In my previous blog on collecting guest data, I had given a touch base about Wi-Fi marketing for hotels. And in this blog, I will share with you A to Z of it, including the steps to do it the right way.

What is Wi-Fi Marketing?

Since then, Wi-Fi has become a need in our day-to-day life. I’m sure whenever you visit any place, the first thing you ask is “Do you have Wi-Fi connection?” or “Does this place have Wi-Fi?”.

Most public places like malls, airports, and hotels have an option of free Wi-fi. The moment you connect to any of those Wi-Fi, it shows you a sign-in notification. When you click on it, you are directed to a landing page, which contains information and various links about that place.

When you sign up, either with email, social media account, or phone number, the data gets captured. Moreover, when you accept cookies and allow notification, you tend to receive targeted ads or promotional offers based on your browsing history.

The entire process of collecting people’s data through Wi-Fi, and using it to promote your product among them is called Wi-Fi marketing.

What are the Benefits of Wi-Fi Marketing for Hotels?

Wi-Fi is one of the common amenities in every hotel. In fact, a research by Beambox states that,

60% of millennials voted for free Wi-Fi as a no. 1 hotel perk.

That’s why it’s easy and feasible to adapt Wi-Fi marketing in the hospitality industry. Let’s understand how Wi-Fi marketing can help hotels.

1. Collecting guest data

As I said earlier, the primary benefit of Wi-Fi marketing for hotels is collecting guest data. The landing/splash page of your hotel’s Wi-Fi network works as the source of the data collector. 

Through multiple options for logging in, you can gather various information about guests. The most prominent ones are Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, and mobile number.  

Additionally, by enabling 3rd party cookies, you can understand guests’ preferences, their web search behavior, interests, and so on.

Important note: Cookies collection needs to be done with the permission of the user. Collecting guests’ data without their consent is a breach of privacy and can lead you to legal troubles.

2. Attracting guests with offers on splash page

You must be showcasing various ongoing offers at your property on your hotel’s website. Similarly, you can highlight them on your Wi-Fi captive portal or redirect them to your website. 

You might be wondering, what is a captive portal?

After the authentication of login credentials, the system redirects users (guests) to a webpage. Now, this page contains a welcome message, certain terms and conditions users need to follow while browsing the internet, and usage statistics. This page is what we call a captive portal.

Coming to the highlighting offers part, it’s pretty simple. You need to embed an HTML code about your offers on the splash page. It will work as a CTA (call to action) button for guests.

This will help in improving the conversion rate of your property. And not to mention, the offer that you are displaying should be captivating enough to compel guests to click on it.

Alternatively, you can simply redirect them to your hotel’s website. In this case, you have to replace the welcome page URL with the hotel website’s link.

In both cases, the hotels have a common benefit – increase in offer clicks. Moreover, by redirecting your guests to the hotel’s website increases your visitor count and average session duration.

3. Promoting area specific services with geofencing

Geofencing is one of the unique features of Wi-Fi marketing. It works like beacon marketing, where you place the device (beacon) at different points in the hotel to sense guests’ location and send them offers related to the activities in the area. 

The difference here is that beacons are replaced by Wi-Fi routers. So whenever guests are connected to new Wi-Fi access points, their location is automatically updated. And they will receive push notifications about that location. 

Suppose, if a guest moves from the hotel’s lobby to the bar, his/her phone’s Wi-Fi access point will get switched. Due to geofencing, the location would be updated, and s/he will get promotional offers and discounts active in the bar.

You just need to set up different access points in your property as per the services you are providing. 

Once done, you can program it to send certain push notifications whenever a device connects to any of those access points. 

Important note: For every location, you need to have separate push notification pertaining to services available in that area. 

4. Understanding guests with the help of Wi-Fi analytics

No marketing strategy is complete without analytics. And Wi-Fi marketing is no different.

With the help of Wi-Fi analytics, you can trace unique visits on your website, dwell time on pages, and other such statistics. You can also figure out the average time guests spend in a certain area. That will help you in devising strategies to increase revenue of that location.

Let’s say as per Wi-Fi analytics, the access point in your hotel’s café has maximum users connected during hi-tea, i.e. 4 to 7 PM. So, you can run deals or offers during that time period and promote them with the help of push notifications.

