There are lots of good ideas out there. What follows are a few that grabbed my attention. I hope that some of these might stimulate you to think a little differently about how to present your product to the marketplace.
Thoughts on the Irish hospitality & tourism industry and some ideas from abroad
About Me
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- Airlines (9)
- Customer Service (14)
- Environment (7)
- European Union (15)
- Hotels (51)
- Human Resources (5)
- Innovation (36)
- Marketing (50)
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- Restaurants (28)
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My Blog List
Irish Tourism Research - Facts & Figures
International Tourism Research - Facts & Figures
Latest hospitality news from CatererSearch
Employment & Careers
Graduate Management Programmes
- Accor- Graduate Management Programme
- British Airways 'Leaders for Business'
- Etihad - Graduate Entry Management Programme
- Fairmont - Leadership Development Programme
- Hospitality Graduate Recruitment
- Hyatt - Corporate Management Training Programme
- IBEC - Export Orientation Programme
- IHG - Graduate Programme UK & Ireland
- Jumeirah 'Aspiro'
- Lufthansa 'ProTeam'
- Rezidor Management Development Programme
- Scandic 'Talent@Scandic'
- Starwood 'Vita Futura'
- TUI Travel plc - International Management Trainee Programme
Recommended Reading
- A Book About Innocent: Our Story and Some Things We've Learned
- Anyone Can Do It - Building Coffee Republic From Our Kitchen Table
- First Break Alll The Rules - What the world's greatest managers do differently
- Five Star Service - One Star Budget
- Future Files - the 5 trends that will shape the next 50 years
- NUTS - Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business & Personal Success
- Setting the Table - Lessons & inspirations from one of the world's leading entrepreneurs
Travel With The Times
Shaping the Future
Irish Tourism & Hospitality Organisations
- Association of Irish Festival Events
- Car Rental Council of Ireland
- CIE
- Coach Tourism & Transport Council
- Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport
- Drinks Industry Group of Ireland
- Dublin Airport Authority
- Dublin Port Company
- Failte Ireland
- Good Food Ireland
- Heritage Island
- Irish Golf Tour Operators Association
- Irish Hotels Federation
- Irish Nightclub Industry Association
- Irish Self Catering Federation
- Irish Tour Operators Association
- Irish Tourist Industry Confederation
- Restaurants Association of Ireland
- South Dublin County Tourism
- Tourism Ireland
Irish Tourism & Hospitality Professional Associations
Going North or South?
Irish Hotel Marketing Consortia
Irish Bed & Breakfast Associations
Food Tourism in Ireland
- Bridgestone Guides
- Food & Drink Industry Ireland
- Georgina Campbell's Ireland
- Good Food Ireland
- Great Food
- Irish Country Houses, Historic Hotels & Restaurants
- Irish Farmers Markets
- Jobs for Cooks
- Kinsale's Good Good Circle
- Look & Taste
- Menu Pages
- Restaurants Association of Ireland
- Slow Food Ireland
- Taste Festivals Ireland
- Tyrone Good Food Circle
Irish Residential Cookery Schools
Food Tourism Agencies
Professional Associations for Chefs
Food & Wine Professional Groups
Food Service Companies
Restaurant Companies in New York
Restaurant Companies in the UK
The Spa Sector in Ireland
Top International Destination Spa Resorts
The Events Sector
Event Management Companies in Ireland
Destination Management Companies
Convention & Exhibition Centres
Travel Distribution
Integrated Travel Companies
Tour Operating Companies
Eco-tourism Organisations
Eco-tourism in Action
International Hotel Professional Associations
European Hotel Companies
- AC Hotels
- Accor
- Barcelo
- Barony Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
- CHI Hotels & Resorts
- Club Méditerranee
- Danubius Hotels & Resorts
- Domina Hotel Group
- Eurostars Hotels
- Fiesta Hotel Group
- First Hotels
- G.S.M. Hoteles
- Golden Tulip
- H10 Hotels
- Helios Hotels & Resorts
- Hospes
- Husa Hotels
- Iberostar Hotels & Resorts
- JJW Hotels
- Kempinski
- Lindner Hotels AG
- Lopesan Hotel Group
- Louvre Hotels
- LTI International Hotels
- Mitsis Hotels
- NH Hotels
- Occidental Hotels & Resorts
- Pandox AB
- Pestana Hotels & Resorts
- Princess Hotels & Resorts
- Rezidor
- Riu Hotels & Resorts
- Room Mate Hotels
- Scandic Hotels
- Sol Melia
- Steigenberger Hotels AG
- TUI Hotels & Resorts
- Vila Gale Hotels
- von Essen Hotels
- Warwick International Hotels
Middle East & Asian Hotel Companies
North American Hotel Companies
- Carlson Hospitality Worldwide
- Choice Hotels International
- Dolce Hotels & Resorts
- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
- Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
- Global Hyatt Corporation
- Hilton Hotels Corporation
- InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
- Kerzner International
- Loews Hotels
- Marriott International
- Omni Hotels
- Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
- Sonesta Hotels
- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
- Trump Hotel Collection
- Wyndham Hotel Group
The Budget Hotel Sector
Hotel Trendsetters
International Hotel Marketing Consortia
Rail Travel in Europe & Beyond
The Cruise Industry
Luxury Cruise Lines
Deluxe Cruise Lines
Mainstream Cruise Lines
Expediation Cruise Lines
Ferry Companies
Regional Airlines in Ireland & the UK
Major Airline Companies
International Tourism & Hospitality Organisations
International Professional Associations
- American Hotel & Lodging Association
- Hospa
- Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals
- Hospitality Sales Marketing Association International
- Hotel Asset Management Association
- Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association
- Hotel Owners & Franchisees Transatlantic & European League
- Institute of Hospitality
- International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions
- International Special Events Society
- International Tourism Trade Fairs Association
- SKAL International Association of Travel & Tourism Professionals
- Society of Incentive Travel Executives (SITE)
- Young Hotelier
12 comments:
The pricing approach adopted by the The Hoxton Urban Lodge in London marks it out as a very unique offering in the hotel world. Its 205 rooms are sold just like seats on an aircraft! The earlier you book, the cheaper the room. It sells five rooms for an attention grabbing £1 per night and a further five for £29 per night. I just missed my opportunity very recently. In just 13 minutes, 1,000 rooms were sold for only £1 and £29. The system struggled to keep up with the huge number of people trying to book. For the technically minded, it peaked with a staggering 28,000 users per second!The remaining rooms are sold for £59, £79, £99, £129, £149, £169, £189 & £199. Payment is taken at the time of booking and there are no refunds. Amended bookings incur a fee of £15. Additionally, ancillary services are great value. Local telephone calls are free, national calls are 3p per minute and calls to the USA are only 5p per minute. Bars of Kit Kat are 50p and bottles of beer are only £1.25!
Staying with The Hoxton Urban Lodge, it offers a very interesting innovation for those mobile nomads who would love the use of an office for a day but generally have nowhere to go. Unsurprisingly called the 'Day Office', it offers, a high-tech desk, free wi-fi, free local calls, free faxing, free printing (within reason), a flat screen TV and a private bathroom all for an amazing £19 per day!
All Seasons, the new economy brand from Accor launched a last minute promotional offer at the end of June. The 'all seasons TUESDAY deal' is available every Tuesday on the brands website. It offers a last minute promotional rate of 'two nights for the price of one' valid for the coming week-end (Fri & Sat or Sat & Sun). Rooms are sold on a first come, first served basis and must be pre-paid by credit card at the time of booking. No changes are allowed!
The UK hotel group 'my hotels' has a range of alternative packages designed to get us chattering and it noticed! How about myromance, mysaucy, mydecadent, go burlesque, the city closet and threesome!
ROOM Restaurants have some simple ideas to increase revenue:
1. 50% OFF a bottle or glass of house Champagne and 30% OFF all other Champagnes & Wine from 28th July to 21st September.
2. LUCKY 7 MENU - 7 main courses, for £7, before 7pm, 7 days a week.
3. ROOM Wine Club - Once a month, Room offers tutored wine tastings by a leading expert with canapes and dinner all for just £40!
4. EXPRESS TWO Course Lunch for £10 served within 45 minutes.
5. ROOM Membership Card - Benefits: 10% off Tue-Fri, 50% off all food every week-end 8am-5pm, Up to 50% special member discounts on new menu launches, Receive a £50 voucher when you book a party of 9 or more (voucher issued after the event), Free bottle of Champagne when you introduce 3 new members, priority seating on busy nights and entry into a quarterly members draw.
Cookbook Cafe Events:
MASTER THE ART OF COCKTAILS
£35 per guest/Approx 30-60 minutes (for 1/2 cocktail types)
Master the art of cocktail making for all those interested in the basics behind classic and contemporary cocktails with one of its Mixologists.
