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.

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:

Hotel El Ganzo—Top May 2016

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

“This was our second stay at El Ganzo and it did not disappoint! We visited in 2014 before the hurricane and the hotel has maintained its very hip vibe, with exceptional customer service and attention to detail. This visit was for our wedding, and our family and friends all raved about their time at El Ganzo. We cannot wait to come back!” — Cristina C.

Soak it in

Cristina is just one of Hotel El Ganzo’s current 26 photo contest finalists. Together, Cristina and her fellow guests have shared their stories to over 17 thousands friends and family, leading to 310 warms leads for the 72 room property in only 4 months.

Turtle Bay—Top May 2016

Turtle Bay Resort — Kahuku, Hawaii

“I loved the laid back atmosphere, the beautiful surroundings and the many variety of activities offered on property! Everything I could want to do in a vacation is offered at Turtle Bay!” — Ileana M.

Experience Turtle Bay

Ileana is just one guest who shared her favorite moment to Turtle Bay Resort. She reached a network of 455 friends & family.

Turtle Bay Resort has topped over 67,000 warm introductions from their guests in just the past 30 days alone—reaching travelers one degree away in the best way possible.

Adrift Hotel & Spa—Top May 2016

Adrift Hotel & Spa — Longbeach, Washington

“We have two special needs pets so this was the perfect little getaway for us. Thanks for making us all feel welcome!” — Zera M.

Show some love

Not only did Zera’s story create a richer narrative for Adrift, but when she shared it with an audience of 800, Zera captured the hearts of 29 warm leads for Adrift in just 6 days.

Pacific Terrace Hotel—Top May 2016

Pacific Terrace Hotel — San Diego, California

Ride along

This incredible moment shared by Wendy captures the perfect poolside vibes that future guests at Pacific Terrace Hotel can enjoy off the shores of San Diego.

Floridays Resort Orlando—Top May 2016

Floridays Resort Orlando — Orlando, Florida

Jump in

Ann Marie shared her story to 697 friends & family, helping Floridays Resort receive 333 unique site visits and 50 warm leads so far in their current photo contest.

Avanti Resort—Top May 2016

Avanti Resort — Orlando, Florida

“This hotel is in a fantastic location, the staff are so incredibly helpful, they always keep it clean and the pool is a great place just to chill out after exploring the sites, I TOTALLY recommend the Avanti Resort Hotel.” — Eugenie F.

Take Flight

Eugenie’s story from a recent trip to Avanti Resort gives future travelers a taste of Orlando. Plus, after being shared to 278 friends & family it earned 230 unique sive visits and 55 warm leads for the hotel. It’s a win-win.

Woodloch—Top May 2016 Copy

The Lodge at Woodloch — Hawley, Pennsylvania

“The best part of my stay with Woodloch is the staff! It’s a testament to what a great organization Woodloch is that over my 7, yes SEVEN, visits, I see mostly the same people. The staff is what makes Woodloch a great place to be. Well…along with the excellent spa services, tasty meals, great art/yoga/meditation/workout classes. I have brought many people to Woodloch and recommend to everyone I know!” — Jennifer H. W.

Take it in

After sharing her favorite moment to 834 friends & family, Jennifer quickly climbed the ranks in The Lodge at Woodloch’s current photo contest, with 103 participants and counting! Her story alone drove 218 unique visitors to Woodloch’s site, leading to 56 warm leads.

Even better, this loyal, lifetime guest shared the true hospitality she’s experienced again and again at The Lodge at Woodloch, becoming a true brand ambassador for the hotel!

Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel—Top May 2016

Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel — South Lake Tahoe, California

“Family friendly with comfortable clean furnishings in the flexible suites. The kids love the happy hour and breakfast in the morning.” — Joshua R.

Show some love

Joshua is just one of the 18 finalist in Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel’s current photo contest. Just two months in finalists have introduced 20,000 of their friends and family to the resort, leading to 330 warm leads. (And the clock’s still ticking!)

Casa del Mar—Top May 2016

Casa del Mar Golf Resort & Spa — Cabo Real, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

“The feeling of being the only people there, complete solitude, peaceful, quiet, paradise! Unlike any other resort I’ve ever been to!” — John M.

Tee up more stories

John shared his view from one of Casa del Mar’s championship golf courses, revealing the beauty of this “peaceful, quiet, paradise” from a guest’s unique perspective.