How can Hotels Invest into Wi-Fi Marketing?

From the above mentioned benefits, you can agree that Wi-Fi is more than just a technology for accessing the internet. And I’m sure you’d like to implement Wi-Fi marketing at your property too. Let me tell you step by step how to do it.

• Step 1: Selecting Wi-Fi provider
  Start by investing in a good Wi-Fi provider. Whilst you do it, ensure that it supports a frequency of 5Ghz. I won’t recommend going with 2.4Ghz frequency, as it compromises the speed of the internet. Moreover, with multiple users connected at a time, the speed will reduce drastically, thereby affecting your guests’ experience.
  
• Step 2: Identifying access points
  After finalising your Wi-Fi provider, identify potential hotspots for creating access points at your premises. And accordingly, purchase routers for installing at these locations. This will be useful for geofencing. 
  
• Step 3: Creating splash page
  Once the wireless systems are installed, it’s time to set up a splash page and a captive portal. The former one works as a data collector, while the latter showcases the guests’ hotel offers or redirects them on the hotel’s website. And doing that is no rocket science. You need to configure your guest portal and add the landing page URL in it.
  Important Tip: To enable this feature, invest in a Wi-Fi router that has a provision for captive portal.
  
• Step 4: Enabling push notifications
  This step requires a bit of coding knowledge and is a tricky task. That’s why I would suggest asking your service provider to set up geofencing and update push notifications for each of the access points. 
  
• Step 5: System testing
  After finishing the above-mentioned steps, test run and cross-check for each and every aspect. Do not forget to check geofencing and push notifications.  

Pro-tip: It’s important to optimise your splash page, as it is the base of your hotel’s Wi-Fi marketing strategy. Here are some points you need to consider while designing your property’s Wi-Fi splash page.

Build a Perfect Splash Page For Your Hotel’s Wi-Fi Marketing

The post Learn to Implement Wi-Fi Marketing For Hotels in 5 Easy Steps appeared first on eZee Absolute.

For the year 2024, it’s important to ensure your hotel is up to standard. And if you’re wondering about the changes to make in your hotel to attract more guests and become profitable in the coming year, I have got you covered!

In this article, I will share 9 areas that you should be focusing on and improving to make your hotel more enjoyable and efficient for guests.

What’s in Store for the Hospitality Industry in 2024?

The last couple of years have been a roller coaster ride for the hotel industry worldwide. The sector has witnessed everything from a complete business halt to a spike.

This year, the travel and hospitality industry saw a great recovery, but as we move to 2024, the frequency of travel is expected to spike even higher despite the economic slowdown and rising costs.

ICRA estimates that premium hotel occupancy will reach 70-72% in 2024, with average room rates expected to be around Rs 6,000-6,200.

Furthermore, new travel trends are expected to show up in 2024. Health and wellness tourism, sustainable travel, nostalgic escapes, workation, staycation, etc. are to name a few. 

However, the trends aren’t limited to these, there is a wide array of travel trends that are expected to emerge in 2024 and beyond.

Check out our 2024 travel predictions to have a clearer picture of what to expect.

Even though people have traveled tremendously post-pandemic, the urge to step out of the home and explore is still as alive as it was back then. It’s just that the preferences of exploration have changed.

Things to Change and Improve in a Hotel in 2024

This brings us to address the elephants in the room — Are you upgrading your hotel to keep up with the trends? Have you worked on your hotel to cater to guests’ new needs and wants? 

If not, it’s time to take a different approach and look for changes to make in your hotel:

Here are all the areas of a hotel that must be improved before entering 2024:

1. Operational methods

As I said above, travelers’ preferences have changed. Today, people want everything quick and seamless. And if hotels want to cater to such travellers, operational methodologies are one of the things to change in a hotel.

For example, if your guests want to order some food, your frontdesk shouldn’t say, “sir/ma’am, please get in touch with our kitchen/restaurant staff and place your order.” Rather, every department in your hotel should be connected seamlessly to the frontdesk.  

Hotel operations are complex, with several interlocking pieces and dependencies. 

