With tourism - we usually feel that - if you build it, they will come. We're talking about plush beachfront resorts with all the amenities, and even cozy spots for backpackers.
But, filling rooms is not that easy - and now, more than ever, destinations have to know how to use technology to get their name out their - above everyone else's.
That's the kind of thing that the BTIA had visiting experts talking about at its CentraoAmerica Innovation and Tourism Talk. Speakers included pros from Trip Advisor, Google and Expedia. We found out more:...
Raineldo Guerrero, President BTIA
"Part of the initiative is a Central American competiveness initiative, which is to drive more traffic into Central America which Belize is a part of and so a major push has been to engage google, trip advisor, expedia - more tourism and many other agencies to educate the hotel owners into how to maximized their own. The essence of tourism for any destination is to increase the occupancy of the rooms. So many of our hotels suffer from low occupancy. Not necessarily because of the market, it has to do because of the fact they don't know to reach out to that broad market. Traditionally, the visitor would go to a travel agent and he would book based upon that travel agent is aware. In today's world it is so different. In today's world there is google, you click you search, you decide where you want to go and your property needs to come up somewhere. So the innovation what is does when it brings in all these people, it is there to serve as an educational platform to widen the knowledge so that people realize if I am empty or if I am at 20-40% it is not the visitor fault. It is I need to educate myself to see how I can get that visitor to come and see me."
It was a one-day event at the Radisson.
Email
Print