A recent PKF study indicates that our industry is beginning to figure out that advertising is NOT where it's at.
"Marketing expenses at U.S. hotels increased 6.1 percent in 2004 as hotels attempt to lure guests back and take advantage of a strongly rebounding lodging climate, according to a recent study published by a leading hospitality consultant. The study further indicates that a growing number of hotel marketing departments are shifting more of their sales budgets to activities that involve person-to-person contact, like trade shows, meals and entertainment, rather than advertising, brochures and billboards. In fact, this marks the fifth consecutive year that hotels have cut their local advertising budgets."
I'm glad we're catching on...better late than never.