Travel & Hospitality Awards | Europe 2021 | www.thawards.com
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Local Knowledge<br />
Knowledge of the local area is essential<br />
for any organization, be it a hotel or a<br />
tour operator. The quality of services<br />
takes a great hit when the quality of this<br />
element is not up to the mark. Quite a<br />
few of our winners in this category are<br />
because they have displayed excellent<br />
knowledge about the surrounding<br />
areas. The criteria for a hotel is slightly<br />
lenient <strong>com</strong>pared to a tour operator, as<br />
the latter is expected to have thorough<br />
knowledge of the area in order to<br />
provide good services.<br />
Facilities<br />
Award-winning guest rooms <strong>com</strong>e in all<br />
shapes and sizes, but they all have one<br />
thing in <strong>com</strong>mon – a home-away-fromhome<br />
feel. The <strong>com</strong>fort of the facilities<br />
on offer are of vital importance; we look<br />
for luxurious linens, stylish bathrooms<br />
and a coordinated colour scheme that<br />
work together to create a cohesive<br />
sense of relaxation. Additional touches,<br />
such as <strong>com</strong>plimentary toiletries, free<br />
wi-fi or tea and coffee making facilities<br />
are always a bonus in making us feel<br />
wel<strong>com</strong>e. We’re always impressed to find<br />
hotel rooms that embrace technology<br />
and offer amenities like tablets or smart<br />
thermostat systems, but this does not<br />
always necessarily trump the traditional<br />
– four poster beds, ornate fireplaces or<br />
antique furniture can add a touch of<br />
decadence to a hotel stay.<br />
Marketing<br />
In today’s modern age, a hotel or tour<br />
operator cannot rely on word of mouth<br />
to get their message out into the world.<br />
As social media has be<strong>com</strong>e a vital<br />
part of everyday life, we like to see<br />
<strong>com</strong>panies that go the extra mile to<br />
engage with their guests, both past<br />
and future. Attractive and informative<br />
websites and engaging and honest<br />
content are what we look for when<br />
judging a <strong>com</strong>pany’s use of marketing;<br />
how well they display their services, how<br />
up-to-date their content is, how well<br />
they get their brand message across,<br />
and, most importantly, how well their<br />
marketing can tempt us to go and see<br />
what they have to offer for ourselves.