Overbooking is a common practice in the hotel industry, strategically employed to secure maximum occupancy and guarantee the sell-out of rooms. While this approach holds undeniable benefits for hoteliers, there are also downsides to it, such as dissatisfied guests in case you get double bookings or missed revenue opportunities from free room upgrades. Why Do Hotels Overbook: 4 Primary Reasons
Your hotel's website might be buzzing with traffic due to all the hard work and resources you're putting into attracting visitors. But is your website as efficient as you wish it was? Imagine a potential guest, excited and ready to book, but something doesn't click, and they leave without completing the reservation. That's booking engine abandonment– a frustrating scenario where
Today, as travelers seek a blend of convenience, security, and added value, hoteliers can distinguish themselves by providing incentives that resonate deeply with potential guests. Travel assistance insurance has emerged as a powerful tool that not only sets hotel’s direct channel offerings apart but also empowers guests with peace of mind and solidifies a brand's position as a go-to choice
The last few years have seen major shifts within the hospitality industry. Along with the uneven demand and staffing challenges caused by the pandemic, there was one significant upside – a shift in confidence that saw guests book directly through the hotel vs. relying on OTA websites to find the best deal. As the industry continues to recover, some of
Question for Our Revenue Management Expert Panel: When reviewing the number of direct website bookings Vs OTA bookings, have you seen any difference in this breakdown post-Covid? Has there been a shift in B2B and B2C? (Question by Ricardo Sereno) Our Revenue Management Expert Panel Sandra Gannon - Commercial Consultant, Revenue Puzzle
If you're a hotelier struggling to improve your website conversion rates, you're not alone. Maximizing hotel revenue through direct bookings is crucial, and a little something known as “dopamine” could be the key. In this article, we'll explore the connection between dopamine and positive online experiences and how personalization can help you create a memorable guest experience that boosts conversion
Data analytics is, of course, helpful to better understand your hotel’s direct channel performance, but what’s most useful is being able to compare your results to the market to identify potential growth drivers. The Benefits of Hotel Benchmarking Hotel benchmarking enables you not only to access competitive insights but to make better-informed decisions and take action in those areas that
Brand identity significantly influences guests, with an even more significant impact in luxury hospitality, where brand image standards are higher. As a luxury brand, it's crucial to seduce potential guests and entice them to book on your hotel website by providing each visitor with a personalized online experience, with your brand's personality shining through at all times. 4 Ways How
Travelers' online behavior has changed significantly since the beginning of the pandemic. Today, potential guests are researching and booking travel plans many months in advance and are prioritizing hotel websites with detailed and relevant information that is easily accessible to them. With this return to travel, there is also a return of online competition from OTAs and booking websites—making SEO
Digital marketing is essential if you want to drive bookings and especially if you're after more direct business for your hotel. But with the countless available tools and strategies, it can be hard to decide which ones to implement. The following article highlights seven hotel marketing techniques to concentrate on to make your direct booking soar. 1. Optimise Your Website
Question for Our Hotel Marketing Expert Panel What marketing strategies can accommodation providers use to increase direct bookings? What % of total bookings should direct bookings represent? What is the minimum that hoteliers should aim for? Our Marketing Expert Panel Daphne Beers - Owner, Your-Q Hospitality Academy Adele Gutman - Culture and Guest
Omnichannel communication and artificial intelligence enable hotels to deliver a much more engaging e-commerce experience and increase direct online bookings by 10% on average. In this article, you'll find tips to increase direct hotel bookings with AI and omnichannel communication. Attract More People to Your Direct Reservation Process Through Omnichannel Engagement To increase direct sales, you first must ensure you
Picture this. You want to surprise your partner for Valentine’s day with a romantic getaway. You start exploring options, but after entering your search dates on the hotel’s booking engine, the following message pops up: “Early bird offer. Enjoy an incredible 20% discount on family bookings this summer!” How random. Chances are you would leave the website to look for
Question for Our Hotel Marketing Expert Panel What advice can you offer hotels on finding the right balance between OTAs Vs Direct Booking channels? Are there any occasions where hotels should not use OTAs? Our Marketing Expert Panel Adele Gutman - Culture and Guest Experience Expert, Hospitality Reputation Marketing Podcast Luminata Mardale
Many hotels are approaching direct bookings like they did five years ago. While the basics still apply, new opportunities have emerged to drive engagement and Conversion. In this article, you'll learn how to engage customers during booking and increase Conversion. Enhancing Your Hotel Direct Booking Process: a Key Asset for Hotel Resilience & Recovery You can always acquire paid or
AI and big data unlock opportunities for hotels to boost their direct revenue and operational efficiency while offering instant, personalized guest experiences. This article will focus on four ways hotels can leverage AI and Big Data to engage customers in the hotel direct booking process and drive their direct sales. 1) Deliver Instant Service With Conversational AI Conversational AI, a
Customer behavior is evolving from search to interaction, and mobile is driving this shift. Hotels that rethink their guest communication to meet new and changing behavior will boost their visibility and drive their direct bookings. This article reveals the mobile behavior trends shaping the hospitality industry and how hotels can leverage them to improve their guest experience and increase direct
When engaging with online travel agencies (OTAs) in this era of uncertainty, hoteliers must properly understand the value and costs associated with all distribution channels. Any relationship weighted in favour of an OTA to the detriment of a hotel’s bottom line needs to be reviewed, and steps should be taken to maximise your direct bookings. Capture More Direct Bookings For