This rocks. If you are still not using Google services to enhance the management of your tourism business, consider getting on board the G-train. I’m delivering a training program in the fall that will be focused on helping tourism businesses streamline their CRM processes using the plethora of free tools on the Web, many that Google provides. As a Gmail user, I’m already addicted to Google...
Cell phone has already replaced landline for 30% of U.S. Households Also this report on cell phone use and adoption for online payments shows 15% of folks have bought things with their phone. Where we are now: 50% of cell phones are web-enabled and there are 3 billion cell phone contracts across the planet. Can you see the future? Here’s my guess at the new communication landscape in 2014: 80%...
By now, most of us have heard that the Web is social, but are you taking action to encourage social actions on your blog or website? Of course we can socialize with our fans and followers on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and the like, but now even our websites and blogs can become places where social actions can bring big benefits. Three Steps to Earning Tweets and Likes Step 1: Create great content,...
By now, most of us have heard that the Web is social, but are you taking action to encourage social actions on your blog or website? Of course we can socialize with our fans and followers on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and the like, but now even our websites and blogs can become places where social actions can bring big benefits. Step 1: Create great content, stuff that gets people excited, interested...
Listen to my delightful conversation with Pam Mandel about how Seattle Travel Bloggers and their friends are making a difference in parts of the world where a little money can go a long way in bringing peace and sustainability to marginalized communities. Learn how you can get involved as a blogger, travel PR, tourism industry representative in this unique project that features benefits for all involved. Download...
As I often relate on this blog. This is no time for your business to be anything less than amazing in delivering travel experiences. Cell phones (yes, the majority of travelers are carrying them) are travelers gateway to spreading the word about your business, good or bad. This chart of the day from early July shows how cell phone users are using their phones to share information online. The...
For travelers, getting advice from someone who has been there, done that has become second nature with traveler advice sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp!, Google Maps and others. But most of the time, we have no idea who those people are that are giving the advice. Social Networking should be smarter Is it someone like me? or are they someone with different values, interests and attitudes. I know I’ve...
When Calvin Klein recently replaced their racy billboards with QR Codes, it brought the emerging technology to the attention of a worldwide audience. Is it time for the Tourism Industry to embrace the opportunities presented by the bar codes? The Fort Smith National Historic Site has begun using Quick Response (QR) Codes on way signs for improved interpretation, giving visitors access to a three-minute...
Last weekend I tried to dance like Matt for a special guest in explaining how this internet phenomenon spanned the globe, igniting in others a passion for place and shared travel experiences. Like Matt, there are guests who become truly excited about experiences we share with them. Part of our job is encouraging these guests to take social actions that help make it easier for others to choose...
TripAdvisor is now the largest travel website in the world with 35,382,000 unique visitors. The next largest travel website in the world is former number one and parent company of TripAdvisor, online travel agent – Expedia with over 33 million uniques. Since four in five travelers read reviews on social media and the vast majority (95%!!) of travelers who’ve read them said such reviews...