Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Airline Cutbacks Expected to Hurt Hotels

It only makes sense. Fewer arrivals at your airport means fewer travelers looking for hotel rooms.

But PKF Hospitality has released a report that identifies a direct correlation between a reduction in airline seats to hotel stays. And, if the reduction in routes hits the anticipated 10%, PKF estimates that occupancy will drop 3.9%.

MeetingsNet's Sue Pelletier surmises that this decrease will be felt mostly in leisure travel...and not in the meetings market.

I'm not so sure...as the reduction in flights will increase fares. Add the increasingly inane add-on fees and hassle...and I'm thinking a lot of potential attendees will say, "screw it" and stay home.

In any case, hotels in air markets are in for a rocky ride. As are the DMOs upon which they depend.

This Bed Smells

When one thinks of trendy, cutting-edge, consumer-focused hotel brands, Travelodge usually doesn't make the list. Maybe that's why their most recent move is so notable. I didn't think Travelodge made moves.

But, according to Nathan Midgley at Travel Weekly, the chain is rolling out aromatherapy sheets. Among the scents designed to lull us to sleep: Baby Powder, Apple Pie and Chocolate.

Oh, and that incessant sneezing you're hearing from Room 214 next door? That's the guy that got the bed with Freshly Cut Grass sheets.

The Future of Meetings and Conventions?

When Guy Kawasaki saw this, he said "I'll Never Get on a Plane Again."

Three speakers, one in Bangladore and two in San Jose...on the same stage, interacting in real time.

Too freaking cool. And while a few conference attendees avail themselves of the opportunity to meet the speakers, let's be honest. The majority don't. So...do the speakers even need to be there? Can the Meeting Planner save on all those transportation and hotel costs by utilizing this technology?

The answer is, of course, yes.

However, given the ability for the speakers to stay home, will attendees do likewise, preferring to consume conference content online and on their schedule?  A convention and meeting version of TiVo, if you will.

True, the networking aspect of meetings suffers...but the content portion? One might say that being able to consume content online could be more effective than onsite. And, it saves us all the hassle of getting on a plane.

This should make for a wild ride....

Super 8 Keeps its Colors...and Goes Italic

At an industry conference the other day, talking with a fellow destination marketing pro, when the conversation turned to the recent attempts to rebrand legacy hotel chains. When we talked about the oh-so subtle logo change for Days Inn last year, he quipped, "Well, at least Motel 6 is sticking to their retro look."

Ummm, I guess not.

This just in from the Motel 6 mothership: "President John Valletta said introduction of the new logo was the final step in a multiyear revitalization effort...to stay ahead of the competition in an increasingly competitive market.”

As with Days Inn, the new logo was designed to exactly fit in the frame of existing roadside signs to save money on the deployment of the new look. Which is smart for the bottom line, but challenging when trying to redesign an iconic look...

No Alcohol = 2 Stars

Word from Egypt is that the owner of the five-star Grand Hyatt Cairo has banned all alcohol from the hotel.

A practicing Muslim, he apparently arrived at his hotel a couple weeks ago and ordered all alcohol onsite destroyed, in accordance with Islamic Law.

Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but think of the horror on Belushi's face when the movers dropped a case of alcohol in the classic Animal House. I'm sure several patrons at the hotel had a similar expression.

While this is clearly the prerogative of any owner...this move appears to instantly drop the hotel's 5-star rating to 2, as part of the requirements for multiple stars is the availability of alcohol.

According to the Assistant Manager, discussions with the owner are continuing. It will be interesting to see whether religion or commerce prevail.

Finally...a Hotel Nails Check-In

For years in my presentations on Customer Service, I've suggested that Hotels could eliminate the barrier of the check-in counter by moving to the same technology that rental car companies have used for years.

Imagine being greeted in the lobby and presented your keys without the obligatory line at the counter...

Finally...the soon to open Opposite House in Beijing has completely eliminated the check-in counter. And, they don't wait for guests to make it into the lobby...they greet guests at their cars and escort them to their rooms, producing keycards with a handheld unit.

So cool...

A Different View

I recently worked with a CVB Board on developing its new Strategic Plan. Smart, savvy people, all gathered for the day to debate and decide the future of their destination.

One of the issues that kept coming up was the concern that rapidly escalating hotel room rates throughout the region would hurt the destination's ability to attract a diverse visitor base. Figurative fingers were "pointed" at the hoteliers on the Board, as if they were somehow conspiring to hurt the destination.

And then, one hotel executive tossed off a one-liner that stopped me in my tracks:

"Hotels don't set room rates. The market does."

I so want to attribute this line to the man who made it. However, that would reveal the name of the destination and, thus, the competitive concern being voiced at the table. And, I just can't do that.

But, Bill? You are so dead on. And thanks for making us all think.

Clueless at the Front Desk

Checking in at a fairly upscale and significant establishment in a destination. The host CVB is handling my room charges. The front desk personnel...are clueless.

Oh, they understand their facility...and do a fabulous job communicating the pool, fitness area, lounges and restaurants. But when they ask me who is handling the room charges, they seem absolutely stumped when I say "the Convention and Visitors Bureau."

"The Conference and Better Business Bureau?" the young man stumbles.

That's just...ummm...wrong, as the CVB brings that resort a ton of business. And, while one could certainly say its the fault of the CVB that the front desk doesn't understand...I'm pretty sure it's the fault of management.

No Upgrade for You, Expedia Boy.

Author, hotel consultant and former VP of Vancouver's Opus Hotel Daniel Edward Craig recently shared the reasons that you're not getting the upgrade you're asking for at your hotel tonight.

One of them: You booked through a third-party travel site, which usually skims up to 30% of what you paid...making you a "low-rated" guest in the eyes of the hotel.

Among the other 15 reasons? You're a cheap, abusive asshole.

The full list is here.

Thanks Daniel...

Drunks on Parade

New research out of George Washington University Medical Center reveals that those who work in the Hospitality Industry suffer more than any other industry from problems related to alcohol.

15% of us drink too much, according to the study, due in part to the availability of alcohol in the workplace, lack of supervision and the average age (younger) of hospitality industry workers.

Hey, when you work in an industry in which you live-on-the-razor's-edge-laugh-in-the-face-of-death every single day, sometimes ya need to take the edge off.

However, it sounds like more and more of us are taking a little more than just the edge off...