Stories

Shaping an industry: four travel-pro-approved takes on VR for 2019

A few weeks ago we hit the VRMA circuit at the 2018 International Conference in ‘Viva Las Vegas.’ Not only was it a great time to catch up with old friends (and make new ones) it was also an insightful few days of meaningful conversation that got us thinking about where the VR industry has been, and where it’s going—from marketing to tech and beyond.

As we pondered these questions, we weren’t alone. In fact, we tapped a few of those folks we call friends on just what takeaways came out of the conference, but at an even higher level, how vacation rentals and property managers should be thinking about growth into 2019.

Here’s what they had to say:

VRMA International is a great space for vendors & property managers to exchange ideas. Going into this conference, what were you hoping to gain from these conversations? Any fun learnings that you were surprised by?

Alex Husner, CMO at Condo-World Resort Properties

This year’s VRMA International had the largest quantity of attendees in the organization’s history, as well as the widest variety of vendors and speakers.

Many of the panel discussions spoke to the complex nature of vacation rental connectivity. I found the most interesting conversations revolved around this issue, both at a global level for the future of the industry as well as for our own pursuits at Condo-World.

Despite unprecedented attention and investment funding being directed at vacation rentals, I’m concerned that there still seems to be a large disparity between the understanding of how our product differs from hotels, as well as how much our product differs from market to market.

Commoditization is clearly a priority of the major OTAs, which may be attainable…but if it comes at the expense of changing the core value proposition of a vacation rental to make it more like a hotel so it’s easier to sell, we need to be worried about the long term effects this will have on our industry.

One of the speakers used the phrase “constructively unhappy” in their presentation. Better, more flexible solutions can be developed as long as they’re growing alongside the needs of those who will use it. The more open communication that can be had between vendors and property managers at events like VRMA International are certainly a step in the right direction.

We’re big on seeing where the trajectory of travel is headed. At a high level, what are the needs and expectations you see for vacation rental marketing in 2019? What are the small changes that marketers need to be making today to adjust?

Paul Hanak, Director of Digital Marketing at ICND

Getting website traffic has dramatically changed over the last year. Not only are individual companies having to battle with the likes of HomeAway and Vacasa for search rankings, but they’re also having to fork out cash to invest more into Pay Per Click as well.

For the past couple years, Google has really focused on User Experience and actually made User Experience a ranking factor. Think about this:

Making your site secure with HTTPS… ranking factor.

Making your site mobile friendly… ranking factor.

Page load speed… ranking factor.

Even the RankBrain algorithm that tracks if a user visits your site and bounces to find another is a key component. All of these metrics directly and indirectly affect how the user acts on your website. Google’s ultimate goal, and always has been, is to serve the user with the “best possible user experience” on the websites it serves to users.

The new trend, however, has switched to the E-A-T principle: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust.

A recent algorithm update demoted websites that didn’t seem trustworthy, despite the fact they had loads of information and content on their respective topics. While Google hasn’t come out and specifically said that E-A-T is a ranking factor, they are putting more stock into how trustworthy a website is based on the authors behind a website.

Takeaways?

Have a good reputation on the internet with good reviews from various sources.

Use trust signals on your website, ESPECIALLY your “About Us” page. (Team photos, smiling faces, guest reviews, community involvement, etc etc. are all great examples to instill trust into a user.)

Amy Hinote put out her recap of VRMA last month. One comment she made: “The accelerating pace of change in the vacation rental industry was apparent to all.” And she also notes something else that stood out to her: “the addition of representation from venture capital groups, private equity firms, global travel industry consultants, OTAs, urban short-term rental providers, and even Google.”

That’s a lot of new big players getting involved. For property managers, what does this mean and how should they be thinking about their approach? For travel tech?

Adam Norko, Director Short Term Rentals (STR) Sales at PointCentral

The short term rental space is growing and maturing at a rapid pace. As VRM Intel points out, this was very evident at the VRMA International trade show with the presence of large household names and deep investment pockets.

This is great news for the entire industry. As the saying goes, “a rising tide lifts all boats.”

However, change does bring challenges and difficult decisions. Property (perhaps we should start saying “Asset” instead) Managers need to be willing to embrace change and be very selective with their time and resources.

The focus needs to be on streamlining processes and improving the guest experience.

From a technology perspective, this means a focus on tech that reduces friction points in operations and guest experience.

