It depends, but if you’re linked to the hotel brand’s site, you should be in the pink, according to the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International and Smith Travel Research’s first-ever hotel Internet marketing metrics survey. The results, presented at the second HSMAI Hotel Internet Marketing Strategy Conference, showed that 75 percent of Internet hotel room sales happened on the brand’s own site.

A total of 34 branded hotel chains, representing nearly 1.2 million rooms, participated in the survey, which reviewed 2002 data against 2003 results of all online reservations by brands, third party sites and GDS sites.

“Internet reservations and especially the impact of third party sites is on everybody’s mind today,” said Mark Lomanno, president of Smith Travel Research, in a press release.

More preliminary findings:

1. Brand.com (hotel branded Web sites) drives Internet business with 75 percent of the volume
2. Brand.com reservations increased 32.5% in 2003 over 2002 to 14.8 million
3. InterActive Corp, with Expedia, Hotels.com and Hotwire, combined marketshare makes up 11% of the total reservation volume
4. Total third-party share of online reservations shifted from 23 percent to 25 percent from 2002 to 2003. This two-point shift represents 4.9 million reservations.
5. Amadeus had the largest gain among the GDS, but Sabre still rules with 50+ % of GDS volume
6. Brand.com sites produce the highest ADR, but were flat year over year
7. Third party sites’ ADRs increased slightly from 2002 to 2003

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Now that so many drive-to, regional meetings are taking place, I wouldn’t be surprised if pet-loving attendees like me might be tempted to bring along the pooch (or kitty, or cockatoo). If you think your participants might want the option—with the assurance that Fido and Fifi will be well taken-care-of while they’re in sessions, they might be interested in bringyourpet.com, which offers info on pet-friendly hotels.

Or, just in case you think your block could conceivably turn into a kitty box, you might want to check it to see how pet-friendly (or not) your meeting hotel is.

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I remember reading a while back about some couple who got a company to sponsor their wedding so they could be married for free, but this article from BizBash takes it to a whole other dimension. Corporations are now willing to cough up the bucks to sponsor just about any party a celeb wants to throw, including baby showers! Like they need the money.

A quote from the article: “‘The line between corporate and private events is so blurred nowadays. It might seem rude or tacky in other parts of the country, but in L.A. everyone’s got something to sell,’ says event planner Cara Kleinhaut of Caravents. ‘Parties are the perfect way to market it.’”

I can see why, but it just makes me say, “eeew.” It’s bad enough we’re getting product placement in TV shows like Extreme Makeover Home Edition, but at least those folks really need the stuff. Maybe it just bothers me so much because I don’t live in L.A., but rather in New England, where it would most definitely be considered “rude or tacky.”

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Sorry, the sailor/punster in me took over the keyboard for a minute—what I wanted to write about was a very cool thing The Fairmont Orchid is doing by partnering with the University of Hawaii-Hilo’s Kalakaua Marine Education Center to regularly monitor Pauoa Bay and the coral reef environment located off the oceanfront resort.

From the press release: “The unprecedented partnership between U.H.-Hilo and the hotel’s employee-driven Green Committee will ensure the reef and its countless inhabitants remain healthy by conducting a qualitative baseline study which includes monitoring coral growth, and measuring water temperature, salinity, oxygen, nutrient and sediment levels. After the results are analyzed, the hotel and U.H. scientists can determine the best course of action for protecting the reef and its inhabitants.

“’Our initial impression is that the coral reef environment fronting The Fairmont Orchid is very healthy, and we’d like to help the staff learn how to keep it that way,’ said Dr. Walter Dudley, U.H.-Hilo professor of oceanography.” The hotel already uses 100 percent organic water-insoluble fertilizer—which doesn’t leach into the ocean–throughout the 32-acre property.

Just another great idea from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts worldwide, all of whose 43 properties have environmental or “green” programs in place. I’ve done my share of water quality sampling and monitoring as a volunteer for our local river association, and urge you all to check into what programs are available in your area. I know Earth Day has passed, but keeping our air and water quality up takes a 365-day-a-year effort.

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