Marketing

🎃 Capella Hotel Group celebrates the Year of the Snake from January 28 to February 12, 2025, offering complimentary "Capella Moments" experiences at all destinations. Capella Singapore, listed in the World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2024, hosts a lion and dragon dance on January 29. Capella Sydney starts celebrations on January 28, featuring cultural activities and a special afternoon tea. Capella Bangkok, named The World's Best Hotel in 2024, blends Thai and Chinese traditions starting January 29. Patina Maldives, Fari Islands provides a reunion dinner and lion dance performance on the morning of Lunar New Year, January 29.

💰 RIU Hotels & Resorts, founded in 1953 in Mallorca, now with over 100 hotels in 21 countries and hosting 6.4 million guests in 2023, partners with Flex Pay to offer guests a new payment option. Travelers can now pay for their all-inclusive vacations in monthly installments over 3, 6, 9, 11, 18, or 24 months, as announced by Juan Campins, RIU's VP of digital channels. Flex Pay's president, Tom Botts, highlights the flexibility this partnership provides to customers visiting any of the RIU locations worldwide.

🏖️ Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Grupo Piñero formed a joint venture based in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, managing 22 Bahia Principe-branded resorts with approximately 12,000 rooms across the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, and Spain. CEO Julio Pérez leads the venture, with Encarna Piñero as chairman and Izet Mahalbasic as CFO. The partnership strengthens Hyatt’s all-inclusive portfolio, which will include over 140 properties globally by the end of 2024.

🍴 Chestnut acquires The Gin Trap Inn in Ringstead, adding 16 bedrooms to its portfolio. This marks Chestnut's fourth Norfolk acquisition in 2024, joining The Maltings, a 28-bedroom hotel in Weybourne. Founder Philip Turner highlights the growth since March 2020, reaching nearly 200 bedrooms county-wide. Chestnut opened a second "winter garden" at The Globe and aims to raise £15,000 through The Giving Tree for local charities. David Lamyman, the vendor since 2019, endorses Chestnut's management, ensuring a seamless transition for staff and guests.

🍸 Hush, Leamington's new speakeasy bar, transports guests to the Prohibition era with a 1920/30s American vibe. Opening as a private members' bar in January, it offers a five-star service and live music. The space, previously the Robbins Well cellar bar, has been revamped into a 40-meter underground bar after 10 years. Managed by Matthew Nisbets and Bethany Gaunt, the bar showcases 25 crafted cocktails, 13 gins, 13 rums, and 25 whiskeys, alongside over 20 wine selections, including premium Champagnes. The venue, adorned in Art Deco and murals by Gemma Grao, will operate from 5pm-2.30am on Thursdays to Saturdays, and offer private room hires outside core hours.

🏢 Hyatt Hotels Corporation and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas announce a licensing agreement, making the luxury Las Vegas Strip property bookable through Hyatt channels soon. World of Hyatt members can earn and redeem points, with 7,000 rooms added to Hyatt's offering. The Venetian Resort, featuring two hotels, The Venetian and The Palazzo, offers an all-suite experience and 2.25 million square feet of meeting space. The Venetian has undergone a $1.5 billion reinvestment, enhancing its luxury suites. Elite Venetian Rewards members will receive World of Hyatt benefits, expanding both brands' reach in hospitality and MICE sectors.

🛫 Harry Patel, director of Solvue Hospitality Group, emphasizes frequent property renovations and exceptional customer service to optimize the guest experience. His mentor, Khandu Patel, influenced his approach since funding Harry's first hotel in 2011. Patel's renovation strategy includes full upgrades every 4-5 years, exceeding most hoteliers' 7-year cycle. He acquired and renovated an Americas Best Value Inn in Georgia in 2015, transforming it into a Quality Inn. Patel added two more Georgia-based Quality Inns to his portfolio, in 2022 and 2023. Implementing features like LED strips and sensor bathroom lights, Patel's properties stand out, incorporating ideas from higher chain scales. Prioritizing guest satisfaction, he brought customer-centric practices from his Subway franchise days to the hospitality industry, ensuring that every guest comment is addressed.

📷 A YouGov survey of 2,090 German consumers for Epsilon revealed only 8% want to be inspired by travel content on Instagram or YouTube. Over half (52%) find travel recommendations on social media and blogs exceed their budgets, with 18% stating costs are at least double their affordability, and 13% stating costs are thousands of euros above their budget. A third rely on friends and family for travel recommendations, with traditional travel agencies (21%) and travel media (17%) also influential. Young adults (25-34) are using AI chat recommendations (13%) and online forums like Reddit (17%) for travel ideas. CEO of Epsilon EU & Asia, Alban Villani, emphasizes the importance of realistic travel options and clear cost communication in marketing.