LANDMARK RESORTLEDGERVolume 341 January 2021
How do we rate?What does the general public consider when they are unfamiliar with a hotel / resort.An easy way to determine whether or not a property has the features you're looking foris by checking its website and the ratings and reviews available online. These ratingscan tell you a lot about the quality and amenities of the hotel / resort.
Official vs. Unofficial Star RatingsThe first thing to understand about star ratings is that there are official and unofficial star ratings. Any hotel can say that it is a five-star hotel or a three-star hotel. But unlessyou are sure that the star rating is official, take it with a grain of salt. The original star-rating system was started by Forbes Travel Guide in the 1950s. Since then, several dif-ferent evaluating bodies have assigned stars, so it's important to check who the evalua-tor is and what its system entails. For instance, in the U.S., Forbes is still one of theleading star-assigning bodies, as is AAA.
AAA's Diamond Rating System comprises two distinct components. The Approval Requirements are uncompromising, mandatory standards, while Diamond designationis based on specific criteria measured during an on-site visit. The extensiveness ofservices, amenities, and décor provided, as well as standards for cleanliness, comfortand hospitality are measured. The Landmark has consistently been awarded ThreeDiamonds by AAA.
Online Ratings and ReviewsThere are a variety of on-line sites that provide crowd-sourced ratings and reviews. TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook and Trivago are among the most popular sites.
Tripadvisor, the “world’s largest travel site,” accounts for 25% of all hotel reviews from the top 10 sites. It offers online reservations and bookings for transportation, lodging,travel experiences, and restaurants. TripAdvisor has a bubble rating system from one - five, and every guest that submits a review can rate a property accordingly.These bubble ratings directly influence quality scores. As you might expect, more positive reviews mean an improvement in overall ranking. As of mid-December we arerated 4.2 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, based on 1,880 reviews. A more detailed look at theactivity for TripAdvisor can be found in a summary on page 3.
continued on page 2
4.7 out of 5FacebookBased on the opinion of
173 people
4.5 out of 5GoogleBased on 858 reviews.
4.2 out of 5TripAdvisorBased on the opinion of
1890 people
How do we rate? continued from page 1
Google and Facebook
It’s no surprise that Google and Facebook are also at the top of the list. Google has a massive audience - with many people using Google search daily - which increases thechance for them to view our resort and our Google business listing (which can helpgenerate leads and direct prospects to our website). Our Google rating for the resort is4.5 out of 5 stars, based on 853 reviews. Our Facebook rating is 4.7 ouf of 5 stars,based on 173 reviews.
OthersAgain, the list of online travel companies is substantial. And they all have different rating systems. Based on 205 reviews, our Expedia / Orbitz / Travelocity rating is 4.4 / 5(“Excellent”). On Hotels.com our rating is 9.0 / 10 (“Superb”), based on 143 reviews. On Yelp, we are rated 3 / 5, based on 55 reviews.
Others that we don’t regularly track:n Hotwire n Booking.com n TripItn Wikitravel n Angie’s List n Wandern oyster.com
RCI and II Many Landmark Resort owners participate in the Resorts Condominiums International (RCI) and/or the Interval International (II) exchange programs. Both RCI and II haverecognition programs based on guest input on post-visit comment cards. We haverecently learned that the Landmark has regained the RCI Silver Crown recognition for2021, and was very close to earning the highest RCI recognition - the Gold Crown. Theresort is an II “Select Resort.”
We monitor a variety of ratings and reviews to assess guest satisfaction with the Landmark Resort. This information tells us what we are doing well, and identifies areasin need of improvement.We strive for continuous improvement in our service and quality, and look to have that reflected in the reviews and ratings provided by ourguests.
Jill K. AndersonChair, Ratings and Awards CommitteeSecretary, Rental Management Company
4.4 out of 5Same rating as Travelocity and Orbitz -both owned by Expedia. 205 reviews.
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LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
Importance of ReviewsI’m pretty certain most people read reviews before making a smart decision. In the hospitality industry, guest reviews are so important that it’s a matter of life or death. Apositive review can make you and a negative …well you get the picture.
So what can resort/hotel operators do to get positive feedback and create a great online presence? We start by asking happy customers to post a review, using toolsfrom TripAdvisor (Reputation Pro) and messages in the Check-in brochure and on ourin-house TV channel. Once our guests have posted a review, we look to respond in atimely manner. Jeff Larson, Director of Marketing & Sales, responds to the majority ofthe posted reviews, thanking the guests for their comments and offering additionalinformation when necessary. Sandy Hoffman, Front Desk Manager, responds toreviews on Hotel.com. And Tristan Guger, Food & Beverage Manager, will respond tosome of the reviews aimed at the restaurant.
