Historic Hotels Blog

HHA REGIONAL MEETING RECAPS:

Please note that regional projects are subject to the approval of HHA-PHG.
Please contact Tracey Simmons at HHA (202) 588-6267
Tracey_Simmons@nthp.org


West Region meeting minutes (photo above)
Team Coordinators
lkoester@napariverinn.com; karolina@ashlandhotel.com
States: WA, OR, CA, WY, CO, AZ

Discussion points:
- Trade shows & client events:
- March 13th event in SF w/ the Cramer Collection ($800/table) – 200 meeting planners
- February 26th - MPI tradeshow
- Get a list of participating HHA hotels before each trade show (to cross promote)

Preferred Hotel Group WISH LIST:
- Coordination of sales calls with PHG.
- PHG to refer sales leads to HHA members (Online Referral System - when will HHA be part of it?)
- PHG signature events – HHA members want these in Dallas, Chicago & Seattle – can we match Cramer Collection event participation fee?
- Want to know the designated PHG person in charge of HHA sales.
- Getting electronic RFPs from the PHG & HHA sales teams
- Web links on the PHG site
Questions: - Conflict of interests? HHA members with vs. without PHG membership. - Will Michael Di Rienzo get more help to sell HHA better?

Cross promotional ideas between HHA regional hotels:
- Print regional promotional collateral i.e. a rack card with a listing of all HHA west region hotels
- Link west region hotels via their websites
- Create an award program between HHA hotels
- Schedule quarterly or semi-annual regional meetings.
- Fam trips for meeting planners who prefer historic hotels. (Cross referrals between HHA and PHG hotels)
Other:
- Send out & give away more HHA directories.
- Idea: “Keep it downtown” hotels referral program (created in San Diego)

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Southeast and the Islands – Recap
Regional Workshops - 2008 Ideas

TEAM CO-LEADERS
Patty Henning, DOS, Jekyll Island & Melanie Fly, DOS, Union Station
phenning@jekyllclub.com; mfly@turnberry.com
States - FL, GA, SC, AL, TN, PR, USVI

Top Ideas Discussed:

(Note - ideas must still have HHA-Preferred approval, which is pending so as to maintain brand consistency).

- Creating Webpage/Landing Site promoting Historic Hotels and Sites in the SE Region
- Designing a brochure listing each hotel in the SE
- Regional Dinners with the Cramer Group
- Buying/obtaining lists for email marketing

- It was decided to move forward on exploring the expense to create a webpage/landing site:
- Keep it simple and inexpensive.
- Explore the possibility of a Map on the webpage which would highlight the location of each participating hotel and site
- Properties will link their own individual websites and the new webpage will in turn link to each hotel’s individual website.
- Explore separate page for National Trust sites or incorporating National Trust sites on the map
- Obtain quotes on a pay-per-click optimization option
- Obtain pricing on an email list from the National Trust

Gayle Karolczyk will follow up on the webpage and estimate. Melanie Fly will work on the database.

Possible Future Plans:

- Partner with American Express with a special offer for card members and receive coverage of our new website in their insertions.
- Complete a press release announcing our cooperative effort

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Posted 12-20-07

Mid-Atlantic and Northeast – RecapRegional Workshops
2008 IdeasTeam Co-Leaders
Tonia Noonan, Dir. of Sales & Marketing, Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore Hotel, Baltimore, MD mailto:PAtonia.noonan@radisson.com
Dennis Costello, General Manager, Hotel Bethlehem, Bethlehem, PA dcostello@hotelbethlehem.com

States - NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, WV, VA, DC, NC

Top Ideas Discussed:

(Note - ideas must still have HHA-Preferred approval, which is pending so as to maintain brand consistency).

- Group decided to focus the workshop discussions on vetting sales & marketing ideas.

- Sagamore & Hershey have successfully hosted MPI client dinners in Washington, DC.

- Philadelphia should be considered as the location for a future regional co-op client event- Utilize Preferred Hotel Group (PHG) client lists—especially for the pharmaceutical market.

- Each hotel participating in the regional client event would have to provide client lists- 90 -180 day lead time will be required for planning/executing the regional client event.

- Consider the possibility of a NJ/NYC sales road show featuring a series of client events- Invite The Hyland Group’s sales staff on regional hotel familiarization visits.

- Utilize The Hyland Group’s web site to promote hotels in the Mid-Atlantic & Northeast.

- Host a Mid-Atlantic regional meeting in DC in April 2008 during the Springtime trade show.

- Host a Northeast regional meeting in NYC in May/June 2008 during HHA’s media/client events.

- Plan separate workshops for the Mid-Atlantic & Northeast regions at future annual meetings:
Send a list to each regional workshop participant with complete contact info for every participant.


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Posted 12-20-07

New England Regional Meeting
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Don CeSar, Fla.

