Presentations

The Association of Travel Marketing Executives invited Robert Cole to return and present a keynote speech on the significant impact Big Data, Deep Web and Semantic Technologies will have on travel marketing. The annual conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Miami on April 17, 2013. It was stressed that the focus should be on business and marketing objectives and not solely the technologies.

RockCheetah founder Robert Cole provided an overview of travel booking processes, transaction types, revenue opportunities and conversion / loyalty implications for the Tnooz-Monetate Webinar "Transforming the Supplier-driven Travel Booking Experience" held on February 13, 2013. The importance of understanding the context of the traveler's needs is critical to providing relevant offers and maximizing customer lifetime value.

Robert Cole presented "The Collision of SEO & Social - Who Draws the Creepy Line?" for the Association of Travel Marketing Executives (ATME) Annual Conference held on June 27, 2012 at the W City Center in Chicago, Illinois. Travel industry marketing leaders were challenged to think about the ethical and privacy implications of their strategies.

SkiTops, the Ski Tour Operator Association, invited Robert Cole to give the keynote presentation at its annual SkiTops University event on July 31, 2012 at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. The subject was how Search, Social, Local and Mobile was impacting travel marketing and technology, as well as the ski industry.

Robert Cole of RockCheetah and Kris Strauss of OB Sports Golf Management presented "Measuring and Monetizing Social Networking & Mobile Media" for the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) Annual Conference held on Februart 29, 2012 at the Renaissance Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The golfing industry represents the perfect opportunity for social media and mobile marketing to enhance player engagement the number of rounds played and the golfer's enjoyment of the game.

Text of opening remarks by Robert Cole when moderating the Individualization of Travel panel on March 12, 2010 on Marketing & Distribution Day at the ITB Berlin Convention. Key takeaways included travel is both an intensely personal and highly social experience. It is also a very complex multi-step process. A massive quantity of potential options exist, as well as dramatically different personal decision making processes. Now, social media now enables a transition from mass broadcasting brand messages to establishing relationships with customers and interactively communicating.

Robert Cole presented "Marketing Your Hotel or Resort in a Web 2.0 World" for the Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP) Annual Conference held on September 19, 2009 at Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Travel industry executives need to understand guest engagement is no longer broadcasting messages, it is a conversation.

The hospitality industry has been relatively slow to adopt Web 2.0 technology, so when asked to speak at the annual HFTP HITEC conference, RockCheetah's Robert Cole and InterContinental's MiCharl Robinson decided to look forward to Web 3.0 technologies as well. Breaking the presentation into two sections, the first have reviewed the progression from Web 1.0 through Web 2.0 and onto Web 3.0 including the key technologies and key success factors. The second portion highlighted best practices by firms like Morgans Hotel Group, Joie de Vivre and Imagini Youniverse that serve as leading examples of Web 2.0 supporting hotel customer engagement.