While the fact that Social Media Marketing is enabling brands to have direct interaction with target audiences has been touted via our EngineWorks blog for quite some time now, this Mashable article unveils the level of commitment that major destination resorts are placing upon this new marketing channel.  As stated in this article, the world-renowned mountain resort company, Vail Resorts, has dedicated a full 80% of their total 2010 marketing budget to digital production and social media strategies.  EIGHTY PERCENT!

The tremendous ability of online search marketing and social media strategies to acutely target potential customers, and to fully measure a resort’s return on media investment, is driving this tectonic shift away from traditional marketing channels.  As punctuated in this article by Hannah Bowling, Communications Coordinator at Park City, Utah’s largest ski franchise, The Canyons, “A lot of the people here higher up don’t necessary understand social media. But when I did a big contest giveaway on Facebook and they saw how our number of fans grew so quickly, we started thinking of future social media strategies that include more contests, making sure our blog is updated with information our customers want to see.”

Let us know if you have implemented, or experienced, other amazing Social Media Marketing promotions worthy of merit within the destination resort industry.

Liftopia is the leading marketplace for discount ski lift tickets to the most popular alpine resorts across the country.  They provide an incredibly convenient site for snow skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts to research and find bargain prices on tickets and package deals at more than one-hundred (100) of the most desirable winter resorts in the United States.

Our advanced Paid Search Strategies ultimately resulted in a more than 110% increase in the total number of Conversions on Liftopia.com in December 2009 compared to the same month in 2008.  You can see the complete list of success metrics we were able to surpass through our EngineWorks SEO and Paid Search Marketing efforts in our EngineWorks press release.

The tremendous effort put forth by our team of search marketing specialist prompted Ron Schneidermann, Co-Founder of Liftopia, to exclaim, “The hard work and dedication from the EngineWorks team has enabled our company to deliver the best deals in the ski industry to a much larger audience, much more efficiently. We could not be more pleased with the results.”

Drop us a post to this blog if you would like more information on how we can dramatically improve your conversion performance in the same manner that we do for Liftopia.

Having recently attended the 2009 PhoCusWright Conference in Orlando, Florida with Angela Yost, our Director of Client Acquisition, Mike expects to reconnect with marketing executives from the travel and tourism industry at this exciting conference in Canada.  In addition, he will be gleaning insight into the latest developments and advancements in interactive travel strategies, including social media marketing and online analytics, at the Canada-e-Connect Conference.

If you would like to meet-up with Mike at this conference to discuss how EngineWorks can benefit your online promotional efforts, simple post a request to this blog, or contact him at mike@engineworks.com.

Having just returned from this latest adventure, my mind is filled with the latest search marketing strategies (especially advancements in Link Building) that are being implemented across the globe for travel and tourism companies of all size.

Given that the major search engines regularly updating their algorithms to provide the most relevant search results possible, effective Link Building continues to be significant challenge for today’s search marketing professionals. While the various ways in which the search engines evaluate inbound links have become much more sophisticated, several basic ethical Link Building tactics can be employed to jump-start the SEO efforts for your travel and hospitality Web site.

Here are six (6) basic Link Building tactics that have proven to be effective for companies within the online travel and hospitality vertical.

1. Content

Whether you refer to it as ‘link bait’, or just solid interactive marketing, the number one strategy for generating inbound links is the creation of quality content. Writing great content is a strategy that almost all members of the SEO community agree will achieve positive results within the major Natural search indexes. Just look here, here, and here.

With that being said, here is a short list of content ideas that, when promoted properly, can generate quality inbound links for resort and travel sites:

• Create an informative list of activities pertaining your location, such as Top Ten Thing to Do in Vail this Summer. (Concentrate on ideas not covered by your competitors.)
• Develop a simple site tool, such as a weather widget or travel planner.
• Write an article, or blog post, from an unusual perspective. A great example is Travel + Leisure’s article on the World’s Most Unusual Hotels.
• Run a simple online photo contest.
• Provide free data. For example, KAYAK Travel Trends delivers much-sought-after, useful, FREE data.

2. Testimonials

This tactic is very simple, but often overlooked. Most hotels and resorts have some type of partnership with local businesses, such as rental shops, restaurants, and transportation providers. Reach-out to your partners and vendors to let them know you value your relationship with them by offering a testimonial which they can post on their site. Within your testimonial, create a link back to your site. These types of inbound links are valuable because you can often customize the anchor text of the link so that a benefit is derived by both parties.

