Iberostar Hotels & Resorts launched a classification program that segments and groups its 100-plus properties in 15 counties into four categories based on product, facilities and amenities at each property.
The segmentation approach “aligns with our standards in terms of product, service and guest experience,” according to John Long, vice president of sales and marketing. “Within the four categories, Iberostar guarantees star service for any budget.”
The goal is to help agents and consumers identify the global product line and differentiate the properties from each other, Long said.
“The classifications send a cleaner, clearer message to our tour operators, travel agents and consumers as to where each property fits within our entire portfolio,” Long said.
“Prior to this, some operators were attaching their own four-, five- and six-star ratings to our four- and five-star properties, which added to the confusion,” he said. “Now we have four segments, each with its own logo, and hotel and resorts are listed within each of the four categories.”
The new system classifies the hotels in the following categories:
• The Grand Collection: highest luxury category in the five-star segment (adults-only except in Tenerife, Spain, and in Budapest), featuring spacious suites, gourmet restaurants, state-of-the-art spas.
• Premium Gold: five-star, family-friendly properties.
• Premium: four- and five-star properties for families and couples.
• Iberostar: vacation experiences for budget-conscious travelers.
The properties in the Caribbean (six in the Dominican Republic and three in Jamaica) as well as the nine in Mexico all fall within the Grand Collection, Premium Gold and Premium categories, according to Long.
Iberostar is offering educational seminars for its industry partners on how to sell each property, given the new classifications.
The company’s relaunched website displays the logos of each category and lists the properties within each category.
The site also offers a live chat feature for questions and information regarding properties, activities, transfers and other vacation details.
The site’s booking engine, now geared to consumers, will be expanded to include links to booking through agents, according to Long.
“It’s in development, and we hope to launch it in the fourth quarter,” he said.
Tour operators and travel agents generate more than 80% of Iberostar’s business, followed by online travel agencies, at 10%, and groups and direct bookings, each at 5%.
In addition, as part of its online strategy to increase brand awareness and strengthen its social media visibility, Iberostar launched Iberostar Connection, a digital campaign that offers guests a forum to view user videos and messages from actor and company spokesman Antonio Banderas, who has been the face of the Ibero-star brand for more than two years.
The six-week campaign, which runs through this month, kicked off with a three-day Facebook contest in which viewers joined an interactive game to win trips to Iberostar destinations.
“The campaign enhances the communication strategy we started last year, which focuses on our clients and on Banderas.
Follow Gay Nagle Myers on Twitter @gnmtravelweekly.