HotelMarketing Archives - Page 3 of 8

The hotel marketer’s guide to the galaxy: Facebook’s search for authenticity

2017 was a year of ups and downs for Facebook. They faced some hard questions, rooted to perhaps a bigger quandary: What is the purpose of Facebook—and all social platforms? To quote Douglas Adams and the all-famous Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, I imagine it went something like this:

“The answer to the great question of Life… The Universe…! And Everything…!”

I mean, let’s face it: if nearly a third of the world’s population are on the bandwagon, it’s certainly a question worth pursuing—what is the greater purpose of social media? We’ve put some “Deep Thought” to that ourselves. (See what we did there?)

“Being “social” revolves around the idea of people sharing personal experiences with friends and family—travel conversations that hotels have long tried to join.”

Ultimately, it seems clear that the answer is conversations between people. (Either that, or 42.)

Well, then brands got in the mix. And while “social” media aimed for authentic connection, it became—and continues to be—neither personal nor between friends, quickly resembling another paid advertising channel.

Facebook took notice. So, citing a focus on meaningful connection and “bringing people together,” Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg (yet again) announced some overhauls to the social network for 2018. What does that include? To start, the prioritization of stories from users’ family and friends, limiting distribution of public content from businesses and outright demotion of “engagement bait.”

Historically, Zuckerberg has been vocal about the company’s “responsibility to make sure our services aren’t just fun to use, but also good for people’s well-being,” so this most recent attempt to curate a more positive user experience is nothing new.

Facebook made a similar announcement in May of 2017 limiting the reach of posts that link to “low-quality web experiences.” More broadly, they’ve been shaping the user experience by means of their Community Standards for much longer.

Striking a balance between user experience and monetization is a delicate process, but the platforms call the shots… and increasingly pull the plug on the kind of lazy marketing that simply shouts at users, paying no mind to audience or context.

These changes are not insignificant for hospitality marketers, who are now faced with a new challenge: How do I shift my strategy?

Well unto this we say, “Don’t panic.” (Okay, last Hitchhiker’s reference, we promise…)

Here are some ways to shift your thinking and creatively stand out on the 2-billion-user social giant.

Take an editorial approach to content marketing

It’s no surprise that quality branded content is and will continue to be a potent strategy for your marketing. What defines quality? Think through who you’re trying to reach, and build toward creating interest, relevance and relationships with your guests.

Take a storytelling approach: focus on empathy and experiences.
Be sure your messaging is relevant and inspiring.
Make the content you create useful.

Even in the wake of changes to how social platforms organize and deliver content, what hasn’t changed is what travelers connect with: content that’s relevant, shareable and engaging.

One marketing tactic highlighted by Forbes is taking a straightforwardly editorial approach to content marketing, using human interest and engaging, accessible angles to make inspiration about your brand more shareable than ever.

Become the topic of conversation

If we know that Facebook’s aim is to bring the platform back to being a social network where conversations between people are the cornerstone, then ultimately, the exchange of stories between family and friends is the only truly organic reach you’ll have.

What’s more, no matter how creative your content, the power of a traveler speaking for you is unmatched.

Just know this: becoming the topic of guest conversations cannot be forced, and you can’t manufacture or mass-produce authenticity. However, you can empower travelers with the tools to kickstart those experiences by letting them tell their stories in warm ways.

So, how do you become the topic of conversation?

Spoiler alert: it starts by providing an incredible guest experience at your hotel, complete with stories worth sharing. (Breathe a sigh of relief. You’ve got this already.)

Another powerful way to become the topic of conversation? Encourage your travelers to become storytellers for your hotel. Why? Travelers are inspired by experiences, and they trust the folks they know.

Give them a platform to share, and pair it with experiences and conversions that make sense for this new audience. You’ll reach new audiences in the most trusted way possible, inspiring new travelers along their path to visit your destination.

Micro-influencers have powerful reach and can harness trust much more effectively than an ad ever could.