One cocktail station per 15-20 guests where multiple stations with various themes can be used like Mojito and Caipirinha to contemporary Martinis.
Optional add-on finger food from the cooking station from £15 per guest.
Cookbook Cafe Events:
CHOCOLATE MASTER CLASS
£95 per guest
Approximately 90 minutes
Keith Hurdman of ....melt....Notting Hill chocolatiers tantalises your taste buds with chocolate history and tasting. Then he gets your hands dirty as you roll your own perfect signature truffle. The Mixologist quenches your thirst after all that hard work with the secrets of a delicious chocolate martini!
Cookbook Cafe Events:
THE PERFECT COCKTAIL AND FINGER FOOD
£75 per guest
Approximately 90-120 minutes
Make you own cocktails with the Mixologist and match them with great finger food. Great for keeping everyone moving and networking!
Perfect Bloody Mary - The secrets to the right spice mix..... with Fresh made Guacamole, Crispy Tortillas and Jalapenos
Classic Martini and Vesper Martini - Shaken and stirred.....with Fillet of Beef Panini, or Linguine with Lobster
Mojito - Classic to contemporary fruit deviations..... with Rum flambéed Fruit Kebabs and Vanilla Ice Cream....Yum Yum!
Cookbook Cafe Events:
THE CLASSIC COOKBOOK PARTY
£95 per guest includes all food and four hour open bar
(or £55 for food only)
The original CBC Party is a sucessful combination of an interactive cocktail party with LIVE COOKING at various food stations in the restaurant, a casual and fun party atmosphere creating an ideal mood for mixing and mingling with friends and colleagues.
MAKE Your MINIBAR work for you and don't fill it with alcoholic drinks that many people just don't want. At the Jumeriah Lowndes hotel in Knightsbridge, water, soft drinks and fruit juices including pomegranate, are the three biggest sellers. These are accompanied by a selection of nuts, seeds and berries. Only 30% of the stock is beer, wine & spirits. Spanish chain, Hesperia stocks cereal bars, yoghurts and juices. Other hotels have chosen to dispense with Red Bull drinks in favour of healthy 'pretox' drink Alibi - a blend of liver-benefiting herbs like milk thistle designed to help prepare the body for dealing with toxins or soothe the systems of guests who have already indulged. The healthy move is also part of a trend which sees hotel rooms as detoxifying and calming zones for body and mind. US hotel chain Westin has launched its minibar as a 'purification station' in its Times Square property, with a remit of 'enhancing mind, body and soul'. The contents include a personalised oxygen dispenser to combat jet lag alongside essential oil energy patches which are scented variously to combat stress, relieve aches or boost energy. The products are teamed with a stress kit, aromatherapy and skin care products, oral sprays, foot treatments, healthy snacks and even a Rorschach ink blot test to exercise the brain. But purity isn't always on the mind of every hotel customer, which is why another well-marketed big seller for hotel minibars are 'intimacy kits'. These are offered by a number of hotels and unsually contain condoms and lubricants in an branded kit. At the top end, boutique New York hotel Thompsons has launched an intimacy kit in tandem with luxury lingerie chain Kiki de Montparnasse containing Kiki motif vibrator, before and after mints, lubricant and Kiki select kimono condoms. Priced at $160, it's not cheap, but it fits the minibar's key USP's - anonymity and privacy. 'It's something people can choose to buy in their room with more privacy than going to a store' says managing director Stephen Brandman. 'And our customers may not have time to go shopping anyway'. Encouraging guests to spend more is still a matter of hot debate. Evidence suggests that 88% of UK guests perceive minibars as overpriced and would spend more if they felt they were good value. With this in mind, Jumeirah Lowndes has hit on a clever way to to make the most of its automated minibar system. 'Our bar tells us when someone has taken a product and if it's not replaced within a few minutes, it automatically charges to the room account. This has enabled us to introduce a 'happy hour' when we reduce the price of contents beteen 10pm and midnight by 30% - and so far it's working really well' says Jane Renton, general manager.
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper 3-9 July 2008
Do your staff know how to upsell?In your restaurant, know the dishes with the highest profit margins and ensure staff know how to sell them!
When reviewing your menu and your wine list, remember that one should compliment the other. Do guests ever see wines on a list they do not recognise? Of course they do! But very often, the waiter does not know how to describe and sell these wines! Consider writing your list so that it indicates which wines go best with specific dishes. Remember, customers love informed advice and they tend to act on it. I know I do!
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