THE MAGAZINE OF THE WORLDWIDE HOTEL INDUSTRY
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein , Editor In Chief 1.312.274.2226 E-mail : jweinstein @ hotelsmag . com
Ann Bagel Storck , Managing Editor 1.312.274.2209 E-mail : astorck @ hotelsmag . com
Nathan Greenhalgh , Associate Editor 1.312.274.2229 E-mail : ngreenhalgh @ hotelsmag . com
Dani Friedland , Managing Editor , New Media 1.312.274.2223 E-mail : dfriedland @ mtgmediagroup . com
Queenie Burns , Vice President , Design 1.312.274.2216 E-mail : qburns @ mtgmediagroup . com
Bert Ganzon , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2227 E-mail : bganzon @ mtgmediagroup . com
Steve Vanden Heuvel , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2218 E-mail : svandenheuvel @ mtgmediagroup . com
Michelle Villadolid , Freelance Design E-mail : mvilladolid @ mtgmediagroup . com
Bill McDowell , Vice President , Editorial Director 1.312.274.2201 bmcdowell @ mtgmediagroup . com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Mary Gostelow , Oriana Lerner
PUBLISHING Dan Hogan , Vice President , Publisher 1.312.274.2221 dhogan @ hotelsmag . com
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Ltd ., Gurgaon , India
Stephen Bartolin Chairman and CEO , The Broadmoor , Colorado Springs , Colorado
Eric Danziger President and CEO , Wyndham Hotel Group , Parsippany , New Jersey
Geoffrey Gelardi Managing Director , The Lanesborough , London
Kirk Kinsell President , the Americas , IHG , Atlanta
Alex Kyriakidis President and Managing Director , Middle East and Africa , Marriott International , Dubai
Christopher Nassetta President and CEO , Hilton Worldwide , McLean , Virginia
Monika Nerger Chief Information Officer , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Atlanta
Paul Sistare President and CEO , Atlantica Hotels International , São Paulo
Susan Terry Vice President Culinary Operations , Hyatt Hotels North American Operations , Chicago
EDiTOriAL AND PrODuCTiON OFFiCES , HOTELS Marketing and Technology Group , 1415 N . Dayton Street Chicago , Illinois 60642 USA 1.312.274.2200 ; fax : 1.312.266.3363 edit @ hotelsmag . com
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Social StrategieS
Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook have become critical customer-service tools for hoteliers to interact with guests and manage expectations before , during and after their stays . In fact , there are now numerous legendary stories about hoteliers proactively responding to real-time issues and spinning a potentially negative spate of publicity into a positive outcome for the hotel and guest . This has become a new textbook approach for making the best of a tough situation .
Social media is also an incredibly effective way for guests and potential guests to express their thoughts about big brands and independents , as well as sway public opinion . In fact , social media became a powerful tool in early May for global fashion and entertainment industry leaders to very publicly express their negative views about The Dorchester Collection ’ s ownership group led by the Sultan of Brunei , who is an influential leader in a country that recently passed legislation advocating the stoning of gay individuals committing what it calls sexual crimes and flogging for abortion .
While the Dorchester Collection operates autonomously from its owners and immediately issued a statement saying it follows the laws of the lands in which it operates and does not tolerate any form of discrimination , its high-profile opponents have come on very strong in social media , advocating boycotts of Dorchester hotels . It has put hotel management in a very difficult position , and observing how they use social media going forward — from a damage-control perspective or with a marketing message — will be very interesting .
Social media reputation management is also a category once again in HOTELS ’ third-annual Social Hotel Awards . The
editors and judges are in the process of choosing this year ’ s winners , which will be announced in October . We have not had reputationmanagement entries addressing an issue similar to what the Dorchester Collection faces , but we have had multiple case studies reflecting a thoughtful approaches to managing expectations and how to best respond to negative publicity .
Last year , HOTELS collected some 250 entries from its awards program and culled the list to some 70 finalists in seven categories . The best entries clearly explained the hotel ’ s social media strategy as well as offered an ROI on its implementation — which sometimes was soft and other times could be quantified in dollars and cents . Now , HOTELS has curated the best entries and published them in case-study format in an ebook . Our goal is to give you the opportunity to learn about some of the best strategies in social media marketing , including reputation management . Entitled “ HOTELS ’ Best Social Media Practices Guide ” and available on Amazon . com , Apple ’ s iBookstore , B & N , Kobo and Google , the book can be purchased for a very reasonable US $ 9.99 for some great insights and techniques to best prepare you for social media marketing and reputation management .
Editor In Chief www . hotelsmag . com June 2014 HOTELS 7