Ninety years ago, Ellsworth Statler, father of the modern hotel industry, was quoted as saying “There are three things that make a hotel famous – location, location, location.”
photo credit: PopArtUK
E.M. Statler promoted his hotels based on 'location, location, location'. A century later, new locations may be virtual, but no less essential
Many today might argue that the complexities of today’s travel industry dictate a much more sophisticated approach to marketing and promotion.
I disagree – the future of hotel marketing will still be led by those that master “location, location, location.” The major difference is that the definition of the three locations will have changed dramatically over time.
An underlying reason for this change is the paradigm shift driving new interactive media based marketing processes:
- Get found
- Get followed
- Get engaged
These three stages have created hotel industry’s three new critically important “locations:”
- Search Engines
- Social Media
- Location Based Promotion
E. M. Statler changed the hotel industry in two radical ways: First he revolutionized hotel design and development; then he ran guest-centric operations where the customer was king. Remarkably, his philosophies are just as relevant today. continue reading →
