CHEVY CHASE, Md. (June 8, 2012) – The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. has increased its growing list of awards and accolades with more recognition in the social space. The leading luxury global hospitality and lifestyle brand has picked up two honors from Travel + Leisure magazine, recognized for its innovative and effective use of social media in the travel industry.
[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]?Travel + Leisure introduced its first-annual Social Media in Travel & Tourism Awards (SMITTYS) this year. The SMITTYS aim to spotlight those in the hospitality industry that are developing engaging campaigns that provide value to their consumers in this new landscape. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company was honored with the award for ?Best Use of a Social Media Platform? within the global hotel or resort chain category for its Global Guest Days initiative on Twitter. Through this initiative, The Ritz-Carlton Twitter handle (@RitzCarlton) is run by a large team of Ritz-Carlton professionals around the world in multiple locations, on various time zones, making the Twitter feed truly global.. This gives the brand?s 79 hotels, in 26 countries the opportunity to interact with more than 22,000 Twitter followers and share information, insights and exclusive previews that are unique to each property. [/box]?
Another big win was for The Ritz-Carlton Resorts of Naples, which won the ?Best Use of a Social Media Platform Award? for their use of Facebook by an individual hotel/resort in North America. With more than 26,000 fans worldwide, the resorts? Facebook page propels awareness, builds and maintains customer engagement, increases customer retention, and humanizes the resort in a way that defines an experience with guests. Some examples of their exceptional guest engagement: ?Beach Photos of the Day,? Q&A?s with resorts? departmental heads, and integration with guest services by recognizing the resorts? Facebook fans with a special Facebook-themed amenity.
[quote]?I could not be more proud of the ladies and gentlemen around the world who are conversing with thousands of our guests on Ritz-Carlton social channels every day?[/quote]
said Chris Gabaldon, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. ?All of the social environments in which we have a presence are representative of who we are as an organization, and are run with the intent of adding value to a consumers online experience with our brand before, during and after a visit to one of our hotels? he added.
The SMITTYS award winners were acknowledged at a ceremony on Thursday, June 7, 2012, in New York City.
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