How to be competitive in a difficult and constantly changing sector such as the tourism one? Managing a hotel structure such as hotels, pensions, B&Bs, Inns and residences is not simple, you know. It becomes even more complex when asked to maximize earnings and increase bookings.
Today, most of these are done through online hotel booking platforms . Here is a guide of useful tips to learn the strategies on how to increase online bookings from your website.
How to increase bookings
In order to increase online bookings, an essential prerequisite from which to start is; that of knowing exactly the target of possible customers. The knowledge of their reference customers, their needs and their needs are essential when it comes to increase bookings of a property.
Know the target audience
Whenever customers find themselves in the position of having to book a stay in a hotel, make sure that there is a section of the website where you can enter specific preferences and interests . In this way it is communicated to the customer that one of the priorities is of the structure that of listening and responding to everyone’s needs, thus proposing the best experience possible.
Incentive guests
To increase bookings it is advisable to insert advantageous sales conditions on the official hotel website. A strategy can be to show the customer the advantages of a direct booking, such as promotions on room rates. The price of a hotel room is the first and at the same time the most important incentive. The added values to offer can be a welcome glass of prosecco upon arrival in the structure, so like the presence of a rich mini-bar. Sometimes it doesn’t take much to make your guests feel pampered .
Show your strengths
Alongside the knowledge of the target audience of possible customers It is necessary to know what are the characteristics that make your structure unique (and therefore attractive) compared to the competition. Factors such as being pet-friendly and therefore accessible to animals, having a swimming pool available to guests, but also providing information on what the area offers near the structure these are all aspects that reinforce the strengths that make a hotel one of a kind.
Customer loyalty
People are habits . If customers decide to choose a certain structure to spend their vacation days and overall have a positive experience, very likely they will consider it again. Upon check-in It is important to request the contact details of the guests such as telephone number and email address, so to be able to contact them again and keep in touch even after departure.
The power of reviews
Indispensable then the reviews factor. It is necessary to give the possibility; the future guest to read and evaluate the reviews from different platforms directly from the hotel’s website, without having to visit further pages on the web. In this way, the customer is shown all the elements necessary to choose, encourages the navigation of the site and last but not least, it ends with the actual booking.
How to create a hotel website
Another fundamental aspect to encourage bookings is owning and providing a good website capable of guaranteeing clear, simple and fast consultation . In addition to entering information about the structure and the destination, it is important to also include the best rate, exclusive benefits, reviews and photographs . To be effective, these must be attractive, of good quality; and especially recent. One of the most popular choices successful can be to hire a professional photographer.
Don’t underestimate the low season
Propose low season offers more interesting than you might think. Many tourists like to travel and book during the off season. Increase bookings even in low season simple: targeted offers, special packages and private events tailored to the customer are enough. Focusing on the low season allows you to maximize revenues and guarantee a flow of customers throughout the year, especially in periods when the number of guests present in the structure is decidedly lower.
In conclusion how to boost direct bookings?
To boost your direct bookings you need a mix of factors: online exposure through OTAs, optimized Google Maps/Google MyBusiness, a website especially studied for hotel reservations, with a user friendly booking engine offering promotions, and right calls to actions to convert visitors into bookers.
We at HReservations are here to help you to increase your hotel bookings.