A new report is out and is indicating that the main tour operators that operate in Cyprus have an increase on their online platforms.
• In the year to September 2008, 33% of TUI UK's mainstream business came from online, making it the tour operator's biggest sales channel.
• Thomas Cook's recently launched e-commerce platform, Starfish, is helping increase conversion rates on thomascook.com by more than 300% and web sales in the UK have reached 27% of total bookings.
• EyeforTravel Research indicates that 26% of all UK hotel rooms are now booked online and we predict this rate will continue to increase at 15% per year till 2011.
• In a recent Expedia survey, 50% of respondents expect to save GB£250 on next year's holiday by booking their trip online, with 30% planning to switch from a traditional high street agent to an online source in 2009.
The question now is. Do you as hotelier or incoming agent know enough about online marketing? Do you have the knowledge to compete in this global market called online market? Are you ready to learn, to adapt, to adopt and improve your everyday business practices?
Internet is a free or almost free space but knowhow and expertise is something that we all need to pay for. So invest in expertise and knowhow so the free internet world makes money for your company.
Did you know that now is the right time to see the famous tulip of Pafos (Paphos) at its full glory?
The
official name of this orange coloured tulip with a black eye in the
centre is Oculus Solis , meanig the eye of the sun. It can be found in
big numbers in the fields around Polemi and Stroumbi vilage, only a few
kilometres away from Paphos.
This is actually one of the two
species of wild tulips that grow in Cyprus. The other one, Tulipa
Cypria , a dark red tulip, is an endemic and can be found in small
numbers in the Akamas Peninsula. They are both protected flowers
though, so in case you see them just take a picture!
Our friend Richard Sedley on his Twitter today was sending us on an article on the web of E-Consultancy about what importance brands should show about social media comments . A very interesting article that I read with great interest and inspired me to cruise on Trip Advisor and randomly check some hotels in Cyprus and Greece.
Amathus in Rhodes and Coral Beach in Pafos. Both hotels have positive and negative comments on this social media platform which I personally do not like. Now, the difference is that Rhodian Amathus followed up one negative and gave a very nice answer that makes lots of sense. Coral Beach never answers anything. This back turning gives the “excuse” to the guests to give even more negative reviews so as they influence more people. The conversation is only between the tourists and the hotel does not take any part.
Well this a fatal error. See by yourself here.
Coral Beach by Trip Advisor: http://tiny.cc/i6F8P
Rhodian Amathus by Trip Advisor : http://tiny.cc/7E7LF