Hotels + Twitter = ?

There’s no question that hotels have suffered over the past decade, particularly due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, as well as the 2003 SARS epidemic that plagued Toronto and many other cities. Hotel occupancy rates plummeted around the world, and though the situation has improved, the tourism industry has yet to fully recover.

It comes as no surprise that hotels are doing whatever they can to get back on track and encourage guests to visit their properties. Many hotels have turned to Twitter as a business tool, with the goal of reaching potential guests and creating an open-dialogue.

Better yet, hotels are using Twitter to generate general interest in their respective properties by giving away free stays and offering promotional deals to their Twitter followers. Last summer, Marriott International (@marriottintl) ran a “Deal of the Day” promotion solely via its Twitter account and website, offering one deal per day for a Carribbeam, Hawaiian or Canadian hotel from June 1-12.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts (@StarwoodBuzz) offers similar promotional rates via Twitter, and focuses on two-way communication with its followers. If a guest tweets about a bad experience at a Starwood property, they can expect action to be taken to rectify the situation. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Starwood! After all, there mission is to consistently exceed guests’ expectations.

It seems that people are consistently seeking lower prices and better deals from their favourite travel destinations. But they also want better service, and communicating via Twitter (or other social media outlets) is a great way for hotels to reach potential guests.

So if you like to travel and love to find great deals, try following some hotels on Twitter. You never know what kind of deal you’ll find!

Hotels + Twitter = deals