This rapid growth also brings increased scrutiny. As we continue to compete with hotels, we need to be prepared to meet the same hotel standards. Regulations, guests, and homeowners are all demanding improved standards.

As an industry we need to improve our standards proactively rather than waiting to react to negative market forces.

The quickest improvement is the need to embrace safety standards, starting with controlling who has access to the homes through enterprise smart home control.

This small step improves safety, streamlines operations, and provides a great guest experience. At this point in the industry growth, it’s hard to find more “bang for your buck.”

What did you feel were the big solves lodging providers were looking for at VRMA? Do these point to bigger shifts in how vacation rentals are thinking about marketing?

Colin Morrison, System Consultant at NAVIS

More and more VRMs are looking for ways to decrease their dependency on more expensive channels so that they can reduce their cost of sale. While there is no “one perfect solution,” there was a strong contingency of experienced vendors at the recent VRMA conference who provide cohesive tools and strategies for growing the direct booking channel.

Hotels determined in August 2011 that the most profitable distribution channel is the direct channel and savvy hotels are starting to use metrics like “net RevPAR” as a way to analyze their business. The vacation rental equivalent of this is net RevPAU which translates to “Net Revenue per Available Unit.” This is calculated by dividing the sum of all gross rental revenue less the acquisition costs by the number of homes or units in a rental program. This could also be analyzed post owner split as a net-net RevPAU.

When the cost of sale by booking channel is analyzed at as part of an evaluation of a company’s effectiveness to drive revenue to the bottom line, even with the strategy whereby VRMs are passing OTA fees onto guests or shared with homeowners, the direct channel is still the most profitable channel in the Vacation Rental industry. The reason for this is the customized and relevant experience that the VRM can deliver to a direct guest as part of the guest journey from looking to booking and beyond.

Conversion is also the highest for this channel and there is a high likelihood that over 50% of guests who book directly on your site have reached out to your reservations team directly as well. Furthermore, direct channel guests have a high likelihood at becoming guests for life and the acquisition cost for repeat guests is far lower than new guests, so guest experience is paramount for a successful VRM.

The scope of these insights are reflective of just how diverse this conference was—there was something valuable for everyone to take away, from listening into the panels, down to personal conversations to be had.

What are your thoughts on the trajectory of travel marketing? Join the conversation by saying hello or shooting me a note here.

Experience Cocoa Beach and Visit Myrtle Beach shine at Adrian Awards

Hands down, our customers rock. We see this time and time again with their outstanding engagement and conversion rates. When they win, we cheer.

Out of more than 1,100 entries submitted to the 2018 HSMAI Adrian Awards, two of our very own won awards for Digital Marketing! Experience Cocoa Beach and Visit Myrtle Beach cut through the noise.

Experience Cocoa Beach: One year strong with silver

Westgate Resort tapped into Flip.to to help boost the marketing efforts for Experience Cocoa Beach. In just one year, Experience Cocoa Beach reached over 1.4 million travelers with the help of their guests, leading to over 11 thousand authentic warm leads.

Christina Leake, Social Media Director for Westgate Resorts had this to say about the platform:

“As organic reach for businesses on social becomes more and more limited, the Flip.to platform provides a powerful solve for the challenges facing brands.

Their authentic approach to enlisting real people to tell their real stories is incredibly potent. It’s not just one of the most innovative ways to use social—moving forward, it will be the only way to truly reach these audiences in an organic way.”

What else about their performance stood out? Earning 2.4x higher lead conversion compared to industry paid search benchmark.

Visit Myrtle Beach wins bronze

In one year for Visit Myrtle Beach and their properties, over 30 million friends and family were reached worldwide—each with a personal introduction to the hotels.

Scott Schult, Executive Vice President, Visit Myrtle Beach had this to say:

“It’s nearly impossible to effectively compete with AirBNB and the OTAs at the point of purchase. They invest billions a year in marketing, advertising and technology to win guests.

Our goal as destination marketers is to compete well before that and reach travelers at the point of inspiration.

That’s exactly what we’re doing in Myrtle Beach with Flip.to. We’re building partnerships to benefit both our hotels and destination, and together, we’re well on our way to growing and inspiring the largest new audience of Myrtle Beach travelers, ever.”

Even more—their Destination Advocacy Cooperative is the first of its kind, bringing big wins to the region, partners and travelers.