3. Directories

First off, do not submit your site to hundreds of irrelevant paid directories. This strategy is a waste of time and money. Online directories have become less relevant over the past few years. However, certain targeted directories can still provide Link Building value for travel and tourism sites. It’s best to focus on high quality, niche directories that have submissions reviewed by an human editor. Think relevancy and authority. Be sure to submit your site to the appropriate travel-related category within each specific directory. Here are a few of my favorite general directories that I have found to be effective for our resort and hospitality clients:

• DMOZ
• Best of the Web
• Yahoo! Directory
• Business.com

4. Charities

Does your travel and hospitality company contribute time and/or capital to non-profit or charity projects? If so, request a link back to your site from these organizations. Often, these types of entities have an online donor list, and regularly publish online press releases. Both of these areas are great places for a link back to your site. If you have any doubts about the benefits of philanthropy-based Link Building, just take a look at the results achieved by Marriott.

5. Organizations

Similar to strategy Number Four above, industry organizations and trade associations can be effective Link Building sources for your company. Inbound links from these entities can be valuable for two reasons. First, the links are generally coming from a relevant and authoritative organization, which are the most valuable. Second, these links typically benefit your local search optimization efforts. Examples of organizations and associations that can be targeted for Link Building include:

• Local Chamber of Commerce
• Better Business Bureau
• Retailers sites
• Partner sites
• Local event sites that you are participating in
• Industry associations like the Boutique Lifestyle & Lodging Association
• Energy and Water Conservation Associations
• Renewable Energy Organizations

Our trip to the World Travel Market was an awesome experience! One that expanded my knowledge of effective interactive strategies for dramatically improving the bottom line for travel and tourisms sites. I hope this blog post has imparted some of this knowledge. You can check-out some photos from this impressive conference at our EngineWorks Flickr account.

What travel and hospitality link building tactics have you found to be the most effective? Let us know by leaving a comment!

The article, titled 10 steps to improve search engine marketing, details Kent’s advanced insight into online marketing strategies to deliver the best results for travel and tourism businesses of all sizes.

EngineWorks is proud to an exclusive partnered service provider to The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association, which was formed to be the unifying voice of this unique sector within the resort and hospitality industry. This association is recognized as the definitive resource for researching, locating, and booking boutique and lifestyle lodging.

This second installment of our informative Webinar series will be conducted by search marketing expert, and co-founder of EngineWorks, Kent Schnepp.  Kent will impart his advanced knowledge of search marketing best practices, and his 10 most important techniques, for outstanding online performance during this session.  In addition, our Director of Client Acquisition, Angela Yost, will provide insight into which interactive strategies are currently driving the best results to resort and hospitality firms today.

Our schedule for these three (3) complimentary Webinars is as follows:

1.  September 24, 2009, 9:00am PDT – Powering The Marketing Mix (COMPLETED)

2.  October 8, 2009, 9:00am PDT – 10 Steps For Online Success

3.  October 22, 2009, 9:00am PDT – Leveraging Social Media Marketing

As noted, there is no cost to participate in these online Webinars. To register, simply sign-up online at the BLLA Web site.

The BLLA, the unifying voice of this unique sector within the resort and hospitality industry, is recognized as the definitive resource for researching, locating, and booking boutique and lifestyle hotels. Benefits for members include exclusive access to complimentary white papers, networking through online and live events, industry reports, Webinars, marketing education, and other valuable tools to manage and grow resort and hospitality businesses.

EngineWorks is proud to be an exclusive partner with The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association.  Please join us for this next exciting session!

More and more companies around the world are grabbing hold of the idea that their corporate blog can directly impact their image and enhance their communication with target audiences.  The purpose for this blog post is to present a collection of effective corporate blogs, along with an explanation of the different approaches that these companies embrace with regards to the content, purpose, and tone of their blog.

Examples of Outstanding Company Blogs

37signals – This small-business software firm’s blog offers more than just promotion of its products.  They, in fact, use their blog, titled “Signal vs. Noise”, as a platform to showcase great ideas pertaining to “getting things done”.  Because of this, the creative blog has already surpassed 100,000 RSS subscribers.

