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📝 An effective customer review management tool is essential, as 92% of consumers check reviews before purchasing or booking services in 2023. Positive reviews directly influence sales, improve online reputation, boost local SEO, and provide constructive feedback. Choose a tool offering essential features like review collection, moderation, analysis, multi-platform diffusion, and response management. Ensure it's AFNOR certified, has a solid reputation, and provides comprehensive support and flexible subscription terms. Guest Suite offers a complete solution with a 7-day free trial to enhance your local visibility and manage online reviews across various platforms.

🐅 Sasaab, a nine-tent camp in Kenya's Samburu National Reserve, won the 2nd Prize at the Hotel & Lodge Awards 2024 in the Lodge category. Guests at Sasaab not only enjoy the "big five" and "special five" animals but also engage in Safari Collection's conservation and community education efforts. The camp offers 100m² luxury thatched-roof tents with pools and outdoor bathrooms, styled in Swahili-Moroccan fashion, plus a spa and immersive excursions. 🏆

🏃 DGCCRF controlled nearly 16,000 establishments in key sectors of the tourist economy since January 1, 2024, in anticipation of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which expect 15 million visitors. Directed by former minister Olivia Grégoire, the aim was to protect consumers and ensure fair commercial practices, surpassing the goal of checking all tourist accommodations in Île-de-France and conducting over 10,000 controls across France before the Games' start.

🏨 L’EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, reviewed 8 key hospitality industry trends from the previous year. Tatyana Tsukanova highlighted important factors such as exchange rate fluctuations influencing travel destination choices and the industry's return to pre-pandemic levels, with travel expenses significantly rising. Trends like increased 'bleisure' travel, digital transformation, railway industry growth, local travel, and alternatives to overtourism were also observed. Despite 45% of survey participants from a February study by Booking valuing sustainable travel, they didn't prioritize it for trip planning. Nonetheless, 75% of global travelers intend to travel sustainably in the next 12 months.

🏅 Since January 1, 2024, France's DGCCRF has controlled nearly 16,000 establishments nationwide, focusing on the hospitality-industry (CHR), transport, non-food products, and online platforms for ticket sales and betting, as part of the preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, expecting 15 million visitors. CHR received special attention, with 5,600 checks revealing mostly minor infractions leading to educational measures, but with serious breaches by less than 6% of establishments resulting in 483 administrative and 346 criminal proceedings, and 26 closures by prefectural decree. Additionally, SignalConso, the consumer reporting platform, registered over 13,000 complaints in related sectors.

🏖️ Le marketing territorial, une stratégie pour attirer visiteurs, entreprises et investisseurs, vise à renforcer l'attractivité en valorisant atouts d'un lieu. Objectifs: augmenter attractivité, développer l'image de marque et stimuler l'économie. Clés de réussite: visibilité en ligne, collaboration des parties prenantes, gestion de la e-réputation. Exemples: "I Amsterdam" (2004) a positionné Amsterdam comme ville innovante; "Visit California" a varié son public cible; "Québec Original" a mis en avant authenticité régionale. Guest Suite aide les professionnels à gérer la e-réputation.

🏨 Hospitality industry veteran Fernanda de Herralde emphasizes the evolution from manual to sophisticated digital Property Management Systems (PMS) over the past 20 years, which now centralize customer data for seamless, personalized guest experiences from check-in to check-out. Modern PMS must be flexible and integrate with various tools for a holistic experience. Trends in front office management include increased personalization, integration of digital communication channels, and adaptable PMS to meet evolving customer expectations and operational challenges. Sir Victor Hotel, part of the Sircle Collection, utilizes an enterprise platform for consistent services across properties, enhancing customer loyalty and satisfaction.

🏨 Appart’hôtels combine apartments and hotel services, providing amenities like parking, pools, and pet accommodation. Ideal for families, friends, and business travelers, they offer kitchens for meal autonomy and tend to cost less than classic hotel stays. Check-in times are usually between 14:00-19:00, with check-out by 12:00. Opening an appart’hôtel requires a VAT number, commercial registration, declaring business start, employment contracts, and a business plan. Zak by Wubook is a PMS for managing appart’hôtels, streamlining bookings, inventory, and rate management.

🏃 The 10th edition of the Universités du Tourisme Durable will be held in Bordeaux on November 5 and 6, 2024. The event, jointly organized by the Acteurs du Tourisme Durable association and various Bordeaux and Nouvelle-Aquitaine tourism bodies with ADEME support, will host 500 professionals to discuss sustainable tourism. Keynote speaker Cyril Dion will address social justice. The program includes round-table discussions and 5 eductours showcasing local sustainable initiatives.

🏦 The 27th Atlantica, the premier trade show for professionals on the Atlantic coast, will be held in Niort from October 8-10, 2024. It will feature industries related to tourist accommodation, outdoor hospitality, equipment, leisure, services, pool & spa, fittings, cafes, hotel industry, restaurants, and sustainable development. Attendees can expect round tables, workshops, and inaugurations over the three days. More info and registration at salon-atlantica.fr.