Geocaching as a commercial Instrument of hotels

[MaexMp]

Dear geocaching society,

 

To an exam for my university I'm thinking of a topic thats related to geocaching. I work in a 5 Star Hotel near the baltic sea. I ask you to find arguments why geocaching is also a good chance for the marketing of high class hotels and not just for outdoor tourism. It'd be grateful if you can help me. Thanks a lot.

 

Greetings from Rostock, Germany

 

Max

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

Can't be done.

 

Caches are not allowed for advertising of any kind, no agenda at all can be used.

[+tozainamboku]

Can't be done.

 

Caches are not allowed for advertising of any kind, no agenda at all can be used.

He wasn't asking to place a commercial cache. He is asking for arguments of how/why a 5 star hotel might want to include geocaching in their marketing.

 

I suggest starting here.

[+suchanana]

pamper yourself in our spa after a hard day on the trail...

[+geodarts]

I have seen hotels or lodges include geocaching in their list of local activities -- both through caches published on this site or on their own. Given the five star nature of the hotel, they could make gps units and/or guides available. The hotel could even place (noncommercial) caches at various places of interest and give visitors a chance to check off their finds in a "passport" or answer various questions at the locations and get a particular reward. Here is an article about one example

[+briansnat]

A few months ago I stayed at a luxury hotel/resort that included geocaching among their activities. The hotel staff placed 10 or so caches about the extensive grounds. They were actually well done, with each providing a natural and human history of the area, and hidden in mostly interesting spots.

 

I wondered how they got by the commercial guideline, as searchers were instructed to check in with the concierge before hunting the caches and the resort name was part of each cache name. Searchers were also offered a gift if they went back to the concierge with answers that showed they visited at least 8 caches in the series.

 

I wouldn't recommend trying that latter part without prior approval from Groundspeak because most reviewers would reject the caches as commercial, but it certainly is a good way to introduce outsiders to your facility. From reading the online logs it appears most finders were not guests of the resort and many of the logs expressed interest in returning there for a stay.

Edited August 5, 2013 by briansnat

[+tealeaf]

The geo-tour Hyatt Regency Tamaya in New Mexico is all about the resort itself. There's a cache at the pool, at a sitting area, at the place where you check in to the hotel and its golf course. Can't get much more promotional than that.

[+Beach_hut]

A thread from the UK forum a few months back...

[+SwineFlew]

Geocachers as a whole aren't the type to spend a lot on hotel. I am known to sleep in my car or cheap hotel when i am going for caches that far from home. To me, its a waste of money and time for a 5 stars hotel to get into geocaching. Geocachers are on the go crowd, they aren't at one given area for long like golfing or skiing.

 

However, hotels always do well when large events like geowoodstocks. The more events around large events, the better. When I was in Washington for geowoodstock, I stay at one hotel for three nights. It was a very nice one and wasn't cheap.