Reimagine an audience-focused approach to paid advertising

With these changes in mind, it’s apparent that paid will continue to be part of a well-rounded social strategy.

Yet in a day and age when travelers are constantly inundated with content and advertisements, it’s no surprise that reaching audiences with ads can be a challenge. Social audiences have learned to tune out content they don’t care to see—both actively and subconsciously.

So how do you thoughtfully and creatively engage travelers through advertising?

Apply the same principles of relevance, thoughtfulness, and storytelling to set yourself apart. When advertising your hotel, sell travelers on an experience instead of a price. Use simple, memorable and accessible imagery that conveys a story instead of a commodity.

Instead of using messages designed to be catchy or flashy, use what you know of your audience in order to tailor your message through the use of high-quality targeting, such as Facebook’s “custom audiences” feature.

At the end of the day, all three of these avenues build upon one another to tell a powerful story about your hotel and reach future travelers.

This is more than just our take—it’s also a cautionary tale: without authenticity and storytelling to back up your marketing, you’re fighting a losing battle against both your audience and your platform. So don’t find yourself left behind!

How are you adjusting to the shifting marketing landscape? What strategies have worked for you, and what other brands do you see making big strides? Join the conversation—we’d love to hear from you!

Better together: Fueling great partnerships

Here at Flip.to, our place in the industry is pretty unique. We get the chance to work with some incredible travel brands—and more importantly with the talented people behind them.

While that includes hotels, resorts, vacation properties, destination marketers, and the like, it includes the wide array of folks we call friends and partners.

So, what makes a great partnership? For one thing—some of the same things that make great friendships, and that’s great people.

Aside from that, we see partnerships as an opportunity to lean on our relative strengths in ways that everyone benefits. That means joining forces with forward-thinking vendors, agencies, and even individuals who embrace where we strive to take travel marketing.

Core to those values are the power of storytelling and authenticity. Combined, they unlock the ability to reach and inspire travelers, nurturing them along their journey to conversion (rather than flooding them with an overabundance of “book nows” and discount offers).

Ultimately, like us, they aspire to evolve the way hospitality marketing is done in a way that’s a win for travelers, great for business and incredible hospitality all at the same time.

So I’ll ask again—what makes a great partnership?

Look no further than Fuel Travel, a shining example of all of the above. We knew from the start that we’d be a great fit, (and not just because they’re gif-jedi-masters).

From adapting to improve guest experience and prioritizing relationships, to being vocal about marketing values like storytelling, they guide their customers down the best path for their hotel and guests. Fuel goes above and beyond to educate and provide value to the hotel marketing industry far beyond just their products & services thanks to efforts like their blog and podcast content, connection to industry contributors and more.

Fuel’s own COO, Stuart Butler, paid us a visit recently and shared some candid insight on partnering with Flip.to:

To learn more about Fuel Travel, hop over to www.fueltravel.com and be sure to check out Fuel’s weekly hotel marketing podcast.

If you’re as passionate as we are about changing the landscape of hospitality marketing and feel like we’d be a great match, let us know. Hospitality moving & shaking is always more fun when you get more great people in the room!

We asked: HomeAway boosts fees for 2018—but what’s the cost?

If you’re at all tuned into news circling the vacation rental industry, it was hard to miss HomeAway’s announcement on new 2018 fees making waves last week. We first came across it in Amy Hinote’s latest piece on VRM Intel.

The tldr:

HomeAway will increase subscription fees 25% (from $399 to $499 per listing)
In addition to this increase, for direct bookings from guests who previously used HomeAway in their travel research, they’ll charge a 10% transactional fee

In other words, for direct bookings made where HomeAway can attribute similar searches on their websites, they stand to take a piece of the pie—what they’re calling performance credit for “off-platform” bookings. Amy sums the cost increase in a way that puts it in perspective: this adds up to over $700k from an average vacation rental management company managing 250 properties.

But in the long term, what’s this big news really mean for rental managers at large?

