Christian Renz brings us up to speed with how Rocco Forte Hotels are keeping their brand relevant and guest-focused by touching on mobile marketing strategies , the sharing economy and new initiatives with high profile figures like Downton Abbey ’ s Hugh Bonneville or HRH Prince Luitpold von Bayern .
Mobile Marketing continues to be a key influencer , with trends showing guests are booking via a mobile device even more now than last year . How has this impacted your marketing plan ?
Over the last year at Rocco Forte Hotels we have continued to see mobile traffic grow to our website , in line with industry trends . However , whilst bookings have increased in this channel , we are still seeing the majority of our bookings come through desktop .
Mobile marketing plays an important role in our marketing plan , however , we focus on a clear cross-channel marketing strategy ensuring that
both our messaging and presence is consistent at all consumer touch points . We run online marketing campaigns across both desktop and mobile , tailoring them to the device and we are placing an emphasis on social media marketing as a strong channel for brand awareness , especially on mobile devices .
To enable our guests the convenience of booking through their mobile devices , we run a fully responsive website with content tailored to be easily consumed across all devices . We are also currently developing an exciting additional feature for our website which will allow Rocco Forte guests to book and manage their bookings directly within our website .
Travelers have more choice than ever before , and a growing list of demands . How have you reacted to the sharing economy and market shifts ?
I believe that sharing economy companies such as Air BNB are a very positive addition to the market , allowing and encouraging people to travel where they may not have before . We are lucky that the Rocco Forte Hotel guests choose us because they like the level of bespoke service that comes with our stays , as well as the unique access to the cities they are in , that we can provide . An authentic experience is really important to all travelers now which is something Airbnb have really grasped in their advertising campaigns . We also think this is really important and , unlike many chain hotels , our properties are very much part of the fabric of the city or region , whether it ’ s the historic Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh known as the most iconic building in the city , Brown ’ s Hotel , known as the oldest hotel in London or the historic bank which Sir Rocco transformed into Hotel de Rome in Berlin . People like to stay somewhere like this , allowing them to experience the city without even stepping out the front door .
We are on the cusp of launching a new initiative called ‘ Rocco Forte Insiders ’, where we have worked with local
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