Asia Transpacific Journeys – This premier client of EngineWorks is a luxury travel agency that uses the unique approach of posting content created by their tour guides located in countries all around the world.  These informative posts are written in the form of “staff postcards“, and offer a very personal view into the the different types of tours that you can book through Asia Transpacific Journeys.   Some of the company’s guides have also filled their Flickr accounts with exceptional photos from the many exotic locations available through ATJ, such as Marilyn Downing Staff’s Australia Tour Photos.

Southwest Airlines – The “Nuts About Southwest” blog is one of the best examples of a “playful” blog created by a large corporation.  On this blog, you can learn insightful information about the airline industry, tips surrounding customer service from their stewards, watch videos, view photos, and share your travel stories with other Southwest Airlines customers.  The company has even recognized that parents (especially mothers) represent their primary blog reader demographic.  Therefore, they created “Mommy Patches”, a section of the blog where readers can post their own stories.

Cadillac Notes – A General Motor’s blog focused on the brand, promotion, and culture of Cadillac.  Promoting the culture around owning a Cadillac is the primary goal of this blog, which allows users to join the Cadillac Facebook group, submit Cadillac related videos on YouTube, browse through the Flickr group of photos, and see what Cadillac has been ‘tweeting’ lately.

Whole Story – Whole Foods Market has a very interesting blog that they use to promote healthy living and healthy eating throughout communities.  It’s a place for recipes , stories about their products that they carry, and reader interest stories in their “Farm to Market” category.

Styles of Company Blogs

The Company Blog
One of the most common types of blogs used by corporations is the Company Blog.  The purpose for this type of blog is to be all things related to a company.  This can include many aspects of the value and benefits associated with the company’s products or services.  However, the ultimate purpose for this type of blog is to reinforce a company’s brand and image.  If you’re looking for a simple way for your business to start blogging, you need to consider launching a Company Blog.

A few examples of effective Company Blogs include: Official Google Blog, Official Adobe Blog, Flickr’s Image heavy corporate blog, and Yahoo! Search Blog.

CEO Blog
How many CEOs have time to blog? Evidently, a lot! Plenty of company leaders, especially in the travel and technology industries, have taken it upon themselves to create blogs that highlight their vision for their company, products, and industry. Bill Marriot, the Chairman and CEO of Marriott International, does an excellent job providing insightful travel industry information, corporate and investor guidance information, and drawing attention to special interests on his CEO Blog. Recently Mr. Marriott conveyed the importance of the company’s Health Care Coverage for employees.  In addition, he posted a discussion on how the company’s name became the cornerstone of their first hotel built in 1927.

Other examples of CEO Blogs include: Jonathan Schwartz, President & CEO at Sun Microsystems, Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and founder of Craigslist, Craig Newmark’s Blog.

Industry Blog
If you’re looking to make a splash in your industry, launching an industry focused blog can build your authority online, and have you be recognized as the prominent resource within your industry.  For example, a small “green and sustainability” company called “Sustainable Minds” uses their blog to be the resource for the industry of on-demand green product design and software. This blog is also a great example of “team blogging” – having 19 contributors specializing in all kinds of topics in the industry.

Orbitz’s blog is also another good example of a company that has launched an Industry Blog. On this blog, the travel company discusses industry concerns, specials, and events happening throughout the world.

Department/ Product Blog
Companies that feature specialized product s and services, which can benefit from specialized forums, may consider launching a Departmental?Product Blog.  Interestingly, Google is one of the biggest users of product focused blogs, branching-out with blogs featuring many facets of their business, including: a Spanish language focused blog for Webmasters, a Google Student Blog, a YouTube business development blog, and a blog focusing on Google Grants for non-profits. In another example, General Motors recently launched a blog/social media network to promote their new Chevy Volt.  Dubbed “Chevrolet Voltage”, and focusing solely on the new electric car, the site promises to be the definitive resource for photos, videos, news releases, and discussions pertaining to the new vehicle.

Don’t Wait!

At EngineWorks, we’re always looking for ways to expand our client’s footprint online.  As explained in this post, an exciting way to do achieve this goal is by launching a corporate blog to connect with your audience and reach prospective new customer.  If you’re not doing so . . . you can be sure your competition is!  Contact us today to learn more!

