Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - (Page 48)

48| Connect Properties cater to locals to help bolster business Guests from nearby areas not only bring in revenue, they also can be compelling promoters of a hotel hile guests from around the globe are vital for the success of any luxury hotel, guests from a little closer to home can provide an important boost to business. The 397-room Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver (www.suttonplace.com) attributes 20 percent to 25 percent of its business from British Columbia, the Canadian province where the hotel is located. Peter Bruyere, director of sales & marketing at the hotel, said British Columbia residents are key drivers of success on several levels. “Given that B.C. residents can account for as much as 25 percent of our guests, they represent a significant portion of our clientele,” Mr. Bruyere says. “Yet on another level, on a public relations level, they also act as ambassadors for our W hotel. Quite often, foreign travelers will seek the advice of their colleagues in the city or country they are traveling to for hotel recommendations. We rely upon the advice of our locals to help promote our hotel to their national and international colleagues.” Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa in Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia, also has a high percentage of guests from the region surrounding the hotel, according to Robyn Pontynen, general manager. She says the hotel regards this market as crucial to its performance. “In terms of accommodation business, Lilianfels attracts a high percentage of the business from Sydney, which is approximately 90 minutes drive away from the hotel, so while not exactly the local community, guests are from within the state of New South Wales,” she says. “The majority of the business generated by local Sydneysiders is for weekend stays, and the split between domestic and international leisure business is approximately 60:40. While most popular with in-house guests, both Darley’s and Tre Sorelle restaurants do also attract business from locals celebrating a special occasion.” The 85-room hotel, which is part of Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises (www.orient-express.com), also is popular with Sydney-based companies in need of meeting or conference space. “We work with media in NSW as well as the local Blue Mountains press in terms of advertising and [public relations] activity to generate interest in NSW and LILIANFELS BLUE MOUNTAINS RESORT & SPA the immediate area around Lilianfels,” Ms. Pontynen says. “Working with industry bodies such as Tourism New South Wales and Blue Mountains Tourism on marketing activities also plays a role in attracting local short break guests.” Mr. Bruyere says the Sutton Place uses a variety of tactics to attract locals to the property because Vancouver locals tend to stay at the hotel for special occasions; if they are a local delegate of a regional, national or international conference; during holidays; or to take advantage of a special hotel offer. “We will tailor hotel packages that will cater to the local [residents] that coincide with special occasions (Valentine’s Day Package and Christmas Shopping Package); tie into events that are happening in the city (special Vancouver Art Gallery exhibits and festivals); or package/rate offerings that tend to coincide with the off-season (B.C. Resident’s Rate),” Mr. Bruyere says. “From the marketing prospective, we will use local print media (newspaper and magazines), as well as local radio spots. We also have a well-developed database of past clientele and will often reach out to them in the form of an e-blast.” » BY ELAINE YETZER SIMON SUTTON PLACE Luxury Hotelier | February 2008 | www.LuxuryHotelier.com http://www.suttonplace.com http://www.orient-express.com http://www.LuxuryHotelier.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Hotelier - February 2008

Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 Editor's Letter Publisher's Letter Inform Network Forever Young Evolution for Jumeirah Insight Diamond in the Rough Amenities Televisions Art in Residence Yield Management Development Wine Lists Marketing to Locals Update Advertisers Index Editorial Index Source Listing Dossier

Luxury Hotelier - February 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.