IN THIS ISSUE: Luxury Leads the Way to Recovery Million Dollar Success in Paris StarCite Delivers Group Business Pages 1 | 2 | 3          Español | Français          Fall 2002          2003 Budget Checklist Our 5 Low/No-Cost Ideas for Generating Revenue Regardless of funding levels for marketing, TravelCLICK advises hotels to face the challenging budget period head on. "The sluggish economy and lowered occupancies are especially challenging for hoteliers as they are tasked with streamlining their marketing budgets for 2003," said Bruce W. Mainzer, senior vice president of marketing for TravelCLICK. "We advise our clients that regardless of their funding levels for next year's budgets, there are opportunities to increase their hotels' competitiveness and revenue." The following checklist is provided by TravelCLICK for hotels preparing their 2003 budgets: 1. Review Your Presence in All Electronic Channels. Since these are point-of-sale mediums, providing correct information translates immediately into new bookings. Do your annual GDS/Internet checkup and ensure that your hotel description and information is current. 2. Move Traditional Print Dollars to Electronic Marketing. You can re-allocate dollars traditionally spent on print ads, brochures, and sales kits to electronic venues such as Web sites, email campaigns and GDS media; and yield greater results at a fraction of the cost. 3. Take Advantage of Lowered Marketing Costs to Attract Groups. Meeting planners and Fortune 1000 corporations are quickly adopting Web-based tools, and electronic group bookings are increasing at a rapid pace. Hoteliers who have been proactive in electronic marketing channels such as StarCite.com have increased RFPs four-fold versus hoteliers who are passive. 4. Research Your Competition. With the vast amount of information available through e-commerce channels, consumers are boss - and they know it. Staying on top of your competitor's pricing and availability gives you one more edge. TravelCLICK's Hotelligence and PCA reports provide this critical benchmarking data, with which a hotelier can base pricing and promotional decisions. 5. Acknowledge Your Customers' Online Savvy. There will be an estimated 320 million Web users by year end - nearly fives times more than there were in 1997 - and travel is the largest revenue category on the Internet. Hotels are the fastest growing segment in this category. "Make all of your retail inventory available on the Internet and the GDS. You'll get better yields and surprise yourself at how much more retail inventory you can sell through electronic channels," said Mainzer. "These simple actions will help boost revenue share for the majority of hotels who pay attention and respond to consumer demands," said Mainzer. "The good news is that there are budget-conscious resources available for hoteliers who want to work to get solutions and maximize their revenue performance, while at the same time control their marketing costs." TravelCLICK consultants are poised to offer guidance in each of these areas. More information, including examples of how these strategies have worked in specific markets, is available by contacting TravelCLICK directly. Orbitz Joins Consumer Media Network TravelCLICK is pleased to announce that its Consumer Media Network now includes Orbitz, the world's leading travel Web site. With eight million registered users and ten million unique visitors each month, Orbitz boasts the best fares from over 450 airlines. Launched in June of 2001, Orbitz has quickly emerged as the supplier-friendly distribution channel of choice. This new partnership enables TravelCLICK to offer hotels a variety of electronic marketing opportunities, with the same precision targeting that TravelCLICK clients have come to rely on. "Our partnership with Orbitz is a wonderful opportunity for consumers and hotels alike," said Ray Cohen, co-CEO and president of TravelCLICK. To start your hotel's marketing campaign on Orbitz or for more information, contact your local expert. Pages 1 | 2 | 3