Flip.to Blog

Advocacy Academy: Spotlight on Adventures on the Gorge

We love helping our customers get the incredible impact from advocacy each and every day. After all, we pioneered advocacy and are reimagining marketing that’s a win for travelers, great for business and plain ol’ good hospitality.

And if you’ve wondered what you can do to maximize your advocacy efforts through our platform, then read on, because today, we’re bringing you a special edition of Advocacy Academy, spotlighting customers crushing it on the platform (and beyond).

Meet Adventures On The Gorge. This destination in West Virginia is a premier location for whitewater rafting, rock climbing and a lot of fun (like their upcoming Bridge Day event—meet you there?).

Family travelers and adventurers alike come to explore the outfitters of the New River Gorge. One such adventurer? Laura W. and her family. Laura shared about her son’s Scout trip:

Jay Young, the Gorge’s Social Media Manager, (spotting a great opportunity to nurture his guest) saw the post and jumped into action. He not only gave her story a shoutout, but he also invited her to become a storyteller for their brand!

And storyteller did she become! Together with her friends, Laura’s experience has been shared 20 times in just a few weeks, inspiring 46 friends and family so far to show interest in a future stay. (Opted-in, warm leads for all the marketing types out there…)

This all because Jay went the extra mile to engage Laura, inviting her to share her unique perspective.

But that’s not where this story stops.

When Jay saw the highlight of Laura’s stay, he instantly was reminded of his own son, so he knew that this story would connect with other travelers. He shared it on to his own audiences:

Right away—you guessed it!—Laura W. showed her excitement. Jay was of course sure to respond back right away, building a stronger relationship with his guest, a true testament to Jay’s sense of hospitality.

The key from this Advocacy Academy? Engaging authentically with your guests is a win-win for everyone. And while there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to advocacy, there are some great ways to expand your use of the platform.

Look out for more examples of travel brands who are sparking some amazing conversations with their guests, and we’ll leave you with a few tips below:

Reach out and respond to guests that engage with your brand and spark a conversation with them.
Invitations are a powerful way to earn more storytellers and watch your advocacy impact skyrocket.
Share outstanding guest stories to your own audiences right from the Flip.to platform.
Lean on your Account Manager for questions and ideas about getting the most out of the platform—we’re here to help!

Four get-yourself-thinking tenets of marketing from travel pros

If there’s one thing we learned from Hacktoberfest, it’s that you really can’t go wrong with great product & brats.

A few special guests came by to leave their stamp on the creative process, and though the event has come to a close, here’s some of what’s stuck with us:

Jason Holic, VP of Digital Marketing at Experience Kissimmee

Understand your traveler’s intent

Jason got a firsthand look at the early stages of our creative process. A longtime destination marketer, he gave his take on the importance of understanding a traveler’s intent in order to connect with them.

“One of the challenges we have is recognizing what the intent of the visitor is on their customer journey.

Are they just looking for inspiration? Are they committed to the destination? Where do we fall on their journey? Do they already know they’re coming to Central Florida or are they in that in-between stage? Or do they just want to know what else there is to do or where to stay? That’s the challenge: figuring out where they are on that path.

As destination marketers, we really need to figure out their place in that journey and also what their level of intent is in order to serve up the content that is most likely going to resonate with them further down that path until they ultimately convert and visit us.”

Zach Stovall, Travel photographer, videographer & writer at Zach Stovall Photography

Tell a better brand story

Zach brought his 15+ years of experience in visual storytelling to the mix. On top of being unofficially awarded “Most Authentic Lederhosen,” he shared examples of compelling imagery that helps properties tell a better story.

“[Hotels] need to keep their own stories in mind so they can connect with the appropriate guest for them.

A good story is cohesive, has a solid start, weaves through the whole story process, keeps the reader or the viewer engaged, all the way to the end. It’s all about setting the scene and making it dramatic.

I think it’s important that resorts and hotels use that in all of their marketing.

When they use people to support their marketing, then they can speak more to their ideal guest and they can interact with your brand.”

Dr. Dan Spellman, Course Director – Digital Marketing & Personal Leadership at Full Sail University

Start with your “Why”

Dr. Dan shared a historical on how hospitality has changed digitally over the last two decades along with some real-world challenges hoteliers face—and tied all of it back to why. (It’s not his first rodeo here at Flip.to.)

