Alaska Hotel & Lodging Association                           

November 2011

 Mobile Marketing

Hotels Make Advancements in Mobile Marketing

There's good news for hotels looking to attract the eye of business professionals: a new study by Sabre Travel Network shows that the technology and advancements hotels are investing in are paying off when it comes to business bookings. The findings show that business travelers want to receive location-specific offers at their destinations, and many of them want to use their mobile devices to find and book hotels. The bottom line: investing in mobile marketing is your key to booking business travelers.

Here are some of the findings:

• 72 percent of business travelers are interested in the ability to view hotels on a map using their mobile devices, an increase of 26 percent from 2009.
• 47 percent of business travelers use their Smartphone daily to view or receive advertisements, a 95 percent increase from 2009.
• 66 percent of respondents reported interest in the ability to add a hotel reservation to an existing itinerary using their mobile devices

Jessika Lynch, a hotel marketer with Sabre Hospitality Solutions, suggests the following to ensure your hotel is up-to-speed in mobile marketing initiatives:

• Make sure your hotel has a mobile website and booking functionality for on-the-go travelers. While your website and even booking engine may currently show up on a mobile device, if they haven't been specifically designed with the mobile audience in mind, the experience can become frustrating.
• Use mobile websites and technology as a one-off to other promotions. Offer exclusive discounts to those booking through your mobile site.
• Take advantage of SMS/Text message marketing programs. Guest can opt-in and receive messages pre- post- and during their stays at your property.
• Work with location-specific sites, like Facebook and Foursquare, to allow your guests to check-in and make comments. Participate in the free marketing programs that many of these sites offer such as adding links to your website and other social media accounts, uploading pictures or offering check-in deals and specials.
• Optimize your location for mapping and mobile search and encourage users to write reviews of your business on Google Places. An advantage there is that if you have a strong optimization strategy in place for the web search version of Google Places, you will also position well in mobile search.

Mobile marketing is only one piece of an essential marketing campaign that will cater to a variety of travelers, including business travelers. But remember, mobile devices are constantly changing, evolving and upgrading, so it's essential you stay up to date, too.

NLRB Postpones Employee Rights Poster  

Deadline Delayed, Congressional Bill Introduced 

Following lawsuits filed by AH&LA through the Coalition for Democratic Workplace and several other organizations, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has postponed the Notification of Employee Rights requirement until January 31, 2012, from the initial date of November 14, 2011.

As of January 31, 2012, the NLRB will require employers to post a notice of employees' rights to unionize, according to the final rule on Notification of Employee Rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) issued by the NLRB.

A breakdown of the NLRB Poster Rule, including direction on what hoteliers need to do in advance of the deadline, can be found on AH&LA's Website. 

Next Steps: 

AH&LA has been working with Members of Congress to explain the dangerous implications of the recent NLRB decisions.  In response, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) introduced the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act which would ensure that employers have a voice and are employees are able to participate in a fair union election process. Specifically, the bill:

• Ensures employers are able to participate in a fair union election process. The legislation provides employers at least 14 days to prepare their case to present before a NLRB election officer and an opportunity to raise additional concerns throughout the election hearing.

• Guarantees workers have the ability to make a fully informed decision in a union election. No union election will be held in less than 35 days, giving workers a chance to hear both sides of the debate. Important issues that can determine how a worker votes will be decided before ballots are cast.

• Reinstates the traditional standard for determining which employees will vote in the union election, restoring a standard that was developed through years of careful consideration and Congressional guidance.
     
• Protects workers' privacy by empowering workers to choose the type of personal contact information that is provided to the union.

 For more information, visit CDW's Website

From the Front Desk

2011 Government Relations Raffle Drawing Winners!!!

$2500 - Sylvia Harris

$1000 - Gary Pohl

$500 - David DeRoberts

$500 - Barbara Thaman

$500 - Gideon Garcia

Thank you to the Alaska Hotel & Lodging Association's Raffle Committee and our Board of Directors for their hard work in this years raffle.   

Thank you to all who purchased raffle tickets in support of the hospitality industry!

Events

AkH&LA Stars of the Industry-

*Deadline Postponed Until Monday November 7th!*

Contact our office at 272-1229 for a nomination form, or download a form from our website www.akhla.org

Don't miss out on this opportunity!

AH&LA 2011 Fall Conference

Held in conjunction with the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show
November 11-15, 2011
New York, New York

 
As 30,000 hospitality professionals arrive at the world's largest tradeshow, share insight, exchange strategies, and network with an exclusive mix of hotel owners and general managers.

Come to the AH&LA Fall Conference and join preeminent industry leaders for the:

· AH&LA Welcome Reception
· Hospitality Leadership Forum
· HotelPAC Reception and Auction
· AH&LA Board of Directors meeting
· AH&LA Inaugural Gala honoring Incoming Chair Nancy Johnson, CHA, executive vice president and chief development officer, Americas, Carlson Hotels Worldwide
· Committee meetings 

Membership Spotlight

 Frontier Paper

Frontier Paper is a locally owned Alaskan company established in Anchorage in 1981. This November marks our 30th year as a supplier in our community. We have seen many changes throughout the past 30 years in Alaska. The growth in the hospitality industry has been among the most significant and exciting of those changes.

We are a supplier of disposables and sundry items for the hospitality industry, paper and packaging items, janitorial equipment and supplies as well as food service disposables and seafood packaging.

We are very happy with the move to our new location in November of 2010; a beautiful and modern warehouse facility at 915 E. 82nd Ave.   From this new location we are able to provide the most efficient deliveries and easier will-call service for our local customers. Please stop by and say hello if you have not yet had the chance.

Frontier Paper was honored to receive the supplier of the year award at the 2011 Stars of the Industry Gala. This is the second time we have received this distinction and we are very grateful to have had the chance to earn our way into the community that is the Alaskan hospitality industry. It is truly our privilege to be of service to you all. 

Education

Information Center

For more details, visit AH&LA's Website.

For questions, please contact AH&LA Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs Kevin Maher at kmaher@ahla.com or (202) 289-3147.

Looking for more?  The AH&LA Information Center has a variety of articles and resources covering every area of a lodging property.  Contact Tamika Figgs, research manager, at (888) 743-2515 or tfiggs@ahla.com to have resources sent to you or your members.