Metropolis Resort —Top May 2016

Metropolis Resort — Eau Claire, Wisconsin

“My daughter was so excited to go to her first water park! She could barely wait for us to get our suits on!” — Tara J.

See more candid moments

Tara shared her story to an audience of 270, half of whom became a warm lead for the hotel after visiting Metropolis Resort’s site and claiming an offer on a future stay. Tara’s friends showed genuine interest in a future stay at this Western Wisconsin family getaway—unveiling travelers that are the perfect fit for the hotel.


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

Adventure back to April’s stories

Stories that inspire: our favorite guest moments from April

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.

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:

The Point—Top April 2016

The Point — Orlando, Florida

“We love the updated rooms and you can’t beat the location. The staff is friendly and helpful here!” — Carol K.

Jump in

Carol shared her story to 615 friends and family, earning 189 unique site visits & 73 warm leads for The Point. (So far, this story and the others helped boost the contest reach to over 20,000 new folks perfect for their hotel. With only 2 months down, they’re still growing!)

Crystal Lodge—Top April 2016

Crystal Lodge — Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

“Super friendly staff and great location. Perfect ski valet service.” — Joern J.

Catch air

Future guests get a true sense of what they can expect when they hit the slopes, and Crystal Lodge gets an awesome story to share with future guests.

Shores Resort—Top April 2016

The Shores Resort & Spa, Daytona Beach Shores, Florida

Take a beach day

Not only did Cindy share her story, but so did 4 of her closest friends, driving more than 100 visitors back to The Shores Resort’s site. We like to call this the viral effect.

The Lafayette—Top April 2016

The Lafayette, San Diego, California

“Enough room to swing a cat!!!! Front desk service was exemplary…thanks Ronan! Close enough to walk to the zoo and Balboa Park. Everything you could want…” — Belinda M.

Flashback

Belinda’s story shares how Ronan gave them a sense of hospitality and a more intimate experience. It empowered The Lafayette’s staff, and speaks volume towards the type of service future guests can expect.

Adrift Hotel—Top April 2016

Adrift Hotel & Spa — Long Beach, Washington

“Lounging in our room with a beautiful ocean view to the south, Mimosa in hand – A lovely slow down. Loving Long Beach” — Rachel S.

Tip toe along

Putting guests in the driver’s seat of their marketing drastically boosts this boutique property’s ability to capture timeless moments that reveals their rich story.

Brasada Ranch—Top April 2016

Brasada Ranch — Powell Butte, Oregon

“Our stay at Brasada was amazing! As usual the only part we didn’t love was leaving to come back home.” — Danielle J.

See more of Bend at Brasada

Danielle shared her story to over 300 friends and family, helping Brasada Ranch top over 30,000 warm introductions in just 8 months.

Caribe Royal—Top April 2016

Caribe Royale, Orlando, Florida

“I’m a US soldier and your staff truly made me feel appreciated. It was my engagement weekend and we were a large group, they made sure we were all happy with our rooms and everything was absolutely perfect. Thanks so much for an unforgettable experience.” — Eddy M.

Show some love

Guests at Caribe Royale captured this unforgettable moment and shared with friends and family—the beginning of a lifetime of memories.

Shore Hotel—Top April 2016

Shore Hotel — Santa Monica, California

“Every employee I encountered made eye contact and said ‘hello’ and it looked like they meant it!” — Christopher C.

Soak it in

When a guest calls out what an amazing experience your hotel provided, you don’t have to. (Plus, a stunning shot for Shore Hotel in Santa Monica.)

Shawnee Inn—Top April 2016

The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort, Shawnee on Delaware, Pennsylvania

“We visit 2-3 times per year with the kids. We love the surrounding beauty, the old time charm and the nostalgia (we married on the front lawn 11 years ago and my husband spent his childhood summers here)…..our Shawnee trips give us a chance to simply be present and enjoy one another – simple, laid back” — Faith P.

Peek at more candid moments

A long tradition of visiting their favorite getaway was shared to over 700 friends and family, helping Shawnee Inn receive 182 unique visits and 60 warm leads. This, and their other spectacular guest stories has boosted Shawnee’s lifetime reach to well over 100,000. (Growing more every day.)


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

Adventure back to March’s stories

Stories that inspire: our favorite guest moments from March

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.

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:

barefootcay-top-march

Barefoot Cay Resort — Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

“Top notch accommodations in a perfect location with incredibly knowledgeable, caring, attentive and professional dive staff.” — Sherry W.

