Marketing top-of-mind issue at conference

Hotel & Motel Management, Jan 10, 2005 by Elaine Yetzer Simon

Christian said that blacks, Hispanics and Asians in America account for $1.7 trillion in consumer spending annually, with $90 billion of that spent on travel.

In 2004, 31 percent of nonwhites were interested in purchasing timeshare, while 11 percent of whites were interested, Christian said. Thirty-three percent of nonwhites had a positive opinion of timeshare, compared with 19 percent of whites.

"Include people of color in your advertising," he said. "Reach out to targeted media, use different faces and languages."

Jim Gissy, executive v.p. of sales and marketing for Westgate Resorts, said that no matter what marketing strategies a company uses, it's important to get people to try the product.

"Once they try it, they like it," he said. "A two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo with three televisions, a Jacuzzi bath and a full kitchen in the world's best vacation destinations or a dinky hotel room with two beds, one TV and a bathroom? What's not to like?"

esimon@advanstar.com