Congrats to these two outstanding travel brands for being marketing rockstars! If you’re ready to switch on advocacy, let’s chat. We’ll share how advocacy is changing the game for the hospitality and tourism industries worldwide.

Caribe Royale and Shephard’s Beach win big at Florida’s Flagler Awards

Last week was a big one for travel in the sunshine state at the 2018 Florida Governor’s Conference put on by VISIT FLORIDA. Since we call Orlando home, we didn’t have to travel too far to be a part of the event held at the world renowned Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate. (In fact, we’re pretty sure Ricky’s time there might qualify as his latest “staycation.”)

At the kick-off was the Chairman’s Dinner, including the 2018 Flagler Awards. It’s no secret: our customers are rockstars—and we’re not the only ones who think so! Caribe Royale and Shephard’s Beach Resort made waves and won big, all with help from their travelers.

Caribe Royale: A year of advocacy brings home silver

Last year alone, Caribe reached 1.2 million travelers in the most authentic way possible, helping inspire every new traveler’s journey to their hotel.

That’s not all. This quality of this audience was unmatched, converting 2.5x higher than the average paid search campaign.

Shephard’s Beach gets bronze: Four decades of fun & four months of advocacy

Shephard’s Beach is turning trusted introductions to the friends & family of their guests into new visitors—with introductions to the tune of nearly three-quarters of a million as part of their ‘Four decades of fun’ campaign.

In fact, Shephard’s Beach Resort earned 15 traveler leads for every storyteller who shared, getting more for every dollar they invest in marketing thanks to Flip.to.

Congratulations to these two stunning properties on their well-deserved wins! We know they’re outstanding, so it’s great to see others in the industry recognize what their guests are sharing worldwide, especially in a state we call home.

So whether you’re in the Sunshine state or beyond, if you’re ready to switch on advocacy, let’s chat. We’ll share how advocacy is changing the game for the hospitality and tourism industries worldwide.

Mountain moments: storytellers winning over new travelers

Year round, the mountains make for incredible escapes. Travelers lose themselves in scenic beauty while finding that unforgettable experiences abound.

Visitors to the slopes make memories that last long past their stays, and these storytellers warmly introduce hotels, resorts and destinations to entirely new audiences of potential travelers, ready to make their own mountain memories.

Scenic Washington State 365

“Exploring Leavenworth in the fall is one of these most beautiful things to see. The colors are amazing.” — Rachel A.

Rachel and her fellow travelers are sharing incredible stories with massive impact for this breathtaking destination. In just the past six weeks, Scenic Washington’s advocates have reached over 50,000 potential travelers who are the perfect demographic just one degree away.

Gunflint Lodge—Grand Marais, MN

“I proposed to my absolutely amazing (now wife) while hiking with our dogs on a dog lovers weekend. Everything about the stay was absolutely fantastic.” – Justin K.

Justin and his family began an entirely new chapter in the mountains—with Gunflint Lodge at the center of their story. Our hearts melted over this mountain memory that will last a lifetime. Justin shared his story to more than 1,000 of his friends and family, showing the unmatched impact of an authentic guest story.

Mountaineer Lodge—Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

“Having a breakfast onsite is fantastic! Fast and easy and lots to choose from! Great front desk staff, quick checkin and love the fact that they remember us regulars!” – Shauna R.

Shauna and her family relished their quality time spent at Mountaineer Lodge during ski season. They felt a true connection to the resort staff and, even though it was cold on the slopes, they warmly introduced the lodge to their friends and family around the world—a win for everyone!

Grand View Lodge—Brainerd, MN

“Two year old London Clare counting the reasons she loves Grand View Lodge!” – Hilary T.

Hilary and her family enjoyed unforgettable experiences at Grand View Lodge and captured priceless moments along the way. This sweet story, shared to hundreds of her friends and family, garnered over 2,000 site visitors for Grand View Lodge and led to 150 potential travelers claiming an offer for a future stay. Authentic storytelling wins every time.

Ski City—Salt Lake, UT

“Skis, boots, coat, gloves, goggles, binky… check!” – Caitlin M.

Caitlin captured this memorable moment with her niece, who was strapped and ready to take Salt Lake’s snow-covered trails. Not only will this be a treasured memory for Caitlin and her family, but it helped Ski City reach a new audience hundreds of potential travelers strong—and she’s just one storyteller.