Now that the initial story has had a little time to settle, we asked around to some of our friends (and foremost authorities in the industry) to see their initial thoughts, and recommendations for a path forward.

Take a peek at their insights below:

Alex Husner, CMO, Condo-World Resort Properties

“While I understand the reasoning behind wanting to prevent leakage of bookings off HomeAway’s platform, the most recent announcement has the potential to be a paradigm shift for what is deemed acceptable in vacation rental/OTA partnerships. HomeAway is learning from Expedia’s early days and is working to apply this hindsight as quickly as possible. Had technology been as advanced years ago as it is now, Expedia would have asked to match back email addresses/dates and to be paid a commission for any bookings that originated from a search on their site. Could Expedia do that now with their hotel clients? Sure…but the hotel/OTA relationships are far too involved and strained at this point to attempt something like that. HomeAway is still at a relatively new stage in their relationships with VRMs, many of whom are highly vested in the company from both a software and advertising perspective and consider themselves at mercy to any changes the company wants to make.

Between the addition of the booking fee a couple years ago, to removing the ability for VRMs to communicate with guests during the booking process, and now implementing a match back process to automatically recoup any bookings made off platform — HomeAway is making it hard for both guests and VRMs to want to do business with them. With this newest announcement, VRMs could potentially pay double commission and LOSE money if a guest searches on HomeAway but then books on another OTA. (Example: 10% to HomeAway and 15% to Booking.com = 25%… which is well above the average commission fee for most PMs).

Removing the ability to communicate with guests has also been troublesome for us—if HomeAway were to truly facilitate the booking from start to finish, we would have no problem with not being able to communicate with the guest. But to provide a lead—and then restrict what information can be sent, and how it can be sent—creates a customer service and operational nightmare.

Total OTA revenue only makes up 3% of Condo-World’s annual sales— but there are many in our industry who rely specifically on HomeAway/VRBO for up to 70% of their sales. All of our listings are pay-per-booking, so we are going to continue on with 2018 as normal and then evaluate the true effect of these changes at the end of the year.”

Stuart Butler, COO, Fuel Travel

“This is a greedy move and one that could backfire. There’s no way I will recommend that my clients participate in this new model. The notion that HomeAway claims 10% commission for bookings where a consumer at some point made a search on HomeAway is nonsense. We know that consumers shop around and look at the same property on multiple sites. What if they all did the same thing? Imagine if a consumer finds your property on the local CVB site, then shops you on HomeAway, TripAdvisor, and another local portal, before finally booking on your own website. Are you to give 10% commission to all four of those touch points? What if they also saw a retargeting ad for your property and that vendor also took another 10%?

My advice for rental managers is to boycott HomeAway. Spend your time crafting an amazing book direct strategy by creating a frictionless, mobile-first booking experience, applying psychological sales tactics through the funnel, and providing unique value and incentives to guests who book direct.”

Matt Raab, Director of eCommerce, Sterling Resorts

“I believe the move is intended to drive PMs away from their subscription program and onto their pay per booking program. When Expedia took over it was expected that the way HomeAway collects revenue would eventually mirror Expedia. The transition started with the introduction of pay per booking, then elimination of subscription levels, and now the latest changes. Within a year or two subscriptions either will not be economical anymore in comparison with pay per booking or be outright eliminated as an option.

Diversify and develop brand loyalty. We will be staying on the same path we began down long ago—with integrated software and connections partners most third party websites are easy to add as distribution channels. We utilize as many that make sense to us in terms of cost and rental policy.

With the right technology partners, there is not a manpower burden, and it makes a significant impact on the percentage of revenue that originates from HomeAway. Once the guest is booked, however—from any channel—the goal is to collect data, impress the guest, and rebook direct. This sector is where the most exciting new technologies and services are being developed.”

Even early on, the news is hard hitting. A vacation rental owner and manager in the Southeast went on to add this:

“Bold move for sure because they risk owners who will leave because of the increased pricing. Also, curious how they will access Vacation Rental Managers data to know who to “charge” other than Escapia and V12 users, as they can potentially access those databases because they are HomeAway PMS’s.

