📌 Hospitality Highlights: 20th May 2024
🔑 Unlock the Future of Hospitality: Marketing Strategies, Tech Innovations, and Guest Experience Trends
Welcome to this week’s newsletter. I’m Dawn Gribble, your host. I'm on a mission to bring you the latest actionable insights to help you Delight Guests and Drive Growth.
On this Week’s Menu
🚀 Digital Marketing News
🎨 Meta’s Advanced AI Creation Tools for Facebook and Instagram Ads
🛡️ Google Cracks Down on Site Reputation Abuse Policy - Starts Delisting Process
🚫 Google To Retire Disavow Link Tool?
🎬 YouTube Expands Testing of AI-Powered ‘Jump Ahead’ Option
💬 X Introduces Grok AI Chatbot in the UK
🍽️ Restaurant Marketing News
🍔 McDonald's Serious About Mental Health
🍰 Burger King Introduces New Dessert to Celebrate 70th Birthday
⚡ Amid Lawsuits, Panera to Discontinue “Charged” Drinks
🥤 Starbucks Introduces Summer Drinks Menu
🚗 Instacart Collaborates With Uber Eats for Restaurant Deliveries
🛎️ Hotel and Travel Marketing News
📊 New Study Reveals Business Travel’s Impact on Mental Health
🌍 Wego Unveils Top Trending Destinations for International Travel in 2024
🎮 Dubai Introduces Gaming Visa
💧 IV Drips: the Latest Luxury Travel Trend
🌞 Hilton Teams Up With ResortPass for Day Pass Packages
☕ Let’s Check In!
🚀 Marketing News
🎨 Meta’s Advanced AI Creation Tools for Facebook and Instagram Ads
Meta has announced the addition of new generative AI tools for advertisers, including enhanced text and image generation, creative expansion, and a centralised collection of AI tools within Ads Manager.
One of the key updates is enhancing image generation, allowing users to generate full image variations based on their original ad creative. This process will use the original creative as a reference and incorporate conversational prompts to generate enhanced backgrounds, visual styles, and different presentation approaches. (FB)
💡 Great news for marketers who want to explore their creativity! The image generation tool should save a lot of time creating images etc. for different Ad formats. Get some great shots of your venue, food and amenities that can be updated with AI throughout the seasons.
🛡️ Google Cracks Down on Site Reputation Abuse Policy - Starts Delisting Process
Google has started enforcing its site reputation abuse policy by removing or lowering the rankings of parts of websites in its search index. The policy targets site reputation abuse, where third-party sites host low-quality content to exploit the ranking power of reputable websites. Google defines such abuse as third-party content aimed primarily at manipulating search rankings without the website owner's oversight.
However, not all third-party content is considered spam. Google exempts content like native advertising or advertorials intended for a publication's regular readers, not for manipulating search rankings. This enforcement aims to tackle the issues and unfairness associated with parasite SEO, responding to widespread complaints about search result quality. (TW)
💡 If your hotel or restaurant relies on third-party coupon sites, beware! Google's crackdown on site reputation abuse could affect your visibility in search results. Make sure your partnerships are genuine, with quality content that benefits users, not just SEO rankings.
🚫 Google Announces Retirement of Disavow Link Tool
Google is considering removing the disavow link tool from Google Search Console, as mentioned by John Mueller, a Senior Search Analyst at Google. Bing has already removed their disavow link tool, arguing that modern search algorithms can effectively discern which links to consider and which to ignore.
Google suggests that the disavow tool is mainly necessary for manual actions against sites for unnatural links. Google's algorithms ignore bad links for algorithmic issues rather than penalise them. This indicates that SEOs might not need to focus much on disavowing links, especially since Google hints at phasing out the tool. (JM)
💡 Good news! This means that quality content is more important than ever. Focus on creating engaging, valuable content and let Google's algorithms filter the spam.
🎬 YouTube Expands Testing of AI-Powered ‘Jump Ahead’ Option
YouTube is currently testing a new feature called "Jump Ahead", which uses AI to help viewers find the most engaging parts of a video. This option allows users to skip ahead to the most popular segments of a clip by simply tapping on a prompt.
The AI algorithm takes into account the most watched parts of a video and allows users to skip to those points instead of scanning through the entire video. This feature has been tested with a small group of YouTube Premium subscribers over the past month. (CI)
💡 The new "Jump Ahead" feature will provide invaluable insights into what viewers find most engaging in your videos. By analysing which sections are skipped or rewatched, you can tailor your content, create better hooks, and optimise calls-to-action for maximum impact.