Westgate Branson Lakes Resort—Branson, MO

“We spent day 3 of our honeymoon at Westgate Branson Lakes Resort. Everyone was very friendly and congratulated us at every chance. We felt like VIP’s the entire stay. The room was beautiful and very clean we didn’t want to leave. Thanks again for having an awesome property.” – Tabitha N.

Tabitha had an unforgettable experience at Westgate Branson Lakes and shared her story to nearly 5,000 of her friends and family—and she’s just one advocate. Westgate’s advocates are a powerful extension of their marketing team, massively growing their reach to potential travelers around the world.

Hotel Alyeska—Girdwood, AK

“My 6 year old daughter, Kelley, ready for her first snowboarding lesson. She says it’s more fun than gymnastics, snowmachining and swimming… combined!” – Rebecca C.

Hotel Alyeska will always be at the center of this memorable “first” for Rebecca and her family. Not only that, her story led to lasting impact for the resort, to the tune of more than 1,400 site visits and over 120 potential travelers interested in a future stay at Alyeska.

Red Mountain Resort—St. George, UT

“I loved getting outdoors and reconnecting with myself during my time there. All the staff was so friendly and generous!” – Meredith B.

Meredith’s time at Red Mountain Resort left her feeling centered and refreshed, not only because of her time in nature but also because of the resort’s amazing team. She shared her experience with over 1,200 of her friends, introducing Red Mountain to a large audience of potential travelers along the way.

These are just a few of the storytellers sharing their experiences to new audiences of travelers around the world, each and every day.

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

Great stories from the green: our favorite golf resort moments

One of the best things about working for Flip.to is seeing the advocacy platform be a “driver” of incredible impact for hotels, resorts, destinations and more.

As we reach the end of summer—and approach peak season for some of golf’s greenest destinations—, we’re teeing up some of our favorite stories from customers whose guests loved their stays and shared their stories. The best “par”t? (Okay, the last one—we promise! ⛳) Along the way, they introduced their friends and family, like-minded travelers with similar interests, to these amazing properties as well.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort — Kiawah Island, SC

“Used on our save-the-dates for our wedding which will be in the same exact spot!” —Andrew U.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort made an amazing impression on Andrew and his fiancée—Kiawah will always be a part of their love story. Not only was the resort at the center of their experience, but Andrew shared it along to over 1,300 of his friends, leading to over 600 unique site visits and 70 friends interested in Kiawah Island Resort—and he was just a single advocate.

Reunion, a Salamander Resort — Orlando, FL

“Birdies were flyin’ and so was the Bethel College Women’s Golf as they played the Jack Nicklaus Course over spring break!” —Christopher H.

Christopher’s golf story at Reunion Resort is one their team won’t soon forget. The resort’s guests are the perfect extension of their marketing team, amplifying Reunion’s reach and introducing them to new audiences of friends and family around the world.

The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort — Shawnee on Delaware, PA

“Coming to the Inn since 1996, every year is better than the last on the course and in the Inn itself. Preserving the history is so very important!” —Stu P.

Stu and his friends come back to this beautiful resort year after year. They certainly enjoy spending time on the green, but even more important are the memories made with dear friends.

Westgate Painted Mountain Golf Resort — Mesa, AZ

“We loved our stay at Westgate Painted Mountain. I mean what’s not to love… golf, great food and a comfy bed all in one spot!” —Gabrielle S.

Gabrielle enjoyed an all-around incredible stay with Westgate, and shared that story with friends and family, like-minded fellow travelers. She pointed out that not only was the property a great stay, but an amazing experience. Together with Gabrielle’s fellow travelers, Westgate Resorts earned introductions to 2,354,831 travelers in the last 90 days alone.

Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort — Wicklow, Ireland

“You can really unwind and relax. I mean really unwind. The staff are excellent, hotel layout is amazing and the surroundings are opulent.” – Johnathan L.

With advocacy, Druids Glen is winning over new audiences who are the perfect fit for their hotel. Johnathan shared his story to a warm audience of other golf-loving, outdoor enthusiasts and friends. There’s no better way for Druids Glen to be introduced to a highly targeted audience.

