GLOBAL UPDATE
CANADA MEETS MANHATTAN
Morgans Hotel Group has transformed Hudson ’ s Private Park into a ski resort-themed bar inspired by Mont Tremblant ,
Quebec . Hudson Lodge , which will be open through February , serves cocktails including an Aztec hot chocolate and a hot buttered
Animal hide rugs , wood furniture and strings of flash bulbs overhead help give Hudson Lodge the feel of a ski town .
rum toddy as well as modern interpretations of typical ski resort fare such as green chili fondue and s ’ more grilled cheese with
Nutella , ricotta , gruyere , cheddar and maple syrup . Morgans ’ in-house design team filled the space with animal hide rugs , taxidermy , wood furniture , toboggans and snowshoes . A 50-ft ( 15-m ) tent helps create the feeling of the outdoors without letting in the elements , while strings of flash bulbs simulate a sparkling winter sky .
“ Outdoor spaces are extremely successful during the summer months , but we asked , why can ’ t we activate the space in the winter ?” says Alan Philips , vice president of food and beverage for Morgans . “ The numbers showed it could be a compelling business decision , so all we had to do was bring forth a creative concept . The press coverage and unbudgeted revenue generated have far exceeded the expectations of anyone involved .”
HOW SOCIAL MEDIA INSPIRES TRAVEL
Social media plays the largest role in inspiring travel and in the travel experience , according to a study of 4,600 consumers in 13 countries commissioned by Text100 Global Communications examining the importance of social media and mobile during the four stages of the travel decision-cycle : inspiration , decision , purchase and experience .
63 % 87 % 68 % of survey respondents consider recommendations by friends and family the number one factor to inspire travel . use Facebook for travel inspiration , of people surveyed under the age of 34 .
MORE THAN HALF surveyed also use Twitter , Pinterest and other social media platforms for inspiration . use their mobile devices , in the experience stage , to stay in touch with friends and family while on vacation — more than taking photos ( 43 %) or checking the news ( 20 %).
“ Today ’ s vacationer bases their decisions on far more digital , mobile and physical touchpoints than ever before ,” says Text100 Global CEO Aedhmar Hynes . “ Therefore , companies need to be consistent in communicating their core values via authentic audience engagement .”
SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT http :// hotelsm . ag / WeXaSk TO ANSWER THE QUESTION . WATCH HOTELSMAG . COM IN MARCH FOR SURVEY RESULTS .
TUNED IN TO
LINKEDIN
LinkedIn has become one of the most popular social-networking websites , particularly from a professional standpoint , but how much are hotel companies paying attention to what their employees — particularly those in
sales — share on the site ?
Is your hotel company giving your salespeople guidelines for their LinkedIn accounts ?
A . Yes , we actively help our sales team create professional LinkedIn profiles that reflect our brand .
B . No , but we are considering implementing such a policy .
C . No , we have never considered such a policy .
D . Sounds like a bad idea .
14 HOTELS January / February 2013 www . hotelsmag . com