There are times when hotel staff may go from dealing with unhappy guests to welcoming new ones to the hotel, attending to their requests, and even checking on other aspects of the property.

Now, the bitter truth here is that these complexities cannot be an excuse to comprise the guest experience.

So, if you have been facing similar troubles lately, then it’s time to change your operational methodologies and turn to new ones.

2. Communication strategies

If you’re wondering what’s there to improve or change in terms of communication, then it’s the channel.

Gone are those days when you’d have an in-person conversation with your guests to update them about their booking, the services they can avail of, and upsell to them.

And by including WhatsApp in your hotel’s tech stack, you can level up your communication strategy. You can simply integrate WhatsApp into your hotel’s property management system and connect with guests the right way.  

With auto-response, FAQs, and a chatbot, guests can instantly get their queries raised and resolved even if no staff is available. 

#Fact: A majority of guests today prefer WhatsApp to communicate with a hotel. Not to mention, WhatsApp messages have a better open rate compared to traditional emails.

3. Marketing approach

The way you market your hotel also needs to be changed in 2024. People are more inclined toward hotel brands that have a much better connection with their audience.

What I mean by that you must switch from generic marketing activities to human behavior-backed marketing.

When you understand human behavior, you understand what exactly intrigues your potential and existing guests. And accordingly, you can create effective marketing materials and campaigns.

Social proof marketing is a great example of attracting more guests to your hotel. What this phenomenon means is that “people develop a notion that since others are doing it, I should be doing it too.”

Now, talking about marketing, channels are also important. It is crucial that you determine where your ideal guests are hanging out. If you can figure that out, you’ll be able to generate quality leads and convert them much more easily.

Further, if you want to know what’s more in store, you can check out our blog.

Read: Hotel Marketing Trends to Increase Bookings in 2024

4. Sales strategies

If you want to be a profitable hotel in 2024, you also need to look into your current sales strategy. To be specific, I am talking about improving your sales cycle as it directly impacts the way you turn a lead into a guest and repeat the success by acquiring repeat reservations.

And if you’re clueless about this whole concept of the hotel sales cycle, then I am afraid you have a broken strategy in place.

The first and foremost thing to understand before getting into details is that “you cannot sit idle and wait for guests to come to your hotel.”

You need to create a system through which your hotel gets discovered, intrigues people, turns them into leads, and makes them your guests.

So, if you haven’t checked on your sales strategy yet, then it’s time you do so and take the dust off it.

5. Revenue management

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of revenue management. If your hotel is not betting on it, then it is indeed lagging.

Now, I have two types of hotels to point out here:

• A hotel that doesn’t believe in revenue management.
• And one that is doing revenue management completely wrong.

For both types of hotels, the following is going to be helpful.

Revenue management is a necessity for hotels worldwide as it enables accommodation businesses to become significantly profitable. However, revenue management is much more than just increasing prices; rather, it is more about determining the right opportunity, the right target guests, and the right prices.

Here are three resources that will help you take your hotel revenue management game to the top:

• The right hotel revenue management system for your hotel
• In-house vs outsourced revenue management
• How to Do Hotel Revenue Management the Right Way?

6. Ambiance

Ambience has always been paramount for hotels to attract guests. And in 2024, it is going to be even more prominent.

If you want to offer a positive experience to your guests, consider relooking at your hotel’s ambience and finding opportunities to make improvements.

Now, changing an entire theme or design might not sound practical. But that doesn’t mean you can’t tweak around with certain elements.

After all, it will put guests in a good mood, make them comfortable and relaxed, and turn your hotel into a fast favourite.

Be it a small hotel or a massive chain of properties, the ambiance must be aligned with both the hotel brand and what guests expect. If you can pull this off successfully,  you’ll be able to enhance the overall guest experience and drive more reservations. 

7. Amenities

Guests want amenities, that too variety of them. As a hotelier, keep this in mind.

The general psychology behind this is the value mindset. When people pay for a stay in a hotel, they judge the value of it by other things that are on offer. And this has been a constant factor for years.

So, even in 2024, you’re going to have guests who would expect a lot more from your hotel than just a room to stay in.

