Aloft Hotels Taps Social Media Channels To Build Up Strong Abu Dhabi And UAE Following

Aloft Abu Dhabi Facebook group swelled from 300 to over 5,000 in just 40 days

Aloft Abu Dhabi, the first Aloft hotel in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, has been capitalizing on the immense popularity of social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter to expand its local presence in the UAE and uphold the Aloft philosophy of ‘two-way loyalty.’

The hotel initially formed a Facebook group of 300 which was treated to prizes ranging from room nights and meal vouchers to a trip for two to Aloft Beijing. The fanpage quickly grew to 5,000 in roughly 40 days, and now has over 7,500 members who regularly interact with each other and are updated on the latest Aloft Abu Dhabi activities, promos and news. The hotel also maintains a Twitter account to provide a direct line of communication to guests and announce dedicated promotional offers.

“Social media has been an important part of the Aloft brand, which provided an publicly-accessible online simulated tour of its facilities even before it opened its first hotel. We believe in the value of interaction and in making our guests feel that their opinions and suggestions are not only heard but highly valued as well. Social media is trendy, popular and effective as a communication tool and so it made great sense for us to use it as a channel to create two-way loyalty between us and the public,” said Stephan Vanden Auweele, General Manager, Aloft Abu Dhabi.

“One thing that has made the social media aspect successful for us is that we have provided our Facebook fans with their own page, which they use to interact and talk with each other about a product they like. A lot of dedication and commitment went into developing this platform, but the customer loyalty and appreciation that we have gained has been worth it,” added Vanden Auweele.

The four-star, 408-room Aloft Abu Dhabi is the second-largest hotel in the UAE capital and is directly connected to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the largest and most modern exhibition venue in the Middle East. Opened in the 4th quarter of 2009, the hotel is own by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company and operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts. It is a major component of the AED 8 billion Capital Centre commercial, business hotel and residential district being developed around ADNEC. Aloft Abu Dhabi embodies the unique Aloft signature of urban-influenced design, accessible technology, style, and a social atmosphere.

Aloft Hotels launched its brand on ‘Second Life,’ a free 3D virtual word where users can socialize, connect and create using free voice and text chat. Aloft continues to use social media and innovative technology to communicate with tech-savvy travelers seeking modern, comfortable and technology-enabled hospitality services.

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