80% Annual Growth in Bookings & 170% Annual Growth in Site Visitation
Sheraton Waikiki
Situation
PacRim was engaged by Sheraton®, the largest brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, to proactively grow their share and spend of the independent (FIT), direct Japanese traveler business at its oceanfront property in Hawaii, the Sheraton Waikiki.
Challenge
The hotel underwent a $20 million major renovation in 1995, and in 2007, the hotel completed a $55 million room renovation. At a time when Japanese were becoming savvy repeat visitors with independent travel planning preferences, PacRim helped the Sheraton Waikiki optimize its mix of online, Japanese-language resources.
Action
PacRim's bilingual, bicultural team of digital marketing experts successfully implemented recommendations to best address the discerning tastes and needs of the targeted Japanese demographic. Working together with PacRim Marketing Group, Sheraton Waikiki’s digital marketing program grew into a fully integrated strategy complete with PR services.
Results
80% in Japanese online direct bookings a year.
170% in website visitors a year.
Subsequent developments include the launch of the property’s Korean website, both Asian-language sites being redesigned with mobile responsiveness, and the planned development of a Chinese-language website in 2014. Asian social media and email direct marketing campaigns with trackable conversions are a testament to the engaged, loyal customer base that the Sheraton Waikiki continues to capture.