Nikko bookings rise after website revamp

<P>Room bookings at Hotel Nikko shot up by 90 per cent following the revamp of its website, the property claimed.</P> <P><br><br><BR>Interactive agency Agenda overhauled the hotel's website over a six-month period to make it a stronger marketing channel, according to Emmy Lau, assistant public relations manager, Hotel Nikko Hongkong. "The website is a good marketing channel and a source of overseas room bookings. However, our previous website design looked old-fashioned and was not very appealing at all. By revamping the website, we wanted to enhance this marketing tool for increasing online booking revenue and improving our hotel image so it was more modern," Lau said.</P> <P><br><br><BR>The new-look site, which allows consumers to make direct bookings online, was promoted through an email marketing campaign. "(The site targets) overseas guests who can use it for online room reservations. The existing online booking system is still hosted by other companies. However, we will create a new reservation system in coming months."</P> <P><br><br><BR>She noted that the hotel saw bookings jump by nearly 80 per cent in April 2006 over the same period last year, and by 90 per cent for March.</P> <P><br><br><BR>While most bookings were made locally, 20 per cent came from the US, seven per cent from Japan and five per cent were from China. </P> <P> </P>