April 6, 2009 - 2009 � Listings on online travel agencies (OTAs) and third-party travel websites present hoteliers with opportunities to engage travel consumers at every step in the travel shopping process, from research and comparison through to booking. Many hoteliers aren�t getting the maximum value from their hotel listings because they aren�t leveraging the power of online merchandising strategies. 
 
According to Hospitality Net, 39% of online travel sales are now made directly at online travel agencies (OTAs). Yet, 71% of bookers visit OTAs during the travel planning process (Travel Industry Association�s Travelers Use of the Internet 2008). This means that travelers are shopping around during the planning process. One of the secrets to extracting more value from online hotel listings is by ensuring that the hotel is presented in an engaging and consistent way at each step of the travel planning process. 
 
Extracting more value from hotel listings is based on the principles of online merchandising. Online merchandising is an ROI-centric strategy that enables hoteliers to extract more value from their online hotel listings. Basically, better merchandised hotels get more bookings because they tell engaging, consistent stories to online travel shoppers wherever and whenever they�re shopping for hotels online. 
 
In a complimentary Webinar, Joe Humphry, Founder & CEO of Humphry Services Corporation and travel industry expert, David C. Attardi, Director of E-Commerce at B. F. Saul Company Hotel Division drives top-line revenue through all electronic distribution channels and John McAuliffe, Chief Marketing Officer and online merchandising expert at VFM Leonardo will explore the secrets to extracting more value from hotel listings on OTAs and third-party travel sites.
 
This webinar should be attended by E-marketing Executives, General Managers and Directors of Sales & Marketing at Hotel Management Companies, Individually Branded or Un-aligned Hotels or anyone that wants to understand the value of online hotel merchandising. The webinar is approximately one hour in duration and is at 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 a.m. Pacific, April 14th, 2009.
 
Attend the webinar and learn:

• What online merchandising means for hoteliers. Online hotel merchandising is not unlike retail merchandising. Just as product presentation greatly affects how well products sell in retail stores, hotel presentation online affects bookings.
• Insights into online travel shopper research and booking behavior.  In-market travel shoppers are more resourceful than ever. With thousands of travel websites and hotels to choose from, they're looking for the hotel that will give them the expected experience they're looking for and the best value. 
• Proven ways to tell a unique, engaging story to potential guests.  Hotel photos and written descriptions don't tell vivid, meaningful stories the way videos do, but a consistent combination of all three distributed online can be a powerful tool that influences shoppers' booking decisions. 

For more information about this webinar or to learn more about VFM Leonardo�s Online Merchandising Solutions for hotels, please contact VFM Leonardo. 

About VFM Leonardo
VFM Leonardo is the world�s largest provider and distributor of online visual content for the hotel and travel industry. VFM Leonardo�s content library includes more than one million digital photographs, videos and 360° virtual tours for over 80,000 hotels and resorts worldwide. Through VScape, VFM Leonardo distributes this content to its online media network of all four Global Distribution Systems, Pegasus, and 30,000 plus travel-related channels including online travel agencies, travel research and supplier web sites, search portals and major travel intermediaries. VFM Leonardo�s online media network includes industry leaders such as Sabre, Galileo, Travelocity, Orbitz, Priceline, Tripadvisor, Yahoo! Travel, Kayak, Google and many more. For more information, visit www.vfmleonardo.com.