Volunteer Support is Key to Winter Games’ Success

March 2014 will long be remembered as a significant month in Fairbanks history, when more than 2,000 athletes, coaches and cultural delegates from nine contingents around the circumpolar north arrive in our community for eight days of athletic competition, cultural exhibition, and social interaction.

That’s when the Golden Heart City will proudly host the 2014 Arctic Winter Games. It’s hard to believe, but this event, which has been years in preparation and planning, is now less than 100 days away.

That’s not the most significant number though. The number that we are really focusing in on — and the number that we hope people in Fairbanks focus in on — is “2,500.” That is how many volunteers are needed to make the 2014 Arctic Winter Games a success.

A big number, yes, but if any community is capable of pulling it off, it’s Fairbanks. As a relatively new member of this community, I have been blown away by the energy and collaborative spirit that runs from the far corners of the borough, and comes together to make our northern home such a vibrant place to live and play.

We humbly invite you to share this enthusiasm for your community as a volunteer with the Fairbanks 2014 Arctic Winter Games. We are pleased to share that we have already seen tremendous support and enthusiasm for the games. Hundreds of people have already put in thousands of hours to organize these eight incredible days in March, but we still need you.

Whatever your interests, skills or availability may be, we can find a volunteer position for you. Volunteers are needed to help in numerous areas to include ceremony and event support, marketing and public relations, transportation, hospitality, security, scorekeeping, ticketing, food services and much more.

Volunteering comes with several benefits. Those who volunteered for the games in Fairbanks in 1982 and 1988 still rave about their experience today. People who volunteer for the 2014 games are getting a chance to be involved in something that Fairbanks won’t likely see again for another 20 or more years.

A big benefit comes from getting to meet and interact with the thousands of people coming to Fairbanks, in particular the international attendees. It’s an international spring break experience without having to leave home.

As a further enticement, volunteers who commit to 12 hours or more during the games receive an exclusive volunteer uniform to include a jacket and a shirt, a commemorative volunteer pin and an invitation to attend the post-games recognition party.

We’re also pleased to create Youth Volunteer (15-17) and Youth Champion (10-14) programs so that young people in the community get a chance to be a part of this historic event. And we encourage you to share the volunteer experience with your friends and co-workers through our Group Volunteer Program, which allows businesses, organizations and teams of 10 or more to volunteer together.

The Arctic Winter Games are a high-profile and multi-faceted event, which means that volunteering does require a small amount of paperwork and training (all games volunteers need to complete the online volunteer registration form at the link below by Dec. 31), but your time spent in this initial process directly results in a more positive volunteer experience for all.

Source: http://www.newsminer.com

Jin Jiang International Hotels Awarded For “Best Global Communications” By Pr Newswire

Jin Jiang International Hotels was honored with an award for “Best Global Communications” during the PRNA 2013 Summit held in Beijing by PR Newswire Asia, a renowned, premier global provider of multimedia platforms, providing commercial news distribution services across a large worldwide network. The event was attended by a number of key executives from the world of marketing and communications.

Jin Jiang International Hotels was acknowledged as an organization that has established a positive brand image through the consistent application of best practices for delivering news and marketing communications content abroad, and reaching full coverage through the broader targeting in countries and regions outside of China.

On receiving the award, Cinn Tan, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales stated, “I would like to congratulate my hardworking and dedicated marketing and communications teams at Jin Jiang International Hotels, who all greatly contributed to the winning of this prestigious communications award. This is the first time we have been awarded by this renowned global communications organization and we are all very proud. We are thrilled to see that all our hard work and efforts in bringing more exposure for our homegrown Chinese brand to the international markets, and improving our overall brand image abroad have been so positively acknowledged, particularly as there are no Jin Jiang branded hotels outside of China just yet.”

This year has been a successful one for Jin Jiang International Hotels, who have already been honored and recognized with a number of prestigious awards. This award underlines the company’s strong position as a leading national hotel brand in China, and highlights its continued commitment to working towards the building of a brand that is known both within China and internationally.

Source: http://www.einnews.com

Accor Chooses Kenshoo for Social Marketing and Attribution Modelling

Hotel group Accor has signed a new deal with digital marketing agency Kenshoo to manage its social media advertising globally.

The extended agreement will also see Accor adopt Kenshoo SmartPath for dynamic conversion attribution modelling.

This analyses the contribution of different digital marketing channels on hotel bookings so the firm can optimise advertising spend.

Accor brands include Ibis, Novotel, Mercure, Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Adagio and HotelF1, and it operates over 3,500 hotels in 92 countries.

