Recap of 2010 Small Hotels Retreat Program
Download Presentations
- What is CHENACT? (.pptx - 9.2 mb)
- Choice Hotels - Guest Experience Session (.pptx - less than 1 mb)
- Maximizing - Partnering For Success (.pptx - 5.2 mb)
- Partnering For Success - Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association (.pptx - 2.2 mb)
- Revenue Management (.pptx - less than 1 mb)
- State of the Industry (.pptx - less than 1 mb)
- Sustainable Strategies - FlyingTeeth Presentation (.pdf - 2.9 mb)
- Training Essentials (.pptx - 6.4 mb)
Download Conference Press Releases
- Post Event Press Release (.pdf - less than 1 mb)
Thursday, September 9th, 2010
Friday, September 10th, 2010 - Marketing Day -
"Creating, Managing and Maximizing Demand"
The comprehensive marketing program has been developed specifically for the Small Hotels Retreat by HSMAI (Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International) with content formulated to serve the needs of owners and operators of small hotels, and will draw upon their rich vein of top quality speakers and presenters to provide a unique, hands-on, full day devoted to hotel marketing.
Creating: Conversations Matter: Global Trends In Social Media
Social media has become the single most important marketing tool for small hotels and resorts. In this hands-on session, John Fareed, partner with Fareed Zapala Koepke, will review the emerging trends and available tools, and demonstrate in real-time how hoteliers can use the latest in technology [mobile apps, digital HD video cameras, audio recorders, and editing software], to promote their properties.
Panelist: John Fareed, CHME, ISHC, Partner, Fareed Zapala Koepke
Managing: Marketing & Revenue Management Are Joined At The Hip: Strategies For Small Hotels and Resorts
Marketing and revenue management are so closely connected in today's world of marketing, especially as it relates to independent operators:
- The challenge of rate parity (for TA's, Wholesalers, et al) versus discounting rates online (e.g. last minute deals or 99 hour sales), or within email/direct mail initiatives for past guests, etc.
- Measuring the effectiveness of marketing and public relations efforts in general; there must be a coordinated effort with reservations (on and off line) and the revenue manager.
- The importance of STR reports and how marketing and the revenue manager must work together to make competitive adjustments in order to drive occupancy, ADR and RevPAR in attempt to win 'more than their fair share of market'.
Panelist: Marike Friends, Revenue Manager, Peter Island Resort & Spa, BVI
Maximizing: Partnering For Success: Making The Most Of Your Tourist Board and/or Promotion Board's Marketing Activities:
What promotional activity is your tourist board involved in and how can small hoteliers 'shirt tail' this to their advantage, and minimal expense:
- The need for relevant packaging in order to craft effective public relations campaigns, and the effects of same on the rest of the operation, especially revenue management.
- Tourist Board websites and any related booking engine activity.
- Travel Agent promotions, education/certification.
- Magazine Ads, TV Ads etc (Co-ops).
- Road shows.
- International shows: WTM, ITB etc.
- Niche marketing - Dive, Weddings, Golf, etc.
- Public Relations.
Panelists:
Senator the Honourable Allen M. Chastanet, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation
Richard Doumeng, Managing Director, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
Lisa Hamilton, President, USVI Hotel and Tourism Association
Billy Jonckheer, Director, Jonckheer Advertising & Marketing Consultants
Marketing Day - Round Table Topics
- Certification of Small Hotel Properties,the Leveling of the Playing Field and Access to More International Markets
Discussion Leader: Wendy Walker-Drakes, Caribbean Representative, Green Globe Certification
- Choosing the Right Technology for Your Property
Discussion Leader: Jason Boehm, Commercial Division Coordinator, 4A World Commercial
Get an an update on new technologies and products for the hotel industry and which products would be the top ones to consider when upgrading or refurbishing. - Finding New Business from North America ’s Largest Travel Organization – AAA
Discussion Leader: Corey Dalling, Regional Manager, CAA/AAA Multi Media Marketing
Members of the American Automobile Association travel far and wide, and your hotel will benefit by reaching out to them through various channels. Join Corey Dalling, AAA’s Regional Manager for the Caribbean , as he discusses and answers your questions about AAA’s establishment rating system, Official Appointment program, and how your hotel can become rated and included in the AAA.com website and in published AAA Tourbooks. More than 52 million potential guests visit www.aaa.com each year, looking for the perfect vacation, and more than 1.6 million copies of the AAA Caribbean Tourbook are distributed to members who specifically request them. You can’t afford to ignore this large and qualified pool of potential guests!