“I was inspired by Simon Sinek’s book, “Start With Why.” I focused on this when talking to hoteliers about their business.

Why are you in the hospitality business? What drives you? What is your motivation when you come to work?

We also looked at our personal why. For me, it was digital media. Things are constantly changing and improving from a digital marketing standpoint.

We would discuss this approach with everyone from top level staff to services. We all wanted the same thing: to serve the guest. And the way each and every hotel does that is different.”

Christina Leake, Social Media Director at Westgate Resorts

Unveil experiences

Christina and the team chatted all things travel marketing, from guest storytelling to content marketing, and from the big picture down to the day-to-day application.

“When I first arrived, we were very real estate focused, using a lot of room and interior shots that weren’t resonating with the audience. Almost immediately, we decided to flip the switch to marketing around the experiential—what people are doing while they are on property, around the area, and in the city they are visiting.

By doing that, our audiences have grown exponentially. Our click through rate and revenue have increased as well. Being able to highlight the experiences helps us not only sell the place—it helps us sell the story.”

Behind really great product is a lot of collaboration, dynamic teamwork, and, of course, a bit of fun.

And this meeting of the minds was just the start. We’re excited to unveil more in the coming weeks, so be sure to follow us for the big reveal.

Hacktoberfest: What happens when design is in your DNA

It’s a wrap—our inaugural Hacktoberfest is in the books.

This all-hands-on-deck hackathon-style event brought our teams together to create an all new feature for the platform, from end-to-end, that reimagines how to tell the visual narrative of a travel brand.

A few special guests joined along the way to collaborate, and after three days of hard work, group think and great food, the project started taking shape.

Here’s a one-minute look at what happened:

The week in review

Throughout the week, there was lots of fun to be had with our team members near and far. From daily “Hackachat” check-in’s, to Thursday’s “Hacktoberfeast” potluck, there was no shortage of Gemütlichkeit—and outstanding teamwork along the way.

Among our top highlights? Visits from a few special guests who share our passion for hospitality and lederhosen.

They brought their expertise in destination marketing, visual storytelling and all things digital, while putting their stamp on the creative process.

A huge “danke schön” to Zach Stovall, Jason Holic, Christina Leake and Dan Spellman for stopping by!

Starting (and ending) with our why

Hacktoberfest was more than trying our hand at pronouncing German words and getting to break out the Flip.to robot. These three days were a chance to hone all of our team’s talents in one place, putting our heads together to trailblaze travel marketing. As Zach commented during his time with us, the more creative minds coming together, the more incredible the outcome.

At Flip.to, design is in our DNA. We know that great marketing isn’t just about having a polished final product—it’s about innovation and solving real challenges for travel marketers to help them do what they do even better.

Hacktoberfest brought this to the forefront. In the following weeks, look for more about the event and what’s coming to the platform soon.

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.

Best of the web: Our favorite headlines from September

We’re halfway through September, which means—besides the fact that we’re jamming to Earth, Wind and Fire more than usual—we’re at the tail end of peak season for those of our hospitality friends and customers with especially busy summers.

With everyone’s full schedules in mind, we combed through this summer’s marketing headlines to give you the tl;dr (too-long-didn’t-read) on everything from new regulations, to the ROI of social media.

From a thought leader on trailblazing hospitality tech: We love a good conversation with hospitality’s movers and shakers, and this chat with Hotel Tech Report’s Jordan Hollander is especially great. Hollander sat down with Digital Intent to talk industry challenges in their Disruptors podcast. He touched on why, at times, innovation can be difficult to navigate within hotel organizations. To help, he also shared some key examples of how to move quickly and overcome hurdles.

Plus, he made some nice mentions for a lot of the folks we call friends—like ALICE App, Highgate Hotels, Travel Tripper, and more.

TL;DR: Hollander identified some of hospitality’s challenges, like slowness to adapt and digitize. His team built Hotel Tech Report to help hotels to incorporate tech into their operation and help innovative vendors to gain market share.

On data, privacy & relationship-building: This spring, marketers around the world focused a lot of energy on compliance for the European Union’s GDPR, elevating the urgency of protecting customer data and relationship-focused marketing.

