| Knoxville, TN--June 15, 2004 � When dog clubs
and organizations hold competitions, the four-legged contestants need a
place to rest their heads too. Hotels are finding that marketing to and
catering to dog show people is worth the investment. Over the years, hotels
have gradually moved away from completely banning all furry friends from
their premises, to allowing only small dogs in a handful of smoking rooms,
and now some are letting the whole place go to the dogs!
Aside from the obvious benefit of having a large number of rooms booked at the same time, Lori Hendricks, Director of Sales for the Sheraton Hotel Tulsa, explained the many advantages of appealing to dog show clientele, �Typically, people who are involved with dog shows are well traveled, they are professionals, they are people who know their way around hotels, and they have disposable income. They�re great to work with, and many of the guests who come to us for the dog shows travel in other capacities, because they are involved in other areas that involve travel with and without their pets.� There are also significant advantages for dog organizations to try to book everyone in the same hotel. Because they usually book the rooms far in advance of the event, the hotel can offer a negotiated rate � often at a substantial discount - and guarantee the type of room. But, according to Lori Hendricks, the biggest advantage for the groups is the convenience. �Probably one of the biggest advantages is that the members of the organization can socialize together more easily. They don�t have to coordinate schedules, find meeting places, or drive anywhere to meet with each other.� Due to the obvious mutual advantages of hotels and dog clubs working together, BringYourPet.com is in the process of launching a new Dog Club Directory page and Events Calendar page on their Web site. The goal is to help dog show people find pet-friendly hotels and for the hotels to find out what events are being held in their area. If you would like to list your dog organization or event, please email [email protected]. And what about the potential for doggie disaster as many hoteliers probably fear? Lori Hendricks, who recently hosted a Chihuahua convention at one of her Starwood Sheraton hotels, stated that they �have never had an issue or problem with any of the pets or pet owners that have stayed at our hotel.� Lori Hendricks, Director of Sales for the Sheraton Hotel Tulsa, can
be reached for comment at (918) 627-5000 or [email protected].
 About BringYourPet.com BringYourPet.com brings pet friendly travel options to traveling pet owners from the USA and abroad. The company Web site located at http://www.bringyourpet.com is a valuable tool in planning a successful pet-inclusive travel experience. The site lists high quality, pet friendly lodging in the US and Internationally. For information on listing hotels on BringYourPet.com visit: http://www.bringyourpet.com/tour |