Stories that inspire: Team week

One of our core values: No minions here. We hire amazing people first, let them tell us what they’re good at, and then help them find their superpower. So as you may have guessed, team is important to us, and ours is made up of some pretty incredible people.

So, last month, our whole team stopped by HQ in Orlando for a week of creative collaboration, coffee brainstorms, and a bit of fun.

Here are some of our favorites moments from the week:

Wrapping up Thursday’s catered lunch after team updates and Founder’s Corner
Wrapping up Thursday’s catered lunch after team updates and Founder’s Corner
“Escaping” from the Great Escape Room in record time
Getting ready to race electric go-karts on Friday’s offsite at Andretti Indoor Karting
Getting ready to race electric go-karts on Friday’s offsite at Andretti Indoor Karting
Celebrating the wins (and crashes) after the checkered flag waves
Celebrating the wins (and crashes) after the checkered flag waves

An extra bonus of having the entire team in-house means we get the chance to take advantage of the creative talent of our design team. Any time they’re in town, we schedule a few hours to update the chalk wall in our lunch room.

This time, we set up a camera to capture the entire session:

 

To meet some of the Flip.to veterans along with some fresh faces, hop over to our about page. Plus, always feel free to say hello 👋 to us here—we’re always eager to chat with other movers and shakers in hospitality!

NAVIS Leaders Conference 2018: Hidden treasures

Earlier this month, we got to participate in the NAVIS Leaders Conference 2018 at the Tradewinds Resort in St. Pete Beach—just a short drive from Flip.to’s home base in Orlando.

From on-point presentations to opportunities to connect with some pretty amazing people, NLC left its attendees with incredible insights that truly got to the heart of hospitality marketing. Thanks to NAVIS for a fantastic event and the chance to take part!

Check out the video below for my highlights, including the winners of our Hidden Treasures story contest—thank you to everyone who shared stories!

 

We love shaking up the hospitality marketing scene alongside folks like NAVIS (and in beautiful locations like Tradewinds). We can’t wait for next year’s event!

Storytellers at work: Families share memorable Caribbean moments to audiences worldwide

Last month, we had the chance to attend the annual Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Marketplace event.

Few themes rang louder than this: let the Caribbean become the topic of travelers’ conversations as we work together to raise the region. Puerto Rico’s governor Ricardo Rosselló probably said it best: “Be the spot everyone’s talking about.”

This we know: real people sharing real stories to family and friends is one of the most powerful ways to warmly introduce new travelers to a destination. For the Caribbean, it’s an important way to shape the perception of the vibrant and resilient region.

Family travelers in particular are eager to share. And the best part? They’re visiting the Caribbean (and your destination!) here and now.

Meet some of the storytellers and their families reaching new audiences for just a few of the region’s stunning properties—while showing the world that the Caribbean is open for business.

The Somerset on Grace Bay — Turks and Caicos

“In 2016, I got married at the Somerset and in 2017 we brought our son here for his first vacation. We hope to come back again soon!” – Curtin S.

The Somerset at Grace Bay will always hold a special place in the hearts of Curtin and his family. Their milestones celebrated at the resort make it a place they feel connected to, already planning to visit again.

Las Terrazas Resort — Belize

“Caught our own lobster that day and Chef Nolvin at O Restaurant cooked it up to perfection!” – Ashley L.

Ashley’s family shared about the immersive activities and dining experiences at the Las Terrazas Resort this January, introducing the resort to a new audience in the most authentic way possible.

The Crane Resort — Barbados

“Extremely courteous staff in a beautiful setting… The Crane Resort, a beautiful place with beautiful people.” – Sam B.

The Crane’s hospitable and attentive staff made all the difference for Sam and his family last summer. Sam shared his story to his family and friends, making for incredible first impressions while also leading to more unique site visitors and warm leads interested in visiting the Crane for themselves.

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort — St. Thomas

“My cousin’s wedding was held at Bolongo. It was amazing. Laurie and the staff were so accommodating and every detail was perfect!! Pure paradise!!” – Jennifer C.

Jennifer’s family had an extraordinary experience at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort. From start to finish, the resort provided memories that last a lifetime and were shared on to the perfect demographic: Jennifer’s like-minded network of friends.


These are just a few of the many unforgettable Caribbean experiences being shared to new audiences of travelers each and every day.

When your travelers-turned-storytellers share their amazing stories to family and friends, they’ll reach sizeable new audiences in the best way possible—and start conversations with your destination at the center.

If you want to see the incredible impact of storytellers for your destination, let’s talk! We’ll share how advocacy powers new awareness, warmer relationships and a whole lot more.

Audiences and influencers: the good, the bad and the fake

Reaching & inspiring quality audiences has always been a cornerstone of any effective travel marketing strategy. But now, more than ever, there are more factors to consider—from demographic, to conversion, to even the realness of the audience (all thanks to bots and “follower factories”).

Plus once found, how do you find and speak to those audiences in meaningful ways? Today, we cover this and more with our take on understanding your target audience and sparking authentic conversations.

 

For more on reaching real audiences, check out tnooz, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal for their takes, or reach out to me—I can’t wait to hear from you!