But again, are all amenities necessary? Absolutely, no.

Then how do you pick the right ones for your hotel?

Well, I got your back again. Here’s a blog on “choosing amenities for hotels”. 

Do give it a read to understand everything that goes inside picking the right facilities to enrich the experience of your guests.

8. Guest-facing technologies

If you remember, I talked about how guests’ preferences have changed over the years and now they want everything seamlessly. And whenever I address it, guest-facing technologies always come to mind.

Now, when I say guest-facing technologies, I specifically mean three of them — mobile app, contactless hospitality, and self-service kiosks.

These technologies will help reduce your guests’ dependency on your hotel staff. Guests can avail of any services all by themselves — be it checking into the hotel, making payments or raising a query. Everything becomes guest-centric and streamlined.

If you are planning to make a great impact in 2024 and make your hotel stand out, having these technologies at your disposal will be great.

9. Hotel management system

When it comes to a hotel management system, the first and foremost thing to look at is whether the system covers everything — end-to-end.

If it misses out even on a single area of your hotel operation, then switching is the right thing to do.

Bet on a hotel PMS that not just manages bookings but also allows you to interconnect every department and lets you run your hotel with ease, and from a single dashboard.

Furthermore, a hotel management system should also be able to help you manage your point-of-sale outlets.

Not to mention, the system should also allow you to understand your hotel’s performance through essential reports. That too, whenever you need it.

Entering 2024 sans the proper hotel management is the last thing you want to do. If you haven’t audited your system yet, it’s time to do so and switch to one that makes hoteliering actually simple.

The post 9 Impactful Changes Your Hotel Needs to Make in 2024 appeared first on eZee Absolute.

Want your hotel to be one of them? With some creative thinking, you can offer unique activities that perfectly meets the traveller’s need.

So, let’s explore some enticing activities you can utilize to turn your guests’ stay from just good to extraordinary.

Creating Experiences that Will Resonate with Your Guests

Before we delve into specific activities, it’s important to understand your target audience – their preferences and interests. By identifying them, you can tailor experiences that align with the desires of your guests.

For example, in a family-oriented hotel, designing experiences might involve kid-friendly amenities and spacious accommodations. On the other hand, business-oriented hotels can offer high-tech amenities, meeting spaces, and seamless internet connectivity.

What I mean is that the key is to connect emotionally with guests. This involves understanding their needs and preferences, creating a seamless experience from check-in to check-out, and leaving a lasting impression.

10 Enticing Activities to Attract Guests at Your Hotel

Let’s explore some activities that will transform your hotel into an experience worth remembering:

Cooking Classes: A Taste of Local Flavors

Travellers today seek more than just a place to sleep and eat. They want to explore the local culture and be a part of the community. Adding cooking classes to your hotel’s offerings is a fantastic way to fulfil this desire. Guests get to savour the local flavours, learn the art of crafting regional dishes, and take home a piece of the destination. As a hotelier, you can team up with a local chef and offer hands-on cooking classes allowing your guests to savor the authentic taste of the region. 

From crafting sushi in Japan to perfecting pasta in Italy, these experiences leave a lasting impression, connecting guests with the destination. 

But, make sure to spread it out on your social media, display it on your website, and highlight it on travel platforms as well. Let your guests know they can enjoy a comfy stay while diving into the wonderful world of local culinary delights. 

Guided Local Tours

Beyond the comfort of your hotel, there’s an excitement of discovering new things. Guided local tours help your guests uncover the hidden stories of your destination, going beyond what they’ll usually find. 

Highlight the convenience your hotel offers by organizing tours, making it easy for guests to explore the local area. Incorporate these tours into your promotional materials and website, showcasing them as an added value for choosing your hotel. This enhances guest satisfaction and attracts those seeking a richer, more immersive travel experience. 

Fitness Classes & Wellness Workshops 

Imagine having yoga, meditation, and Zumba classes right on your hotel’s lawn. I know, sounds unusual but then it can transform your hotel into more than just a place to stay; it becomes a rejuvenating getaway for guests. 

Health-focused options aren’t just about attracting guests; they’re about meeting a real need for all-around experiences. You know, modern travellers nowadays are so health-conscious that they look for healthy living options even during their vacations. 

