In today’s competitive travel landscape, it is more important than ever for hotels to focus on increasing direct bookings. This means encouraging guests to book directly through the hotel’s website or phone, rather than through third-party online travel agencies (OTAs).
Why should hotels focus on direct bookings?
There are several reasons why hotels should focus on direct bookings:
- It is more profitable. When guests book directly, the hotel does not have to pay a commission to an OTA.
- It gives the hotel more control over the customer relationship. When guests book directly, the hotel has the opportunity to collect customer data and build relationships with them.
- It allows the hotel to offer a more personalized experience. Hotels can tailor their offerings and promotions to specific guests when they book directly.
How can hotels increase direct bookings?
There are a number of things that hotels can do to increase direct bookings:
- Create a user-friendly website. The hotel’s website should be easy to navigate and use. It should also be mobile-friendly, as many guests are now using their smartphones to book travel.
- Offer competitive rates. The hotel’s rates should be competitive with those of OTAs. The hotel can offer exclusive discounts to guests who book directly.
- Use a commission-free booking engine. The hotel should use a booking engine that does not charge a commission. This will save the hotel money and make it more attractive to guests to book directly.
- Implement revenue management software. Revenue management software can help the hotel optimize its rates to maximize revenue.
- Grow your presence on metasearch engines. Metasearch engines are websites that aggregate search results from multiple OTAs. The hotel can improve its visibility on metasearch engines by optimizing its website for search engines.
- Lean into loyalty. The hotel can create a loyalty program that rewards guests for booking directly. This can encourage guests to book directly in the future.
- Use social media. The hotel can use social media to promote its direct booking options.
- Offer exclusive packages and promotions. The hotel can offer exclusive packages and promotions to guests who book directly.
- Partner with influencers. The hotel can partner with influencers to promote its direct booking options.
- Personalize the guest experience. The hotel can personalize the guest experience to make guests feel valued and appreciated.
- Create a sense of urgency. The hotel can create a sense of urgency by offering limited-time discounts or promotions.
By following these tips, hotels can increase their direct bookings and improve their profitability.
Additional tips for increasing direct bookings:
- Make it easy for guests to book directly on your website. Use a clear and concise booking process, and make sure that your rates are competitive.
- Use email marketing to stay in touch with potential guests and encourage them to book directly.
- Offer incentives for guests to book directly, such as discounts or free upgrades.
- Make sure that your hotel’s staff is knowledgeable about your direct booking options and can answer any questions that guests may have.
- Track your progress and make adjustments to your strategy as needed.
Empower your hotel to achieve direct booking success with our proven strategies. Contact Forthfocus today to learn more.
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