Expedia’s new loyalty program, 'One Key Cash' has sparked interest among hoteliers worldwide, and for good reason.
Trivago is now testing hotel direct bookings in eight markets as part of its growth strategy originally announced last year.
All in all, direct online bookings, booking through online travel platforms, and social media made up 64.6 percent of all European hotel bookings in 2022.
A number of key trends including travellers’ shift to mobile bookings, revenge travel & staycation search along with good reputation play a key role to drive direct hotel bookings.
Google’s latest free booking links for hotels along with a suite of other tools is fantastic to get more direct bookings. Is your property set up with these tools?
Over much of the last decade, OTAs (online travel agencies) have become the most common way that people book hotels. These companies streamlined the booking process and added convenient features (such as easy price comparison) at a time when most hotels lacked an effective digital presence. As the OTAs’ share of bookings grew, they were able to charge higher commissions, meaning less revenue for the hotels themselves. In response, many hoteliers took a stance to win business back and reclaim direct bookings. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a huge shake-up in the travel industry.
Numerous reports suggest that hotels have seen a swing towards consumers booking direct as lockdown restrictions ease and travel resume. There are various reasons for this, ranging from trust that had existed pre-pandemic with brands or consumers visiting websites of hotel properties to learn more about the safety and hygiene protocols being put in place.
For years now, hotels have been fighting desperately to win back market share from third parties such as Online Travel Agencies and thus reduce the cost of customer acquisition. Huge sums are spent on strategic initiatives such as ad campaigns, updating guest loyalty programs, improving organic and paid SEO, making sure the website tells the hotel’s story and ensuring a smooth journey from looking-to-booking.
We all know from experience that a lot goes into planning the perfect vacation, and with so many devices and planning resources, the journey is complex.
Tech companies have for many years been trying to automate the guest arrival experience. First, front desk kiosks were placed in lobbies of some hotel brands, yet guests walked right by them even if there was a long line at reception. Next, smart phone check-in was to be the answer. Yet despite all the hype, utilization has been extremely low.