Dive in
adrift-top-march

Adrift Hotel & Spa — Long Beach, Washington

“Our dog is a rescue from Iran and had never seen the ocean before. It was a hoot to let her run off-leash on the beach for the first time; to be completely honest, we weren’t sure she would ever come back! Adrift is a haven for dog lovers and a beautiful destination year-round. We loved visiting in early March, there were times when we had the whole beach to ourselves and the stormy ocean was indescribably beautiful.” — Danielle J.

Take a stroll
stanley-top-march

The Stanley Hotel — Estes Park, Colorado

“The hotel and the area are beautiful. Our room was regal!” — Barbi B.

(And our very first drone photo!)

Take flight
seaventure-top-march

SeaVenture Beach Hotel — Pismo Beach, California

“Room was small but cozy and clean, breakfast was great, hot tub on balcony was very relaxing!” — Dan H.

Grab the wheel
hotelganzo-top-march

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

“The food, service, and ambiance on the rooftop bar were superb. I’m dreaming of that ceviche!” — Connor S.

Catch some rays
woodloch-top-march

The Lodge at Woodloch — The Poconos, Hawley, Pennsylvania

“The opportunity to really relax and feel totally pampered. At 8 months pregnant, this was the perfect weekend escape!” — Kate F.

Let’s relax
crystallodge-top-march

Crystal Lodge — Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

“The staff was really helpful when I was booking my room.”
— Delan W.

Hit the slopes
turtlebay-top-march

Turtle Bay Resort — Oahu’s North Shore, Kahuku, Hawaii

The photo says it all. No quote needed—am I right?

Hear the waves
pacificterrace-top-march

Pacific Terrace Hotel — San Diego, California

“Hotel is in a perfect location. Easy walk to the beach and many restaurants, shops, etc. Staff is super friendly and helpful. 2nd time there and will be going back” — Brooke M.

Enjoy the sunset
avanti-top-march

Avanti Resort — Orlando, Florida

“Avanti Resort have great staff, brilliant location, lovely spacious rooms and really good swimming pool hours to unwind in after a tough day out in the parks.” — Adam M.

Experience the magic
platinum-top-march

The Platinum Hotel — Las Vegas, Nevada

“We loved being so close to the strip at a smoke-free facility. The staff was so friendly and our view was amazing!” — Kristin N.

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

Watch now: Inspire a global audience

Something special happens when travelers discover your hotel through real experiences shared by friends & family. Capture these memorable moments and let your guests introduce your hotel to the world. You’ll inspire an entirely new audience of future guests with Flip.to.

 

Sound interesting? Introduce your hotel to the world with Flip.to. Take a tour, or see how to introduce your hotel to the people who matter most below:

How to engage your hotel’s secret sales force

Here’s a special guest post from one of the number of incredible innovators, subject matter experts, and just all-around big idea folks that we love hearing from. At Flip.to, we’re constantly looking to collaborate with people in the industry that inspire us. Get in touch and let’s do something amazing together.

From e-commerce to digital marketing, Tim Peter has been putting the web to work for hospitality for over 20 years. Today he’s sitting in on the Flip.to blog to share a bit of that knowledge. Check out his take on the truly impactful marketing team for your hotel that’s been hiding in plain sight.


 

I really hate marketing sometimes. I know that’s a weird thing to hear from a guy who does marketing for a living. But the simple reality is that finding and attracting guests isn’t always easy. Far from it. Not only are you constantly competing with companies that possess a seemingly-endless mix of people, data, and budgets to chase down potential guests wherever they may be, but all of you compete with your customers for a tiny sliver of their attention. And that tiny sliver is only getting smaller every year.

ssf-stat-1
Via Expedia

Check this out: According to research from Expedia, guests visit 38 sites on average over the course of 45 days before they make a reservation. 38 sites! 45 days! That’s crazy, right? And, remember, that’s not 45 days prior to the stay date; it’s 45 days ahead of the booking date.

Seriously, what’s taking them so long? Why can’t they make up their mind?

Well, for starters, most of them don’t know where they’re going. Google’s Road to Decision study suggests that over half have no particular destination in mind when they get started, while 84% of travelers aren’t sure which brand they’re going to choose once they do.

ssf-stat-3.1
Via Google

Want an even crazier—and more troubling—stat? About two-thirds of guests don’t really understand the difference among the brands available to choose from. Sadly, this holds true even among many heavy business travelers. And the flood of information your potential guests face each day usually only adds more confusion, rather than simplifying the solution.