We are very impressed with the functionality and ease-of-use of Zonder’s new site, and highly recommend you try-out their easy search tools which include the ability to search by city, state, country, zip code, or airport code.  You can also narrow your search results based on price, availability, distance, group size, and amenities.

The other fantastic attribute of Zonder’s new site is the fact that they have thousands of vacation rentals across North America, Central America and the Caribbean available at the click of your mouse. In addition, the site features full-color photographs and accurate, detailed descriptions of each property to help you select the perfect rental for your vacation.

Congrats to our friends at Zonder!  We are privileged to have partnered with such an outstanding company.

At EngineWorks, we are very excited to see the culmination of our partnered work with Resort Technology Partners, a professional design and development agency specializing is custom solutions for the travel and tourism industry, be realized through this new cutting-edge Web presence for RockResorts.  The new online presence features thirteen (13) new Web destinations that offer online travelers a smooth booking process, rich photographs of resort locations, and detailed travel information while they research their next vacation.

In addition to ensuring a smooth transition from the previous RockResort sites, we incorporated our the latest SEO techniques and strategies into all facets of these new destinations.  These enhancements are designed to dramatically improve the Natural search engine rankings for all RockResorts properties, and deliver incremental qualified Web site traffic through the major search engines.

In addtion, we have implemenented advanced Social Media Marketing strategies that are enhancing community networking efforts for RockResorts.   Through our customized Facebook profiles created for each RockResorts location,  prospective lodging guests are invited to directly interact with other individuals who have stayed at, or are considering staying at, specific resorts owned by RockResorts.

Daniel Swanson, Corporate Marketing Manager of E-Commerce at RockResorts & Vail Resorts Hospitality, expressed his excitement pertaining to our new partnered launch through the following, “RockResorts takes pride in delivering unparalleled service and exquisite experiences to our resort guests.  Our new enhanced Web sites convey this fact instantly.  Which is why we chose EngineWorks to ensure that they are easily discovered by individuals searching for luxury resort accommodations.”

We invite you to share the wonderful experience of RockResorts, and their new online destinations, through the following sites:

RockResorts
Hotel Jerome
The Osprey at Beaver Creek
The Pines Lodge
The Arrabelle at Vail Square
The Lodge at Vail
Tempo Miami
La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa
The Landings St Lucia
Snake River Lodge & Spa
Rum Cay Resort
One Ski Hill Place
Third Turtle Club

TravelCom ‘09

This well-recognized annual event, touted as the only eCommerce conference designed by the travel industry for the travel industry, is presented by the U.S. Travel Association (formerly called the Travel Industry Association, or TIA).  TravelCom ‘09, is taking place in Atlanta, Georgia on March 31, 2009 through April 2, 2009.  Our Vice President of Client Acquisition, Mike Rosenberg, will be available all three (3) days at this exciting conference to meet with industry insiders and key decision makers.

Mountain Travel Symposium 2009

Also this week, EngineWorks co-founder and Vice President of Strategy, Kent Schnepp, will be in attendance at Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) 2009.  MTS, the leading resort and hospitality conference for commercial entities within mountain destination communities, is taking place on March 28, 2009 through April 4, 2009 in scenic Keystone, Colorado.  This annual event offers the perfect time to discuss effective SEM strategies with Kent Schnepp.

Web 2.0 Expo

While technically not a travel and tourism conference, Web 2.0 Expo taking place March 31, 2009 through April 3, 2009 in San Francisco, offers the most up-to-date Social Media Marketing (SMM) strategies that can benefit any business interested in reaching-out to communities and networks within the resort and hospitality space.  EngineWorks will have our Director of Client Acquisition, Angela Yost, available all four (4) days of this conference.  Individuals interested in learning how our proven Social Media Marketing services can enable their businesses to connect with engaged online audiences are encouraged to schedule a get-together with Angela.

Meet with EngineWorks

For information on attending one of these exciting conferences this week, simply visit the Web sites below.  Also, listed below is the contact information for each EngineWorks representative scheduled to be at each show.

TravelCom ‘09

Mike Rosenberg – mike@engineworks.com

Mountain Travel Symposium

Kent Schnepp – kent@engineworks.com

Web2.0 Expo

Angela Yost – angela@engineworks.com

I encourage you to schedule a face-to-face meeting with the EngineWorks team during one of these exciting events.

