erColor-300×225.jpg” alt=”" width=”300″ height=”225″ />One of our customers is currently analyzing whether or not de-flagging one of his properties is not only feasible but reasonable. Not renewing your franchise agreement is an option that comes up from time to time; actually going to a brand and asking them to drop their flag is a seemingly insurmountable feat. Even if you could get the brand to “let you out” of your agreement, would you even have the ability to stand alone in today's marketplace as an independent hotel? All of these thoughts are expected when one truly considers breaking away from a proven chain and deciding to make his or her own way in the hospitality world.
The amazing truth is that when managed the right way, independents can be successful, and sometimes
even more successful than they were as branded assets. In the wide world of E Commerce, healthy SEO, SEM, and ad strategies can truly put heads in beds. More importantly though, when the filter of a brand is removed, the interactions created from those advertisements can actually create real guest relationships at the property level. In other words, independent hotel owners can genuinely
connect with their guests without having to buy a list of guest's email addresses from their brand affiliate. Partnering solid e-driven marketing initiatives with traditional sales and marketing can adequately prepare a hotel to drop its flag, and we think more and more hotel owners will consider this as an option over the next 5 years. Of course hotel owners will need GDS connectivity, a rock solid hotel website, and a high powered booking engine (among other support services) to get the job
done. Good thing we can help you get all those aspects covered if breaking free from a brand is something you are thinking about doing.
Free Photo Credit: David Castillo Dominici at www.freedigitalphotos.net