As a VR Manager, we are not, and will never be, in a position to pay websites which a guest visits prior to ultimately booking direct with us. That is ridiculous.

Our path forward will be to educate all homeowners as to why they should put their units with professionally managed companies who can help them better navigate the ever changing vacation rental market.”

We have a feeling this story is far from over. Got perspectives on this (or anything else bubbling up in the VR industry)? Join the conversation.

In the meantime, get the full scoop in the original VRM Intel article, and for more like this give Amy a follow here.

Flip.to on the road: property managers winning with OPMA

A big focus at Flip.to in 2017 has been better understanding the ins-and-outs of the vacation rental market. It’s a segment within our industry that faces all of the same, yet also entirely different challenges than other accommodations providers.

Issues range from regulations and split ownership, to homeowners’ associations and conflicting marketing messaging due to third parties. Navigating that space adds layers of complexity that any operator could easily do without.

When we learned about the Onsite Property Management Association (OPMA) and its efforts to advocate for property managers, we were immediately intrigued. Flip.to became members in short order and participated in our first OPMA summit in our hometown of Orlando this past November.

What we took away is that OPMA has made great strides for property managers—and are working hard on loads more to be done. Topics covered included recent legal victories, paving the way for a better guest experience, all the way to the importance of adopting a mobile-first approach, well, everything.

Our resident video-documentarian and fellow Flip.to contributor to the blogosphere, Hunter Garrett, joined me at the OPMA conference and put together these highlights of our 2-days at Reunion Resort. Enjoy!

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.)

Infographic: Classic Resorts nets a new channel of travelers by launching advocacy

There are tons of reasons to switch on advocacy, and every story about getting started with Flip.to is unique. That’s because advocacy works for all types of hotels, and all types of travelers. By design, it helps your brand get introduced to the perfect audience in a big way.

We’re taking a peek at just what that looked like for Classic Resorts: two resorts out of the islands of Hawaii. Their team had their sights on achieving more in 2017, and paired up with Flip.to to help conquer their goals. The result? Big wins for their properties and their travelers!

Together with Flip.to, Classic Resorts is inspiring travelers around the world with authentic stories shared by their travelers. And while the ROI has proven to be off the charts, it adds up to something bigger than that:

Building relationships with their travelers with even more hospitality, widening their scope to their best audience yet, and diversifying their strategy to helping their resorts get better every day.

If you’re interested in how advocacy is changing the game for vacation rentals, hotels and destinations, let’s chat. We’ll share more on the impact, and make it a fun chat while we’re at it. (Not to mention, kicking off is incredibly easy.)

JAPEX 2017: tackling tough challenges in the Caribbean

At the moment I’m writing this article, I’ve just returned from the JAPEX conference in Jamaica. Now, I’ve traveled to the Caribbean islands a number of times, both for work and fun. The hospitality, the people, the energy are fantastic (as we’ve shared ourselves first hand.)

But this trip was different.

Javier Morales, Co-founder at Social Caddie, talks to the audience at JAPEX 2017.

Not in the way you’d think. The hospitality was still top notch. The people? As friendly and welcoming as ever. And the speakers and attendees at JAPEX were all incredibly insightful.

But it was also grounded.

What I took away from JAPEX went well beyond the usual micro-level discussions that typically embody an event like this. It was the broad spectrum: an impressive (and sometimes sobering) macro-level look at challenges in the Caribbean that took the stage—from competing on a global scale to the recent hurricanes and more.

Working together to compete globally

Over the last several years, the Caribbean has excelled at marketing itself as a highly accessible, dream destination. And this is a good thing. My fellow panelist at the event, and Co-founder at Social Caddie, Javier Morales chimed in nicely as to why:

“It’s important for the Caribbean to be identified as a region. Organizations like the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association have been created as a major resource for all the islands. By pooling their resources, coming together as region helps them all have access to information and programs to succeed as a whole.”