At the same time, it’s very important to showcase these health-centric offerings and entice travellers who are looking for a relaxing stay. Advertise workshops that focus on staying healthy during travel and present your hotel’s commitment to holistic well-being. 

Meetings & Events

In the era of workation and bleisure, the significance of hotels goes beyond just leisure stays. Providing spaces for meetings and events has become a game-changer. 

As a hotelier, you can also use your hotel as a dynamic hub for business conferences, art exhibitions, and more. By offering versatile meeting spaces with the latest technology, your hotel can become the go-to destination for professionals seeking a blend of work and leisure. 

Additionally, meetings & events can be the key to unlocking a new dimension of guest engagement and revenue generation for hoteliers.

CBRE Hotels 2023 Hotel Industry Outlook states ‘Hotels with meeting spaces generate 20% more revenue per room than hotels without it. 

For instance, set up a stylish conference room with state-of-the-art facilities or host art exhibitions in your lobby, turning your hotel into a cultural hotspot. This not only attracts business travellers but also positions your hotel as a multifaceted space for creativity and collaboration. 

Outdoor Adventure Packages

Think about those guests who seek thrilling adventures along with their stay. As a hotelier, you’ve got a fantastic trick up your sleeve—outdoor adventure packages. It’s like turning their stay into a real-life adventure story! 

Collaborating with local adventure guides, you can offer thrilling activities like mountain hikes, kayaking through scenic rivers, or even hot air balloon rides over picturesque landscapes. 

To attract more guests, you can also highlight your adventure packages and showcase the excitement that awaits guests right outside your hotel doors.

Eco-Friendly Initiatives

Embrace eco-friendly initiatives not just as a trend but as a core value of your hotel. It shows your care for the planet, and guests love that these days. You can source locally, implement energy-saving practices, and reduce waste, and most importantly, it will be much more cost-effective. 

For example, let’s take a look at the 1 Hotel South Beach in Miami, Florida. They didn’t just mark on an ‘eco-friendly’ label; they built their whole hotel with the planet in mind. Including solar panels, a cool living green wall, and even a system to catch rainwater. They went all out, using recycled stuff to build and decorate. 

Themed Dinners or Movie Nights

Themed dinners and movie nights can elevate a hotel’s appeal by offering unique, immersive experiences. For instance, a “Mystery Dinner” where guests solve a fictional crime while dining creates engagement.

Alternatively, a “Classic Movie Night” featuring timeless films complements the nostalgia of a cosy hotel setting. By catering to diverse interests, hotels can differentiate themselves, fostering loyalty and positive reviews. These low-cost, high-impact initiatives transform a night’s stay into an unforgettable adventure, enticing guests to return and share their delightful experiences. 

This presents an opportunity to differentiate your hotel, attract guests seeking unique experiences, and create a buzz about your offerings. 

Celebrate Special Occasions

Imagine a couple checking into your hotel to celebrate their anniversary. You surprise them with a bouquet and add a free bottle of wine with a sweet handwritten note. 

These considerate gestures not only ensure the couple’s happiness but also plant the seeds for their return with positive recommendations.

Similarly, customizing special occasion packages catering to birthdays or anniversaries, complete with indulgent offerings like cake and champagne, and collaborating with local florists for additional touches, helps your hotel transform into a perfect destination of celebration for guests. 

Exclusive Discounts and Packages

Who can resist a fantastic deal? Hotels that go the extra mile with exclusive discounts and value-packed packages tend to attract more bookings. Consider a hotel that offers a “Weekend Escape” package, featuring discounted room rates, a complimentary breakfast, and a local activity voucher. It’s not just about appealing to the budget-conscious traveller; it’s about creating a profound sense of added value for each guest.

Similarly, you can tailor packages to cater to various needs, be it romantic getaways, family vacations, or business trips—opening the doors to a diverse range of guests for your hotel. 

Exclusive deals make potential guests feel like they are reserving a room and also guarantee a one-of-a-kind experience at an unbeatable price. Plus, by offering these irresistible deals, you become their preferred choice for future stays as well, creating a lasting connection with your guests.

