In the news: IdeaWorksCompany’s report on airlines’ email marketing, Ascott’s JV with Tujia.com, Artyzen Hospitality Group’s new hotels in Shanghai
How airlines use email to sell you the extras after booking
Checked bags are frequently promoted in post-booking emails. (Image credit: roibu/iStock)
Checked bags, hotel and car hire bookings, and assigned seating are the most frequently promoted items in post-booking emails sent by airlines.
These follow-up email are also the key to ancillary revenue that requires airlines to venture beyond the booking confirmation email, said IdeaWorksCompany in its latest report, “Never Say Goodbye; Savvy Airlines Use Email to Sell After Booking”.
The report, sponsored by CarTrawler, follows that path to learn how airlines gain more sales after a booking is made.
To do this IdeaWorksCompany made flight bookings during December 2015 on six airlines – Aer Lingus, AirAsia, easyJet, Ryanair, Spirit and Vueling.
“These airlines are top ancillary revenue producers and a review of their methods should provide lessons for how to boost a la carte sales,” it added.
- Aer Lingus and easyJet were aggressive marketers with emails sent, on average, every three days.
- AirAsia was very succinct in its email communications; the airline sent just three post-booking emails and limited the entire content to just over 800 words.
- Ryanair was a moderate marketer among the six airlines in terms of email frequency, and had the lowest average word count at 222 words per email.
- Spirit, with 2014 baggage revenue of US$22.25 per passenger, focused its emails on the task of encouraging travellers to pre-pay bag fees.
The free 15-page “Never Say Goodbye; Savvy Airlines Use Email to Sell After Booking” is available for download here.
Ascott unveils Tujia Somerset to target Chinese travellers
Tujia Somerset South Nanjing will open in 2017.
Ascott Limited, wholly owned serviced residence business unit of Singapore based CapitaLand, has further expanded its footprint in China with a new brand portfolio -Tujia Somerset.
A joint venture company with Tujia.com International (Tujia), this new brand serviced residences target the middle class travellers in China.
The JV has sealed contracts to manage six serviced residences to be operated under the Tujia Somerset brand, increasing Ascott’s portfolio in China to 1,005 units.
Two of the six Tujia Somerset serviced residences, the 76-unit Tujia Somerset Baiyue Dalian and 355-unit Tujia Somerset Xinhui Shenyang, are in operation.
The other four properties are the 154-unit Tujia Somerset West Coast Haikou (opening in April 2016), 140-unit Tujia Somerset Shining City Wuxi (opening in 4Q 2016), 102-unit Tujia Somerset Weilian Tianjin (opening in 2017), and 178-unit Tujia Somerset South Nanjing (opening in 2017).
Ascott said the addition of the six Tujia Somerset properties has reinforced its position as the largest international serviced residence owner-operator in China, with more than 15,000 units across over 85 properties in 25 cities.
Lee Chee Koon, Ascott’s chief executive officer, added: “Ascott’s investment in Tujia is providing us with a new pipeline to manage apartments for a growing number of Chinese corporate asset owners as well as individual homeowners with multiple properties.
“Our aim is to have 2,000 units under Tujia Somerset by the end of 2016 and this will give us the added impetus to achieve Ascott’s target of 20,000 units in China and 80,000 units globally by 2020.”
Following the listing of it 30 properties in China on Tujia.com, Ascott’s global properties will soon be available on the Chinese website for booking as well.
Beijing-based Tujia is one of China’s largest online apartment sharing platforms, valued at more than US$1 billion. It caters to Chinese outbound travellers looking for alternatives to hotels for vacation and business within and outside of China. Its website features more than 310,000 apartments covering 388 travel destinations across China, as well as overseas destinations.
Two new properties in Shanghai for Artyzen Hospitality Group
Artyzen Hotel & Resort and Artyzen Habitat due for 2021 opening.
Artyzen Hospitality Group (AHG) will debut the Artyzen Hotel and Resort and Artyzen Habitat at the Shanghai Lingang New City, a new development in the Chinese city.
AHG, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed conglomerate Shun Tak Holdings Limited, has signed the agreement with Shanghai Lujiazui Xinchen Investment Co. Ltd to manage the two hotels.
One of Shanghai’s key enterprise groups, Shanghai Lujiazui Xinchen Investment Co will oversee the hotels’ completion in 2021.
The 300-unit Artyzen Hotel and 350-unit Artyzen Habitat are part of a mixed-use development consisting of a standalone convention centre, ballroom, retail, various food and beverage outlets, and serviced apartments.
Artyzen Hotels and Resorts is a high-end lifestyle hotel concept where local or regional traditions relating to craftsmanship, cuisine and culture are used to create a contemporary design for the hotel.
Artyzen Habitat is a community-inspired hotel concept that caters to a new generation of traveller, with a focus on delivering upscale accommodations in a home-like environment.
AHG said the development would “complement the overall eco-system of the location, targeting business, MICE, family leisure and extended stay market.”
The two new properties are AHG’s third and fourth hotel signings in Shanghai in the last six month. The group inked management agreements for Artyzen Habitat and citizenM at the Hongqiao Shanghai MIXC development in September 2015 last year.
AHG’s portfolio comprises Zitan, Artyzen Hotels & Resorts, Artyzen Habitat, and citizenM.