What you and your guests both need is someone who can help ease the guest decision process and cut through the cluttered content landscape, pointing out the benefits your property offers in a timely and efficient manner.

And, yes, that’s what your sales force and marketing team strive to do every day. Most do a pretty good job of it, too. But, let’s be fair. It’s really hard work (see above, for instance). Google’s made it more challenging to rank in search, favoring PPC ads over its traditional organic results. And as Richard Dunbar pointed out here on the blog recently, getting your content in front of guests on sites like Facebook has gotten both more difficult and more expensive due to the social media giant’s algorithm changes over the past couple of years. And even those messages that make it through Facebook’s filters are fighting for your guests’ time, attention, and action.

The simple fact remains that you’re competing against the hundreds or thousands of marketing messages that your guests see every single day. In such an oversaturated media environment, it’s no surprise that even well-trusted brands and long-standing relationships sometimes struggle to make an impression—to say nothing of close the sale.

Bet you’re hating marketing right about now, too.

But here’s the good news. You’ve got a secret sales force at your disposal, one who knows all about the exceptional experience and value your property offers and represents a trusted source of information to the thousands of potential guests you’re looking to reach every year. Even better, you don’t have to cover much overhead to put this secret sales force to work.

So, just who is this secret sales force?

ssf-stat-2
Via Nielsen

Your current guests, that’s who. According to Nielsen, most people trust the recommendations they receive from their friends and family on social. And on average each of your guests connects with roughly 200 friends and family on Facebook and other social media. Your existing guests offer you a trusted connection with these potential customers.

Just consider the math for a moment. Let’s say you’re responsible for a 100 room hotel, that runs at 60% occupancy and hosts 1.4 guests per room each night. That’s almost 31,000 guests per year that you can put to work telling your brand story. Which, y’know, is a lot of people. And, even using conservative numbers about how many friends each has on social media, those 31,000 guests can reach millions of other potential guests on your behalf (since most of you probably hate math way more than you hate marketing, I’ve tucked that away down at the end of this post, but those numbers are real).

Facebook has made it plain that it plans to show its users more content from close friends and family. Put your guests to work telling your hotel’s story, and the friends and family Facebook favors will be the folks staying in your rooms every night. They’re the ones who can share compelling stories about how much they enjoyed their stay, highlight the outstanding value they received, and sell their connections on why they ought to consider your property too. Their posts on social get in front of their friends and family and provide you a trusted entry into a dialogue with those potential guests. That’s your secret sales force.

And it’s one you can’t afford to waste.


It’s no secret that guests have chosen for years to write reviews on TripAdvisor and booking sites, sharing the details about their stay with folks all over the world. Those reviews often drive valuable business for your brand. But why not put content like that to work for your hotel? How about getting your guests to share on behalf of your property to a targeted audience, instead of just about your property to some random bunch of strangers on the Web? This isn’t just about Flip.to (though, as you might imagine, the company offers a really great way of empowering your guests to tell your hotel’s story). This is a huge opportunity for you to reach new business effectively and efficiently, regardless of how you choose to engage them.

The simple fact remains that your secret sales force offers you a near-perfect opportunity to connect with potential guests. Their messages get seen and are trusted by your target audience. They’re well-informed about your value, and I don’t know about you, but it’s enough to make me fall in love with marketing all over again.

 

Appendix: The Math Behind the Hidden Sales Force’s Social Connections

According to Pew Research, 39% of “adult Facebook users” have 1-100 friends, 23% have 101-250, 20% have 251-500, and 15% have over 500 friends. So, using the lowest possible number of friends on Facebook per brand:

 

(39% x 31,000 * 1) + (23% x 31,000 * 101) + (20% * 31,000 * 251) + (15% x 31,000 x 501) = 4,618,070

Which, again, is a lot. What’s even crazier is if you use the higher number in each range:
(39% x 31,000 * 100) + (23% x 31,000 * 250) + (20% * 31,000 * 500) + (15% x 31,000 x 501) = 8,421,150

 

Note: Since we don’t know the upper bound of friends in Pew’s topmost group, I’m still assuming “only” 501 friends for the most connected cohort on Facebook.

And here’s the thing. Assume for a moment that these numbers are way too high, say maybe twice as high as they should be. Your guests still connect you with 2 to 4 million other people on Facebook alone. Pretty cool, eh?