This has helped introduce more travelers to the region, raising awareness on the global level up against other warm climate destinations. But it poses a unique dichotomy: the need to make known that the Caribbean is more than the sum of its parts.

A recent example? Hurricanes Irma and Maria—both which have come and gone, leaving effects that will linger for years.

Not surprisingly, that poses a problem for the unaffected islands as well as the entire region. Some destinations in the region won’t be visitor-ready in the foreseeable future, and the perception is that the Caribbean isn’t quite as attractive for that dream vacation it’s known and loved for.

Except that it is.

The Caribbean is comprised of more than 30 destinations with thousands of islands totaling over 95k square miles, making it an eclectic mix of unique and independent travel locales. In fact, CHTA partners with 1,000 hotels and allied members plus 32 National Hotel Associations to help shape the future of tourism in the region.

You can’t minimize the devastation for some of the island nations. But it remains a small percentage of the total area—with tourism in many of the areas continuing to grow. (And the others working diligently to bounce back.)

Putting out in force that in spite of the storms, the nations of the Caribbean are open for business is a must. Javier had a few more adds on the steps every island nation can take:

“Nearly every island has a tourism board or association to help market their destination. Islands should showcase their unique features to stand out in the group. Destinations and their hotels can work together to highlight these features and compete against other global destinations.”

Diversifying your marketing—at the regional, destination, and hotel levels

Another challenge that surfaced is one that’s more relatable for us mainlanders: OTA dependency. The core of this issue is a tough one to overcome.

The United States is a key feeder market for the region as a whole, and in the US we love to drive. It’s as much a part of our culture as baseball and BBQs. So when we visit our friends in the South, there’s more to the travel planning process. This is an arena where OTAs excel, making it incredibly easy to book an entire trip in one sitting.

We know dependency on any one channel can be risky. And while OTAs help put heads in beds, they don’t help in the long term to build relationships with your travelers to keep them coming back again and again.

Diversifying where and how you’re winning business is the first step to becoming less dependant on any single channel. The goal? Reach new travelers, and reach them in a better way.

Javier offered a few tips to start:

“The online world has changed and small destinations and hotels can now compete with the big guys. A well-developed website, strong SEO plan and social media strategy can help brands of all sizes get their fair share of the market.”

Another way? Advocacy. Arguably one of the most compelling ways to make an introduction, advocacy lets travelers to your region or hotel deliver an authentic perspective to a like-minded audience—by the thousands.

Rather than relying on the consumer to discover your marketing (or vice versa), those who’ve lived the experience are sharing the most memorable aspects with people they know. Trust comes built in, so the message is delivered clearly and effectively.

Writing the stories of the Caribbean

Not only is advocacy a remarkable tool for telling the story, (rather the stories,) of every Caribbean destination, it piggybacks on what the market is doing as a whole: inspiring new travelers by giving those who visit an opportunity to share their dream vacation—and those best equipped to do just that are arriving on the islands by the hour.

100 days of advocacy: massive, new audiences and travel stories shared worldwide for Thomas Beach Vacations

We love helping hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals get introduced around the world thanks to their travelers. Guests relive their favorite moments, their friends and family learn about their candid experiences in the best way possible, and the properties earn warm introductions to new folks along the way. It’s a win-win-win for everyone.

Today, we’re highlighting one company that recently celebrated a special milestone—100 days shining on the Flip.to platform! 🕶

Growth — A natural result of advocacy

In just their first 100 days, Thomas Beach Vacations has seen the incredible impact of the advocacy platform for their vacation rentals.

244 of their visitors shared about their stay, personally introducing Thomas Beach Vacations to over 225,000 friends and family—like-minded travelers across the globe perfectly matched for their properties.

More than 23,000 of these travelers took the extra step of visiting Thomas Beach’s website, converting 1,700+ into warm leads with the help of Flip.to.

With over 350 vacation rentals in North Myrtle Beach, beautiful beaches, and warm ocean waters are just some of the experiences Thomas Beach Vacations provides guests at any of their oceanfront homes, luxury condos, and incredible villas.

