Sol Meliá Zeroes In On Online Marketing, Inks Deals with VFM Interactive

Spanish megabuck hotel chain Sol Meliá is focusing on online marketing in partnership with VFM Interactive, with plans of using rich media as a marketing tool. The company will start distributing videos for select properties throughout VFM´s network of more than 5000 travel sites and search engines.

With growing influence of digital media on consumers searching online for hotels and resorts, the company says it is imperative for the company to deliver where consumers are shopping.

Referring to the Travel Industry Association of America´s 2004 edition of the Travelers´ Use of the Internet, the company states online travel agency sites are the most popular source for research, used by 70 percent of those using the Internet for travel planning.

“Add that almost half of all hotel bookings begin online, and it´s clear this represents a huge audience -all searching for accommodation and in a mind-set to buy,” says Sol Melia.

Gearing up to attract prospective customers through videos, Ron Roy, vice-president marketing and distribution for Sol Meliá says, “Our goal is to reach consumers with the best tools in our marketing arsenal to convince them that they should be staying at a Sol Meliá property. And these videos are far more compelling than photos alone.”