the most engaged visitors to travelBrilliantly . Com were in faCt those Coming from our Content partners .”
Global Update
AdvertoriAl 2.0
In 2013 Marriott International ’ s namesake brand entered into a unique “ content marketing ” partnership with magazines Fast Company and Wired and news website Mashable .
Marriott International says the content marketing is meant to “ reach the next-generation traveler .” The articles cover travel topics such as “ online tools that show you what to wear and avoid local faux pas ” and include links to Marriott Hotels ’ TravelBrilliantly . com website , which Marriott uses as a platform to showcase innovations and to solicit new ideas from website visitors .
Bloggers and contributors are sourced by the partnering publications and jointly briefed by Marriott Hotels and the publications . Marriott says success is dependent on the quality of the content , so it ensures content is not promotional or self-serving . While not disclosing the venture ’ s financial details , Marriott says it has boosted its website traffic .
“ The most engaged visitors to TravelBrilliantly . com were in fact those coming from our content partners ,” says Karen Olivares ,
director , brand marketing , Marriott Hotels . “ We believe that these partnerships were truly synergistic in terms of content , traffic and value creation .
“ Bookings are , of course , the ultimate goal of any initiative ,” Olivares continues . “ However , we see content marketing being further up the purchase-decision funnel . Before guests are ready to book , they need to enter the realm of consideration . This is where we see the value of content marketing .”
the most engaged visitors to travelBrilliantly . Com were in faCt those Coming from our Content partners .”
– Karen Olivares , MarriOtt HOtels
Culinary students also teaCh
The executive chefs at Massachusetts ’ Harbor View Hotel and Sea Crest Beach Hotel are taking culinary internships to a new level . Thanks to a partnership with Zip Travel in the Philippines , Harbor View Executive Chef Nate Gould and Sea Crest Executive Chef Daniel Kenney have taken a handson approach to recruiting and have found some unexpected benefits in the process .
“ I ’ m able to spend time building these kids as cooks and hopefully as chefs ,”
Nate Gould ( left ) and Daniel Kenney interviewed 60 to 70 culinary students at five schools in the Philippines for a visa internship program at their hotels .
Gould says . “ They bring a passion I haven ’ t seen .”
“ All chefs have to be teachers , and to have this crew that is so focused on learning makes it a pleasure for us ,” Kenney agrees .
Last fall Gould and Kenney spent nearly two weeks in the Philippines personally interviewing recruits . They chose 32 interns in total for the two properties , where they will work for about nine months via a visa internship program before returning to the Philippines .
Gould says he appreciates the humility his Filipino interns bring to the kitchen , not to mention their emphasis on key culinary principles . “ They are very focused on minimal waste ,” he explains . “ It ’ s a trend now in America to do farm to table and be sustainable , and it ’ s something they have always done .” While recruiting in the Philippines last fall , Gould and Kenney also had the chance to visit an orphanage housing children displaced by Typhoon Haiyan in addition to donating supplies and spending time with the kids over a meal . “ I definitely returned to the States more humble , more thankful for all the things I have ,” Gould adds .
12 HOTELS March 2014 www . hotelsmag . com