The big picture?

For each advocate that shared about the high point of their stay, Thomas Beach Vacations were introduced to 923 new travelers in the best way possible and earned 6 warm leads.

On top of that, Thomas Beach Vacations earned the first chance to nurture these leads into future guests and capture more travelers booking direct. And the best part? With Flip.to the impact was tracked in real-time—so the team saw the growth each and every day.

It’s also worth mentioning that Myrtle Beach is South Carolina’s premier beach destination.

From renting boogie boards and playing in the surf, to catching an early morning sunrise or just soaking up some Vitamin D, the memories you make while staying at one of Thomas Beach Vacations hundreds of rental accommodations last a lifetime.

Don’t just take our word for it

Check out this story from Michael C., a recent guest of Thomas Beach Vacations.

Michael shared this genuine moment with 5,417 of his family and friends—and Thomas Beach Vacations was at the center.

Not only did Michael help Thomas Beach Vacations tell a richer narrative for their property, but 30 of those connections visited the Thomas website from these personal introductions, with several claiming an offer on a future stay.

Ever-growing impact

As you can see, the power of advocacy is unmatched.

In fact, according to Forbes, word of mouth marketing is “the one that consumers trust above all others and the one that is most likely to drive sales to your company.” With Flip.to, Thomas Beach Vacations is harnessing this strength daily. And the best part? It never stops growing.

Stay tuned to learn how this story and hundreds more live on, continuing to help attract and convert future travelers.

In the meantime, if your vacation rental property is ready to switch on advocacy, let’s chat. We’d love to help you top your goals (and promise a fun conversation to kick-off and a simple process to launch!)

Stories that inspire: our favorite guest moments from June

Every guest story is an opportunity for a hotel to unveil something new. Stories reach and inspire—they’re truly memorable, sometimes magical, and a lot of times, a bit of fun.

In a way, we’ve fallen in love with guest stories, and every day see firsthand the impact they’re making for hotels. That’s why we’re sharing them with you! Check out a handful of our recent favorites below:

Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters – Grand Marais, Minneapolis

“You guys were absolutely the best at guiding 3 rookies through the beauty of the Boundary Waters !” — Jaime R.

Explore Grand Marais

Jaime and his crew might be kayaking rookies, but the friendly, knowledgeable staff at Gunflint Lodge made all the difference. Plus, Jaime has joined over 70 fellow guests in Gunflint’s current photo contest, helping tell compelling travel stories to over 40,000 friends and family members worldwide.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba – Playa del Carmen, Mexico

“While at Banyan Tree we spent a day with a Mayan family. They showed us ruins, we cooked a meal with them, and Amy showed them how to take pictures with her phone–much to the delight of the adorable children.” — Larry S.

Become a local

Larry and his family wanted the full local experience when they visited Banyan Tree Mayakoba. Not only did they get the rich culture of Playa del Carmen, they captured memories like this one that will be cherished for a lifetime.

As for the staff at Banyan Tree Mayakoba, this delightful story helps shape insight into the local side for future travelers.

Beach Street Inn and Suites – Santa Cruz, California

“Having a great trip! Last trip as of a family of 3 before this little guy becomes a big brother in August! We highly recommend Beach Street Inn. It was our first stay and will definitely not be the last! We loved it…the location, the beautiful room and great customer service!” — Monica B.

Enjoy Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz has something to offer for all ages. Monica, along with 18 of her friends and relatives, shared to 907 friends and lead to 128 warm leads.

The Carlton Hotel – Atascadero, California

“Super bloom wildflowers above Soda Lake create a technicolor world at Carrizo Plain National Monument.” — Sylvia D.

Take in the view

A peaceful moment captured during Sylvia’s stay at The Carlton Hotel speaks volume to the natural beauty that surrounds the property. She and her friends brought over 100 unique visitors back to the hotel’s site–the perfect demographic looking to escape on their next vacation.