💬 X Introduces Grok AI Chatbot in the UK
X, formerly Twitter, has recently announced the availability of its Grok AI chatbot for its Premium subscribers in the UK. This marks the first country in Europe to have access to X's AI interface. The chatbot allows users to ask conversational questions and receive direct answers within the platform.
Grok is X's version of ChatGPT, following the trend of integrating chatbots into social apps. X's owner, Elon Musk, was an early investor in OpenAI and the creator of ChatGPT, but he has since distanced himself from the project and developed his own AI tool. (X)
💡 While the technology is still evolving, its potential implications are significant. Grok's interactions with users generate a wealth of data, revealing valuable insights into customer preferences, pain points, and interests to inform future marketing strategies and product development. Grok's ability to understand and generate natural language could also be harnessed for content creation or curation.
🍽️ Restaurant News
🍔 McDonald's Serious About Mental Health
McDonald's is removing iconic smiles from Happy Meal boxes to promote mental health awareness. The brand has partnered with BBC Children in Need to create 'The Meal,' a campaign encouraging families to have open conversations about mental health.
The campaign features children expressing their emotions and includes a dedicated online resource hub. This campaign puts kids at the heart of the topic and emphasises the importance of talking about mental health. It also features the voice of football legend Rio Ferdinand, who is said to be impactful and memorable by viewers.(TD)
💡 This campaign sets a powerful example for the hospitality industry, demonstrating that even the most lighthearted brands can play a role in promoting mental health awareness. Restaurants can follow suit by fostering open dialogue, supporting employee well-being, and creating inclusive environments where everyone feels comfortable expressing their emotions.
🍰 Burger King Introduces New Dessert to Celebrate 70th Birthday
Burger King is celebrating its 70th birthday on June 1st, and to kick off the festivities, they have launched a new limited-time dessert called the Birthday Pie Slice. This pie features a creamy birthday cake-flavoured filling in a cookie crumb crust, topped with rainbow sprinkles, cake bits, and whipped topping.
In addition, Burger King offers special deals for members of their loyalty program, Royal Perks, including a free burger on National Hamburger Day and various freebies throughout the week leading up to their official birthday. These deals are only available through the Burger King app and online. (RBO)
💡 Bringing back classic items or creating limited-edition treats tied to your brand's history can ignite customer excitement and loyalty. Don't underestimate customers' emotional connection with your brand's past – use it to your advantage!
⚡ Amid Lawsuits, Panera to Discontinue “Charged” Drinks
Panera Bread has announced that it will discontinue selling its highly caffeinated "Charged" lemonade drinks due to ongoing legal issues and concerns over the high caffeine levels that have allegedly caused the deaths of at least two people. The company plans to replace these drinks with a new, enhanced beverage portfolio that does not include added caffeine.
This change comes after public attention was drawn to the unexpectedly high caffeine levels in the drinks, which were initially offered as self-serve with free refills. The new drinks will not contain the previously reported 389-390 mg of caffeine in a large, 30-ounce drink. (ARS)
💡 This very sad situation highlights a crucial issue: while energy drinks, especially among Gen Z, are skyrocketing in popularity, clear caffeine communication is paramount. Restaurants must prioritise transparency, listing caffeine content alongside ingredients. Consider natural alternatives like matcha or yerba mate for a boost without the risks.
🥤 Starbucks Introduces Summer Drinks Menu
Starbucks is preparing for summer by launching three new Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers drinks, each featuring a layer of popping raspberry-flavoured pearls for a burst of fruity flavour.
Also joining the summer menu are the Pineapple Cloud Cake and Orange Cream Cake Pop, along with the return of the White Chocolate Macadamia Cold Brew. (QSR)
💡 Starbucks' new summer menu is a masterclass in tapping into trends: vibrant berry flavours, elevated cold brew, and playful textures like popping pearls. To keep your beverage menu exciting and relevant, consider refreshing it seasonally or quarterly, aligning with changing tastes and consumer preferences.
🚗 Instacart Collaborates With Uber Eats for Restaurant Deliveries
Instacart and Uber Eats have recently announced a partnership allowing Instacart shoppers to use the app to order from hundreds of thousands of restaurants. This means that users can now conveniently place Uber Eats orders without leaving the Instacart app.
The two companies are making it easier for customers to order both groceries and restaurant meals in one place. Instacart+ members will also enjoy added perks, such as free delivery on orders over $35. However, regular Instacart customers will be subject to Uber Eats delivery fees. (FB)
💡 Let's take a look at this partnership in more detail
Strengths: Increased convenience for customers and broader market reach.