Caribe Royale captures more than just pictures with its most successful photo contest to date

Advocacy becomes a foundation of Caribe Royale’s marketing strategy

ORLANDO, FL — December 2, 2015 — Caribe Royale, a Flip.to customer since 2013, has captured authentic guest stories, warm introductions to their hotel, and more guests with their latest and most successful photo competition to date using Flip.to’s advocacy platform for hotels. Running from June through September, the Beat the Summer Heat photo contest was designed to reveal new brand stories and compelling images from guests to complement Caribe Royale’s existing marketing campaigns.


Success by the Numbers

caribe-contest-infographic_1.5

In a short three-month span, Caribe Royale received 143 finalists in the contest, each sharing the favorite moment of their stay with their networks to rally points. The effect was viral. Guests, their friends, and even their friends’ networks were engaged to vote and share on behalf of the guest and the hotel. By the end of the competition, they together rallied an incredible 221,217 points, earned in ranges from 3 to 8 for different actions like voting or sharing.

More importantly, these engagements represent captivating, authentic introductions to the hotel through advocacy. According to a Nielsen report, 92% of respondents say they trust earned media (recommendations from friends and family) above all other forms of advertising—a fact apparent as nearly 500 of these visitors alone voted and signed up for an offer on a future stay, revealing warm leads who’ve shown real interest in the hotel.

To make them even more valuable, these sign-ups from the competition represent an ongoing opportunity to engage and nurture potential future guests, building brand affinity and driving long-term, recurring revenue for Caribe Royale.

As opposed to standard hashtag competitions—which are often riddled with image curation, attribution and usage rights pitfalls—Flip.to was built with the hotel’s marketing in mind. Images and quotes are easily curated, sorted, and shared from the hotel’s library. As a result, Caribe Royale was provided with an ongoing stream of authentic guest stories at their fingertips, with the ability to share across social media channels in just a few clicks.

Elyse Cottle, the Director of Promotions for Caribe Royale, spoke of Caribe’s recent success, “Flip.to has taken the headache out of capturing, curating, and distributing our guests’ incredible stories, saving our team countless hours. It’s always a pleasant surprise to come back to the Flip.to platform and see how much content and reach we’ve effortlessly captured.”

The competition was a resounding success, both for the guests and the hotel. Caribe Royale was recently recognized for a 2015 HSMAI Gold Adrian Award for their use of the Flip.to advocacy platform—a ‘tip of the hat’ garnered in addition to the unique user-generated content, outstanding reach, and warm introductions to potential future guests gathered using the platform.

caribe_contest 2

Recently debuting Photo Explorer, Flip.to is designed to make authentic guest stories, like those captured in the Beat the Summer Heat photo competition, an integral part of the hotel’s story. The platform extends a hotel’s ability to turn guests into advocates and create a huge impact on brand exposure and ROI.

Hotels may display their guests’ favorite moments gathered during their photo competitions in a dynamic gallery, creating a truly personalized experience for every site visitor. This entirely new look at the hotel through the eyes of its guests is an incredibly smart platform, designed to convert curious on-lookers to future guests, and better communicate the personality and genuine guest experience of your hotel.

Advocacy: A Foundational Marketing and Revenue Strategy

caribe-advocacy-infographic

The impact of Advocacy has been felt throughout the marketing and revenue efforts of Caribe Royale. Since launching with Flip.to, Caribe Royale has reached more than 1.6 million of their guests’ friends, relatives and colleagues, in addition to seeing a spike in traffic to their website.

“Advocacy transcends every aspect of a hotel’s business, from marketing and sales to revenue management,” added Edward St.Onge, President of Global Sales and Marketing at Flip.to. “Your hotel has the opportunity to increase direct bookings, build trusted brand connections and extend your reach to travelers across the world when advocacy becomes a core component of your hotel’s overall strategy.”

Flip.to has been key to Caribe Royale’s success. The platform gives Caribe Royale’s guests the opportunity to tell their story to the world, creating an ever-growing team of advocates who have a massive impact on their reach and bottom line.


Caribe Royale is an upscale, Caribbean-inspired convention hotel located just minutes from popular Orlando tourist attractions. To reserve a stay, visit www.cariberoyale.com, or contact Elyse Cottle at ecottle@cariberoyale.com.

