6 Amazing Travel Marketing Posts: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest

Want a great way to wrap-up the week that just passed and set yourself up for the week ahead? Then check out these 6 amazing travel marketing posts:

1. Tnooz offers up an infographic showing that Chinese travelers book over 30% of their travel via mobile. I’d expect more to come, both in China — and in the rest of the world. In fact, growth like this further underscores why it’s really time to take mobile seriously.
2. Hotel News Now published my latest piece on how to use hotel data to drive growth. And, highlighting that point, Skift offers up 6 top quotes about the power of user data from the CMO of TripAdvisor.
3. Tnooz also uncovers data that says travelers post 120 items of social media per week while on a trip. Further proof that all marketing is social for you and an excellent view of why social isn’t for interns anymore.
4. Hotel Marketing announces a new Cornell publishes eye tracking study on what drives online hotel choice. This shouldn’t come as a big surprise, but photos tend to draw lots of attention from your potential guests. The importance of images in the hotel shopping experience highlights why it’s important to decide how to share images with OTA’s. Alexandra O’Neale from Ice Portal writes on Tnooz why you should. I’m essentially inclined to agree, but with the usual caveats about balancing direct and indirect business and keeping your OTA costs under control.
5. More good stuff from Hotel Marketing on how mobile technology can transform a travelers’ experience. That applies to business travel as well. For instance, Marketing Charts outlines the important features of meeting and event apps. Interesting read.
6. Finally, I took a look at 4 tips to build your 2015 e-commerce and distribution plans in this past week’s Travel Tuesday post. You can check out the 7 Top Travel Marketing Posts for September here or the complete Travel Tuesday archive here, too, when you have a moment.

You might also enjoy past Hospitality Marketing Link Digests such as these entries on how hotel distribution is heating up and rising mobile bookings, big data, and more.

If you’re interested in learning even more about the future of hospitality e-commerce and marketing via the social, local, mobile web, register to receive a special report I’ve produced in conjunction with hotel marketing firm Vizergy, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World.” Developed specifically at hotel and resort marketers, the lessons can help your business adapt to the changing guest environment. You can get your free copy of the report here.

And, why not take a minute to review the tips from my recent presentation Digital Marketing Directions: Three Trends Shaping 2014 Hospitality Internet Marketing? I’ve presented this talk to a number of hospitality and travel-related organizations and you might find it valuable for your business, too:

Finally, you might also enjoy some of our past coverage of the social, local, mobile web and what it means for your business, including:

• Holy Crap! Mobile’s Even Bigger Than You Thought
• How to Use Emotion and Storytelling in Digital Marketing
• 4 Lessons You Need to Know from Google’s Affluent Traveler Report
• What’s the State of Hotel Reputation Management?
• 10 Essential Lessons Learned From HSMAI’s Digital Marketing Strategy Conference
• What in the World are Priceline and TripAdvisor Up To?
• It’s Time You Take Mobile Seriously. Here’s Why
• What Expedia’s Leaders Can Teach You About Digital Strategy
• The 4 Rules of Social Marketing for Hotel Marketers