SMERF is an acronym used in the travel and tourism industry to describe the five small group meeting market segments – Social, Military, Education, Religious and Fraternal. For DMOs, some of the target groups of a well-rounded strategic marketing plan typically include leisure, business and meeting travelers.
What does smerf mean in travel agent?
SMERF. Abr. In the hospitality industry, an acronym for Social, Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal, indicating a market segment for the sales of banqueting rooms and meeting facilities. As a home-based travel agent, you can compete in the lucrative meetings and incentives market.
What is the difference between smerf and meetings?
Meetings are often held on weekends. This makes them great compliments to weekday business groups and travelers. SMERF events tend to hold steady through economic downturns. That’s what earned this market the nickname “ the market stabilizer ”.
What is smerf sales and how can it help your business?
Known as less lucrative than conferences and business meetings, SMERF sales can fall off the radar easily—especially when the economy is strong. But nurturing the slow-and-steady SMERF sales market with support from your hotel CRM software can pay off over time.
How to build a smerf strategy?
One prong of your SMERF strategy will be to build up these segments through marketing outreach and high-touch service for repeat groups. To recruit business, brainstorm untapped sources for properties, both in the immediate region and further afield. Want to provide a venue for more religious groups?
What does Smerf stand for?
SMERF is comprised of Social, Military, Education, Religious, and Fraternal groups (think reunions). While they're all very different, they're in one category because it's a vital piece of hotels' weekend group business.
What are Smerf meetings?
There are many acronyms in the world of meetings, but SMERF is one you should not forget. SMERF stands for social, military, educational, religious and fraternal groups who, while not snagging quite as much attention as corporate events, provide a necessary market for the industry.
What does fraternal mean in Smerf?
The SMERF market encompasses a range of group travelers that your destination can target marketing towards to ensure a more stable occupancy rate year-round. The fraternal group covers local and national social organizations whose members associate for a mutually beneficial purpose.
What are the market segments in hotel industry?
The three most basic segments are transient (individual travellers), corporate (business travellers), and group. These are broad segments that have a lot of sub-segments.
What are the characteristics of Smerf groups?
SMERF stands for social, military/government, educational, religious, and fraternal meetings. Characteristics include: 1. Price-Sensitivity – thus, this makes for “off-season” filler business.
What does MICE stand for?
MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions and it represents a lucrative part of the tourism mix across the globe. MICE can also be referred to as Business Tourism or Business Events.
What Smurfs means?
The act of playing under an assumed name to dominate lower-level players is smurfing, the player doing so is a smurf. These terms are very familiar and mostly used in the online gaming community.
What do you mean by fraternal?
Definition of fraternal 1a : of, relating to, or involving brothers fraternal love. b : of, relating to, or being a fraternity or society a fraternal order a fraternal chapter house. 2 : derived from two ova : dizygotic fraternal twins. 3 : friendly, brotherly There was a fraternal feeling among the troops.
What is the purpose of fraternal societies?
Ranging from college fraternities to professional organizations and trade unions to civic clubs, fraternal organizations provide deep networks for members as well as social activities, leadership training, and continuing education.
What are the 4 major market segments for hotels?
There are four segments of the hospitality industry: Food and beverages, Travel and Tourism, lodging, and recreation.Food and Beverages. The food and beverage sector which is professionally known by its initials as F&B is the largest segment of the hospitality industry. ... Travel and Tourism. ... Lodging. ... Recreation.
What are the 5 sectors of the hospitality industry?
Five Different Sectors of the Hospitality IndustryFood and Beverage Industry. The food and beverage industry consists of the preparation, transportation, and serving of food or beverage to customers. ... Lodging Industry. ... Recreation Industry. ... Travel and Tourism Industry. ... Meetings and Events Industry.
What are the 4 sectors of hospitality industry?
The 11 sectors of the hospitality industry:Accommodation. The Accommodation sector includes everything from local small B&Bs, to hotels and hostels, and house share like Airborne and Couch-surf. ... Food & Beverage. ... Travel & Transportation. ... Tourism. ... Meetings and Events. ... Attractions. ... 7. Entertainment. ... Recreation.More items...
What is SMERF (Social, Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal)?
Okay, let’s break down that acronym. SMERF stands for Social, Military, Educational, Religious, and Fraternal groups. Groups related to sports, entertainment, and recreation, like high school sports teams, fall into this category too.
Key Advantages of SMERF
You might be wondering why to focus on SMERF meetings if guests are more price-conscious than your average high-rolling business traveler. Even if SMERF bookings aren’t going to fill your penthouse suites, this segment does present several compelling benefits.
How Can Your Hotel Attract More SMERF Business?
The first step to launching a SMERF strategy is to understand your existing SMERF business.
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What does SMERF stand for?
SMERF is an acronym for Social, Military, Educational, Religious and Fraternal groups , and often also includes sports, entertainment, and recreational groups.
What are the benefits of SMERF?
Benefits of SMERF group sales for hotels include: SMERF groups come in all sizes. Even smaller hotels and select-service hotels that can’t host large industry conferences can take advantage of right-sized SMERF groups. Meetings are often held on weekends. This makes them great compliments to weekday business groups and travelers.
Why do SMERF groups book during slow periods?
SMERF groups book during slow periods. Because these groups are often on a budget, they will consider booking during off seasons and shoulder seasons to save money, which helps sustain revenue through quiet times.
What to do for SMERF groups?
Since SMERF groups are often budget-conscious, they will especially appreciate help tailoring the event to their budget. For groups with absolutely no wiggle room—many religious and educational groups may fall in this category—help them find ways to keep the event as lean as possible. For example, you can suggest they use a tech-savvy group member for A/V support rather than hiring outside help, or have them scale back F&B offerings. Sales managers can glance through meeting data for other groups on a tight budget to see what else they can recommend.
Is SMERF a professional event planner?
SMERF planners are a varied group, but as a general rule, they are not professional event planners. Certainly there are exceptions, more in some segments (university alumni fundraising, for example) than in others. When working with SMERF event planners, remember they:
Can SMERF sales fall off the radar?
Known as less lucrative than conferences and business meetings, SMERF sales can fall off the radar easily —especially when the economy is strong.
Do SMERF planners need a CRM?
To help them feel taken care of, it is often best for SMERF planners to have one contact person throughout the process. However, occasionally they may need to confer with someone else at the property. A group CRM is vital so that whenever another contact handles the group, that person will be seamlessly up to speed with the group’s information. (Contact logs are indispensable, of course, but the CRM “notes” feature is an especially strong ally here.)
