Manpower challenges, the changing competitive landscape and the consumer-driven experience economy are what's keeping Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Asia Pacific's membership awake at night, according to a survey done by the sales and marketing association of hospitality professionals.

Human resource issues were cited by 45% of those surveyed as "most concerning"; 32% said the business climate was a worry, while 34% cited Web 2.0 and social networking as a challenge in how to "engage customers and create meaningful global dialogues".

Up to a third of respondents in this survey, conducted in August 2008, said Internet marketing and e-commerce was an area of opportunity.

The growth of the online marketplace, target marketing using eCRM (e-Customer Relationship Management) and the potential for more one-to-one customer marketing and customized mobile phone advertising were some of the factors fuelling interest in this sector.

To the question of what was becoming obsolete, 48% cited traditional marketing and sales - this included face-to-face sales calls, printed brochures and direct mailers and below-the-line television and print campaigns.

24% said untargeted marketing was also becoming obsolete - this included email marketing and mass broadcasting, traditional Google desktop search and "vanilla" campaigns.

On what areas of online and Internet marketing they felt they needed most education in, they cited SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and SEM (Search Engine Optimisation), e-marketing and mobile advertising and revenue management and optimisation.

To the question "what do you most want to know about", the respondents said, customer insight and behaviour, and brand management.