Why is responding to guest reviews important? According to a research by TripAdvisor:
n 87% of travelers agree that a good response from the hotel management to a badreview improves their impression of the hotel.
n 77% of travelers said that regular responses (to online reviews) from management would make them believe that the hotel/resort cares more about their guests.
n 62% of those who were surveyed said that they are more likely to book a hotel that responds to review compared to a relatively similar hotel that does not respond to reviews.
With online reviews playing a bigger role in the decision-making process when travelers scout for lodging, it is extremely important to manage our online reputationbetter by responding to reviews.
TripAdvisor ReviewBreakdown by Rating
......... 57%.............. 20%
.................... 11%......................... 7%
.............................. 5%
Google ReviewBreakdown by Rating
......... 64%............... 28%
.................... 5%......................... 1%
............................... 2%
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9 out of 10Based on 2 reviews. Yes, two.
LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
Wednesday NightSpecialThe Carrington Pub & Grill started theirWednesday night Japanese cuisine -Hokkaido Sunset special - this pastweek. Featured on the menu:
Dragon Roll ..... $12Tempura Shrimp, Avocado, FreshCucumber, Sushi Rice and Nori, Sambal Mayonnaise
Shoyu Ramen Bowl ...... $19Slow-braised Pork Shoulder, SmokedPork Belly, Roasted ShiitakeMushrooms, Fresh Napa Cabbage,Bamboo Shoots, Sweet Corn and GreenOnions
The Carrington’s regular hours are 4 - 9pm Wednesday - Saturday nights.The Japanese cuisine is offered onWednesday nights. Hope you can stop inand give it a try.
Thursday NightSpecialThe Thursday Night Special is Buy One,Get One (BOGO). Buy one entree at theregular price, and get the second entreefree. This is offered as a dine-in only.Drinks and tip are not included. StartedDecember 3rd.
Shoyu Ramen Bowl
All-American Burger Shrimp Florentine
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LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
TripAdvisor - A Review of 2020 MetricsTripAdvisor is the #1 website for posting reviews. The resort has a business listing, and promotes stays on the TripAdvisor website.
REPUTATION INSIGHTS
Your reviews are a reflection of your recent performance
MARKET POSITION
How often are travelers viewing your TripAdvisor listing?
CLICK ACTIVITY
How often are travelers clicking on these exclusive features?
PHOTOS & AMENITIES
How engaging is your listing on TripAdvisor?
DEMAND TRENDS
Learn more about travelers viewing your listing
Reviews
194
2.67% vs Competitor Average
Ranking
4 of 6
Egg Harbor
Average Rating
4.2
3% vs Competitor Average
Mgmt Response Rate
97%
Competitor Average: 33%
Unique Visits
22,326
115% vs Competitor Average
Direct Referral Clicks
4,038
5 64% vs Competitor Average
Special Offer Clicks
231
5 41% vs Competitor Average
Phone Calls
101
5 38% vs Competitor Average
Photo Engagement Rate
19%
5 Competitor Average: 21%
Average Photo Views
1.5
5 0 vs Competitor Average
Photo Uploads
278
5 188% vs Competitor Average
Visitor Sources Booking Lead Time
61 days
5.3 days vs Competitor Average
Length of Stay
2.6 days
0.0 days vs Competitor Average
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
6
5
LEDGERVolume 341 January 2021
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FOR SALEA one-bedroom condo suite.
This lovely one-of-a-kind gem is located on the ground level
of the Flagship building. With a secluded and private wood
view only steps away from the F5 exit door.
This unit is beautifully designed with aserene nautical theme.
If interested in a tour or havequestions, please contact Natalia
at 612-479-3234 or email at:[email protected]
RECENT REVIEWWe booked a stay over the winter
for a little getaway during the off season in Door County and tookadvantage of the more affordable rates. We were very happy with our room and the resort overall. We enjoyed the beautiful views
from the lobby and our hotel room. The hotel also implemented new rules
due to COVID precautions.
- 645kaitlynr via TripAdvisor
Sandy HoffmannSandy Hoffman is the Front Desk Manager at the resort. She has been with the Landmark for 15 years - with her work anniversary this month. She is responsible for the Front Desk staff, and the smooth operation of the reservation system, as well as checking guests in and out.
