Keep the data, just don't use it

Every year, since 2004, I've done the TransRockies. This is a 7-day mountain bike race through the Canadian Rockies. Every year it has either started (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011), or finished (2006 and 2007) in Fernie, BC.

Like many of the racers, I arrive in Fernie on Friday, stay at a hotel for two nights, and then check out on Sunday morning and start the race.

I always stay in the same hotel, the Park Place Lodge, and I know they have me on record in their reservation system. (In the early days the hotel was the "Official" hotel of the race and it remains a favourite for racers.)

So, given the fact that the hotel knows that I'm a regular, and that they offer a special rate for loyal customers like me, why are they not completing the loop?

When I enquired by email about a special rate for loyal TransRockies riders I was given a great price, well below the "rack rate". Why doesn't the hotel contact previous guests to see if they will be coming back? A bit of proactive communications would likely help to keep the rooms filled.

With the high value of the Canadian dollar, and the general economic uncertainly, I would expect any business that is dependant on tourism to extract whatever value they could from their past customers. In the theatre business they refer to the need to get "bums on seats". Perhaps for hotels it might be "heads on pillows"?

When I get to Fernie I'll have a word with the hotel manager to see what she has to say.

BTW, this year's TransRockies, the tenth, starts in Fernie on August 7th and finishes in Canmore on August 13th. I'm trying to convince my younger brother to join me for the 2012 race.