 Community Engagement Initiatives

Building a strong connection with the local community is like creating a big family where everyone supports each other. Community engagement initiatives can be a unique activity for hotels aiming to attract more guests. 

For a boutique hotel, it might mean hosting local art exhibitions or collaborating with nearby businesses. A resort could organize beach clean-ups or partner with local charity events. These initiatives create a unique selling point for your hotel and showcase your hotel as an integral part of the community. Guests today crave meaningful experiences, and by actively participating in the community, your hotel becomes a destination with a purpose. 

The post 10 Enticing Activities That Hotels Can Use to Attract Guests in 2024 appeared first on eZee Absolute.

Travellers these days not only look for places to stay and eat. They seek to explore more and be a part of the local culture wherever they go.

So, as the purpose of travel has evolved beyond reaching places, the impact of food tourism has become a significant factor in shaping how hotels cater to their guests. 

The Rise of Food Tourism

Food tourism or culinary tourism, is when people travel to explore and enjoy the food of different places. It’s when travellers go beyond typical sightseeing and include experiencing a place’s local flavours, dishes, and culinary traditions. 

This trend reflects that many travellers now want to be a part of a place’s culture by enjoying its food. This has a big impact on hotels because they play a key role in making these food experiences happen. 

You must be wondering, what’s the deal with food tourism? How can it possibly affect something as vast as the hotel industry? 

Well, let me tell you—it’s a journey that’s changing the way we experience travel and hospitality.

The global culinary tourism market size reached US$ 946.4 Billion in 2023. Looking forward, it is expected to reach US$ 3,515.1 Billion by 2032, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 15.2% during 2024-2032.

These figures highlight the economic significance and growing influence of culinary tourism on travel decisions and hotel revenues as well.

Now, let’s explore how food tourism is influencing the growth of the hotel industry and understand how hoteliers can use this trend to attract food lovers and improve their overall business.

The Role of Culinary Tourism in Promoting Hotels

Destination Differentiation:

In a sea of hotel options, offering a unique culinary experience can set a hotel apart. A well-crafted menu featuring local ingredients and traditional dishes can serve as a major selling point, enticing travellers to choose your hotel over others.

Enhanced Guest Experience:

Culinary tourism enhances the overall guest experience. A hotel that actively promotes and integrates local flavours into its offerings provides guests with an opportunity to create lasting memories. It taps into the emotional aspect of travel, where the taste and aroma of a dish can become a cherished memory.

Positive Reviews and Word-of-mouth Marketing:

Culinary travellers are likely to share their experiences through social media, online reviews, and personal recommendations. Positive word-of-mouth marketing can significantly boost a hotel’s reputation and visibility, attracting a wider audience and inspiring repeat visits.

Collaborations and Partnerships:

The culinary world thrives on collaborations. Hotels can collaborate with local chefs, food artisans, wineries and farmers to create a network that benefits the local community while also enriching the culinary offerings of the hotel. These partnerships not only elevate the hotel’s offerings but also contribute to the overall development of the local community.

How Food Tourism Attracts Culinary Travelers to Hotels?

Picture this: You’re a food enthusiast on a trip to Thailand. It isn’t unknown that Thailand is a hotspot for its vibrant and rich flavours. So, how could you possibly miss trying authentic Thai food? 

You’ve heard about a hotel known for its amazing traditional Thai dishes. Excited, you arrive and are welcomed with a menu full of local delights – from fragrant curries to spicy street food. 

The hotel even offers fun cooking classes where you can learn to make these dishes yourself. They share stories about each dish’s history, giving you a taste of Thai culture. Your delicious meals and newfound cooking skills make you rave about the hotel to your friends and on social media. 

Well, this is exactly how food tourism works and it brings curious travellers to hotels, offering them a true taste of the destination.

Simply put, food tourism has become a bridge that connects culinary travellers to hotels offering unique and authentic dining experiences. 

By recognizing the desires of these travellers and aligning their offerings accordingly, hotels can successfully position themselves as sought-after destinations for those with a passion for food. 

