The Significance of Sustainability in Hospitality

sustainability

 

For the past two decades, a giant digital display in Manhattan’s Union Square has clocked the accumulation of days, hours, minutes and seconds for the thousands of New Yorkers who hurry past it each day. Now, for the first time, it’s counting down. Revealing just how little time we have left to tackle the climate crisis before the planet is past a tipping point of irreversible change. Currently, that number is 7 years, 98 days, 15 hours… and counting. One of the largest areas of concern in sustainability is the hospitality industry. Hotels currently create over 1.9 billion pounds of waste each year. How is your hotel reducing its carbon footprint? For a few ideas, keep diving into this article.

Evaluating Energy Usage

A clear understanding of energy usage allows leaders to identify areas for improvement. What location of your hotel is using the most energy? Are there ways to reduce energy use in that area without negatively affecting guest experience? Additionally, leaders can routinely evaluate their energy use, seeking out energy-saving practices like having smart thermostat technology in each room that allows guests to customize temperatures. Recycling options in guest rooms also enable guests to maintain their green habits while away from home to improve efficiency and ultimately cut costs.

 

Hospitality leaders can incorporate current trends into their sustainability strategies, such as:

  • Eliminating single-use plastic
  • Creating paperless environments
  • Sourcing from sustainable suppliers
  • Purchasing green cleaning supplies
  • Developing recycling programs

Educating the Importance of Sustainability to Employees

Every aspect of a business can adopt practices that take sustainability into account, considering water and waste management, the use of organic products that do not contain harmful chemicals, and reuse and recycling. In this way, sustainability can become a part of an organization’s culture. Letting employees be a part of the movement is a great way to make them feel more included and boost their overall opinion of sustainability, making your company greener. These behaviors can range from turning off lights to changing the settings on washing machines and adjusting thermostats appropriately.

Long-term Financial Benefits

The federal government, along with states and some local governments, have enacted several programs to promote “green” business. Using renewable energy, reducing waste and implementing measures that enable reuse and recycling can add up to more than just energy conservation. Incentive programs reward businesses with tax write-offs, discounted insurance premiums, financial grants and faster regulatory permitting. In addition, innovative environmentally friendly technology can result in long-term cost savings. Though sustainable practices can require initial spending, the combined effects of energy efficiency and waste reduction lead to spending less money in the long run.

 

Contact us for ideas on how your hotel can implement digital applications in rooms, restaurants and collaborative spaces. For more tips and tricks for navigating the current hospitality trends, join our mailing list!

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4 Effective Strategies for Promoting Staycations

promoting staycations

 

As travel slowly starts to pick back up across the United States, one trend has emerged loud and clear: staycations. With COVID-19 leaving many still uneasy about traveling, families and couples are opting for the less-risky, yet still fun, mini vacation in their home state or city. What’s this mean for hotels? Your main source of revenue over the next couple of months (maybe even a year) may very well be coming from locals and nearby roadtrippers.

Audit Your Local SEO Performance

When done right, search engine optimization (SEO) can be one of the most useful tools for driving local traffic to your hotel. Take a quick audit of your existing SEO by looking at these four things:

  • Google My Business: make sure your listing is up-to-date and accurate; if you don’t have a listing, we can help
  • Name, Address, Phone Number: check that your NAP is consistent anywhere it’s mentioned – your website social media, etc.
  • Structured Citations: make sure your property has a listing on reference sites like Yelp
  • Reviews: encourage guests, in-person and online, to leave reviews after their stay; more reviews means more recognition

Want us to audit your SEO health for you? Contact our Director of Business Development, Jake, for a quote.

Take Advantage of Social Media

Social media marketing is a relatively inexpensive promotional outlet – perfect for properties working with slashed budgets. Reach staycation-ers in the area by running strategic ads targeted to those living within a specific radius of your hotel. Boost your timeline posts to specially curated local audiences. Push special discount codes (skip further down for staycation packages) through social or even promote daily restaurant deals. With social media, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to see a decent return.

Promote Meeting Space as a WFH Alternative

Over the last few months, millions of Americans have been uprooted from their traditional offices and likely re-planted at their dining room tables. Capture the attention of locals still working from home by offering a quiet, productive alternative workspace – your hotel. Emphasize amenities like in-room desks, fast Wi-Fi and ample conference space to seal the deal. Your rooms and meeting space could also be the perfect place to host home-schooling a few days a week.

Design Special Staycation Packages

Many hotels, maybe even your property, are turning towards custom staycation packages and special discounts to locals. At Inn at East Beach, you’ll see the California Resident Offer front and center on the Offers page of their site, a room rate discount, free parking and WiFi. Other brands like Mandarin Oriental have totally folded staycation packages into their re-opening strategies. Once you’ve curated the perfect staycation package, reach out and we’ll help you promote it. Think: digital advertising, strategic social media posts and even the tried-and-true direct mail campaign. Whatever your budget allows, we’ll work with you to get the most out of your staycation strategy.

These are just a few ways to target staycation-ers this year. Ready to start planning your marketing strategy? Give us a call or shoot us an email to set up a *virtual* coffee date with our Director of Business Development, Jake VanDerkar.

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How to Communicate Safety and Cleanliness to Potential Guests (Without Spending A Lot of Money)

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In this new world we’re living in, the “build a hotel and they will come” plan unfortunately no longer works (did it ever really, though?). If your property has reopened or plans to reopen soon, it’s time to promote two amenities all guests expect to see – cleanliness and safety. Skim below for a few communication and promotion strategies.

