Innovative Ideas In Family Travel Marketing

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 6/1/2006

An important element of the Langham Boston’s V.I.B. program is the hotel’s V.I.B. concierge, who ensures that very important babies and their very important big brothers and sisters have key necessities upon arrival—from pre-ordered baby food to top-of-the-line baby products.

Langham Hotel Boston V.I.B. Program

The Very Important Baby package includes:

Overnight accommodations in a deluxe room for two adults and two children
Luxury Jacadi baby bedding & nursery items
Unlimited Huggies during stay
APIVITA Propoline for Babies products
Pre-ordered baby food of V.I.B.’s choice
Exclusive baby idesign offer
One load of V.I.B. laundry
Bottle Warmer
Use of one of a select group of strollers
Valet parking
Late checkout
Babysitting and child care service references

Should V.I.B. guests have very important big brothers or sisters, the hotel also will include:

Mini boxes of cereal
“Kidding Around: What to do, where to go, and how to have fun in Boston” book and guide
Kid’s registration & check-in

Price: From US$315 per room, per night, taxes not included.

*For an additional room, Langham Boston offers 25% off the available room rate.

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples V.I.K. Program

The mission of the V.I.K program is to engage children from the moment they arrive at the resort until they depart. The goal is to enhance their stay and to bring Ritz-Carlton service standards to their point of view.

Step 1 - Arrival: The V.I.K. arrives at the resort and is escorted with the family to the front desk by the doorman. The child is escorted to his/her own smaller registration desk adjacent to the adult one, which is supplied with plush Florida reptile stuffed animals. The smaller registration desk gives the child an immediate sense of well-being and a warm welcome.

Step 2 - Greeting: A guest relations representative greets the child at their check-in area. Colorful registration forms are presented to the V.I.K., so he/she can provide a signature and birth date in exchange for a custom V.I.K. bracelet and a working keycard featuring resort mascot and resident alligator, Gumbo G. Gator.

Step 3 - In-room amenities: Upon checking in, guest relations will prepare a personalized welcome note from Gumbo G. Gator and will send it to the room with a bucket of goodies depending on the V.I.K.’s age. This may include the following items: beach ball, stuffed animal, rice krispy treats, sunglasses and other toy items, some with the Ritz-Carlton logo on them. Non-repeat V.I.K.’s receive gourmet chocolates called, “Alligator Droppings” from Gumbo G. Gator.

Step 4 - Scavenger Hunt: The V.I.K. receives a special scavenger hunt form where he/she can explore the tropical paradise at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, searching for hotel locations, services and perhaps a chance to see Gumbo G. Gator live in the mangrove area. The V.I.K. may return the completed scavenger hunt form to a Ritz-Kids representative to receive a Ritz-Carlton, Naples alligator key chain.

Step 5 - Ritz-Kids: If the V.I.K. signs up for the Ritz-Kids day program, he/she also will receive a complimentary T-shirt featuring Gumbo G. Gator in his native landscape. These shirts also are available for purchase.

Step 6 - Fond Farewell: The night before departure, the V.I.K. will receive a custom made “Alligator and the Beach” scene puzzle. This will provide the V.I.K. with an opportunity to put the pieces of their Ritz-Carlton, Naples memories together.

Step 7 - Fond Farewell Continues: If the V.I.K.’s family stays seven nights or more, they receive a basket of gourmet cookies and fresh fruit as a fond farewell gift on the day of departure.

Other Innovative Ideas In Family Travel Marketing

From the luxury brands:

The Ritz-Carlton Chicago Cookie Chef delivers fresh-baked cookies to children, even offering the opportunity for a special behind-the-scenes tour and cookie-making demonstration where children decorate their own cookies, which are then delivered to the guestrooms along with photos of the young chefs in action.

As part of its Pen Kids package, The Peninsula Chicago gives children their own personalized business cards announcing that they are “in residence” at the hotel. In addition, youngsters receive Peninsula bathrobes and slippers fit to their size.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa offers a daily circus training program for its younger guests, which includes trapeze, bike built for eight, trampoline, juggling, pyramid building, tumbling and clowning.

Four Seasons Resort Nevis has partnered with the Caribbean Conservation Corp. to track the travels of the sea turtles off the shores of Nevis. Families checking in through October will receive a complimentary sea turtle adoption kit, including a certificate with their turtle’s name and photo, some chocolaty “turtle treats” and their own toy turtle. When young guests return home from vacation, they can then log on to a special Web site to track their turtle’s movement. Also, for larger families, the resort offers private residences with expansive living spaces and chef-quality kitchens.

For wellness lovers:

The Peninsula Spa at The Peninsula Chicago offers a series of Teen Spa services, including manicures with fun, glittery polish and non-invasive facials designed to target the special skin conditions that teenagers experience.

Kimpton’s Pacific Palisades Hotel in Vancouver offers My First Spa pampering services for kids, including the Little Mermaid Mani, Little Princess Pedi and the Jitter Critters Massage.

At the Grand Wailea Resort, Maui, families can enjoy being pampered together in Spa Grande’s new Family Spa Suite. This suite offers parents the opportunity to introduce children age six to 12 to the spa—so they can learn spa etiquette and enjoy the benefits of being pampered. The Malama ka ‘Ohana (“Take Care of Your Family”) Package includes two 50-minute Lomi Lomi Massages for adults and two 50-minute Chocolate-Coconut Massages for children in the suite.