Sandy enjoys meeting people, and delights in seeing the satisfied guests that she and her staff come in contact withdaily. There are always plenty of challenges with discovering what a guest may need and being able to help make their stay a more positive experience. Turning a dissatisfied guest into a long-term, repeat customer is what she believes to be among her greatest accomplishments. And part of the mission for herand her staff.
Sandy lives in Sturgeon Bay with her husband Tom. She is an 8-year cancer survivor. Tom and Sandy have a cabin in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and enjoy visiting therefor snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and relaxing.
Sandy plans to retire in the next 2-3 years. She is sad to see the relationships built withmany long-time owners fade away as they sell their units. Looking ahead to retirementthat is what she will miss most.
Sandy can be reached at:[email protected]
LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
Web Dashboard - A Review of 2020The Landmark Resort maintains a robust website. Today, more people find us on the web than any other means.
WEBSITE STATISTICS FOR 2020
WEBSITE ANALYSIS FOR 2020
n Website traffic typically follows a seasonal pattern, and this year was very different.
n The COVID-19 pandemic made for wild swings in web traffic: April, 2020 was down 59.23% versus 2019, while June, 2020 was up 43.65% versus the same month in 2019.
n Pageviews was down 4.05% for 2020 (502,631 vs 523,850)
n The average pages per session was down 5.33% (2.5 vs 2.64)
n The average time on the site was down 4.91% (00:02:10 vs 00:02:17)
n Interesting to note that when totalling the entire year: website traffic was down by only 1.19%.
n The pandemic has exposed our website to erratic behavior and an unprecedented year - with very few conclusions to be drawn from the statistical data that was collected in the calendar year 2020.
n To take the 2020 numbers versus the 2019 data - and use it to infer trends - would most definitely lead to misleading and inaccurate conclusions.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June10,384 10,279 7,522 3,931 8,886 23,146 Visits 9,605 9,641 6,990 3,668 8,457 22,273 Absolute Unique Visitors38,280 36,869 24,247 11,324 28,728 88,560 Pageviews 2.85 2.78 2.54 2.3 2.54 2.81 Average Pageviews 00:02:36 00:02:37 00:02:11 00:01:41 00:02:12 00:02:41 Time on Site 80.6% 81% 81.5% 83.1% 82.8% 81.2% New Visits
July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec22,813 19,951 14,688 9,623 4,540 5,598 Visits 21,421 18,795 13,527 8,802 4,123 5,189 Absolute Unique Visitors84,239 71,914 50,797 33,591 15,384 18,698 Pageviews 1.54 2.35 2.31 2.32 2.37 2.3 Average Pageviews 00:01:55 00:01:53 00:02:00 00:02:04 00:02:04 00:01:58 Time on Site 81.2% 74.6% 74.7% 74.5% 75.4% 76.5% New Visits
LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
Recent & RandomLet’s celebrate the new year, as well as a few recent events in the lives of our staff.
Kristy Atkinson, Housekeeping, gave
birth to a baby girl on November 27, 2020.
Her name is Brynley Rose. Baby and mom are doing well.
Michael Bleck, Server at the Carrington
Pub & Grill, celebrates his four year work anniversary this month.
Sandra Greenfeldt, Front Desk Reservationist, has retired.
Sandra had 28 years of service with the resort.
William “Bill” Hanson, Electrician in our Maintenance Department,
marks his four year work anniversary.
Sandy Hoffmann, Front Desk Manager, observes
her 15 year work anniversary.
Karen Korn, Staff Accountant,
observes her two year anniversary at the resort this month.
Rick Rogers, Executive Coordinator of Operations, and his wife Jen
welcomed a baby girl into their lives on December 16, 2020.
They named her Lucy.
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TripAdvisor ReviewsOverall Rating & Factors
Overall Rating ............. 4.2Rooms ...................... 4.2Sleep Quality ............. 4.1Service ...................... 4.1Location ..................... 4.5Cleanliness ................ 4.2Value .......................... 4.2
Expedia ReviewsOverall Rating & Factors
Overall Rating ........... 4.5Cleanliness ............... 4.5Staff & Service .......... 4.4Amenities .................. 4.4Property Condition .... 4.3
Board Meetings2021
February 6, 2021
March 27, 2021
April 30, 2021
May 1, 2021 | Spring Clean-up
May 2, 2021 | Annual Meeting
LEDGER January 2018Volume 305
Nominating Committee Candidate FormThe Nominating Committee of the Landmark Owners Association is seeking applications for additional Nominating Committee members for the 2018 elections. Please note serving on this committee will entail in-person meetings at the Landmark Resort and/ortelephone conferences in order to recommend a slate of candidates to the Board of Directors.
