Letter from the Dean – August 2021 Digital Marketing Issue

Welcome to Boston Hospitality Review: Digital Marketing Edition (Part I of II)

One of the luxuries of staying in a hotel, beyond the fresh linens, array of carefully selected bath products, and chocolate treats left on the pillow, is access to a particular benefit that is not exactly decadent but fleeting and frequently unattainable in our everyday lives. It’s not sleeping late, eating breakfast in bed, or a similar indulgence. You may not even realize that last time you had it.  

Want to know what this simple pleasure is that hotels offer, at least for now? The “do not disturb” sign on the room door. No complicated privacy settings. Not subject to interpretation, it’s a clear demarcation between your private and public space.  

In our digital environment, the perks of connectivity come with a cost. The price is our privacy. Many of us easily accept these terms to reveal one promise of delight after another. The “tabs” keep mounting when left to our devices. On the flip side, we enjoy being recognized and having our likes and dislikes attended to. Naturally, hospitality is built on anticipating and responding to the guests’ wants, needs, and desires, but what are the thresholds, boundaries, and potential opportunities? 

On these relevant questions, we are dedicating two issues – both August and September. These editions are edited by Leora Lanz, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, Faculty Chair of the MMH program, and Associate Professor of Practice, who teaches our Digital Marketing and Advanced Strategic Marketing course at the graduate and undergraduate levels, respectively. I also would like to highlight the caliber of experts from the field who have contributed to these special editions of BHR, some of whom are either current or recent SHA graduate and undergraduate students. As academics and practitioners, all deeply knowledgeable about digital marketing, they understand the nuances and share their insights and foresight as this sector continues to expand.  

Enjoy the remainder of summer until we “knock” on your door with our next edition, Part II of this dive into Digital Marketing. 

Sincerely, 

Arun Upneja, Ph.D. 

Dean of Boston University School of Hospitality Administration