Semiahmoo Golf, Resort, and Spa — Blaine, WA

“I was sitting on a log on the beach at Semiahmoo Resort. A bonfire was being lit and s’mores ingredients prepared. The waves were crashing, and my 3 kids and husband were skipping rocks as the sun set on the most amazing day spent together as a family. I snapped this picture as my son Nolan brought me a flower he picked at the resort. We love Semiahmoo.” – Nicole W.

Nicole’s story reminds us that there’s something for everyone to enjoy at these incredible golf resorts—on the green and beyond. For Semiahmoo, these lasting memories shared by visitors like Nicole turn into lasting impact for their resort, well beyond their stay.

The Wigwam — Litchfield Park, AZ

“Every moment there is a great time!” – Belen M.

Thanks to this memory shared by Belen, the Wigwam is sparking new conversations with potential travelers—to the tune of nearly 1,000 new people thanks to Belen alone.

Flip.to customers show up big in Travel + Leisure’s 2018 World’s Best Awards

We think our customers are some of the best—and we’re not the only ones! Travel + Leisure recently released their 2018 list of the greatest hotels, resorts, destinations, and more as voted on by their readers. No surprise to us, more than a dozen of our incredible customers were recognized.

Watch here for some of the travelers who’ve shared their experiences at these properties and shown that advocacy is a win for everyone:

Congratulations to these top-notch properties for this well-deserved recognition!

Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts (including Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués & Banyan Tree Mayakoba)

#16 in the Top 20 Hotel Brands in the World

Auberge Resorts Collection (including Chileno Bay & Solage)

#10 in the Top 20 Hotel Brands in the World

To see more of our customers and learn how advocacy is helping them win travelers at a scale like never before, visit our Customers page, or give us a shout!

The memory-making business: building lasting relationships with vacation rental guests

Vacation rental properties provide travelers with a taste of home away from home that they can experience with the ones who matter most.

As you help guests make lasting memories with their loved ones, they’re creating stories they’re excited to share—with your property at the center. This is the perfect time to build lasting relationships with travelers, inspiring them to visit your property over and over again.

We love when vacation rental guests tell their stories of incredible experiences, so we’re sharing them with you! Here are some of our favorites:

Bald Head Island Property Management — Bald Head Island, NC

“This was our third trip to Bald Head but second trip with our friends and everyone’s kids. It is a one in a million kind of place, and we can’t wait to watch our kids grow up each year we vacation there!! It reminds us to slow down and truly enjoy the little things!!” – Hilary Y.

Hilary’s family has years of memories on Bald Head Island, and those experiences make it their go-to vacation spot. Not only have they shared their stories and become some of Bald Head Island’s most powerful advocates, but they’ve brought back friends to make new memories together.

And if one story wasn’t enough, check out some more incredible memories from travelers to Bald Head Island below:

Finger Lakes Premier Properties — Canandaigua, NY

“The combination of the relaxing comfort of a spectacular home with a stunning landscape and vista, made for a most memorable long weekend. We will definitely return!” – Ginny U.

Finger Lakes Premier Properties is inspiring new travelers to visit through the stories of their guests. Ginny is already planning to return in the future and by sharing her travel story, she warmly introduced family and friends to create memories of their own.

The Beach Club — Gulf Shores, AL

“This is our second year to stay here and we love it. We have a big group of parents and kids that come down for a high school baseball tournament and lots of memories have been made each year. Not only is the resort perfect the beds and pillows are the best!” – Michele W.

From the little touches to the overall experience, every moment a guest spends at your vacation rental is a chance to impress and build lasting relationships. The Beach Club Resort is taking care to continue being a part of Michele’s travel stories worth sharing.

Tahoe Getaways — Lake Tahoe, CA

“Very friendly and responsive staff. We will definitely be booking all of our trips through you guys!” – Jason L.

Tahoe Getaways took the chance to truly shine during Jason’s stay with the outstanding guest experience given by its staff. These interactions make all the difference and have made repeat guests out of these travelers.

Thomas Beach Vacations — Myrtle Beach, SC

“My family and I have been coming to Myrtle for almost 70 years! We have photo albums full of memories but nothing compares to that first moment when you see the ocean and smell that salty air!” – Jan R.

Jan’s family has decades of favorite moments in Myrtle Beach, making the destination a second home. By sharing her stories on to family and friends, she’s also introducing Thomas Beach Vacations to new audiences that are the perfect demographic for their property.