Tanque Verde Ranch – Tucson, Arizona

“Absolutely the best family vacation we’ve taken! For a short time, we were all able to leave our daily duties and enjoy a relaxing but engaging time together.” — Janette L.

Visit Tuscon

Janette, a recent guest of Tanque Verde Ranch, shared her favorite travel memory to a warm audience of adventure-loving friends. Tanque Verde Ranch is now at the center of a single story that has reached over 340 friends and relatives the perfect demographic for their resort.

Hotel Tybee – Tybee Island, Georgia

“Our kids were so excited to be at Tybee! They were “jumping for joy”!” — Kacie M.

Visit Tybee

Vacationers have escaped to Hotel Tybee for over 126 years! Now, after tapping into the advocacy platform for hotels, they’re telling a richer narrative to a massive, new audience of travelers. So far, 62 guests have shared their favorite moments to friends and family, reaching over 100,000 in just 12 days!

WorldQuest Orlando Resort – Orlando, Florida

“We had such a great family vacation in Orlando. The service was 5 star, our condo was perfect. I seriously cannot say one negative thing about the hotel, it exceeded our expectations. And thank you for the shuttle service to Disney !” — Michael F.

Soak it in

A trip to Disney and exceptional service along the way is every reason to celebrate. Plus, you’re never too young to enjoy soaking up the sun poolside.

The Reef Coco Beach – Playa del Carmen, Mexico

“Beautiful sunrise at the Reef Coco Beach, doesn’t get any better than this!” — Dani M.

Relax a bit

What a wonderful way to start the day in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Dani was able to bring 274 unique site visitors back the resort’s site, leading to 32 warm leads that can be nurtured into future guests. Plus, her story joined 53 other finalists, all with unique stories to tell.

Check back next month for even more. See any stories that stand out? Let us know!

Adventure back to May’s stories

Stories that inspire: our favorite guest moments from May

Every guest story is an opportunity for a hotel to unveil something new. Stories reach & inspire—they’re truly memorable, sometimes magical, and a lot of times, a bit of fun.

Crystal Lodge — Whistler, British Columbia

“A little birdy told me that the hike to Joffree Lake wouldn’t be that difficult in the snow! However, definitely worth the picture perfect view.. what an amazing day waking up in the village & going for a day hike to this unbelievable lake.” — Alexis N.

Explore Whistler

Alexis, a recent guest of Crystal Lodge, shared her favorite travel memory to a warm audience of adventure-loving friends. Crystal Lodge is now at the center of a single story that has reached over 860 friends and relatives the perfect demographic for their resort.

Lahaina Shores Beach Resort — Lahaina, Hawaii

“I stayed at Lahaina Shores last year and took a drive up the coast where I stumbled upon this labyrinth at the end of Dragon Tooth trail at Makaluapuna point. I wanted to get a shot of the sunset behind the maze when dozens of people suddenly showed up. Apparently, Deepak Chopra had a spiritual retreat up at the Ritz-Carlton, and mentioned the maze to the audience. There went my secluded location, but the moment ended up being even better with so much Aloha and appreciation shared by everyone.” — Andrew W.

Discover Lahaina

Lahaina Shores is inspiring future travelers to choose their brand when guests share the best parts of their trip. This captivating experience brought to you by Andrew is doing just that.

The Osthoff Resort — Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

“We took our entire family to breakfast with Saint Nick. It just so happened that we received the most beautiful snowfall the night before. As a typical mom, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get these kids outside in the snow for a picture. It was a real life snow globe. Such a magical day, with memories we will cherish forever.” — Amy E.

Show some love

Amy shared this magical memory of a real-life snow globe that her family will cherish for a lifetime. Amy and her fellow guests are helping to tell a richer story for Osthoff Resort. They’re also amplifying their brand, collectively helping introduce Osthoff to 18,000 new travelers since launching in March.

Westgate Park City Resort & Spa — Park City, Utah

“Captured at 6:30am I love this shot of the hotel!” — Jean L.