As Director of Search Engine Optimization here at EngineWorks, I work closely with our world class resort and hospitality clients to improve their presence within the search engines, and to enhance the user experience on their sites, on a daily basis.  Here are a few sites from this list of top 100 travel websites that I perceive can add value to your search for the perfect night’s stay:

i-Escape boasts the most stylish places to stay, offering more than 100 options that are fun and affordable.  Hotels are rated based on their high points and low points.  In addition, the imagery is enough to make you want to book a hotel today!  i-Escape has a robust online community, where members offer advice on local restaurants and events in the area that you choose to stay.

Travel Intelligence offers thousands of hotel reviews that are written by a team of expert travelers and users.  Interactive maps and other tools help you find the hottest hotel in any area that you plan to visit.

Mr & Mrs Smith isn’t just the name of a 2005 movie starting Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, it’s also a boutique hotel directory and review Web site offering plenty of options for the seasoned traveler.  Drawing from the suave theme of this movie, MrAndMrsSmith.com promises to provide you with hand-picked boutique hotels, ideas for a romantic getaway, and guide you through booking luxury hotels anywhere in the world.

Looking for a bargain? HostelBookers offers a list of cheap and comfortable hostels across Europe. The list is extensive, including guest houses, cheap hotels, and bed & breakfasts.  Each destination is rated by customers, and is bookable online.  In addition, there is no log-in required and no booking fees – making this Web site very fast and well worth your time!

CouchSurfing shows you how to see the world, one couch at a time!  The site’s online community has more than 1 million users, with roughly 24% located in the US.  Casey Fenton, one of the company’s founders, stated that “The CouchSurfing Project has been my dream for some time. I’ve always wanted a way to get right to the heart of our culture, to seek out knowledge and to locate the most interesting people and situations this world has to offer. As a means of doing this, I started this project over four years ago.”

It’s important for me to note that at EngineWorks, we’re deeply immersed in the vibrant Travel & Tourism industry, providing interctive hospitality marketing services to numerous world-class hotel and hospitality companies.   And, as you can see from this blog post, we also like to find interesting and fun Web sites to help travelers navigate the world.  I hope you enjoy these favorite picks from this Top 100 list!

As depicted in the eMarketer graph below, this study found that more than sixty percent (60%) of online travel purchases were made through direct supplier sites (e.g., Orbitz, Expedia, etc.) in 2008, compared with less than forty percent (40%) of purchases through online travel agencies.

Interestingly, however, PhoCusWright stated that this market share data alone does not tell the full online travel story.  Both of these types of travel booking sites appeal to two distinctively different types of traveler.  Leisure travelers, who may only make a few trips a year, are more concerned with price, and thus prefer online travel agencies.  Whereas, unmanaged business travelers, who make numerous trips on a regular basis and are more focused on scheduling and convenience, prefer direct supplier sites.

The ‘take-aways’ from this study is that online travel agencies should implement marketing campaigns that are designed to convert price-sensitive site visitors to customers, and direct supplies should cater to their audience using personalization, loyalty, and community.  The most effective means of accomplishing these objectives is through highly targeted Paid Search Marketing campaigns, and robust Social Media Marketing strategies, respectively.

The following chart from this Online Travel Overview depicts the firm’s projection for continued growth in online revenues from this resilient industry.

It should be noted that 2008 was the first year since 1998 (when PhoCusWright began tracking online travel) that growth of the U.S. online travel market slipped into single digits.  However, the research firm remains upbeat on their projection that online revenues will continue to outpace growth in the overall travel and tourism industry by two to three times over the next two years.

At EngineWorks, we specialize on providing efficacious search engine marketing services that improve the online performance for some of the travel and tourism industry’s most successful companies.  This vibrant market represents the world’s largest industry, responsible for more than eight percent (8%) of global employment, nine percent (9%) of invested capital, and ten percent (10%) of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

David Hallerman, senior analyst at eMarketer, contributed his view on this insightful discovery by stating, “There is a connection between display and search ads,” he said. “Marketers know this intuitively. Often it’s not the search ad alone that gets consumers to act, but the context of all the marketing that preceded it.”

eMarketer also presented the following graph that depicts the tremendous impact that online display campaigns have upon search activity, especially within the lucrative travel and tourism industry:

As shown, brand- and segment-related searches within the travel and tourism vertical increased an impressive 274% after online consumers were exposed to display ads.  To learn more about how we can implement an integrated campaign feature display ads working in concert with your Paid Search listings, please drop us a line.  We’ll be happy to show you the direct benefits you can gain in your overall online performance!

