Innovating Innovation - MarriottTestBED - Accelerator Europe

MarriottTestBED unique  programme  to accelerate tech startups that enhance the travel experience.

If you are a startup with great concept to improve travel experiences, Marriott Hotel Europe could be a power partner.

Ever innovative, Marriott Hotels Europe seeks innovation from the outside.  Their accelerator programme invites startups dedicated to enhancing the travel experience to submit their early stage project.

Marriott TestBED - Hospitality Innovation StartUp Accelerator

The criteria is distinctly traveller focused and challenging

Products or services should comply with the following:

• Fit within the travel and hospitality sector
• Can be implemented at a single hotel level
• Will offer guests a useful tool to explore and discover a city or region
• or
• Help Marriott Hotels in Europe better understand their guests wants and needs
• Does not require heavy integration into global systems
• Submissions must be made in English

Hurry - Start Up submissions  close 16/10/2016.

Get full Details at MarriottTestBED

Mobile Audience Growth - Web is Discovery Opportunity

 Mobiforge details #mobile report - apps for engagement - web for discovery

Mobile marketers and developers will value Mobiforge's analysis of Comscore's recent report.  For all of us trying to decide - Mobile site or mobile app, the information is most helpful.  

Decision depends on your business goals:

• are you building your mobile audience = mobile website -USER centric
• do you want to increase engagement with mobile users = app

The chart below from the Comscore report clearly shows the growth opportunity.

Another key point is that mobile web is a gateway:

We’ve seen a lot of movement in the mobile web arena over the last year in the shape ofProgressive Web Apps, and the AMP initiative that bears out the importance of  the web as the gateway to further engagement without the same limitations as an app store presents. Outside of the app oligarchs,  the discovery battle may ultimately be won on the web.

An excellent, concise analysis - read Martin Clancy's article "Mobile Audience Growth Web Not Apps" 

Original Post - Mobile Mindset Web not Apps

Content - More Than a Marketer - Add Value, Useful, #thumbable Renaissance

Excellent infographic - Portrait of a Content Marketer - More than a Marketer

Today's marketing calls for multidimensional skills, which makes the field both exciting and daunting!  This infographic created by @uberflip - published by @unbounce breaks it down.  

Thanks for the code Unbounce, which makes it easy to share here.

Lots of qualities, instinctively imaginative + oh so curious...makes 'marketers' a special breed.  Agree - "Modern day Renaissance (wo)men, if you will."

I am a big fan of Unbounce and Uberflip - they share learning generously.

Thumb through the graphic on your mobile.

Kind Traveler - Charitable Donations Unlock Hotel Deals - Exclusives

KindTraveler - A Winning Combination - Hotel Deals for Guests' donating to their favorite charities.

This is definitely innovative - 'Do More Than Travel' slogan - says it all!!

A win-win-win combination for guest, hotels and non-profit orgfanizations

• Hotels win because they are able to offer exclusive deals to a 'private club' of guests, who contribute to THEIR select charity
• Guests win as rates and offers are private - better than published on OTAs
• Charities-worthy causes win via donations that are basically micro-fundraising.

Further, Hotel get to show their eco-efforts.  The Kind Stories blog-mag is a worthy read too!!

Kind Traveler - Hotel Deals from Donations

The concept is the brainchild of founders Jessica Blotter and Sean Krejci - and their inspiration story is told in this terrific Conde Nast article.

A beautiful site - fabulous idea for a better world...Kind Traveler

Kind Traveler - Charitable Donations Unlock Hotel Deals - Exclusives

KindTraveler - A Winning Combination - Hotel Deals for Guests' donating to their favorite charities.

This is definitely innovative - 'Do More Than Travel' slogan - says it all!!

A win-win-win combination for guest, hotels and non-profit orgfanizations

• Hotels win because they are able to offer exclusive deals to a 'private club' of guests, who contribute to THEIR select charity
• Guests win as rates and offers are private - better than published on OTAs
• Charities-worthy causes win via donations that are basically micro-fundraising.

Further, Hotel get to show their eco-efforts.  The Kinder Stories blog-mag is a worthy read too!!

Kind Traveler - Hotel Deals from Donations

The concept is the brainchild of founders Jessica Blotter and Sean Krejci - and their inspiration story is told in this terrific Conde Nast article.

A beautiful site - fabulous idea for a better world...Kind Traveler

Rock Your #Mobile Campaign Tips via #Mobilemindset

Some Smart Tips #Mobile Mindset - save time, optimize social media

Lots of common sense advice for making the most of you time.

Key Points:

• Don't get distracted - stay focused on your content search
• Create a publishing schedule - on a calendar - frequency, days, times
• Monitor Metrics

My Favorite:

• Collect as you go - an idea libary with links and a few comments works for me.

Also in the post are tools to help you maximize time + creativity

• HootSuite
• OktoPost
• Hearsay Social

Read the full Rock Your Mobile Campaign Tips post!

Direct #hotel Bookings - Chatting about Chatbots - Ollerton

Hotel Direct Booking Summit presented chatbot insights by Tom Ollerton of We Are Social. 

 TripTease organized the event in London and definitely illuminated the near future of hotel bookings...and guest multilingual service conversations.

Video - Chatting about Chabots - is well worth the 18 minutes spent viewing.

While early days, Mobile - and subsequently bookings within Facebook Messenger/What's App/WeChat - is not a fad.  A number of major travel players and hotel companies have launched 'conversation bots' that engage + transact.

Chatbots should make bookings - faster, better or cheaper.

Examples include:

• Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotels - Edward
• Bookings.com Chat Tool for Hotel Bookings

Again early days and issues + payment ease are being worked out by industry leaders.

The full article from TripTease Chatting about Chatbots.

My take - 

• Hotels need to rethink websites as the center of the booking universe
• Mobile Facebook is used by 80% of the billions that access FB daily
• People already know how to text - no booking learning curve
• Rich, visual, engaging notifications are already a Facebook feature

Bottom line - social eco-system will be the booking environment for travellers. Get ready now.