The company already uses Kenshoo Search for managing global paid search advertising campaigns and claims to have seen an increase of 149% in revenues year on year.

Daniel Morgan, head of search engine marketing at Accor, said: “We’ve been using Kenshoo Search since 2011 and have seen impressive results and massive increases in revenues.

“We’ve been optimising paid search spend using a combination of our own and Kenshoo’s attribution tracking technology, which gave us interesting insights, such as the fact that people who’ve viewed our ads are also more likely to go on and book hotel rooms when they subsequently see Accor in emails, maps, or on affiliate sites.

“We’re now starting to use Kenshoo Social to manage social ad campaigns and Kenshoo SmartPath to help us optimise our digital marketing spend even better by accounting for how different channels like search, social, and email influence bookings.”

Morgan added: “Tracking the effect of our social advertising – whether it directly or indirectly results in bookings – in combination with other channels such as search and email is extremely important to us.

“Kenshoo Social, in combination with Kenshoo SmartPath, will give us an accurate way of doing this and making best use of our spend.”

Yossi Synett, director of analytics at Kenshoo, said: “Kenshoo SmartPath gives Accor a high level of accuracy in the way it measures the impact of different interactions when somebody books a hotel room through a cross-channel conversion path.

“For example, our sophisticated mathematical modelling process takes account of issues such as customer loyalty – has the user already stayed at an Accor hotel and does this affect the value assigned to a search or social ad when they book again?

“Another factor is causality – does someone click on an Accor search ad because they have already viewed a Facebook ad and, if so, how does this reflect on the value to be assigned to these interactions if it leads to a hotel booking? SmartPath answers these questions in real-time and Kenshoo updates bids accordingly.”

Rob Coyne, Kenshoo EMEA managing director, added: “It’s very satisfying when customers such as Accor are driven to invest further in Kenshoo technology after seeing real benefits from the products they are already using.

“It shows the value we’re continuing to deliver and is a testament to our focus on client excellence. Accor is quite an innovative company and Dan and his team are highly-regarded partners helping drive the Kenshoo platform forward.”

Source: www.travolution.co.uk

New Library Hotel Collection Websites by WIHP Win Bronze Adrian Award

Last year, in June, HKHotels set out to rebrand Library Hotel Collection, a brand repositioning move in anticipation of two new properties that will open in the next three years. The boutique hotel group has also aligned its corporate identity to reflect the change, including logo, and web identity.

To convey their novel approach to hospitality, Library Hotel Collection have employed hotel marketing agency WIHP to redesign the websites for the group and its four existing hotels: Moroccan-themed Casablanca Hotel; the iconic Library Hotel at Madison and East 41st Street in New York, which inspired the new name of the group; romantic retreat Hotel Elysee; and the urban, sophisticated Hotel Giraffe at Park Avenue South.

All websites were built on WIHP’s Convert, an industry-acclaimed content management and website building platform that features streamlined navigation; state-of-the-art, high-definition image galleries; and user-centric design. WIHP developed a solution that integrates engaging content while keeping the user experience intuitive, in an eye-catching presentation that increased direct bookings. WIHP also improved organic traffic using a high emotional impact site containing mainly large high-res visuals, but also integrated ROI-boosting SEO elements.

Over 1,200 entries were submitted this year to the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards. The new Library Hotel Collection websites designed by WIHP were deemed to be exceptional by experts in hospitality, travel, tourism and media. The hotel collection received Bronze, and will be honored at the HSMAI Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala on Monday, February 24, 2014 at the New York Marriot Marquis.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com

Digital Marketing Conference Announces New Sponsors, Pricing Structure

Online Revealed, Canada’s premiere tourism digital marketing conference, announced today the first set of sponsors attending the 2014 conference in Toronto, ON. New sponsors include Travelweek, Canadian Lodging News, Western and Eastern Hotelier, La-Z- Boy Canada and The Mind Refinery. This year’s event will be held April 7-9 2014 in Toronto.

“We are delighted to announce our media sponsors and are thrilled that La-Z-Boy Canada is sponsoring the after hours networking venue, ‘The La-Z-Boy lounge’. In addition, we are close to announcing a number of other sponsors including some exciting new companies joining the Online Revealed Community for the first time!” stated Patricia Brusha, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Online Revealed.

Since its inception in 2005, Online Revealed Canadahas quickly become the premiere digital marketing conference in Canada, dedicated to the education and networking of industry professionals and students alike. Registration is now open with the Online Revealed “Best Rate Guarantee”, offering one low pricing structure to allow for various budgetary needs.