Now, all eyes are on California’s new data protection law that brings this topic to the US. Harvard Business Review passed along the need-to-know details on the law and what it means for marketers moving forward. (Bonus material: You can find a few more great takes on this topic here, here and here.)

TL;DR: As data protection laws arrive stateside, taking great care of guests’ data is even more critical. Marketing and communication that’s focused on building relationships with travelers and nurturing them along the way isn’t just a best practice—it’s where marketing is ultimately headed.

On social by the numbers: Social media is, of course, one of the most powerful tools for marketers when harnessed correctly, but measuring impact can be challenging at times—so HospitalityNet stepped up to give us the essential stats on tracking ROI. According to CMO’s, they’re spending 12% of their budgets on social, with that number expected to rise to 20% in the next 5 years. That’s a large chunk of hard-earned marketing dollars, so understanding the value, and how social ties back to a business impact is critical.

At Flip.to, we’ve found that using these channels to let travelers introduce properties and destinations to new audiences is one of the most authentic ways to use social (and we work hard to make sure those interactions are super trackable as well).

TL;DR: Many marketers look at social engagement (likes and comments), but find it challenging to track the sales impact. Only 20% of CMOs say they’ve quantified the business impact (with marketing agencies reporting similarly). So if you’re scratching your head to put numbers to those conversions, you’re not alone.

On marketing your destination by word-of-mouth: Destination Think! not only delved into the importance of truly organic word-of-mouth in marketing, but also strategies for sparking it. They also noted the importance of tourism advocacy, as well as using stories and community to forge lasting relationships with travelers.

The bottom line? The importance of authentically reaching audiences on social can’t be overstated—building trust instead of simply trying to shout over an already noisy conversation. (We’ve said it before, and we’ll said it again!) Letting your travelers spread the word about your destination organically on a massive scale is the best way to reach new audiences.

TL;DR: Letting your travelers be the storytellers for your destination powerfully sparks word-of-mouth marketing and relationships with new audiences. Community-building wins out over clickbait every time. Your marketing should have a CTA that is directly relevant and captivating to the reader.

What news caught your eye this summer, and what do you think is next on the horizon? Drop us a line, and we’ll feature it next time.

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!

2018 Hospitality Technology Study, uniting hotelier and vendor technology perspectives, now available worldwide

Fuel Travel, StayNTouch and Flip.to examine technology trends to better align suppliers with industry wants and needs

ORLANDO, FL — July 19, 2018 — Fuel Travel, StayNTouch and Flip.to have partnered to launch a new study that examines perspectives from hoteliers and suppliers on industry technology. First debuted exclusively for attendees of the HITEC Hospitality Technology Show in June, the results are now being distributed globally.

The study surveyed hoteliers and suppliers to learn how the industry can improve from a technology perspective, with key takeaways for readers from both groups:

For hospitality decision-makers, the results provide guidance on the latest technology trends, as well as opportunities to invest valuable resources for growth.
For suppliers, the study informs ideas on the most pressing technology issues facing the hotel industry today.

With data surveyed from 358 respondents—all responsible for purchasing or selling technology in hospitality—the study is unique from other research in that it goes beyond standard reporting to identify similarities and differences in priorities for where the industry and travel technology should be headed.

Overall, the results showed many positive indicators that hoteliers and suppliers are closely aligned.

Take, for instance, considerations for a new PMS. The factors which were “most important” for respondents from both groups fell in sync, with ease of use and seamless integration topping the list. In fact, the need for improved integration between existing products garnered a strong consensus from respondents. Guest experience was also a top priority.

Frewoini Golla, Director of Marketing for StayNTouch noted why findings like this are so critical for industry growth. “Better understanding where priorities lie helps vendors stay in tune with the challenges our customers are responsible for, and how we can serve their needs while topping their goals.”

Other areas where the study reported similarities and differences include factors influencing marketing spend, perspectives on new and emerging technology, and the process for considering new technology purchases.

Stuart Butler, Chief Operating Officer of Fuel Travel said of the results, “As vendors of this space, our eyes are fixed on the trajectory of travel technology and marketing, so having a better understanding of the wants and needs of those in the front-lines of hospitality really helps us all get better together.”