Strategies for Hoteliers to Embrace Culinary Tourism

For hoteliers, embracing and promoting culinary tourism isn’t just a trend; it’s a strategic move that can elevate their brand, attract a dedicated niche of food travellers, and earn guest loyalty.  

Here are some effective strategies you can adopt to promote culinary tourism and attract more food travellers to your hotel:

Designing Culinary Experiences

• Craft a Distinct Culinary Identity: Develop a unique culinary identity that reflects both the local culture and the hotel’s personality. Showcase a diverse range of dishes that encompass traditional flavours as well as innovative interpretations, creating a memorable dining experience that resonates with diverse palates.

• Highlight Local Ingredients: Collaborate with local farmers, wineries, and suppliers to source fresh, seasonal ingredients. Highlighting locally sourced products not only supports the community but also adds an authentic touch to your menus, appealing to food travellers seeking local flavours.

• Fusion of Tradition and Modernity: Curate menus that balance traditional dishes with modern interpretations, catering to both travellers seeking authenticity and those open to culinary innovation.

Enhancing Guest Engagement

• Curate Culinary Packages: Design enticing culinary packages that include accommodations, dining experiences, and perhaps even guide food tours of the surrounding area. Tailor these packages to cater to different tastes.

• Integrating Cultural Narratives: Educate your staff to impart cultural context related to the dishes presented. Enhancing the dining experience with intriguing stories and anecdotes adds a layer of guest involvement.

Marketing and Promotion

• Use Social Media: Utilize platforms like Instagram and YouTube to visually highlight your culinary offerings. The visual content of delicious dishes has the potential to go viral, reaching a wider audience.

• Engage with Influencers: Collaborate with influencers in the food and travel domains such as vloggers whose values resonate with your brand. Through their extensive audience reach, they can introduce your culinary offerings to a wider online community.

• Highlight Local Festivals and Events: Use local food festivals, fairs and events and align your promotional activities with these occasions. 

For example; in a coastal town hosting a seafood festival, a mid-size hotel can stand out by offering a “Seafood Festival Getaway” package. This may include accommodations and festival tickets. Through social media engagement and local partnerships, the hotel can attract food enthusiasts boosting occupancy and visibility.

The post Strategies for Hotels to Capitalize on Culinary Tourism appeared first on eZee Absolute.

Well, that’s exactly how urgency tactics work. They are techniques used to create curiosity or scarcity in order to encourage people to take action quickly. 

As a hotel owner, driving bookings on your website is a critical aspect of your business’s success. But with so much competition online, it’s really difficult to persuade website visitors to choose your hotel exclusively.

Don’t worry! We’ve covered everything you need to learn and implement, in this blog. 

Read on to know how to use these tactics to drive more bookings and maximize revenue.

Why using urgency tactics are an effective strategy for hotels?

Urgency tactics are a powerful tool for increasing hotel website conversions. Think about it – we all have busy lives and endless options to choose from when it comes to accommodations. Thus, urgency tactics are mostly used to capture attention and make searchers realize that they could miss out on an incredible experience if they don’t act fast.

Plus, urgency tactics help you stand out from the competition and show your guests that you’ve got something special to offer. These strategies are all designed to create FOMO i.e. Fear Of Missing Out, which encourages lookers to act quickly and secure their reservation. 

Urgency tactics can be in any form, from pop-up messages to countdown timers. They can be triggered by a variety of factors, such as limited-time offers, low stock levels, or high demand. Whatever the form is, it’s all about creating excitement to book with you before they lose the opportunity. 

If this sounds complicated, I am here to help! In this blog, we’ll explore some effective urgency tactics that hoteliers can use to drive more bookings on their hotel websites.

6 Urgency Tactics hotels can use to increase website conversions

1. One-Time Offers

One of the most popular urgency tactics is to offer a limited-time promotion. By setting a deadline for the offer, you create a sense of urgency that encourages customers to act quickly.

You might have seen OTAs using those “Book now and receive 20% off your stay” or “Upgrade to a suite for free if you book within the next 24 hours” on their websites. Undoubtedly, these encourage website visitors to book then and there.

One-time offers are also effective when targeted to specific audiences, such as previous guests or email subscribers. By offering an exclusive one-time offer to these audiences, you can build customer loyalty and encourage repeat bookings.