If it were possible for a conference to give a quote, this would be the statement given by The PhoCusWright Conference, which took place last week at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, California.

As reported by comScore at this prestigious annual event, more than fifty percent (50%) of all online traffic, and more than seventy percent (70%) of total online sales is generated through search engines. Now more than ever, it is paramount that your Web site be rapidly found by qualified visitors and eager customers through the world’s most popular search engines.

The PhoCusWright Conference

EngineWorks just returned from this invigorating conference, which brought together the world’s most prestigious group of leaders and executives from travel and tourism companies of all sizes. This conference also provided outstanding insight into the most effective means of reaching new customers and acquiring new business.

The signature event at this year’s conference was presented under the audacious title, ‘The Perfect Storm, Search, Shop, Buy’, and featured representatives from the biggest players in the online marketing industry, including Google and Microsoft. Fielding engaging questions from a capacity audience during the Center Stage presentation, these C-level executives explained why now is the time for The Perfect Storm in the travel and tourism industry.

The Perfect Storm

The term ‘Perfect Storm’ refers to several events that occur simultaneously, which create a much more powerful result than if they happened independent of each other. The Perfect Storm in the travel industry has been created by the millions of individuals that search for, and visit, the plethora of travel related Web sites, resulting in numerous customer touchpoints, and a multitude of selling channels.

The dramatic growth of advertising and referral-based revenue is challenging the dominance of traditional bookings-driven business models. In addition, hybrid business models are appearing, with suppliers and intermediaries alike mixing and matching offerings to assume new roles in the online buying process. The travel purchase itself is no longer the complete story, as innovation in search applications and shopping tools have made these once-minimized parts of the process much more influential.

Cost-Conscious Travelers

Another current phenomenon that is occurring in the travel industry is the significant increase in the number of individuals searching for affordable flights, accommodations, and attractions. As conveyed by Rob Torres, Managing Director of Travel at Google, Inc., during the Center Stage presentation, Google has seen a substantial increase in the popularity of travel search terms centered around the keywords ‘budget’, ‘cheap’, and ‘discount’. Obviously, these search queries reflect a customer base which has shifted its preference to cost conscious traveling and lodging.

Interestingly enough, here at EngineWorks, we have also seen a powerful surge in online traffic and Web site conversions at one of our renowned hospitality clients that targets this cost-conscious audience. Shilo Inns and Suites, whose tag-line is “Affordable Excellence”, is considered the largest private, independently owned and operated hospitality company in the Western United States. In the most recent three (3) months, EngineWorks has achieved greater than eighteen times (18x) return-on-ad-spend (ROAS) for this prominent client.

Return-On-Ad-Spend

One of the most crucial online marketing metrics in the travel and tourism vertical is return-on-ad-spend. This statistic identifies the number of dollars earned in revenue for each dollar spent on advertising. As noted above, EngineWorks is currently delivering $18.00 to Shilo Inns on every $1.00 spent on our professional Search Engine Marketing (SEM) services.

In addition to this superb performance, online search marketing is also the most measurable form of advertising available today. This is why more and more marketing managers in the travel industry are shifting significant portions of their marketing budgets to professional SEM campaigns. They realize that it’s much more effective to commit precious resources to campaigns that deliver – and fully measure – qualified visitors and customers, than to spend money on traditional marketing channels that lack the ability to account for each and every advertising dollar.

Jeffrey Grau, senior analyst at eMarketer, states that the reason for this preference in the following quote from this article, “Travelers like the option of booking business trips online because it allows them to manage their itineraries from any location at any time, using their laptop or mobile device.”

Here are the statistics that back-up the findings from this study:

As more and more business travelers choose to book their trips online, it’s becomes paramount that your travel and tourism Web site be found within the major search engines.  This is due to the fact that more consumers find Web sites through search engines than through any other means.

Three main takeaways from the conference:

1) We are in a recession which will affect the travel industry significantly. Airline travel, hotel occupancy, leisure travel, business travel, domestic and international travel are all expected to decrease in 2009. The good news is Lakshman Achuthan, Managing Director of the Economic Cycle Research Institute does not forecast a depression and believes the recession will last several more months, but not years.

