely number in a clever promotion
that should pay off.
Source: psfk.com
“The average weekend is 48 hours, but in
San Francisco, there‟s no such thing as an
VISIT FLORIDA
average weekend.” claims Matt Stiker, SF
Travel executive vice president/chief
LAUNCHES ‘FLORIDA
marketing officer. “It takes at least 49
hours – or an extra day - to explore new
FAN GAME’
neighborhoods, experience new ideas in
art and culture and indulge in some of the
best food in America.”
Tourism officials have started a contest for
Florida's tourism marketing participants to show what they love about
corporation, Visit Florida, is launching the city in 49 seconds of video in its “49
a contest around NCAA football to Seconds of SF” contest, part of their
boost the tourism-based economy by summer-long “49 Hours of SF: Arts &
getting people to vote on which of the Culture” program. Learn more here.
state's six major universities has the
most avid fans. Source: travelmole.com and
sanfrancisco.travel (picture)
Part of the "Share A Little Sunshine," a viral marketing program to get
Floridians to support tourism, the effort involves Florida A&M University,
Florida State University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida,
University of Miami and University of South Florida which collectively have
more than 10 million fans, per Visit Florida.
The "Florida Fan Game" includes TV spots by each of the six university
head football coaches that start airing Friday, Sept. 2 via a partnership with
the Florida Association of Broadcasters and the Florida Cable
Telecommunications Association. The ads feature head coaches Jimbo
Fisher, Al Golden, Skip Holtz Will Muschamp, George O'Leary and Joe
Taylor. Learn more here.
Source: mediapost.com and sportslogos.net (picture)

4. SOCIAL TRIP-PLANNING
SITE TARGETS GROUP
TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS
There‟s been virtually no end to the list of travel-planning sites emerging in
recent years, but one niche we hadn‟t yet seen filled is group trips jointly
planned by multiple friends. Sure enough, TripHuddle targets just that
situation, with a social trip-planning application that aims to make
coordinating trips easier and more fun by helping people work together and
share their travel information.
Users of TripHuddle begin by registering with the site and then creating COLORADO CITY TAKING
trips, entering their travel plans and inviting their friends. Trips can always
be kept private, but those who are invited can see who is attending and the MARKETING DIRECT TO THE
details of their travel plans. Users can also edit a trip-specific shared PUBLIC
calendar and post to a message board to make sharing easier. Each trip
created then gets its own profile and features a list of who‟s going, a shared
The snow-conscious city of Telluride,
calendar for events and a bulletin board for posting thoughts and questions.
Colorado, is doing something more people
The result? An easier way to coordinate arrivals, departures and
in the travel business might consider: It is
accommodations, the Washington, D.C.-based company says.
asking the public how to market the
Source: springwise.com destination directly to skiers and
snowboarders next winter.
“Businesses spend countless hours and
resources developing annual marketing
J.D. POWER: HOTEL campaigns to appeal to customers and
drive products. But what interests guests
OVERALL
can be different from what a business
perceives,” says a press release from the
SATISFACTION
site.
The resort has created a survey asking the
DECLINES public to become a part of the marketing
team for the 2011-2012 ad campaign.
Source: travelmole.com and
Drury Inn & Suites, Embassy Suites Hotels, Holiday Inn, Homewood Suites, clubsaintbernardski.com (Picture)
Hotel Indigo, Microtel Inns & Suites and The Ritz-Carlton rank highest in
customer satisfaction in their respective segments, although overall hotel
guest satisfaction has declined.
Hotel guest satisfaction with costs and fees has improved despite higher
room rates, while satisfaction with other service and product-related
aspects has declined amid increasing occupancy rates, according to the
J.D. Power and Associates 2011 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction
Index Study.
The annual study measures overall hotel guest satisfaction across seven
hotel segments: luxury; upper-upscale; upscale; mid-scale full service; mid-
scale, limited service; economy/budget; and extended stay. Seven key
measures are examined within each segment to determine overall
satisfaction: reservations; check-in/check-out; guest room; food and
beverage; hotel services; hotel facilities; and costs and fees.
Source: mediapost.com

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