Garrett Realty Services — Destin, FL

“My husband and I are walking our young granddaughter down to the waters edge so she can get her toes wet. We’ve stayed at Beach Crest two years in a row now and love it.” – Roseanne L.

Roseanne’s story is a perfect example of how travel stories span generations. The memories she and her family have kept them coming back and make for compelling, authentic introductions between the property and her family and friends.

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties — Destin, FL

“Mother’s day weekend in Destin with my amazing daughter!!” – Paula B.

Paula’s story reminds us of what makes travel truly special: incredible experiences with the ones who matter most. The trip is one they won’t soon forget, and it’s a story worth sharing.

Turquoise Place — Orange Beach, AL

“The beautiful room with the amazing view was the best part of our stay. Having two indoor pools to choose from was also a very big part of our vacation, given that it was so cool outside over spring break.” – Brett J.

Through providing a truly extraordinary guest experience, vacation rental properties build relationships that last. Not only has Turquoise Place made Brett and his family satisfied guests, but many of their travelers have become advocates to the tune of thousands of introductions.

Honeymoon Hills — Gatlinburg, TN

“Absolutely beautiful views, and great cabin. We enjoyed our time. Hot tub was perfect and the heart shape tub was such a great idea. This picture was our first morning here in Honeymoon Hills as a married couple. Great weather, coffee, my spouse, and look at that view, Perfection! Thank you guys for a great experience.” – Veronica B.

Veronica and her husband made once-in-a-lifetime memories at Honeymoon Hills. By sharing their stories, she and other guests have helped create thousands of rich introductions to the property.

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.

Advocacy at work: Reunion Resort taps into inspiration with Flip.to

At Flip.to, we’ve made our careers in hospitality. A lot of our customers are industry folks who we have a long history with and we’ve developed a lot of friendships along the way.

Reunion Resort’s Carolina Ousley is one of those friends. She’s been a great leader in marketing since we’ve known her. Our own Richard Dunbar paid her a visit recently during OPMA’s Executive Summit. (More on that to come soon.)

Carolina had some kind words to say, and we’re just ecstatic to share them. Take a peek:

Feel free to give Carolina a follow here. And if you’re interested in how advocacy is a game-changer for hotels & resorts, let’s chat. 20 minutes is usually all it takes to kick-off.

(And since we know busy hoteliers don’t have too much time to spare, we do our best to make those minutes as fun as possible.)

Hotel Tybee strikes Gold at 2017 Adrian Awards with Flip.to

Customer success: we can’t stop talking about it. That’s because the results earned by travel brands on our platform are the biggest measure of our success.

So, when other people start talking about it too? Well—we can’t help but celebrate.

That’s what we’re doing today with Hotel Tybee, who we’re proud to be recognized alongside for taking home a 2017 HSMAI Gold Adrian Award in Digital Marketing! Hotel Tybee’s success on the platform stood out among a crowded field of more than 1,100 entries.

So what’s advocacy at work look like with Hotel Tybee? When you see the numbers, it’s clear why the judges took note. Take a peek below:

In 7 months and 898 advocates, the property earned:

Hotel Tybee’s advocates drive incredibly warm traffic and high conversion for pennies on the dollar.

Brett L. Loehr, CHA and General Manager to Hotel Tybee had this to say about the platform:

“Today’s reality is that it’s more expensive and competitive to earn guests. Add to that other investments we’ve made in our hotel following three hurricanes just this year, and the importance of growing profits without sacrificing hospitality for our guests comes even more into focus.

We’ve got a strong marketing team who together with Flip.to have done both. For one thing, we’re getting in front of interested travelers in the best way—our existing guests—and the numbers tell the story for what follows.”

Advocacy is a potent marketing channel that properties like Hotel Tybee have unlocked. With trust built in, quality of the audience is a natural lead into great performance.

Stacia Miele, Online Marketing Director echoed Brett’s sentiment.

“Hotel digital marketing isn’t a matter of doing one thing really well—it’s doing a lot of things really well that come together into a strategy that works for your property. Flip.to has been a great add to our stack, with the value of this new marketing channel going beyond lower cost-of-acquisition.”

“All in all—we’ve been huge fans since the beginning,” Brett went on to add.

For a peek at just a handful of what Hotel Tybee’s storyteller’s are sharing, tune in below:

If you’re ready to switch on advocacy, let’s chat. We’ll share how advocacy is changing the game for the hospitality and tourism industries worldwide.