I did a leaflet drop for my business around Tenerife Hotels last week...

Synchronicity · 10th July 2007, 14:35

Went around to 50 hotels in Puerto de la Cruz, supplying pamphlets & info regarding my hire bikes.

I noticed something. Two things in fact. The response at the reception desk varies enormously. Some people are genuinely interested, and others couldn't give a hoot.

There is definitely some sort of arrangement going on between Loro Parque and the big hotels. They must pay the hotels to display their pamphlets or something... they ALWAYS occupy the entire top row at ALL the info stands. And further, someone is definitely employed to ensure that an inoordinate number of their ubiquitous pamphlets remain there.

I went around to a few hotels after a few days, and my pamphlets had mysteriously vanished (or actually not so mysteriously). I'm wondering whether it's even worth replacing them if they're only going to get chucked out by the Nazi-Loro-Parque-Pamphlet man within 48 hours.

What gives?!

KirstyJay · 10th July 2007, 14:45

PM Fred Perry about this... he used to do the same job for Tenerife Pearl a few years back.

old golfer · 10th July 2007, 14:48

Its a market forces thing he who pays the most gets the best spot, most of advertisers will be giving the Hotel, restaurant etc a kick back. I know some boat excursions give up to 35% of the price back to the Hotels and even all the Golf Courses have arrangements with the Hotels........

Synchronicity · 10th July 2007, 14:54

What annoys me most is that I always ask permission first.

Some of the staff tell me it's better to leave the pamphlets in front of them at their reception desk (behind it), and if people ask, they have the pamphlets stored somewhere there. But then I'm not getting any exposure.

But I also think that some of them lie about it (or get told to) and just throw them out (to ensure that the big tourist attractions are on show). Like it saves them even walking over to their info booth.

Some places seem to take a genuine interest... but I'd rather not remain in a complete state of ignorance. It costs money to print thousands of pamphlets & I don't know who to trust.

KirstyJay · 10th July 2007, 14:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synchronicity

It costs money to print thousands of pamphlets & I don't know who to trust.

Aye... it'd probably be cheaper to put a banner on the forum...

old golfer · 10th July 2007, 15:03

You have a great web site can't you cut the hotels out and go directly to the public by way of leafleting Hire cars windscreens usually a Loro park sticker on back windscreen.....

or maybe look at increasing your web site presence on Cycling forums, organizations,national clubs cycling events etc. offer a club discount or a family one.

Email them directly in their home country most if not all club presidents will speak English and the only thing its costing is time as your site is up and running...

Good Luck ......wish I was younger I may have hired one for Wifie....

Fred Perry · 10th July 2007, 15:47

If the reception staff won´t gain financially from any leaflet advertising they are not bothered. They recieve a percentage on all the trips etc. as it boosts their wages (Reception staff can be paid quite poorly)

One company controls most of the display areas and different businesses pay them to keep it topped up.

Most receptionists will however keep leaflets under the counter and if anyone specifically asks for that thing they will produce it just to help the tourist out, as part of the service.

Best advice would be to make some small plastic leaflet displays to leave in reception areas and offer the reception staff say 10% on any deal.

zamfoot · 10th July 2007, 19:25

being in the diving biz , hotels always want a cut , the person you need to speak to is generaly up the feeding chain in the hotels , be it head of animation or the manager himself.
Ask who in charge of excursions, may be they have there own excursion office
hotels want between 10 and 20 percent of your biz dependent of the hotel,
so managers like a bit of a sweetner, to go along with your percentage.
this is the tourist biz even getting into tour operaters is a mission and will cost you a percentage.
loro park has it sewn up with its publicity they pay top doller to be there.
cheers
mark