Guest Communities in Hotel Chains

I believe the secret to many things lies in following a methodology. I do not mean that everything consists of following a set of steps, but structured planning and knowing that everything has its right time help us avoid rushing in and perhaps putting the cart before the horse. A good number of hotel chains are planning their Customer Communities. Therefore, my main recommendation has been planning and following a methodology. Launching a Community cannot be compared to launching a website. A Community starts with its members, and its success depends on the level of participation of those members. The step prior to building a Community can in no way be the technological development of the platform that will host it. If this is done, the success of such a Social Network is highly unlikely, since, at the time of launch, the community will lack momentum and content; ultimately, it will lack the appeal and emotional value needed to encourage new members to join.   This methodology starts with the brand's assets and, as such, its strategy is fundamentally based on creating emotional affinity among a specific group, with the aim of generating bookings and encouraging advocacy among members of the Social Network. There is a very close link between a Customer Community and a Loyalty Programme; this approach is essential to maintaining its success. We cannot expect users to drive the community themselves; rather, it must be driven by the hotel chain itself, in the same way it would manage its loyalty programme or engage with its best customers