LODGING LEADERS
196 | How to Drive Direct Bookings and Manage OTA Contributions with James Nannos
LODGING LEADERS
James Nannos leads the Hotel Partnerships Team at Stay Wanderful, where he’s focused on hotel growth, loyalty programs, and customer success. Prior to joining Stay Wanderful, James was part of the original Breadcrumb POS team (acquired by Groupon), and has held numerous other startup and private-equity related roles. Outside of work, James is a Captain and Troop Commander of B-Troop, 1-104 Cavalry in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. James received his B.S. from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, and his M.B.A. from Drexel’s Lebow College of Business.
In This Episode, James reveals …
- How to drive direct bookings and manage OTA contributions.
- What the guest booking process look like now, why OTAs have such a negative stigma, and what a healthy contribution mix looks like.
- How to get a new OTA guest to return to your property … and book direct, including some meaningful on-property incentives that work.
- The most cost-effective spend of your digital marketing budget, including some alternative (off the beaten path) options that are also effective.
Resources & Links
James Nannos
- email: james@staywanderful.com
Stay Wanderful
LODGING LEADERS
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311 | Shelters From the Norm: Hotels used for hospitals and housing face unexpected problems
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310 | Hotels Convert to Housing: Federal COVID-19-relief funds fuel transactions
Dhruv Patel, president of Ridgemont Hospitality, in October shared a bittersweet moment with his parents, Pravin and Sima Patel, when the family business sold the first motel that Pravin had built from the ground up more than 30 years ago. But they rest assured knowing it was the right decision because the 22-room property is being converted into affordable housing for military veterans at risk of homelessness. The transaction is among hundreds taking place across the U.S. as state and local governments work with non-profit agencies to create affordable housing solutions for vulnerable populations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In Episode 310 Long Live Lodging reports on the financial and legal aspects of what it takes to convert a hotel into long-term housing. This report is part of Long Live Lodging’s special coverage of the coronavirus crisis and its impact on the hospitality industry.