TODAY: What do guests really really want?, Alibaba & the travel space and more..

What do your guests really really want?

Here's what happened when we asked them: On a sunny Thursday morning in Holborn, we embarked on a mission, it was time to find out what really makes your guests book direct, leaving an online survey on the boil, we also took to the London streets - reaching a total of about 280 consumers.

Alibaba and Marriott announce innovative JV to redefine travel experience.

The joint venture will leverage Marriott International’s global portfolio of brands and unparalleled hospitality expertise to revolutionize the travel experience as well as Alibaba’s digital retail leadership and its role as a gateway for international brands to reach over 500 million mobile monthly active users across its platforms.

Mantra Group acquires Art Series Hotel Group.

Mantra Group announced it has entered into an agreement with the Deague Group to acquire the Australian-owned Art Series Hotel Group for approximately $52.5 million (excluding transaction costs), subject to customary completion conditions.

Flights from Hua Hin to Kuala Lumpur get a little closer.

Flights to and from Hua Hin and Kuala Lumpur have got a little closer to becoming a reality after Air Asia presented a business plan to airports authority executives.

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Featured Articles....

Alibaba & Marriott JV â€" Gamechanger or Just an Evolutionary Move?
Exclusive Feature: At the beginning of the week, we received news of a new JV between the Chinese E-Commerce giant Alibaba and Marriott, the world’s largest hotel company.

The Chinese outbound market is huge â€"already the world’s largest with 122 million tourists in 2016 according to China National Tourism Administration. According to Marriott, this deal’s main aim is to link the two companies’ loyalty programs, create other cross-promotional opportunities.  

'But if the price is the same, I'll book at the OTA' - Said No One, Ever.
It goes without saying that as a value-conscious marketplace, consumers will almost always go for the cheapest option when booking any form of travel or accommodation. But when consumers are presented the same offering for the same price, which do they choose?

Research shows that if the hotel price is the same price as the OTA, 65% of consumers would choose to book directly with the hotel. But that’s not all.

Global Update: Who's Where and Doing What - August 2017.
Global update of who is moving where and from where - keep track of old colleagues and friends or find lost ones, brought to you by The Boutique Search Firm.

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Popular Articles:
Trends for Destination Marketing Organizations at Destinations Int'l 2017.

Why Should Guests Pick You? Your Hotel Value Proposition.

Social Media Marketing in the Hotel Industry: Trends and Opportunities in 2017.

Direct Bookers are Bigger Spenders.

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