Please fill in the following questionnaire if you are interested and willing to serve on the Landmark ResortNominating Committee.
NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY / STATE / ZIP:
TELEPHONE:
COMMITTEE REQUEST:
UNIT(S) OWNED:
List past or present positions that you feel would qualify you as a candidate for the Landmark Board of Directors.
How do you feel your participation would benefit the Landmark Resort?
List any specific issue(s) you would most like to discuss at Board meetings?
Please send the above information by February 1, 2021 to Landmark Resort, 4929 Landmark Dr., Egg Harbor, WI 54209, Attn: Wendy Beilfuss orby e-mail to [email protected].
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOMINATING _________ OTHER _________
_______________________________________________________________________________
LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
Owners Board of Directors / Advisors Candidate FormThe Landmark Resort Nominating Committee is seeking owners who are willing to have their names placed in nomination at the annual owners meeting. Please note these positions are time consuming, yet extremely important. Board meetings will require yourattendance about once a month.
Please fill in the following questionnaire if you are interested and willing to serve on the Landmark Board of Directors, either as a Director or Advisor (check one) and return to Wendy Beilfuss.
NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY / STATE / ZIP:
TELEPHONE:
POSITION OF INTEREST:
UNIT(S) OWNED:
List past or present positions that you feel would qualify you as a candidate for the Landmark Board of Directors.
How do you feel your participation would benefit the Landmark Resort?
List any specific issue(s) you would most like to discuss at Board meetings?
Please send the above information by February 15, 2021 to Landmark Resort, 4929 Landmark Dr., Egg Harbor, WI 54209, Attn: Wendy Beilfuss orby e-mail to [email protected].
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
DIRECTOR _________ ADVISOR _________
_______________________________________________________________________________
LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
Constant Contact - A Look Back at 2020The Landmark Resort utilizes Constant Contact for database management and sending emails (to owners, guests, prospects).
NUMBER OF CAMPAIGNS
56
548,276TOTAL EMAILS SENT
AVERAGECLICK-THROUGH RATE
25%
AVERAGE OPEN RATE
55%
5
5
2020 Landmark Resort Open Rateversus previous 12 months ... +7%versus industry average ........ +8%
2020 Landmark Resort Click Rateversus previous 12 months ... +8%versus industry average ........ +1%
5
5
THE RESORT’S CONTACT LIST GREW BY 13%. That's 3,282 more people!
TOP PERFORMERS FOR 2020
Landmark Resort | April 2020 Ledger NewsletterSent April 8, 2020 | 82% Click-through rate
Landmark Resort | July 2020 LedgerSent July 10, 2020 | 81% Click-through rate
Landmark Resort | September 2020 LedgerSent September 9, 2020 | 79% Click-through rate
BIGGEST FANSThese people opened our emails the most.
[email protected]@firstweber.com
[email protected]@uic.edu
LEDGER January 2021Volume 341
GROUP NAME DATE(S) OF EVENT
Coleson / Maurina Wedding Wauwatosa, WI 7/30-8/01/21Catto-Henshaw Family Reunion Pulaski, WI 8/11-8/15/21Kopshinsky / Vetta Wedding Brookfield, WI 8/13-8/15/21Parr Anniversary Milan, IL 8/20-8/22/21Oneida Golf & Country Club Green Bay, WI 8/31-9/01/21Kring / Juedes Wedding Fitchburg, WI 9/23-9/25/21Kaldunski / Larsen Wedding West Allis, WI 9/24-9/26/21Street / Buss Wedding Darlington, WI 12/03-12/05/21Marrero / Spoerl Wedding DePere, WI 6/03-6/05/22Salva / Shinn Wedding Kenosha, WI 6/03-6/05/22
Group SalesIn December, we booked the following groups:
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LoginOwners Secure Section
of Website
USER NAME:landmark
PASSWORD:Resort#1_Owner
Go to the resort’s website:www.thelandmarkresort.com
Click on the Owner Login (bottom right-hand corner of page)
Swimming Pool ClosureThe resort’s indoor swimming pool will be closedSunday, January 24, 2021 - Friday, January 29,2021. The closure is for the annual maintenance andcleaning to the swimming pool and whirlpool in thePilot House building. Due to COVID, there will be noalternate swimming pool available to us.
Maintenance RequestIf you find anything in
your unit that is in need of repair, please fill out a
Maintenance Request Form.
These forms can found at the Front Desk.
Once filled out, you may submit the form
via email, mail, or return the form
to the Front Desk. Appropriate staff
will address the issue.