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The lingering recession has led to a movement that has to be considered by everyone in the business. It's commonly called “conscious consumption.” This social shift in consumer behavior blends newfound frugality with sustainability and it has seeped into every industry - from travel to automotive.

“When people part with their money these days, they expect to purchase more than a vacation or a car. They demand valuable investments and meaningful getaways—a trend that many experts believe is here to stay,” says PRNewswire.

“People will emerge from the current recession forever changed. The global recession has changed them,” said David Kenny, managing partner of Publicis Group’s VivaKi.

Environmental realities and new global leadership have also been factors.

“Conscious consumption and the changes in consumer attitudes have made a distinct impact on the travel industry. Gone are the days when vacation resorts could find success simply by touting a ‘sun and fun’ message that focused on pure luxury,” wrote the wire.

Get the full story at TravelMole.

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TripAdvisor Travelers Weigh In On Going Green

TripAdvisor recenlty conducted an environmentally-friendly travel survey of more than 1,200 U.S. respondents. Seventy-six percent of travelers sometimes incorporate green choices in their travel plans and 27 percent of respondents intentionally made environmentally-friendly travel choices in the past year. Fifty-two percent regularly find it challenging to incorporate green choices into their travel plans and 44 percent of travelers find that environmentally-friendly options are not readily available when traveling.

Forty-five percent of travelers won’t go green if it means spending more green. However, 27 percent are willing to spend $50 or more to be environmentally-friendly when traveling. Seventy-two percent of travelers think hotels are more interested in marketing themselves as environmentally-friendly than actually being green, while 10 percent think hotels are genuinely interested in being environmentally-friendly. Seventeen percent of travelers reported staying at a hotel that didn’t live up to its eco-friendly promises.

The top five most important green hotel practices are:

• Recycling program, 74 percent;
• Linen/towel re-use option; 73 percent;
• Energy-efficient light bulbs, 71 percent;
• Environmentally-friendly cleaning products, 60 percent; and
• Low-flow toilets/showerheads, 59 percent.

The entire article is available at GreenLodgingNews.com.

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Money-Saving Tips: Sales & Marketing

Source:  GreenLodgingNews.com

• Set aside a portion of your room inventory for EcoRooms, PURE rooms or other similar green room programs that enable you to market your hotel as environmentally friendly.

• Participate in community or national initiatives that involve environmental cleanup or protection. Send out a press release to local or national media when such events warrant it. Include information about your initiatives on your website and in your guestroom directory.

• Enter awards programs that recognize environmental achievements.

• Participate in state or national green lodging certification programs. Prominently display membership plaques at the front desk.

• Publish an online booklet that tells your green story and make it available to meeting planners, guests and the media.

• Partner with an environmental organization and donate a portion of your profits to it.

• Invite local school children to participate in events such as tree plantings. Photograph the event and invite the media.

• Take steps to green your meetings. A few include: serving water from pitchers, minimizing the use of paper and linens, and serving local, organic food.

• When possible, e-mail proposals and marketing materials to potential clients.

• Partner with other green businesses in your area and create a group or association, if there isn't one.

• Put together green packages that include things such as organic wine, a hybrid car rental, or a donation to a guest's green charity of choice.

• If you cater to group business, search out those green organizations most likely to want to stay in a green hotel.

• Join a green hotel association to give your property more online exposure.

• On Earth Day, put together a volunteer initiative that includes staff and the local community.

• Hold a media day and/or reception at your hotel to highlight your green initiatives.

• Attend green industry events to help get the word out about your hotel. Offer yourself as a potential speaker or panelist for such an event.

• Put together a green wedding package and promote it at local wedding fairs and bridal shops.

• Partner with a carbon offset organization and offer your guests the option of offsetting their travel.

• Teach your front desk people how to make your guests aware of your efforts.

• Offer premium parking to guests who drive hybrid vehicles.

• Band together with other green hotels in your area to market your town as a green destination.

• If you build your hotel to LEED standards, the public relations reward can be great. One hotel received $2.5 million in free publicity.

• Come up with a creative, fun name for your environmental program.

• When you do need to print marketing materials, make sure that soy-based inks are used.

"You must have mindshare before you can have marketshare." - Christopher M. Knight
Copyright © 2010  Robert J. Thompson.  All rights reserved.