Hotel Distribution is Heating Up: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest

Loads of links for you in this week’s Hospitality Marketing Link Digest, Big Thinkers, with a key focus on how the world of hotel distribution is heating up. Let’s get right to ’em.

1. Tons of news this week about where your competitors are heading. For one, Skift notes that Priceline, Expedia and Alibaba added to their mammoth acquisition war chests while eMarketer suggests that for Airbnb and HomeAway, plenty of room is available for expansion. And if you’re wondering, “What Are Google’s Plans for Hotel Distribution?” I took a look the other day. You probably should too.
2. Of course, TripAdvisor isn’t standing still as its competitors make changes. Travolution reports that restaurant bookings on TripAdvisor go live after Lafourchette buyout. That mirrors closely these thoughts about what Priceline and TripAdvisor are up to.
3. TripAdvisor, Priceline, Expedia and the others aren’t the only folks making major changes. TechCrunch reports that HotelTonight pivots beyond same-day booking as competition heats up. Tnooz as a detailed Q&A with HotelTonight’s CEO, Sam Shank, on its shift to same-week booking that’s worth your time.
4. For a sense of why HotelTonight has shifted its focus, Skift details TripAdvisor’s latest survey that shows psychology behind U.S. Travelers. Good stuff.
5. Shifting gears, The New York Times offers an alternate look at the benefit of review sites such as TripAdvisor, noting how hotels use online reviews as blueprint for renovations. Great advice if you’re looking at renovations next year.
6. Continuing with the reviews theme, Tnooz uncovers price, reviews, ratings and the business traveler: hotel pricing in a social world. Great read.
7. Hotel News Now looks at the fact that emotions, not logic, dictate repeat stays. I’ve talked about how to use emotion and storytelling in digital marketing. Good to see this topic getting more coverage as we head into next year.
8. Finally, as you prepare for next year, you might want to check out these six emerging travel industry marketing trends that MarketingWeek.co.uk has rounded-up.

While we’re talking about trends, you may also want to review recent hospitality link digests such as “Rising Mobile Bookings, Big Data, and More: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest” and these “6 Great Hotel Marketing Reads: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest,” as well as the tips in 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