Weaknesses: Potential cannibalisation and customer experiences need to be clarified.
Opportunities: Expansion into new markets, streamlined operations.
Threats: Increased competition and brand dilution.
🛎️ Hotel and Travel News
📊 New Study Reveals Business Travel’s Impact on Mental Health
In May the World Travel Protection released a survey revealing the mental health impact of work travel. Half the respondents reported positive effects, yet many highlighted issues like stress and burnout and about one in four travellers sought mental health support, experiencing feelings of homesickness, exhaustion, anxiety, and loneliness, more so among women.
Dr. Neil Slabbert of World Travel Protection stressed the importance of supporting employees' well-being on business trips to mitigate the physical and emotional strain. (TTW)
💡 This study highlights a key opportunity for hotels to cater to business travellers' wellbeing. Consider offering wellness packages with mindfulness activities, healthy meals, and relaxing amenities. Market these with messages emphasising stress reduction and rejuvenation to create a unique selling point for your property.
🌍 Wego Unveils Top Trending Destinations for International Travel in 2024
Wego's latest report unveils the most sought-after international travel destinations for Middle East travellers in 2024. Egypt and KSA maintain their top positions, while the UK remains the preferred European destination. India follows closely behind, reflecting its significance as a source market for the Gulf region. Pakistan sees a notable rise in popularity, while Russia jumps nine spots globally.
Within the Middle East, Egypt, KSA, and the UAE retain their dominance. Notably, Pakistan advances to the top four, overtaking Kuwait and Turkey. In Europe, the UK remains dominant, with Italy rising rapidly. Overall, regional destinations continue to gain preference over distant ones, with Qatar entering the top ten for the first time. (TDN)
💡 The Wego data for 2024 shows a golden opportunity for regional hotels. Nearness and cultural familiarity are increasingly important to travellers. This shift calls for hyper-local marketing strategies; Showcasing unique regional experiences; Leveraging local partnerships; Tailoring your offerings to resonate with the cultural nuances of your target market. Don't just compete; capitalise!
🎮 Dubai Introduces Gaming Visa
Dubai has recently launched the 'Dubai Gaming Visa' as part of the long-term Dubai Program for Gaming 2033. The initiative aims to support talented individuals, creators, and pioneers in e-gaming by providing investment opportunities and encouraging skills development. This move is expected to position Dubai among the top 10 cities in the global gaming industry and increase the sector's contribution to the digital economy by USD 1 billion by 2033.
Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, pointed out the potential impact of the Dubai Gaming Visa in enhancing the cultural and creative industries and attracting entrepreneurs, investors, and game developers to the city. (DCG)
💡 Dubai's new gaming visa is a wake-up call for the hospitality industry. Gaming is not just a hobby; it's a booming market with a dedicated and passionate audience. Forward-thinking hotels can capitalise on this trend by hosting e-sports events, offering gaming-themed packages, and creating immersive experiences that attract and retain this lucrative demographic.
💧 IV Drips: the Latest Luxury Travel Trend
IV drips have gained popularity as a luxury travel amenity, with reports of their effectiveness as hangover cures making headlines. According to a recent Washington Post article, people are now using IV drips for a variety of travel-related issues, such as jet lag and exhaustion.
These services are no longer limited to medical settings, as they can now be found in posh hotel spas and even offered as in-room treatments, making it convenient for travellers to receive hydration and essential vitamins while on the go. (YA)
💡 IV drip therapy can potentially upsell and enhance your wellness offerings. However, weigh the risks: medical oversight is crucial, and overstating benefits could lead to legal issues. Market it cautiously; messaging should focus on hydration and wellness, not medical claims.
🌞 Hilton Teams Up With ResortPass for Day Pass Packages
Conrad Punta de Mita, Mexico, has partnered with ResortPass to offer day pass packages at participating Hilton properties throughout the Americas. This partnership is aimed at the growing number of individuals interested in daytime visits to resorts and hotels.
ResortPass offers an easy booking process for guests to access a range of amenities, such as private beaches, pool complexes, spas, and dining outlets at Hilton properties. This offering aligns with Hilton's 2024 Trends Report, which found that people primarily travel to rest and recharge. (LM)
💡 Hilton's partnership with ResortPass is a smart play on the growing "daycation" trend. Hotels can tap into this market by offering enticing day packages with pool, spa, or dining access. Promote these locally through social media, geotargeted ads, and partnerships with local businesses to attract nearby residents seeking a luxurious escape.
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🍷 Food & Beverage News Roundup
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