VIZERGY, a leading hotel Internet marketing company, was recently honored with a prestigious Leader Award from Summit International’s Emerging Media Awards.
The winning entry, a website for newly independent Sugar Bay Resort & Spa in St. Thomas, VI (formerly under a Wyndham flag), was chosen for the silver-level award out of roughly 800 entries. Only 9 percent of total nominations earned recognition in the global competition. Since going live in late spring of this year, the site has produced well over half a million dollars in revenue from more than 130,000 visitors, with the 2011 ROI projected to exceed 10:1. Much of this success is due to the striking design that sells the property and area.
Sugar Bay’s website design reflects the vibrant nature and location of the resort, as well as its many luxurious amenities. The informative site utilizes professional copy and imagery, adheres to the industry’s latest usability research and implements layers and scrolling for various elements. The site also ranks on the top search results page of Google and Bing for nearly 40 targeted keyword phrases.
“As a newly independent resort trying to establish a brand identity, the only way to realize quick success was to implement creative and efficient online marketing,” said Linda Maratea, Sugar Bay’s Director of Revenue Management. “We couldn’t be more pleased with our new website, as it showcases the property and area better than ever.”
“We’re proud of this award, but even more proud of our team’s work on Sugar Bay’s website and marketing,” says Philip Faircloth, VIZERGY’s Director of Client Marketing Services. “From client services, to design, to marketing, we worked diligently to allow Sugar Bay to have an easy transition from branded to independent. The site brings the property and local area to travel shoppers in a phenomenal manner and is increasingly driving more direct bookings.”
Summit International’s Emerging Media Awards competition honors those who push the boundaries of marketing by creatively and successfully utilizing emerging media trends and technologies. Jocelyn Luciano, Executive Director for the Summit International Awards, credits award winners as “the leaders who are establishing tomorrow’s avenues of advertising communications.”