Richard Dunbar, Director of Partnerships at Flip.to echoed this sentiment. “It’s really important that we focus on helping our customers and all of the industry move the needle. The results of this survey have opened up a really compelling dialogue to grow the industry, today.”

To get your free copy of 2018 Hospitality Technology Study, download it here.

OPMA Summit: On knowing your audience and your industry

This May, we attended our second OPMA Executive Summit since becoming members.

Aside from industry insights, one of our favorite aspects of both OPMA membership and events is the chance to meet up with like-minded industry partners and friends who are also committed to advancing travel.

We reached out to a few for their thoughts on the spring summit and received some great thoughts on the event and OPMA’s advocacy network.

Take a look at their insights below:

Alex Husner, CMO, Condo-World Resort Properties on OPMA:

“The purposefully small group atmosphere allowed for great conversations and networking, and the ability to meet almost everyone at the event. The attendees represented many of the most well known and respected brands in the industry, traveling from as far east as Vermont to as far west as Hawaii!

One of the key takeaways I noticed with this group was an abundant support of collaboration between members…from sharing marketing successes to tackling legal challenges and homeowner relations—no topic was off limits!

This is a group of like-minded, innovative business owners and C-level executives that are all supportive of helping each other succeed. I’m excited to attend more events and learn from our industry’s best and brightest.”

Stuart Butler, COO, Fuel Travel on the vacation rental industry and the organization’s role in shaping travel:

“The condo-hotel space faces several unique challenges. Firstly, the fact that the management company has to juggle the priorities of the two stakeholders (the owner and the guest) means that there are constant decisions that have to be made that may benefit one party, while negatively impacting the other.

Having homeowners maintain the quality of their units also poses unique challenges in terms of the quality of the product and the guest experience. This can lead to negative reviews, which impacts ADR and occupancy. Finally, the lack of awareness that the consumer has regarding the differences between on-site and off-site renters is a major problem — one that is exacerbated by the fact that the OTAs and TripAdvisor don’t distinguish between the two.

OPMA is a very special and unique organization. The members—both managers and vendors—seem to have a genuine desire to want to work together to help drive the industry forward. OPMA has introduced us to a lot of new people with whom we can collaborate and solve the problems that the industry is facing.”

Maurice Arbelaez, Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing, Millenium Management on the summit:

“OPMA explored common issues and challenges we share with other management companies and condo resorts operators, working to improve collaboration with other members to benefit both of us.

OPMA creates a vehicle to share and exchange ideas and best practices with other on-site management companies that experience similar challenges. Members also benefit from services that offer solutions to those challenges, enhancing the guest experience to surpass expectations.”

What are your thoughts on the challenges for the vacation rental industry? Join the conversation! We look forward to continuing to advance this dynamic industry together.

Jason Holic, VP of Digital Marketing at Experience Kissimmee

Zach Stovall, Travel photographer, videographer & writer at Zach Stovall Photography

Dr. Dan Spellman, Course Director – Digital Marketing & Personal Leadership at Full Sail University

Christina Leake, Social Media Director at Westgate Resorts

The week in review

Starting (and ending) with our why

Caribe Royale: A year of advocacy brings home silver

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

Scenic Washington State 365

Gunflint Lodge—Grand Marais, MN

Mountaineer Lodge—Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Grand View Lodge—Brainerd, MN

Ski City—Salt Lake, UT

Westgate Branson Lakes Resort—Branson, MO

Hotel Alyeska—Girdwood, AK

Red Mountain Resort—St. George, UT

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

Reunion, a Salamander Resort — Orlando, FL

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

Westgate Painted Mountain Golf Resort — Mesa, AZ

Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort — Wicklow, Ireland

Semiahmoo Golf, Resort, and Spa — Blaine, WA

The Wigwam — Litchfield Park, AZ

Chileno Bay Resort & Residences

Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués

Hotel Wailea

Jamaica Inn

Ladera Resort

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Solage, an Auberge Resort

The Henderson

Wentworth Mansion

Palms Hotel and Spa

The Betsy, South Beach

Petit Ermitage, Los Angeles

The Lodge at Woodloch

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

Auberge Resorts Collection (including Chileno Bay & Solage)