Loyalty isn’t necessarily a dying breed among millennials if a brand knows how to make a program appealing to their spending and lifestyle habits outside of travel. That means doubling down on experiences and diversifying how points are earned.

— Dan Peltier

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The voice reservations channel continues to diminish, but has it gone extinct? Here’s why hoteliers should continue to capture phone reservations and claim more direct bookings. read more

The last few years have been tough for Facebook marketers. Organic reach has dropped, younger users gravitated toward newer platforms like Instagram and Snapchat and there’s more competition than ever. Despite all of this, we’re here to tell you that Facebook is far from dead. In order to get more out of Facebook, you have to go beyond publishing a handful of posts per day. It just isn’t as effective anymore. Now you have to dive into other features like Facebook ads to comply with their algorithm, but what about Facebook events? read more

Some major hotel companies have announced reduced room rates for loyalty program members, and discussion during first-quarter earnings calls turned to the fight against OTAs for direct bookings. read more

Six charts that give us a quick glance of Airbnb’s business versus that of hotel brands large and small. Chart 1 Airbnb’s growth is significant, but the unanswered question so far is whether the growth comes at the expense of traditional hotel business or if it is carving out its own, new business. Up against that, of course, is the ambitious growth of hotel brands in cities like New York, where they’ve been adding rooms at a rapid, double-digit rate over the past six years. read more

In the fight with OTAs for direct bookings, a superior website design can tip the scales in the favor of individual properties. With the multitude of booking options available to travellers, owners and asset managers should recognize that it is more important than ever for their hotel or resort website to stand out from the crowd and drive direct bookings. The property’s website needs to offer a distinct impression and presentation that creates a unique public persona and differentiates it from branded websites and online travel agencies. read more

While Marriott International’s pending acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide might be part of a consolidation wave in the hotel industry, speakers at a recent Michigan State University event couldn’t agree on who will be buyers and who will be sellers. read more

Last year, marketers and businesspeople around the world saw a huge change in the way people use the internet. Most notably, in May 2015, we saw that more people were using their mobile devices to search for things online than on their desktop computers. read more

Mauritius is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual island-nation located in the South-Eastern region of Africa.

It’s time for Africa!

Africa’s Mauritius has emerged one of the best islands in the world according to TripAdvisor‘s 2016 Travelers’ Choice awards for islands.

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Hyatt announces plans to offer Hyatt Gold Passport members up to a 10% discount for booking direct. Hyatt Hotels Corporation announces the launch of an exclusive discount for Hyatt Gold Passport members, rewarding loyal guests with an up-to-10-percent discount for bookings made through Hyatt.com or the Hyatt mobile app.

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