I N S P I R E ’ 1 9
By Sharon Hirschowitz
The International Luxury Hotel Association is hosting its
8th INSPIRE event at the Four Seasons Miami December
3&4, 2019, where they will be discussing trends and
innovations influencing the luxury hotel industry. We
have a fantastic line-up of speakers who will be sharing
their insider knowledge on topics ranging from Building
an Emotionally Intelligent Guest Journey to Marketing in
the Age of Assistance, The Price of Sustainability, Future
Proofing your Business, Training Programs for Today’s
Guest and Digital Revenue Optimization.
HERE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF INSPIRE’19 SESSIONS
DUSTIN BOMAR
HEAD OF INDUSTRY, TRAVEL, GOOGLE
will be talking about Marketing
in the Age of Assistance, where
he will discuss how the presence of
24/7 assistance has changed consumer
expectations, including what this ‘always
around’ assistance is tasked with currently
and how that has already begun to change
as capabilities improve. Marketers will
also learn how they can appropriately
participate to add value to the consumer
experience.
“Hotels need to know who their target
is and use tactics to reach that specific
group,” said Dustin, when asked how
hotels can ensure they are heard in such
a busy space. “Going to market too wide
can result in high reach but low relevance
and not deliver the intended outcome.
Be very precise to find out who you
should be speaking to and have something
meaningful to say. “
“The first step in an effective marketing
strategy is to know the business objectives
you are trying to achieve and measure
those. Often times marketers can either
decide on what metrics matter after
the campaign is in development or once
measurement starts rolling in. Decide
what is important, develop the campaign
for that goal and, measure the results
without holding anything too precious to
not be stopped if it’s not working.”
10 ILHA
How do we Stand Out from the
Crowd is the topic
COLIN COWIE
CEO, COLIN COWIE LIFESTYLE
Above and Beyond Hospitality
will be exploring how to create a blueprint
for a successful and sustainable customer service culture.
“We live in a world that is overcrowded with products and
services,” says Colin. “Proactive Customer Service allows
you to distinguish yourself, stand out in a crowd, and create
a brand signature. I’ll share what it takes to deliver customer
service and why teamwork,
communication, and standards
are the keystones to fulfilling
that sophisticated level of
customer service.
“Delivering successful
customer service can only
work in an environment that
has a rich culture where every member understands and lives out
the mission and the guiding principles of the company all the time,
every time.”
When asked what the key ingredients are for a truly memorable
travel experience, Colin said that he believes that luxury today
does not come in an orange box with a brown saddle stitch ribbon.
Luxury is how we make you feel and
how we create an emotional connection.
Luxury is when the senses: what you
smell, touch, taste, see and hear are all in
harmony and you want for nothing and
everything feels right. This is what makes
a memorable travel experience.
Photo credit: Dennis Kwan Photography
www.denniskwanheadshots.com