Jam-Packed Events Are a Thing of the Past

Now isn’t the time to boast about a venue that can hold massive gatherings – crowded indoor spaces are the last thing businesses and potential guests want to hear during pandemic. Instead, emphasize your open-air outdoor event space (if you have it) and flexible seating arrangements that allow for optimal social distancing. Pay attention to the distance between chairs in photos and consider adjusting your old capacity chart numbers, especially on digital marketing materials, to reflect new distancing guidelines. Another pro tip: maintain positive relationships with your guests (they could be repeat visitors) by offering relaxed cancellation policies.

Keep Things Contactless

The more ways you can reduce or completely eliminate contact between guests and hotel staff, the better. Motion sensor sanitizing stations throughout your lobby make it easy for guests to keep clean without handling bottles or nozzles. Contactless check-in, an option that’s available at over 4,700 Hilton properties right now, allow guests to use their phones to book and enter their rooms (no more long front desk line).

Clean Touchpoints, Then Mark Them

Regularly cleaning commonly touched surfaces throughout your hotel and guest rooms is a no-brainer, but make sure it’s obvious to your guests. Place small table tents on counters, hang signs on doors and cover remotes with messages that indicate the space has been freshly cleaned prior to guests’ arrival. Small notes like these give guests peace of mind while staying at your hotel. If you’re in need of signage like this, send us an email. Regularly cleaned touchpoints can also be communicated to guests before they even arrive, with messages on your website or callouts added to your floor plans.

Overshare Details

In a COVID world, TMI is a good thing. Let potential guests know that you care about their health and wellbeing by sharing, then sharing again, your new cleaning policies and procedures. There’s hand sanitizer stations in the lobby? Take photos and post them on Instagram. Chairs are spaced six feet apart in all meeting spaces? Indicate that in your meeting planner guides. Surfaces are cleaned every hour? Design signs and post them on-property for all to see. Brands that are open about their adjusted procedures are the ones that will survive, and hopefully thrive, in this pandemic. Let us help you share your new procedures.

While most things have been uncertain during this pandemic, one thing isn’t: marketing is still necessary. Keep your potential guests in mind as you develop new messaging and materials that position your property as both safe and clean. Have questions about anything mentioned above? Reach out to our Director of Business Development, Jake VanDerkar.

 

6 Hotel Comforts You Can Have Right At Home

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Even if your trips and travels have been cancelled this summer, you can still enjoy the best parts of a hotel stay right in the comfort of your own home! Think: plush pillows, welcoming smells reminiscent of a swanky lobby and cozy robes ready to become your new WFH attire (we won’t judge). Here are six hotel amenities that can be ordered straight to your door.

Ritz Carlton Signature Scents

Believe it or not, many hotels have their own signature blend of scents circulating throughout their lobbies, rooms and spas. Why? Out of all senses, smell is the only one that creates an immediate emotional reaction. And brands like Ritz Carlton have capitalized on this special marketing tool by not only spraying it on property, but also manufacturing and selling it to all wistful hotel-goers. Purchase the Ritz Carlton scent as a perfume, room spray, candle, you-name-it.

Edition Bath and Body Set

Infused with their signature black tea scent, the exclusive Edition Hotel shampoo, shower gel, hand soap and lotion allow you to start and end your days in luxury. Check out the entire Edition Bath and Body Set.

Luxury Collection Spa Day

Treat yourself to a spa day or two in the comfort of your own bathroom with Luxury Collection’s lotions, face washes, plush towels, robes and slippers. It’s the next best thing to the real deal – trust us.

St. Regis Sleep Sets

St. Regis may have found a way to make sleeping with the dogs, kids and snoring husband a *little* more pleasant. Enter: St. Regis Bed. Visit their website to shop the St. Regis signature bed and bedding set used in their hotels.

Renaissance Décor

Ever wonder where Renaissance Hotels get their trendy looking stools? Well now you can get them delivered straight to your kitchen counter.

Marriott Pillows

Nothing quite matches the feel of resting your head on a freshly fluffed hotel pillow after a long day of traveling. And thanks to Marriott, you can recreate the sensation in your own bedroom. Shop Marriott pillows here.

What’s Happening In The Hospitality Industry?

What's Happening In The Hospitality Industry?

 

What’s happening at work, a state over, on the other side of town? What’s happening in the hospitality industry, with travel, or the global economy? What’s happening in my next Zoom, with my neighbors, or my houseplants? We can’t answer these questions for you, well with the exception of the houseplants – they’re growing! As will many other things that are now taking on a new shape and growing amid uncertainty.

How Are Hotels Adjusting To New SOPs?

Hoteliers are racing to clean up their practices and sharing them with the public. Major brands, associations and destinations have announced new standard operating procedures that will change industry norms, behaviors and standards. Check out these hoteliers leading the charge. Global Hotel Cleaning Standards>>

Are Hotels Promoting Leisure Travel?

Hoteliers are getting creative with their service offerings. Cherry Valley Hotel, located outside of Columbus, Ohio, is currently running a “Productive Office Day” promotion. This would allow those struggling to get office work done at home or those that need a change of scenery a place to go. Cherry Valley Hotel >>

Will I Enjoy a Mandarin Oriental Cocktail or Ritz-Carlton Entrée Again?

We believe “yes!” In the meantime Virtuoso compiled a few recipes, so we can all cook and cocktail our way around the world from home. Try favorites like Italian Meatball and Sauce, a freshing Gazpacho with Tomato-Cucumber Relish or Ginger Cake for something new. View Recipes >>

What’s It Look Like This Week for a Luxury Hotel GM?

Luxury Travel Advisor shares photos and snippets of life at seven properties according to their General Managers on-site. While using downtime to implement new processes and sustainability programs it’s awfully quiet. GM Check In >>