Don't Ask For Less; Offer More

摘要

Business and leisure travel alike have dried up in most global markets, creating intense competition among hotels for whatever business remains. But lessons learned from the last downturn, post-9/11-namely the peril of slashing daily rates-have hotels scrambling to offer the best value-added promotions as an alternative driver of incremental business. Given the choice between discounting and offering added value, the common wisdom these days is to avoid damaging long-term brand value by dropping rates for only minimal short-term gain. "You may lose some market share this year if you are not discounting as much as some competitors, but you'll get that back next year and have a stronger value proposition," says Bob McCleary, general manager of the 144-key Manor Vail Lodge, Colorado. Adding value in the form of complimentary breakfast, free Internet access, discounted parking, drink tickets, spa credits and the like is nothing new, of course. Anecdotally, however, in the past six months, the practice seems to have gone from something of an afterthought to the central sales and marketing premise at many hotels.