- Increasing Occupancy While Maintaining Rate Integrity
Discussion Leader: John Dishinger, Director of Caribbean Business Development, RCI.
Tired of increasing or maintaining occupancy through rate reductions, free days, or on site spending dollars? Want to increase rate integrity and stability while maintaining occupancy and maintaining strong revpar? Come talk to us about how to market to large opaque market bases with guaranteed long-term stays and through creating strong and long lasting loyalty programs.
- Leveling the Playing Field Through the Use of Technology: How Small Hotels are Competing with the Big Hotels Using the Latest Technologies
Discussion Leader: Jose Motta, Account Executive, MICROS Fidelio Caribbean Inc.
Technologies that were once the domain of big hotels and Hotel Chains are now available to the small independent hotelier. Come and learn the basic technologies that your hotel needs to compete in the same playing field with the big hotel names including how to exploit and get connected to the internet; basic technologies available specifically for the small hotelier to better manage revenue, increase reservations, increase brand recognition, presence on the web, and much more. Attendees at this roundtable session will receive a complimentary need analysis for their hotel.
- Maximizing Profits by Identifying and Leveraging Niche Markets
Discussion Leader: Guy Britton, Publisher, Caribbean Travel and Life and World Publications
Learn how to effectively position your hotel to maximize revenue in today’s multimedia world by identifying key markets and demographics and learning the best way to reach them most efficiently and effectively.
- Target Buyers While Driving Ongoing Sales with Travelzoo’s Hotel Cost-Per-Click (CPC) Program
- Why Hotel Data and Competitive Sets are Important Tools for the Small Hotelier
Discussion Leader: Brittany Baldwin, Sales Executive, STR
Recognized as a vital management tool by the hotel industry worldwide for over 20 years, STR Benchmarking reports are the essential tool for successful hotels. These reports reveal the comparative data that matters: your hotel’s performance compared against the competitors of your choice & your market in ADR, RevPAR, & Occupancy. This session discusses how hoteliers can use these reports - Identify precisely where you are gaining or losing market share and drive revenue to your business. Use the data to set targets and budgets for your departments and measure progress. Test if promotions are working or not. This discussion also covers the steps necessary to get enrolled in the program.
Saturday, September 11th, 2010 - Hotel Operations Day
CHTA and it’s partner organizations have organized a comprehensive slate of presentations devoted to small and independent hotel management. From customer service to food & beverage, these sessions are run by industry experts with proven advice that works.
Preparing your Staff for Success - Training Essentials for Any Size Hotel
Are your hotel's guests encountering well-trained and hospitable staff at every guest contact point? Guests are more demanding now than ever. A well-trained staff can make guests' stays memorable, leading to more repeat business and higher demand for your hotel. An efficient staff can lead to cost savings and higher profits, too! The Educational Institute of the AH&LA has training opportunities and solutions for any size hotel. Learn how to recognize training needs and find the best resources for your hotel, and see how you can use the EI materials at your hotel.
Panelist: Andrew Forson, Director of Education and Training for Securities and Commerce Institute, American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)
Plenary Session 2 - Guests Satisfaction - Minimizing Complaints & Maximizing Positive Reviews With Over The Top Hospitality
Your guests are tired and uncomfortable when they step off the plane, clear customs, retrieve their luggage and finally arrive at your hotel. Traditionally the first point of guest contact, this can often influence the mood of your guest for the duration of their stay. It is also one of the most commonly referenced points in internet hotel reviews, and since guests with negative perceptions are more likely to post a review, hotel operators must prioritize guest satisfaction above all else. There are certain tips of which every staff member should be aware in order to provide "over the top hospitality" and minimize complaints.