Introducing: Photo Explorer, an entirely new look at your hotel

Captivate & inspire an entire new audience of global travelers like never before, and tell a richer story for your hotel with Flip.to’s newest feature—Photo Explorer. It’s an entirely new look at your hotel, as told by your guests.

img_explorer_viewYour guests capture the widest range of experiences and most candid insights into your hotel. With Photo Explorer, your property now has the ability to infuse these authentic stories and perspectives that only your guests can provide into your online experience. Thanks to advocacy, your guests drive their friends & family back to your site, drumming up a ton of activity and attention for your hotel.

It’s refined at every level. From a nuanced interface, to thoughtful interactions designed with your guests’ travel considerations in mind, the platform is smarter than ever. Photo Explorer adapts for every type of visitor that comes to your site, whether they’re learning about your hotel for the first time, or a past guest rekindling their favorite moment. With Photo Explorer, your hotel can tap into the benefits of aspirational selling and influence potential travelers where hotels can really win—inspiration.

Take a deeper dive below, and see how engaging your guests who create and share their stories makes a real impact for your hotel.

Take a tour of Photo Explorer

 

Curate a richer story from your guests’ meaningful moments

Turn memorable moments into highly engaging interactions with every type of visitor to your site—from your guests, their friends & family, or a curious onlooker. Capture, curate, and infuse authentic guest moments into a compelling online experience for your website. It’s a fun part of your day that makes a huge impact for your hotel. Since it’s in real time, these stories are timely, relevant and seasonal—speaking to your potential guests today.

Filtered by your hotel’s current and past contests, or through a unique Gallery view, Photo Explorer is smart. It takes into account hotel rating, votes, timeliness, and even who’s viewing your site. Your best images will always be on display, paired with the right message for that visitor.

Deliver unique, personal experiences to every website visitor

Photo Explorer EmailsPhoto Explorer engages different users in different ways—out of the box. Personalized, thoughtful interactions are built in, so your hotel has the right conversation with every viewer based on their persona and their travel considerations.

With unique call to actions, your hotel can now build real relationships with past and future guests. Convert anonymous visitors just learning about your hotel into warm leads, or rekindle a favorite moment of a past guest. These strong initial brand connections nurture guest relationships when you deliver unique, personal and genuine online experiences to every person that visits your site.

Integrate simply and see immediate, measurable results

Photo Explorer BackendSimply put, integration is a snap. Provide a link location to point your content, and we’ll take care of the rest. Managing Photo Explorer is easy too, fitting effortlessly into your day along with the rest of the Flip.to platform.

Everything is tracked, so you can see firsthand the impact authentic guest stories make for your hotel. You’ll be notified of submissions, sign-ups for future offers and shares—driving home the impact that authentic stories created by your guests are making for hotels on a global scale.

The Path to Booking is Not a Single Step

Even though the travel buying process doesn’t start at “Book Now,” this tends to be where most hotel marketing efforts are focused. In reality, the decision for travel starts well before guests are ready to book. In fact, the inspiration and research phases are primed for influencing the decision to travel. Fortunately for hotels, this is where they can be making a big impact. The key is to engage them in the right way.

Instead of pushing someone who isn’t ready to book now, why not change up the conversation. If they’re very early in the decision-making process, offer a light touch, let them unveil, and begin nurturing them down the path to becoming a future guest. With Photo Explorer, your hotel can do just that.

You’ll build brand affinity, and when they are ready to make a reservation, you’ll be top of mind and they’ll be more likely to book directly.

Aspire to Inspire

What does all of this really mean for your hotel? Photo Explorer is an entirely new look at your hotel. Thanks to your guests, your hotel can have real, candid experiences woven into a smart platform that drives and converts. It aspires to inspire—and aspirational selling is the key to winning in the new hotel marketplace.

Guests want more. They’re looking to buy into experiences and seek inspiration. By sharing in the creation of this inspiration, they receive value in return, and start on their way to becoming loyal brand ambassadors. It’s a win-win for your hotel, as you’ll not only share in getting incredible content, but you’re truly connecting with your guests.

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out Harvard Business Review’s recent article, What Apple, Lending Club and AirBnb know about Collaborating with Customers, which ties revenue and profit margin growth directly into the ability to tap customers to become co-creators.

Want to see more?

Stay tuned for a lot more to come. In the meantime, get in touch with one of our Advocologists to see a live implementation. We’re excited to see the stories your guests are telling!