The new pricing structure provides one low price with further discounts available for multiple registrations. Regular pricing is set at $699.00, with additional discounts for groups up to four people. By registering up to four people, registrants can now receive $25.00 off each person and a fifth attendee for free of charge. To sweeten the deal, registrants who enroll by December 31st, 2013 will be entered to win an iPad mini.

The ninth Annual Online Revealed Canada Conference, produced by Patricia Brusha and Alicia Whalen of A Couple of Chicks Digital Tourism Marketing, attracts over 350 delegates in the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry. This year’s event will include destination marketing organizations, tourism operators, hoteliers, travel agencies, attractions, media and marketing agencies, programmers, designers and tourism suppliers and encompasses digital marketing, social media, SEO and e-commerce strategies and provides networking and mentoring opportunities.

Source: http://www.prweb.com

Goa Named “Best Leisure Destination”

Conde Nast Traveller, India has declared Goa as the winner of the ‘Best Leisure Destination’ at the Readers’ Travel Awards 2013. The results were announced on Thursday via social media. This is the second time in a row that Goa has won the award, as per a release.

Nikhil Desai, Director Tourism, Government of Goa and Managing Director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), said, “Every Goan is warm and welcoming and this has been our biggest strength. The fact that these awards have been endorsed by readers, who are or have been tourists in Goa, adds credibility to the fact that our state continues to be the destination of choice for travelers in and out of India. We, the Goa Tourism department, realise that with the honour of this award also comes a big responsibility of keeping Goa safe and secure for everyone. The Tourism Department is upgrading facilities, infrastructure and services in the state for the benefit of tourists and residents. We are conscious of the fact that this is the second time we have won this award and will strive to raise the bar higher each year. Our aim is to see Goa continue to being fun-filled destination that attracts visitors from all over the world.”

Meanwhile, Goa Tourism Department is geared up to introduce better facilities and ensure that tourists have an unforgettable experience in the state. The upcoming Feast of St. Francis Xavier will be celebrated at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa on December 3, 2013. This major feast draws large number of devotees from all over the world. The body of Saint Francis Xavier lies in an exquisite silver casket at the Basilica and will be displayed next year during the Exposition. Christmas, one of the biggest festivals in Goa, will see a different kind of celebrations this year as Goa Tourism is planning something out-of-the-box to usher in cheer.

At the same time, Goa is going all out to ensure safety and security of tourists and residents during the peak season. Soon, women taxi drivers will be operating in the cities of Panjim, Margao, Mapusa and Vasco, for exclusive use of women passengers and families. The service is being introduced by Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) in collaboration with Green Earth Translogistic Pvt Ltd (GETPL). The coastline of Goa is under strict vigilance of coast guards to ensure the safety of each and every person visiting the beaches. The IRB personnel will be on duty 24/7 to ensure that no hindrances are caused and that travellers enjoy their stay here in Goa.

Source: http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com

Milestone Internet Marketing CEO Participates in EyeforTravel Eduational Session

Event: EyeforTravel’s Social Media & Mobile Strategies for Travel

Session: Take social media to the next level: Learn how to integrate social media across your company to boost loyalty and sales

Date: March 17, 2014

Location:
Hotel Nikko San Francisco
222 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Topics Covered:

Many brands admit that social media should not sit in a silo. For optimal results, it needs to be integrated across your company strategy, structure and communications. In this session we explore how to overcome the barriers to integration as well as how to make the most of the opportunities integration presents.

• Understand how to leverage social data across your organization
• How can social be integrated with loyalty and CRM systems to boost sales?
• What are the benefits of developing bespoke social tools in-house vs. externally?
• How can you open up your systems/improve API’s to become more able to integrate new technology?

X-Men’s ‘Wolverine’ Promotes Fukuyama as Tourism Ambassador

Even a brooding mutant malcontent prone to “beserker rages” can occasionally be a nice agreeable guy.

Moved by “the kindness of the people” in the Tomonoura bay area, actor Hugh Jackman recently sent a letter of appreciation to the Tomo-Ryoma Omotenashi-tai (The Hospitality Squad of Tomo-Ryoma) for its help in the filming of the 45-year-old Australian’s latest Hollywood blockbuster superhero film, “The Wolverine.”

Jackman, who won a Golden Globe Award in 2013 for his role as Jean Valjean in the musical “Les Miserables,” has earned international stardom for his roles in major films, including “Kate & Leopold” and his role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series.

Set in Japan, “The Wolverine” follows the story of Logan, the mysterious Canadian mutant X-Man with retractable metal claws as he fights an evil organization and falls in love with a Japanese woman named Mariko, played by model and actress Tao Okamoto.

Filming took place over three days in Fukuyama in September 2012. The Tomonoura bay area is depicted as a Nagasaki port town where Mariko’s villa is located, and the area in front of JR Fukuyama Station was used to represent the area in front of JR Osaka Station.

Filming also took place in Tomo Port in an area around the old Ota Residence–which is designated an important cultural property by the central government–and close to Enpukuji temple to shoot important scenes featuring Wolverine and Mariko. Local residents appeared as extras.

City officials said Jackman enjoyed his stay, trying out Japanese restaurants between takes and going fishing on his days off. The Hollywood star also signed autographs for fans and interacted with local people when he took a stroll around the town with his family.

Fascinated by Tomonoura, which boasts a historic landscape dating to the Edo Period (1603-1867), Jackman was happy to accept a request from the city government to serve as the Fukuyama City Tourism Ambassador. He is now in charge of promoting the city as Wolverine.

Addressed to Tomo-Ryoma, Jackman’s letter arrived in early November and opened with, “I am Wolverine, the Fukuyama City Tourism Ambassador. I was very moved by the beautiful nature and the kindness of the people in Tomonoura …”

“I’m excited to receive a letter from the world-famous Hollywood star,” said 57-year-old Tomotaka Onishi, a member of Tomo-Ryoma, who added that many tourists ask him where the film was shot.

The members of Tomo-Ryoma are also noted for dressing in period costumes depicting Sakamoto Ryoma (1836-1867), a visionary who helped topple the Tokugawa Shogunate.

“Together, let’s tell all of Japan about our wonderful city!” Jackman wrote in closing. He then signed the letter “Wolverine” and added three of Wolverine’s claw marks.

Source: http://ajw.asahi.com

IHG to Focus on India Market

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) will focus on India in the next decade with a target of 150 hotels, the majority of them in the mid-scale business hotels category in Tier-II cities across the country stated a report in Business Standard.

With the hotel market flattening out in China after the initial boom, IHG is seeing a huge potential in India among all the emerging global markets.

“India will witness the fatest growing demand in the next 20 years. We are building a platform for the future. In the hotel industry, there is a slowdown in China and the United States. With a huge young population and a fast growing middle-class, India has big potential,” Douglas Martell, Vice President-Operations (Southwest Asia),  IHG, said.

“The middle class is getting richer here and the country is definitely in our priority market. China is flattening out in this sector,” Martell, who was based in China for five years before moving to India, said.
The IHG has international brands like Inter-Continental Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express.

“By 2030, IHG is looking at becoming the number one in the mid-scale (Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express) and among the top three in the upscale (Intercontinental) category. Here, we are not putting in investments for immediate returns,” Martell said.

The IHG manages 4,653 hotels worldwide under various brands offering over 679,050 rooms. It has nearly 75 million loyalty members globally. In the past 11 years, IHG has opened 2,222 Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide. All hotels are only managed by IHG and are owned by local investors in the concerned countries.

The focus on hotels in India is primarily looking at the growing domestic market. “Earlier, 80 percent of the guests used to be foreigners. Now, the trend has reversed and 80 percent of our guests are domestic,” Martell explained.
“The demand for midscale hotels will continue to grow as the middle class looks for better stay facilities,” Gopal Rao, Regional Vice President, Sales and Marketing, IHG said.

The IHG has opened a Holiday Inn in Amritsar recently and is staring a Holiday Inn Express in Chennai next month. Its Holiday Inn hotel in New Delhi’s Aerocity is likely to be opened within two months. It has also opened a Crowne Plaza in Greater Noida.

The growth of hotels in India, according to Martell, is hindered by the hurdles created in getting licences and permits. “In China, is takes three years to start a new hotel. In India this takes up to seven years and leads to cost over-runs,” Martell pointed out.

To cater to the demands of the domestic guests, IHG is introducing certain services and facilities in India.

“One of the Holiday Inn Express here is going to be fully vegetarian keeping in view the local demands,” Martell said.

For its luxury brand, IHG is exploring possibilities in Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru, Martell said.

Source: http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com

More Hotels Rent Pop-up Office, Work Spaces

These days, it’s as easy to book office space at hotels as it is to book a room.

