In this video interview with Jean Francois Mourier, Founder and CEO of RevPAR Guru you will learn about page positioning and how you can optimize your conversions online using OTAs.
Jean Francois reveals that:
- OTAs should be seen as “Googles” for hotels because travel shoppers use them like search engines
- Lowering prices to get to the top [...]

The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you informed about what’s going on in the travel industry and the latest online merchandising best practices for hotels. Enjoy!
Sincerely,
The VFM Leonardo Team
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Feature Video
The Role of OTAs in the Travel Planning Process
Travel shoppers use online travel agencies (OTAs) more for research and comparison than booking. Hotels that [...]

Featuring: Chris Anderson, Assistant Professor at Cornell School of Hotel Administration
Travel shoppers use online travel agencies (OTAs) more for research and comparison than booking. Hotel listings on OTAs influence a much larger share of transactions. In fact, hotels that are listed on OTAs see increased reservations on their own sales channels (call centers, booking engines, [...]

In recent years, hoteliers have had to adjust their focus from offline to online marketing efforts, which means developing an online media strategy that works. In this video on VTV Channel, Edward Perry, Senior Director of E-Commerce at WORLDHOTELS, identifies the key components of an effective online media strategy:
-    A solid long-term business plan
-    A [...]

Robert Cole, the Founder of RockCheetah, explains that personas differ depending on the reason for the trip and what the traveler hopes to accomplish. For example, the points-junkie who always uses a certain channel to plan business trips may behave completely different when planning a family vacation or a golf weekend with friends.
Learn how to [...]

Robert Cole the Founder of RockCheetah explains that personas differ depending on the reason for the trip and what the traveler hopes to accomplish.

Chris Anderson, Assistant Professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, discusses how hoteliers can leverage sites like Priceline and Hotwire to price into the value-seeking, non-brand loyal consumer segment while maintaining higher rates at retail outlets.
In this episode, you will learn tips on getting started with opaque sites:

Start using them as soon as possible
Give [...]

Hotels are doing a better job of merchandising online they have been in the past. However, there is still room for improvement.
Hoteliers need to ensure their hotel information is not just out on the channels, but presented in the best way possible because better merchandised hotels are better positioned against their competitive set, have better [...]

This week on VTV Channel, John interviews  Chris Anderson, Assistant Professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration.
Chris Anderson shares the results of a research study “The Billboard Effect” conducted in partnership with JHM Hotels and Expedia in which four properties were cycled on and off Expedia over a period of three months.

Hotel placement on Expedia results [...]

VTV Channel will launch its second season of episodes on January 11th, beginning with Chris Anderson of Cornell University’s Cornell School of Hotel Administration speaking about “The Billboard Effect” – a report about a study conducted in partnership with JHM Hotels and Expedia in which four properties were cycled on and off Expedia over a [...]