Panelist: Christy Price, Senior Operations Performance Trainer, Choice Hotels International
Plenary Session 3 - People Planet Profit: Sustainable Strategies for Small Hotels and Resorts
Sustainability relates to the economy just as much as it does to the environment and culture. Every decision we make as small hotel operators must take into consideration the financial implications as well as the environmental and social consequences. In this interactive session, Mike Hartman, visionary of FlyingTeeth and the original Tiamo Resorts in Andros, The Bahamas, and Loreto Duffy-Mayers, of CHENACT, will review guidelines from which the plans and philosophy for the ideal combination of environmental, social and financial sustainability can be developed. Seeking out ways to maximize operational efficiencies will be the focus of this collaborative session on sustainability.
Presenters: Loretto Duffy-Mayers, Project Manager, CHENACT Project
Mike Hartman, Executive Director, FlyingTeeth
Operations Day - Round Table topics:
- CHENACT Session
Discussion Leaders: Loretto Duffy-Mayers, Project Manager,CHENACT Project
A review of the project to date, with findings and testimonies from hotels that have received their audit reports and discussion on breaking down the barriers to investment in Energy Efficiency in Small Hotels.
- Creating and Delivering Great Guest Service!
Discussion Leader: Christy Price, Senior Operations Performance Trainer, Choice Hotels International
Join Christy Price as she provides additional tips for creating memorable stays, and answers your questions about how to implement high-quality guest service at your hotel.
- Driving Incremental Revenue to Your Property
Discussion Leader: Neil Kolton, Director, Caribbean & Florida, Resort Sales & Service, Interval International
Meet with shared ownership industry experts from CHTA’s Strategic Vacation Exchange Partner, Interval International, to learn about opportunities in the timeshare, fractional, and private resident club segments in the Caribbean. Interval members book thousands of room nights each year into Caribbean resorts, including resorts with or without a shared ownership component.
Learn how to leverage a partnership with the company to generate incremental bookings from approximately 2 million active leisure travelers.
Obtain complimentary copies of the following studies conducted exclusively for Interval International, including the Future Timeshare Buyers, Interval U.S. Membership Profile, and the Affluent Shared Ownership Buyer.
- EPA Workshop!
Discussion Leader: David Jessop, Executive Director, Caribbean Council
Do you know how you will be affected by the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed between CARIFORUM and the European Union? This session will give you a sneak peek into the guidance to be offered in CHTA’s soon to be published “EPA Manual”. Come and learn about the opportunities that have opened up for you to do business in Europe, and whether your business could face stiffer competition from liberalization.
- Greening of Your Hotel /Sustainable Tourism
Discussion Leader: Mike Hartman, Executive Director, FlyingTeeth
Join Mike Hartman of FlyingTeeth for additional discussion about how hotels can achieve success in operating efficiency, while supporting environmental and cultural sustainability. Discuss your hotel and pose your questions about how you can benefit from sustainability efforts.
- How to Improve Your ROI Using Industry Best Practices
Discussion leader: Andrew Childe, Chartered Accountant, Deloitte
The round table discussion will focus on our experience of hotel finances, the key elements that make up a robust set of financial statements, some of the KPI’s that should be utilized and an overview of some of the industry trends.
- How to Host a Destination Wedding - What’s Expected, How to Execute.
Discussion Leader: Susan Moynihan, Editor in Chief, Destination Weddings and Honeymoons Magazine
Overview of the destination wedding market – who these brides are, how they’re different from traditional brides, where they are going and what matters the most to them, and trends in the marketplace.
- Is a Franchise Right for You?
Discussion Leader: Sal Icaza, Director Caribbean Franchise Development, Choice Hotels International
- Why a franchise can be the best opportunity for increasing revenues and profits at your hotel?
- How to select the right franchise?
- Retaining your hotel’s identity while benefiting from a global franchise presence
- Mythbusters 101: Setting the Record Straight About Beef
Discussion Leader: Emily Agle, Marketing Manager, and Maggie O’Quinn, Executive Account Manager, Certified Angus Beef LLC
You’ve heard them all before. Grass-fed beef is healthier than its conventionally-raised counterpart. Organic beef is better for the environment. Most cattle are raised on “factory farms.” Join this interactive session to hear the real side of the beef story- and learn firsthand how America’s farmers and ranchers work hard each day to provide you with the safest, highest quality beef in the world.
Hosts
Sponsors
Total delegates - 135
Countries Represented - 20
Follow Us On
