Resort Best Practices Initiative
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Internet Marketing & Distribution Strategies (PDF) (Fall/Winter 2005)
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Customer Relationship Management and Customer Loyalty for Resorts: Technology, Process and the Human Touch (PDF) (Spring/Summer 2006)
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Generating Ancillary Revenue: Creative Techniques for Expanding Resort Revenue Streams (PDF) (Fall/Winter 2006)
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Attracting and Retaining Luxury Travelers (Fall/Winter 2007)
Learn More
- Return On Investment Case Studies (PDF)
- Testimonials (PDF)
- Background
- Sample of Topics
- Methodology
- Participation Requirements
- Use of Data
- Costs
- Current Subscribers
In 1993, the resort industry embarked on a seminal study to benchmark sales and marketing practices. This benchmarking study (conducted by Driving Revenue through Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration) and a successive study conducted in 1998 (also by Driving Revenue) form the basis for this initiative. The first two benchmarking studies focused largely on quantitative measures for resort sales and marketing. They provided highly measurable yardsticks such as marketing communication expense per available room and room revenue per total marketing expenditures.
In order to expand the breadth of comparisons between resorts and the frequency of reporting, the Resort Best Practices Initiative was conceived. Examples of topics the initiative may consider include:
- Sales compensation and incentives
- Sales and Marketing System-related Evaluations: Booking Engines, CRM systems, Sales/Catering, Online marketing vendor
- Group Sales and Marketing Techniques—online and offline
The Resort Best Practices Initiative is developed as a series with one issue covered every six months. Data is collected, analyzed and results published twice a year. (It is hoped it will ultimately become a quarterly study with four issues per year). Initially, two topics are explored each year. Proprietary information will never be shared and illustrations provided as case studies are pre-approved by the participating resort*. Resorts must subscribe for a minimum of one year (i.e. they will receive two reports). The HSMAI Resort special interest group will develop an annual list of topics to consider. Representatives from each of the participating resorts will vote on the number and choice of topics to be explored each year. Some topics may be repeated after several years have passed once the topic has changed enough to justify re-examination. * Resorts wishing The Estis Group to sign a non-disclosure agreement may do so prior to the first interview.
All participants must have at least one active member in the HSMAI resort special interest group. Vendors don’t have access to data but may sponsor events connected to the study. The resorts may be any mixture of resort types or locations. Best practices information is often not specific to a resort type and can provide useful insights to all, therefore a wide variety of resorts is encouraged. All participants will be required to provide access to one or two qualified staff members who are authorized to supply data and participate in the interview process. This may require 2-4 hours of time in total in any given year. Resorts are expected to supply the needed information and data in a timely manner so as not to delay publication of any report. Resorts interested in the information are encouraged to participate in the study. New resorts may join at any time but must commit to a minimum one-year subscription (or two studies).
None of a resort's operating statistics will be shown to any other participating resort. It will only be combined with others to create averages and, if shown, will be numbered so each resort will know which data point refers to them but will not be able to identify any other property. If there is data related to a specific marketing campaign that is chosen to be an illustration as a sample "best practice", the resort will be asked for permission to publish this data and it will only be published with direct permission from a property representative.
The data and information collected through the Best Practices interview is used for producing the Best Practices study and may also be used for some follow-up industry articles and/or reports related to the same topic by the same author. Anything used from the Best Practices study will be referenced to be part of the HSMAI Resort Best Practices Initiative. Anything published that refers directly to one specific property will be shown to a representative from the property for approval prior to publication in the Best Practices report. If it is approved for this purpose, it may be used again in related follow up reports or articles. It will not be used or shared with any other organization for any other purpose.
Registration requires a minimum subscription commitment for two reports. The subscription cost is $2,500 for HSMAI members and $2,825 for non-members. New participating resorts will receive a complimentary copy of the Internet Marketing Best Practices Study. Only registered subscribers receive detailed copies of the final report. A generalized report with summarized information will be published for the industry at large. Results are presented annually at the Resort Conference co-sponsored by HSMAI and University of Denver School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.
- Basin Harbor Club
- Big Cedar Lodge
- The Breakers
- The Broadmoor
- Chateau on the Lake
- El Cid Resorts (Mazatlan, Mexico)
- Enchantment Resort & Mii Amo Spa
- French Lick Resorts
- Gateway Canyons Resort
- The Greenbrier
- Harbor View Hotel & Resort
- Hershey Resorts
- Hotel del Coronado
- Hyatt Regency La Manga (Murcia, Spain)
- Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa
- The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center
- Kiawah Island Golf Resort
- La Costa Resort and Spa
- Mauna Lani Resort
- Mohonk Mountain House
- Peter Island Resort (Tortola, British Virgin Islands)
- The Phoenician Resort
- Pinehurst Resort
- Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino
- The Reefs (Bermuda)
- The Resort Collection of Colonial Williamsburg
- The Sagamore
- Steamboat Grand Resort & Conference Center
- Suncadia Resort
- Sunriver Resort
- Turtle Bay Resort
- Vail Cascade Resort and Spa
- Water Color Inn and Resort (St. Joe Towns and Resorts West Florida)
- Wild Dunes Resort
Current Subscribers
Costs
Use of Data
Participation Requirements
Methodology
Sample of Topics
Background
HSMAI’s Resort Marketing Special Interest Group’s (SIG) is advancing the resort sales and marketing discipline and the professional development of its members through information sharing and education.
Many resort executives have questions they wish to pose to other resorts in order to find some proven, effective methods that address their concerns. Through a series of studies, with one issue covered every six months, the Resort Best Practices Initiative provides a means for subscribers to be up-to-date on current best practices and future trends while appling successful and proven tactics to their own strategies. More than 30 resorts have participated in this initiative so far.
For More Information
Juli Jones
Director of Special Interest Groups
jjones@hsmai.org
703-506-3276
