Marriott Hotels Case Study
Challenge:
Marriott Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire is the only 5 star hotel and country club in the Marriott UK hotel group – a partnership between Marriott Hotels and Whitbread Hotels In 1999
The Group approached K+R to develop a strategy and recommendations to attract more corporate customers. At the time, corporate sales accounted for 75% of their revenue, while the leisure market accounted for 90% of their profile
While Whitbread’s objective was to increase corporate sales and occupancy, Hanbury Manor could not accommodate large conferences, therefore the focus had to be on small corporate gatherings
The challenge was:
- To support expansion of corporate business within a tightly defined market
- To attract more corporate custom from within the UK, and among Northern European countries whose UK offices are based within a 10 mile radius of Stansted airport
- To ensure that Hanbury’s leisure business maintained the same levels of exposure that it had historically enjoyed
Strategy:
K+R identified a gap in the market – the board members’ away-day – and devised a strategy to attract more of these bookings. The objective of most board away-days, validated via desk research, was to ‘blue sky’ ideas, as well as to relax and take a step back from day to day business
Tactics:
K+R carried out a survey among 100 CEOs to ask them where they derived most of their inspiration for their companies ‘big ideas’, and discovered that many get inspired by their surroundings, the golf course, or good food – everything which Hanbury is ideally equipped to service. We used the results to generate coverage in national and sector business travel and conference media, TV and radio, and followed this up by marketing special Blue Sky business packages to targets. Once the first wave of media coverage had been achieved, we used the research data as the basis for national media features. The first of these was a staged Blue Sky Awayday for the Chairman and Operations director of Ryanair, and Business Magazine
Results:
The Hanbury Manor Blue Sky Survey has become an annual benchmark study, accompanied by an extensive media programme, promotions and tailored packages to UK and European business media. The subject of the survey changes each year to inject fresh food for thought for the media, and useful data to help Hanbury Manor refine its service
- Hanbury Manor’s corporate bookings increased by 50% during the first six months of the campaign
- Even post September 11, their corporate bookings maintained satisfactory levels, out-performing all other hotels in the Marriott UK Group
- Media coverage of Hanbury Manor as a business destination increased by 173% in national media, while leisure media coverage maintained previous levels