Co-Chairs:
Norma Probst, Director of Marketing, Cranwell Resort, norma@cranwell.com
Jim Boucher, Director of Sales, The Spa at Norwich Inn, jboucher@thespaatnorwichinn.com
States: ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI

The group decided that the following were our TOP 3 ideas:

1. Regional Landing page for New England on the HHA website
2. Regional Co-op collateral piece with a listing and map of all participating member properties
3. Investigate Agenda Expo, Biz Bash, NEMICE, and Meeting Market as HHA – NE regional co-op opportunities

1. INTERNET MARKETING

a. Build a Regional web presence – Greg Clark/HHA to research (page similar to Starwood Hotels of Boston)

Discuss with HHA to build a regional landing page for New England listing all member properties in or region.

Page will be accessible from the main members page with a hyperlink to new page

b. NY Times/Boston Globe Email campaign

Link to the HHA regional landing page for New England

Advertising costs to be split among participating member properties

No funding is available form HHA for associated costs

c. Potential email Marketing campaigns for the following:

Historic Hotels of New England
Historic Inns of New England
Historic Spas of New England
Historic Weddings of New England

2. PUBLIC RELATIONS
Regional Press Releases
Historic Vignettes about each property
Link to the HHA regional landing page for New England
“Perfect New England Moment” as a potential PR campaign

3. PRINT ADVERTISING
Advertising Co-op Template
Create by HHA for individual properties or a group or properties to use
Template ensure ad consistency for properties to use and maintains brand consistency for HHA
Save ad design $$$ for individual properties - only have to add in the property specific text and photos

4. TRADE SHOWS
With the elimination of NEMICE from the HHA Trade Show calendar, there is virtually NO HHA presence at any New England or New York Trade Shows for member properties to co-op and participate in

New England Region has determine the following trade shows to research and see if we can participate as a co-op for the New England Region specifically: Historic Hotels of America – New England

Agenda Expo – NY – Brian Butterworth to research
Biz Bash – NY – OPEN
NEMICE – Boston - Norma Probst to research
Meetings Academy – Boston – Jim Boucher to research
Costs associated with participation would be split amongst member properties who choose to participate
No funding is available from HHA for participation on a regional basis

5. COLLATERAL
Create Regional Co-Op Collateral Piece – Scott Alemany to spearhead
Lists all participating Member properties - Property Name, Address, Phone Number, Web Address
Regional Map indicating location of all participating properties – show the proximity to plan multi-day trips to member hotels
Collateral piece given out at check in or check out at all participating member properties

In attendance: (those we have business cards/contact information from)
Scott Alemany, Director of Operations, Newport Hotel Group, slaemany@newporthotelgroup.com
Rick McCarten, Director of Sales, Mount Washington Resort, rmccaretn@mountwashington.com Jill Hugger, General Manager, Portland Regency, jhugger@theregency.com
Suzanne Wenz, Regional Director of Public Relations, The Fairmont Copley Plaza, Suzanne.wenz@fairmont.com
Greg Clark, Director of Sales & Marketing, Boston Park Plaza and Towers
Juli Lederhaus, General Manager, Hawthorne Hotel, juli@hawthornehotel.com
Jared Platt, Assistant General Manager, Castle Hill Resort & Spa, jplatt@castlehillresort.com
Jason Schlosser, Newagen Seaside Inn, jschlosser@newageninn.com
Carol Bosco-Baumann, Director of Marketing, The Porches Inn & Red Lion Inn
Brian Butterworth, Director of Sales, The Porches Inn & Red Lion Inn, bbutterworth@redlioninn.com
Alexander Eberle, Innkeeper, The Porches Inn, alexander@porches.com
Bruce Finn, General Manager, The Red Lion Inn
Mary Billingsley, Director of Public Relations, Historic Hotels of America
Note- Elizabeth Milburn, HHA Web Content Manager, as resigned and is no longer with HHA.
Preferred Hotel Group web content managers are cooridnating web content. Please contact Thierry_Roch@nthp.org for follow up (202) 588-6307 or Tracey_Simmons@nthp.org (202) 588-6267.

HHA - Midwest (South) Region
States: TX, OK, AR, LA, MS, NM

Co-team leaders:
Craig Smith, DOS, Peabody Memphis & Alissa Burgess, GM, LaSalle Hotel, Bryant, TX
craig.smith@peabodymemphis.com
aburgess@lanehospitality.com

Discussions centered on improving group business to the region:

Group database sharing
Considering the wide range of offerings within the selected group of hotels within the region, a focused database sharing was suggested

i. Each hotel would compile a list of their top 25 key accounts with contact, address, phone, e-mail information. This master list would be shared with the region

ii. Craig Smith would format list and request data – need regional hotel’s e-information

iii. Account with history of 25-50 rooms peak


Motorcoach
Idea of offering a fill-up (complimentary transportation) with 15-25 room tour. Idea where they could travel all through the region-complimentary gas

Regional Press release
Discussed a regional release outlining uniqness and wow factor of each hotel. Also the possibility of including something unique as “Stay 2nd quarter in 2 of the regional hotels and receive a spa treatment or 1 nt stay etc.

Regional Web-site
Discussed the possibility of a web-page within HHA site which focuses on and outlines the region of hotels

Client events
Discussed client event in Dallas – decided to wait until the preferred deal becomes more clear – Preferred has an entire schedule of events we may be able to take advantage of through 2008

Best Practices
Share our operating, selling and service “Best Practices”