Take in the view

Jean’s highlight from her recent stay at Westgate Park City Resort is not just a dream-worthy moment. Together, she and fellow guests have helped the resort tap into thousands of authentic introductions in less than three months—the best way possible to get in front of new travelers.

Crown Reef Beach Resort & Water Park — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

“First time on the beach! His face says it all 🙂 making memories.” — Michelle O.

Visit Myrtle Beach

Crown Reef Beach Resort & Waterpark is receiving seriously good, personal introductions from guests like Michelle. No stock image comes close to telling such an inspiring story for the resort. (Did we also mention that Michelle’s story alone has reached an audience of over 1,000 friends and relatives?)

Jamaica Inn — Ochos Rios, Jamaica

“A view of Jamaica Inn’s boat during a perfect morning walk on the private beach”! – Elissa L.

Enjoy the view

We recently shared how Caribbean hotels are shining on the platform—it’s no secret why thanks to guests like Elissa to Jamaica Inn. She shared the view from her morning walk, driving over 361 travelers back to a personal experience on Jamaica Inn’s site.

Hotel El Ganzo — Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico

“I loved the rooftop pool views straight to the ocean and adore the artistic flair splashed throughout the entire hotel reminding you of the past creatives who stayed at El Ganzo. From writers, artists, and musicians that come to enjoy this special artist in Residence program, this hotel is hip and unique. I love how quiet it feels.” — Melissa C.

Soak it in

Melissa’s highlight from her stay at El Ganzo is traveling. It gives her friends & family a glimpse into the Hotel El Ganzo experience—and it’s stories like these that attract new audiences and capture the attention of new travelers worldwide.

Avista Resort — North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

“This is my niece who just turned 3. And we’ve talked for months with her about going to the for beach for “vacashe” and she was so excited to get there. Once she saw the big sand box she was in love and it was all we could do to get her to leave! Since being home she has asked several times when she can go back to the hotel and the big sand box! Loved the hotel even though it was over taken by college students, and all the staff we encountered was very helpful (specifically Dennis in the checking parking garage). Thanks for some great memories and we hope to see you again!” — Brittany L.

Relive special moments

Need we say more? There’s no better way to learn about Avista Resort than guests like Ashley sharing moments like these.

Adrift Hotel — Long Beach, Washington

“Labor Day weekend we stayed at the adrift. This was one evening out on the beach, enjoying the sunset with our pup!” — Curtis B.

Admire more

We often get asked, “How do I inspire more travelers?” We could spell it out, but it’s easy to see when you look at Adrift Hotel. Curtis and Adrift’s guests are sharing moments like this each and every day—authentic stories shared to new travelers by someone they know, love and trust.

Curtis alone helped Adrift earn over 70 warm leads. What’ a warm lead you may ask? We’ll tell you!

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort — St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

“I had the 4 chairs picture (empty chairs) as my background on my computer for an entire year waiting for the 4 of us to sit in them. Our 30th anniversary and our friends 10th anniversary. BEST days of our lives spending it at Bolongo Bay & Iggies. LOVE the view and people, breathtaking. Thanks for the memories and allowing us to fill those chairs.” — Renee E.

Relax a bit

We know, we just can’t get enough of the Caribbean!

Bolongo Bay Resort is making memories. Renee’s special story of her anniversary trip is just one. She shared it with over 650 friends and family—76 of whom showed real interest in coming back.

Hotel Wailea — Kihei, Hawaii

“This was our first day in paradise after flying from Atlanta, Georgia to celebrate our honeymoon!” — Sarah M.

Unwind

Your advocates are powerful—they’ll introduce people around the globe to your destinations and hotels.

Sarah is one of those advocates for Hotel Wailea. She and her fellow guests are not only giving Hotel Wailea incredibly targeted reach to travelers a degree away, it’s at the fraction of the cost of traditional marketing. Her story alone has already traveled to 2,000+ friends and family and counting.

Check back next month for even more. See any stories that stand out? Let us know!

Adventure back to April’s stories