Dubai: Raising awareness and increasing revenues is becoming easier for hotels in the Middle East, as they get into social networking.
Although already common practice elsewhere around the globe, there were reservations here about its effectiveness.
"Social networking sites are still in their relative infancy and we don't know how they are going to grow up. What we do know is that social networking is generating a large amount of buzz in hospitality marketing," says Ray Tinston, sales Director of The Hotel Show Middle East.
He cited a recent survey suggesting that the number of Twitter users in the Middle East and North Africa has increased from 3,000 to around 40,000 in the last 12 months.
‘Quite popular'
"The Middle East is yet to harness the full potential of Twitter and Facebook. They are quite popular here with the youth but haven't been as popular with the 45s and above," says Hina Bakht, Vice President, MPJ — Marketing Pro-Junction, promoting brands such as Coral Hotels & Resorts.
However, sounding out eleven international and local hotel brands in the UAE operating in the region, reveals social media amounts too much more than just a buzz.
The four IHG properties in Dubai Festival City (DFC), joined Twitter by July last year. Since then, they have already attracted a combined following of over 10,000 tweeters.
Facebook is still the preferred platform for hotels. Abu Dhabi Starwood's Aloft already has 7,000 fans, since it used the platform for its opening campaign, according to the hotels PR manager, Soraya Agha.
Running strong
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Cairo property runs strong on Facebook, according to its executive director of public relations. "Cairo is the third most popular country for Facebook viewers after the US and Canada, according to Google analytics. Social media is about nurturing community and conversations," says Lori Holland. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, meanwhile, has collected 6,000 followers.
As a sample only it proves the importance hotels attach to these platforms and not just a knee jerk reaction to a trend. Hotel chains in the region formulated their social media strategies carefully over the past two years.
"Decisions ranged from ‘let us not get into social media, as once in you can never retract', to fully embracing the interactions through social media," Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Management's vice president sales and marketing — Middle East, Toufic Tamim says.
The Shangri-La Director of Communications at Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, Natalie Glorney, recognises its value as part of the overall communication strategy, but warns to use social media responsibly.
"Communication experts need to be cautious not to simply advertise their products. That doesn't really engage your target audience as effectively as engaging in social issues and topics of discussion that are relevant to your specific industry."
Interactive dialogue
The journey may have started out as a simple marketing tool, but since has evolved to an interactive dialogue with consumers.
"When we entered the frontier of social media, there weren't many Middle Eastern companies actively engaging with clients at the time. The ban on Twitter in the UAE in February 2009 had just been lifted, and so many had no idea about the phenomenon and its potential," says Robert Singleton, online marketing executive at IHG, Dubai Festival City.
Hotels use online communities to promote all facets of their hotels, including restaurants which reward followers with discounts.
Generating followers is great but they have to be kept, as most brands jump aboard social media platforms.
Oliver Schmaeing, regional director of marketing at Hilton Worldwide, Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean, reckons the best bit is that it allows for an open conversation with the consumer to foster the needed trust in the brand.
Chatter and visuals posted on-line by guests about facilities, helps hotels to model offers around customers' liking and interests.
"Online user groups or communities add enormous value to our business. They are our brand ambassadors in the virtual world," says Southern Sun's Al Manzil and Qamardeen Complex e-commerce Manager, Anupam Sharma.
Getting creative
Tweeting allows for imaginative activities at a lightening speed, such as giving away free rooms to the first "Tweet" or the Chief Concierge hiding at a Dubai Landmark tweeting the location. The first to find him won a free weekend in the presidential suite or luxury spa packages and the likes.
Robert Singleton, online marketing executive at IHG, Dubai Festival City says the initiative saw a massive increase in their online followers and up to 50 people hunting for the concierge each week.
Or for a good cause InterCon's DFC "Twestival" in conjunction with the global Twitter meet-up event attracted 335 "Tweeple" and raised Dh100,000 for Concern Worldwide.
Who is where?
Facebook & Twitter
Fairmont Hotels & ResortsAloft Abu Dhabi Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers Coral Hotels & Resorts
Facebook, Twitter & Trip Advisor
Southern Sun — Al Manzil & Qamardeen Downtown Burj Khalifa Hilton Worldwide — Arabian Peninsula & Indian OceanRezidor Hotel Group (Middle East)
Facebook & Youtube
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts
Facebook
Rotana Hotels Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi
