Booking Your Hotel Rooms Through Online Marketing

Posted on by

In the hotel business it is well known that reserved rooms are preferred rooms and while the walk up business definitely helps the bottom line it is the pre determined revenue of the reserved rooms that hotels use to make their living. That means that getting as many rooms reserved as possible and tied down with credit card confirmations and that means marketing the hotel to get that extra business.

People are always traveling for various reasons and the only reason they do not choose your hotel over another hotel is because they have seen something on the other hotel and they have seen nothing in regards to yours. The key is to not just get the marketing machine cranked up and working in your favor but to identify the key areas where your marketing efforts, and dollars, will see the most return.

It used to be that one of the secret weapons of the more successful hotels was the use of travel agents. The hotels would invite travel agents to stay for free in their hotel to see what the hotel has to offer and in return the agents would use the hotels as part of package deals for vacationing travelers.

The hotels would give discounted rates to the travel agents and the agents would fill the rooms for the hotels months in advance. Today there are still traditional travel agents that are experts at filling hotels and keeping those relationships with hotels all over the world alive but the average traveler has moved away from using traditional travel agents and has moved to booking their vacations on the internet.

A smart hotel is going to hunt down the more successful internet travel agencies and work out package deals and discounts with those internet travel agencies to help book rooms in advance. Your exposure with one large internet travel agency is going to exceed the exposure you would get from any local traditional travel agent.

The internet has become the medium of choice for people looking to book vacations and even more popular than the internet travel agents are the internet discount travel sites that allow people to piece together their own vacations with discounts from various hotels, airlines, and car rental companies.

In order to find success with internet marketing you will need to make sure the information being offered travelers via these discount travel sites is accurate and that all of the processes these sites have in place to book rooms in your hotel are also correctly set up. Keep the channel of communication open with these websites and offer them excellent discounts as well.

Some of these sites try and get discounts out of your hotel by helping you fill rooms you cannot fill at full price and offering them at a negotiated discount with the traveler. Any prebooked room you can get is revenue you can count on and a prebooked room at a discount is always better than hoping that someone walks up and pays full price.

Reaching out to travelers through the internet is a full time job and working beyond the traditional travel sites will help get you more exposure. The larger search engine websites offer advertising spaces that are seen by millions of people a day and the rates are not so expensive for exposure like that. Get your hotel’s name and link on those major search engines to make sure you are maximizing your exposure.

The final piece to the internet marketing puzzle is making sure your website is clean, easy to use, updated, and helpful to any potential customer that tries to use it. People want as much luxury as possible out of a hotel for as little money as possible so make sure you create a website with a luxurious appearance that gives the impression that you have a hotel worth spending the money on.

Make your website easy to get information from and easy to book a room with and make certain that all room booking information is updated in real time from all of your room booking sources. You will have angry customers and bad referrals if you constantly have double bookings due to a lag in updating the website booking information. Create a desirable and functional website and people will use it to book rooms in your hotel and make you revenue.

Canadian Travel and CAD

Posted on by

There is bad news for Canadian travelers, as the Canadian Dollar (CAD) continues to weaken versus the U.S. Dollar (USD). As of February 16, 2015, the CAD/USD exchange rate was hovering around .80, but had fallen from a high of around .94 in July of 2014 to the recent rate. Some experts are forecasting that the loonie could fall even farther, with the dramatic drop in the price of oil and dimming prospects for the international economy. One major bank predicted a fall to .75 by the first quarter of 2016. The strength in USD is placing pressure on exchange rates for Canadians wishing to travel to warm beaches in Florida, and elsewhere in the U.S.

The fall of the CAD may be putting a crimp in the travel plans of many Canadians. A weak CAD/USD exchange rate makes destinations in the United States more expensive. The unfavorable exchange rate makes everything from hotels to car rentals more expensive in the United States. One option for Canadian travelers is to look for alternative destinations that cost less, and are not impacted as much by the slide in the loonie.

Alternative destinations could include Asia, where places such as Thailand and South Korea offer reasonably priced accommodations and inexpensive food. Although plane tickets may cost more, but the lower price of hotels and food can more than make up the difference. Another possible location is Eastern Europe. Places like Budapest and Prague offer fantastic European culture, but are more cost-effective than pricier destinations such as London and Paris. For those Canadian travelers looking for beaches and sun, Greece and Lisbon offer great travel destinations. Central and South America may offer some opportunity as well. Bolivia is a cheap destination, and offers a great deal of natural beauty. Certain cities in Colombia and Guatemala are other possible destinations. Mexico has both very touristy areas such as Cancun, but also offers smaller, less known destinations, such as the small surfing and fishing village of Sayulita.

One simple step that can help Canadians save money with traveling is to exchange foreign currency in advance of leaving the country for their destination. Not only does exchanging over the Internet make financial sense, but it can also save time for busy travelers. Waiting until arrival in the foreign country may be more costly, due to unfavorable exchange rates and lack of competition for exchange business.

Many banks and independent exchange providers now allow for the exchange of currency over the Internet. When searching for an exchange provider, make sure to look for transparency, the amount of wire fees to be charged, and the quote on the exchange rate itself. Make sure to choose a provider that will provide a smooth transaction, be responsive to your communications, and provide easy information as to the status of exchange transactions.

Why Christians Shouldn’t Gamble

Posted on by

Why do you think a Christian shouldn’t gamble? What are the tests of whether you should do something or not, gambling or otherwise? Read on, and explore this vital subject with me.Here are some tests to help you determine what is right or wrong to do when it is not clear:Does it glorify God?The Bible tells us we are to glorify God in everything that we do. You may or may not agree with this, but that is what God wants from us. If you were an ambassador for America to another country, you would have to stand up for America and honor your country. The same is true if we call ourselves Christians. We can’t be that if we dishonor God in what we say and do. That is hypocrisy, and you know what the world thinks of that.Does it glorify God for you to spend the money God has allowed you to have on gambling? No. The Bible also says that God has given each of us the power to make money. But if we fritter our money away on gambling, that doesn’t show much wisdom on our part. Those machines or whatever you are doing at the casino or elsewhere are set up to make money for the people behind them. So you are basically throwing your money away by doing this.Does it hurt someone else?This reason for a Christian not gambling seems to stir up the most controversy. The Bible tells us in the book of Romans that we are to be mindful of others whenever we do something. The verses this lesson is in talk about eating food that is offered to idols but the overall lesson applies to anything we do. For instance, when my wife and I were first married, we knew a couple who didn’t believe in going to any restaurant that served alcoholic beverages. Even though neither of us drank, in their mind it was wrong to even go to a restaurant that served these things. So if we had insisted and taken them there anyway, the Bible would call that stumbling them, and possibly damaging their relationship with God. So we didn’t go to those kinds of restaurants when they were with us.Let’s say you are a strong Christian and you can handle gambling without it hurting you spiritually. But someone who is a weaker Christian sees you at the casino or wherever engaging in gambling.They are weaker in the faith and may have a problem keeping from going overboard in this area. So by your being there, it may prompt them to gamble and have some bad circumstances.Where is the money going?The money you spend at the casino doesn’t go to Christians, but to an Indian tribe, and other people who in all likelihood are not Christians or they would not be in that business. Basically, the money is going to the enemy, Satan, or someone who is not a believer. So by spending your money there in whatever manner, you are helping to perpetrate evil. You probably won’t go along with this comment because you want to gamble and you may think I am too narrow-minded. But if you truly think about this and pray about it, you will see the truth in it.Even if you go to the entertainment or out to eat or to a sporting event or concert at a casino or whatever you are still feeding the enemy your money God has given you. Certainly God wants us to enjoy ourselves, but not everything honors God in this world.Your witness.If you are telling your friends and family you are a Christian and then still go to gamble, how is that different from the world? The Bible says we are to be a light in the darkness for others to see God in us. If you go to gamble and the worldly person goes to gamble, what is the difference between you. You are giving a bad example. You can’t tell your friends and family not to do this if you are doing it. That is hypocrisy as well. Are you a true Christian or a hypocrite? This applies to anything, smoking etc. You can’t tell people not to do what you are doing. Then you are a bad example and your witness as a Christian is non-existent.Would Jesus do it?If you study the Bible you will see how Jesus conducted Himself. So that would give you a good idea if He would do the thing you are contemplating. Of course, you can say He would do it as an excuse for doing it anyway, but if you are truly sincere, you will search the scriptures and discern whether it is fitting to do what you have planned after much prayer.For instance, would Jesus get His own way in spite of whether it hurt others? No, because Jesus had humility and He put His Father’s will above His own. He didn’t come to hurt people but to help them by saving them from their sins. There is a good book about this subject called In His Steps, that will show you how to decide if Jesus would do a certain thing. You can find it at a Bible bookstore or online. Sometimes they have specials when you can get a copy for about five dollars or less.Pray about what you have read in this article and listen for what God tells you about it. Ultimately, you are responsible to God for what you do and say. None of us knows when Jesus is coming back, but He is coming, so do you want to be gambling when He does come? Talk about embarrassing to say the least. Remember the world is watching everything you do and say to see what God really means to you and whether they want to have what you have. What example are you showing to them?

Comparing the Online Sports Book With the Sports Betting Exchange

Posted on by

There is a new player in town in the sports betting world, the sports betting exchange. You may have heard of them, you may be wondering what they are and how they are different to the traditional sportsbook. You may also be wondering which one is better.SportsbookThese are the traditional bookmakers. An organization that accepts all the bets and pays out the winners. They set the odds and you get to take it or leave it.Sports Betting ExchangeSports betting exchange acts as a way for the people who gamble to wager directly between themselves, they make their money by charging a small commission from whoever wins. This means that a bettor can make their own book, or they can look for someone who may be prepared to offer better odds than the sports book.Advantages Of The SportsbookIf you place your wagers with a sportsbook you can often find odds offered for just about everything. Every event in the world is available to bet on, sporting or not. There are also many types of bet available, from the straight wagers and parlays to teasers, round robins, if-bets and more.A sportsbook is also able to offer regular gamblers incentives to keep on gambling with them. It is common to find incentives such as a bonus when you sign up, a bonus if you refer a friend, VIP points and things like half “juice” specials. You can also find a range of incentives to keep you coming back such as bonuses for a monthly deposit. They want to keep you coming back and their incentives can give you a better bankroll. Sports books also have well thought out websites. They are usually easy to use, the navigation is simple and there is usually plenty of information to help a gambler trying to make a decision.Advantages Of The Sports Betting ExchangeVisit a sports betting exchange and you can get all the usual things that you will find in the usual sports book. You can easily make a simple bet, but you can also bet against a team winning, laying a price rather than just taking one.With the sports betting exchange you don’t have to simply take the price on offer you can ask for a better one, and someone may come along and give it to you. You will often find superior odds available on a betting exchange even after the commission charged. You can also change your position during a long term event. If you don’t like the way it’s going you can attempt to lay off your bet and still make a profit.Unfortunately there are downsides, there are restrictions and your opportunities are not limitless. If you want to place a bet you always have to find someone who will take it, for example large number parlay betting is often difficult. You may also find that the exchanges will put restrictions on the odds that you can offer.There are advantages and disadvantages for both sports betting exchanges and online sports books. You must decide which one you prefer. Take a look through a few different sites and find out how they work and then pick the one that you like the best.

Betting on Sports Online – Making Money Out of It

Posted on by

Sports betting, betting on horse racing or in roulettes can be an option to double or triple your money almost instantly online. One thing about betting on sports online or any other gambling is that, you don’t have to go out to bet. You can actually do all that at the comforts of your own home, for as long as you have your internet connection.If you love sports and you want to make it more fun by betting on it and also make money out of it, then betting on sports online can be a great opportunity for you. However, keep in mind that beyond the fun and the enjoyment, you can also lose money in this venture and in fact, one of the disasters in betting and gambling is losing more than what you can afford to lose, and you should avoid this situation.It is also important to note that in betting on sports online or offline, you can lose some and win some and that you just have to train yourself to minimize losses as possible or to lose little and win big. Here are a few things that you might find useful in placing your bets.Be very informed. If you want to make big money in betting on sports online, you have to know about the game you are betting on. Know the rules, familiarize the teams’ standings and individual performance and you have to know the background of the player or team that you are betting on.It is also good to focus on a sport, game or a league that you are familiar with. Of course, betting on something that you know very well gives you the advantage of having the right guess. It can be tempting to bet anywhere and just about any sport but if you aim to make money on sports betting and you want to minimize your losses, you may want to concentrate and focus a specific league or a specific game.Don’t let emotions dictate your betting. A successful bettor is one who has control of himself and does not allow himself to be carried away especially when you lose several times in a row. You must learn how to stop to avoid more losses. If you are not in good mood to bet, then choose not to.It may also be wise not to put all your money in one game. If you lose, that will mean losing everything and in the end, you would be more likely to chase that amount and you might end up broke. Spreading your bets into smaller ones can most likely give you good winnings in the long run and will also make you enjoy the game. Of course, you have to remember to only bet the amount that you can afford to lose.It can also help to develop and focus on a certain niche and stick to it. Sometimes the less popular conferences can give you good winnings as well.These are just a few of the important things that you can keep in mind in betting on sports online and if you are determined to win more and make good money out of this, then you have to do your homework and learn everything you can to be successful in your bets.