6 Super Hotel Distribution Strategy Posts – Hospitality Marketing Link Digest

Crazy weekend around here folks, so no big setup for the Hospitality Marketing Link Digest this week. Just a quick round-up of 6 super hotel distribution strategy posts. Enjoy:

1. A couple of interesting reports highlight how guests’ current preferences shape your distribution strategy. First, Skift says that U.S. travelers think booking direct with brands leads to better prices. They’re probably right—and if those guests aren’t right, why not? At the same time, Travel Market Report, well, reports that OTAs dominate mobile travel bookings, for now. That’s a clear opportunity for hotel marketers going forward.
2. Tnooz notes that Airbnb quietly started a pilot for listings exclusively for business travellers, which is a bit troubling. Airbnb’s moves to improve its service for all sorts of travelers are why Marketwatch says Airbnb poses long-term threat to online travel sites like Priceline. Undoubtedly true. For me, the real questions Airbnb’s rapid rise raises are “How Safe Are Independent Hotels from Airbnb?” and “Are Hotel Brands Doomed?”
3. While we’re on the topic of disruptive brands, Uber had better start watching over its shoulder given the news that Google’s Waze to start a carpooling pilot program in Israel, illustrating once again that disruption really can come from anywhere. And highlighting once again for hotel marketers that you really want to pay attention to Google’s hotel distribution plans.
4. L2 explains how luxury hotels can appeal to Millennials while Skift outlines 3 characteristics that define millennial business travelers. If you’re interested in Millennials for your business—and you should be—you’ll also want to check out the latest episode of Thinks Out Loud, which asks, “Are Millennials Really Any Different?”
5. Given all this talk about distribution strategy, be sure to take a look at the big myth about digital strategy for travel marketers. You’ll be glad you did.
6. Finally, we’ll round out this week’s link digest by recommending you check out these 15 key travel marketing posts of 2015 (so far). Good stuff.

Want more to get you through the rest of this weekend and the week ahead? Be sure to check out these “5 Quick But Cool Travel Marketing Posts,” another set of “5 Amazing Mobile Hotel Marketing Stories,” and these “8 Exceptional Hospitality Marketing Posts from the Past Week: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest,” from our hospitality marketing link digests (part of the ongoing E-commerce Link Digest series).

And if you’re looking to learn even more about how changing guest behavior shapes hospitality marketing, e-commerce, and distribution, be sure an register to receive a special report I’ve produced in conjunction with hotel marketing firm Vizergy, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World.” While it’s targeted specifically at hotel and resort marketers, the lessons apply to just about any business. You can get your free copy of the report here.

You might also want to take a moment to review the slides from my recent webinar, “Digital Marketing Directions 2015: Three Key Trends Driving Your Hotel Marketing Next Year” here:

Finally, you will definitely want to check out some of our past coverage of the mobile, local, social web and how to make it work for your business, including:

• 10 Key Posts about Millennials and Mobile: E-commerce Link Digest
• The Secrets Behind “It’s All E-commerce” for 2014
• Should Marketers Really Trust Google in 2014?
• The Zen of Digital Marketing Strategy
• 7 Steps to E-Commerce Heaven
• Today and Tomorrow: Mobile and The Changing Customer Journey
• Mobile Makes E-commerce Even More “Frictionless”
• Your 2014 Internet Marketing New Year’s Resolutions – Thinks Out Loud Episode 56