Hotels told to blog and represent 'face of brand'

Hoteliers must ensure they maintain contact with their customers via social networking sites such as facebook and twitter, said panelists at last week's Arabian Travel Market.

Timothy O’Neil-Dunne, managing partner of T2Impact, cited the case of United Airlines as an example of how powerful a marketing tool the internet can be

“People trust word of mouth, it is very important that you have a social network,” he said.

“Decision making, reacting, engaging – you must do all of this and engage with your customers now. It is also important that you monitor this interaction.

‘You have an opportunity to raise or lower yourself by using social media. I recommend that everybody blogs — it is very important when you represent the face of your brand,” he added.

Jason Hancock senior director business development UK and Ireland for Travelport agreed: “It is all about engaging customers these days, whether it is with offers, products or information.”