A number of hotels are making use of unused space by renting it to travelers or even locals looking for places to work. Like pop-up restaurants before them, “pop-up offices” are now becoming more common in the hospitality industry.

Hotels are reacting to, and capitalizing on, changing habits of today’s workers, who are increasingly deciding for themselves where and how they’re going to work. Hotels are especially trying to appeal to travelers in their 20s and 30s —Millennials and a number of Generation Xers — who have a unique style of working.

“Not everyone is going to an office, 9 to 5. People are on the road,” says Jenny Hsieh, vice president of insight, strategy and innovation for Marriott International. “These next-generation professionals, they grew up working in Starbucks, Panera, libraries, working outside. So sometimes, they are most creative, most effective in non-traditional environ-ments.”

Marriott’s Workspace on Demand program, at more than 200 properties, is a collaboration with LiquidSpace, a mobile/Web app that connects people to spaces to work and meet. Log onto WorkspaceOnDemand.marriott.com or onto a mobile app to book spaces.

The Hotel 1000 in Seattle offers travelers and telecommuters pop-up offices in meeting rooms or private-function spaces that would otherwise be empty. From Monday to Friday, the hotel announces on its Facebook and Twitter pages and at hotel1000seattle.com/meetings-events/pop-up-office which spaces are available and for how much.

Rather than open windowless conference rooms to workers, a number of hotels are making livelier spaces or outdoor areas available.

The Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort in Florida, for instance, has a tiki hut that workers can use. The Marriott Marquis in Atlanta has a 49th floor space with an expansive view of the city. At Topaz Hotel in Wasington, D.C., workers can reserve the Moroccan-themed Zen Den toward the back of the bar for meetings. At the Delano Hotel South Beach and Mondrian South Beach in Miami, people can book poolside cabanas. The cabanas have been outfitted with Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and, upon request, wireless printing.

“Prople are looking for a communal feel, and it’s an interesting space,” says JP Oliver, regional vice president of Miami for Morgans Hotel Group and general manager of the Delano. “In this kind of setting, you’re engaged in the process. ‘I love this setting, I love this company.’ You’re excited about it. You’re taking it back to the field.”

Companies are also increasingly looking to move some of their meetings outside of their offices. Many have downsized in recent years and have limited office space.

In a survey of 600 meeting planners released by Hilton Worldwide last week, 63% said meetings outside the office are more productive, and 87% said meeting at hotels vs. other locations had the benefit of a “relaxed” environment. Hilton launched a Meetings Simplified program that makes it easier to book meeting space for groups of 20 or fewer.

Maryam Wehe, senior vice president at Applied Predictive Technologies, a hotel software and consulting firm, says the pop-up offices have the potential to generate revenue. Many spaces are near the hotel bar or restaurant, which could mean more food and beverage sales, she says. “The convenience of this offering may also have an impact on repeat bookings, as this service can be a differentiator for the hotel brand.”

Renting a pool cabana at the Delano can cost between $1,500 and $5,000, and can fit an average of 35 people, Oliver says.

Many spaces that Marriott offers are free if they’re in the lobby. Private rooms can go from as low $16 an hour to as high as $277 an hour for a large seminar room. The average cost is $75 an hour, with free Wi-Fi.

At Seattle’s Hotel 1000, prices range from $15 to $35 a day depending on whether you include refreshments, parking and lunch. Wi-Fi is free, and the hotel throws in perks such as 15% off spa treatments and 15% off meals at its restaurant, Boka.

Tawny Paperd, director of sales and marketing for Hotel 1000, says that when the spa isn’t busy, massage therapists will go to the pop-up offices and give free chair massages.

“We try to make it fun,” she says. “It’s a collaborative environment. People start talking to each other.”

Dennis Alvarez, a business consultant with Chevron Global Lubricants, prefers a pop-up office at Hotel 1000 to a coffee shop or restaurant.”I feel I get more work done at the pop-up office rather than at a coffee shop due to the fact I have a quiet work space and less distractions.”

Alina Villasante, creator of Peace Love World, a Florida company that makes luxury apparel, accessories and home products for adults, kids and dogs, often uses the pool cabanas at the Delano and Mondrian South Beach to hold staff meetings.

“Ideas tend to be better when people are feeling more relaxed,” she says. “Traditional meeting rooms can feel stuffy. You never know what will give you inspiration for a new piece — a color, a flower, a piece of jewelry, a smile, a gesture, an emotion, a woman walking down the street. Being cooped up in the office doesn’t allow for your senses to be intrigued and excited.”

Source: http://www.usatoday.com