Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

A Win-Win in Houston

I'm so loving this down economy...but only because it brings out the best in so many DMOs. Yesterday, we shared the way cool video from Visit Denver that they are offering to their industry peers to use in their destinations.

Today, it's the very cool promotion that Greg Ortale and his crew at the Greater Houston CVB have developed. Houston hotels have agreed to donate $5 of the cost of a room per night to go to the hotel's charitable organization of choice.

Just think...a group booking 300 rooms for three nights would be able to generate $4,500 for charity.

From the Chronicle article : "Ortale said the program will be in place for 18 months, and he expects other hotels to join the 24 already signed up. And so they should. They get to bring much-needed new business to town and help their favorite charity at the same time — and it's tax-deductible, too. Such a deal"

Way to go Houston!

The New Normal for the Meetings Industry

One of the thought leaders I've been following recently is Jeff Hurt, Director of Education and Events for the National Association of Dental Plans. His insightful post in August regarding why conference attendees are ignoring early-bird discounts really caught my imagination. And, now, he's back with even more...

His 16 realities of how the Meetings Industry has changed...possibly forever.

It's a must read if you make your living marketing hotels, convention centers, meetings or destinations.

Smart Hotels Add...Not Slash

I know it's easy for me to opine from this not so ivory tower about an industry in which I have never directly worked. Unlike many of my peers in Destination Marketing, I didn't come through hotels. So, when I chastise innkeepers, it is with a modicum of self-doubt.

But, I do keep up with the industry's thought leaders on a daily basis. And virtually all of them (as does all the research) make the point that slashing room rate in a down economy is a recipe for disaster. Yet, I know that, when the property down the street does...it's real hard not to follow suit.

An article last week in the L.A. Times, however, should be required reading for any hotelier that is being lured to the dark side. Among the examples given in the piece that marvels at the ways hotels are battling back:

• The Hotel Erwin in Venice Beach is offering $100 towards a tattoo and a bottle of tequila with its "Ink and Stay" package.

• The Sand Diego Hard Rock Hotel is offering use of a Harley during your two-night stay.

• The Four Seasons in Beverley Hills trumps that with a free rental of a Porsche.

Smart. Very Smart.

And these hotels will bounce back much faster than the ones that drop their rates to $39.99. Of that, we can be sure...

And thanks to my friend Bill Baker for the catch.

When Will Politicians Learn?

Every action produces a reaction.

When the President takes a swipe at fat cat junkets to Las Vegas, thousands of citizens lose jobs as meeting planners cancel events in high profile destinations in a mad scramble to appear responsible. When the Vice-President said he wouldn't get on a plane for fear of catching the flu, people start canceling travel plans, putting even more jobs at risk.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is now threatening Hyatt with a State boycott of their hotels if they don't rehire housekeepers recently let go at three Boston hotels.

Yeah...that makes sense. It's unfortunate enough that Hyatt was forced to outsource these housekeeping jobs. But, they did what they had to do to avoid losses that would put even more employees at risk. It's what business does...make the hard decision.

But doesn't Patrick realize that, if he follows through on his threat, he puts even more Hyatt employees at risk?

What am I saying? Of course he doesn't. Or, more likely, he does and doesn't care.

Who is John Galt?

UPDATE From USAE: Hyatt Hotels on Friday said all housekeepers affected by August staff reductions at the three Hyatt hotels in Boston will be offered new full-time positions in the Boston market. The jobs, provided by an affiliate of United Service Companies, will match the employees’ previous Hyatt rate of pay through the end of 2010, the company said, and the Boston Hyatt hotels will extend health care coverage through March 31, 2010...

Let's Close the Visitors Center When There Are Visitors Around

I know that staffing the Visitor Center Monday through Friday from 8-5 is convenient for the DMO...but is that why we have Visitors Centers? So it's easy for us?

Twitter friend Paul Swansen reminded me of that maddening dichotomy in play at so many destinations in his recent blog post about Keystone CO.

An opportunity to be relevant...lost.

The Relationship Between GDP and Hotel Demand

In a fascinating post on the 4Hoteliers blog, JMBM's Jim Butler shares research from NYU's Bjorn Hanson that shows an uncanny symmetry between U.S. Gross Domestic Product and Hotel Room Demand. Since 1920, with very few exceptions, the two growth rates have mirrored each other.

That is...until the Year 2000. During the last recession, hotel demand dropped like a stone compared to the decline in GDP. It's done the same in this one.

Last time around, the trend boomeranged back rapidly...but began following the GDP trend line again at a decreased level. The question Butler poses is chilling. Will the recovery for hotels replicate the last recovery...or are we in a totally new paradigm with this one?

Either way, the numbers don't look good.

Content vs. Networking

It's a beautiful thing when you can achieve both at a conference (like last week's Annual Convention of Destination Marketing Association International in Atlanta). But an interesting post from meeting planner Jeff Hurt (and picked up by Sue Pelletier last week) suggests that, more and more, it's the networking that is driving attendance.

Jeff (like many meeting planners) has noticed more and more people registering at the last minute. Many of us figure that this is just our way of making sure we can still make an event, given our hectic and ever-changing schedules. But Jeff's research indicates that it's more about making sure that the people with whom we want to network will be there.

Has the Attendee List become more important than the Conference Program? It's something for planners to consider as they try to increase attendance...

Saving on Signs

I'm all for standardization in signage across a national hotel chain. Makes for better brand adoption and saves money.

Except, when the sign doesn't make any sense in the hotel in which it is installed. Like this one.

'Cause, ummm, there were only two floors in this hotel.

Thanks for the laugh, though.

Meet But Don't Tell

In an iGroup News story from last week, Phoenix CVB CEO Steve Moore tells of a recent banking convention at his Convention Center that asked him not to post their event on the reader board.

From the article: "Call it the bailout’s shhhh effect. Businesses and associations, painfully aware of the beating some companies have taken for extravagant gatherings during the financial meltdown, are starting to go incognito."

Instead...some meetings are posting their sponsor's names in hopes that attendees will find their way to the sessions that way.

Sigh...

Thanks to Greg Ruby for the TweetTip.

Turning a Negative into a Positive

Best Western has a image problem. Because of its corporate operating structure, it is more difficult for the mothership to yank the flag of an embarrassing property than with most hotel brands. Thus, the adage of "one bad apple" rings pretty true.

They've just taken their lemon (I know I'm mixing my fruits here) and made a marvelous lemonade with this video for their BusinessPlus program.

Last I checked, the video had been viewed over 21,000 times on several YouTube posts.

Thanks to Steve Hall at AdGabber for the catch.