2) Sustainable/Green Travel is a BIG deal. At least four presentations featured sustainable/green practices including folks from American Express, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Sabre Holdings, Travel Industry Association, Edelman, MTR Western, Travel Oregon, Travel Portland, Universal Studios and DoubleTree. Not only is sustainability the right thing to do, but consumers expect and appreciate it, and it makes good financial business practice.

3) Online Marketing/Social Media/Search Engine Marketing are vital to continued and future success. Travelers continue to seek information and make decisions online regarding their transportation, accommodations, and activities. What impressed me the most about the travel industry was their attitude as a whole to jump in and “do whatever it takes” to succeed in the ultra-competitive online travel landscape.

Overall it was a great event. I learned a lot, reconnected with some good old friends, and made many new ones. Next up for me is PhoCusWright in Hollywood, CA next month. Let me know if you are going to be there.

Starwood Hotels’ new ‘Pay Your Birth Year’ promotion offers an innovative discount on three-night stays at select hotels in the Northeast United States and Canada. This unique promotion features retail room rates equal to the last two digits of your birth year on the second and third nights of your three-night lodging package.  For example, if you were born in 1959, your first night would be at the standard room rate, and your next two nights would be at the rate of $59 per night.

We think this is a great campaign!  Many standard room rates at Starwood Hotel are listed at more than $200 per night, so it’s a great offer for price conscious travelers, or anyone interested in saving vacation dollars. In addition, it’s a fun promotion that actually targets older, affluent travelers through its ‘gimmick’.  The earlier your birth year, the less you pay!

The ultimate goal of any marketing message is to increase awareness.  Another important attribute is to have your audience perceive that the value proposition is compelling enough to be passed along to others. The message should not only contain your business offer, but should compel the receiver to say, “Hey, I know someone who would love this offer!”  For example, it wouldn’t surprised me if I received a call from my grandpa bragging about his ability to save almost twice as much as I could save during this Starwood Hotels promotion..  I can actually imagine his goofy laugh now!  Even if he doesn’t actually become a hotel guest, he still would have passed on the message.

In an uncertain economy, Starwood Hotels is weathering the storm through creative marketing campaigns that unobtrusively appeal to their target audience.  Perhaps this is one reason why some financial analysts are projecting Starwood Hotel’s stock to be a good investment today.

And, lucky for them, eight-year-olds are not allowed to book hotel rooms!

Scott, our Director of Search Engine Optimization, participated along-side Paul Coutts, Account Strategist at Google, Inc., on the panel presentation titled ‘SEO/SEM-360’.  This lively session delivered a 360-degree perspective on the latest developments in Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing, including the top five most important factors for improving your presence within the major search engines. 

This year’s E-Tourism Summit was the ninth annual gathering of top professionals and industry executives from world-renowned travel and tourism companies.  The engaging conference featured expert panel discussions that covered the latest online developments within the travel and tourism industry, and provided direct access to Internet service providers offering the most cutting-edge advancements in interactive technologies.

EngineWorks is pleased to announce that our Director of Search Engine Optimization, Scott Fish, will be a featured presenter along-side Paul Coutts from Google on an engaging panel at the upcoming E-Tourism Summit in San Francisco, California on October 1, 2008.

The E-Tourism Summit is the leading conference in the online travel and tourism industry.  This year marks the ninth annual gathering of top professionals and industry executives from world-renowned travel and tourism companies at this prestigious conference.

Scott Fish, and the other search specialists on his panel presentation, will deliver a lively panel discussion titled ‘SEO/SEM-360’.  This session will provide a 360-degree perspective on the latest developments in search optimization, including the top five most important factors for improving your presence within the major search engines.  In addition, the panel will discuss effective strategies for optimizing alternative media, such as online video and optimized press releases.

I encourage all professionals within the travel and tourism industry, or anyone interested in learning the latest strategies for promoting travel and resort Web sites, register to attend this impressive conference.

In addition to this advanced search marketing session, the E-Tourism Summit will also present e-mail marketing, third-party booking engines, affiliate programs, research-based Web design, and general interactive marketing sessions.

Let me know, through a post to our blog, if you would like to meet with Scott at this event to discuss the latest advancements in SEO.