2. Special Discounts

Let’s say you signed up for a website and it was a 25% discount for first-time buyers. Isn’t that appealing? I mean, who wants to miss this one-time chance? When new searchers visit your website, they may be hesitant to book without some incentive. Offering a special discount for new bookers can encourage them to take action quickly.

Similarly, by using language such as “Summer special price” or “Exclusive offer for new customers,” you can create an immediate need that encourages new bookers to make a purchase before the deal expires.

However, it’s important to ensure that the discounts you offer are sustainable for your business and align with your overall marketing strategy.

3. Countdown Timers

Have you ever had the urge to buy something because of the ‘Deal Ends In 00:02:14 min’ timer? It’s true, we are usually attracted to anything that is visually expressive. A countdown timer is one such visual element that displays the amount of time left before an offer expires, such as a discount or limited-time deal.

You might have seen e-commerce websites using this tactic, as it works really well. Similarly, with countdown timers on your hotel website, you can build excitement among your potential guests.

By showing them exactly how much time is left before an offer expires, you encourage them to take action quickly and make a booking with you.

4. Direct Messaging

Direct messaging or sending notifications to your website visitors or subscribers is always a plus as you can communicate with your potential guests on a more personal level and provide them with a personalized experience. 

One of the ways to use direct messaging as an urgency tactic is to send automated messages to potential guests who have abandoned their booking process.

Using personalized or automated messages, and real-time updates not only increase your website conversion rate but improve your brand loyalty as well.

For example, notifying subscribers about your loyalty programme. Loyalty members might receive exclusive discounts on room rates or complimentary upgrades. This can encourage customers to join the loyalty program in order to receive those benefits.

5. Use powerful words

What impacts the mind of searchers? Influencing words like “quick,” “fast”, ”best price guarantee”, “hurry” and many more. By using these words strategically in your marketing messages, your website visitors will be encouraged to take action quickly, ultimately driving conversions on your hotel website.

You can also use powerful words in your call-to-action (CTA) and encourage potential guests to take action quickly. For example, using CTAs like “Book now” or “Hurry” to encourage a sense of anticipation for potential guests to reserve a room quickly.

6. Low availability alerts

It’s human nature. People are more motivated to act when they perceive something as being in short supply. Notifying your potential guests that – only a few rooms are left or that the room they are interested in is in high demand will make them urge to book with you instantly.

You can display alerts on the website when there are only a limited number of rooms left available for a particular date or at a particular rate. This can stimulate a sense of demand and encourage customers to reserve before the rooms are sold out.

Additionally, you can also encourage your website visitors using popularity notifications such as ‘185 booked this in last 10 days’ or ‘25 people are viewing this right now.’ These can also encourage visitors to book with you promptly.

The post Increase Your Hotel Website Bookings with 6 Powerful Urgency Tactics appeared first on eZee Absolute.

They are also known for being more tech-savvy, socially conscious and having unique preferences when it comes to travel and hospitality experiences. 

As a Gen Zer myself, I can relate to the fact that most of us prefer travel experiences that are unique, cost-effective, socially responsible, and seamlessly integrated with our digital lifestyles.

Sounds like a tough deal to crack? No, worries. This blog is for you. I’ll be sharing some of the best tips you can implement to create the perfect stay for Gen Z travellers. 

Travel Preferences of Gen Z

When it comes to travelling and accommodation, Gen Zers have different priorities and preferences compared to previous generations. They value authenticity and seek out experiences that are unique and memorable. During their stay, they prefer a budget-friendly and well-reviewed hotel, enjoy outdoor activities on recommendations such as hiking, local food, traditions and most importantly, internet accessibility. 

Doesn’t that seem too complicated? Lucky for you, I’m here to help!

9 Tips for Hotels to Create the Perfect Stay for Gen Z Travellers

1. Strong Online Presence

As digital natives, the younger generation heavily relies on the internet to research and book their travel accommodations. For attracting Gen Zers to your hotel, having a strong online presence is a necessity. Having a website, social media presence, and listings on travel sites increases the visibility of your hotel and its reputation. 

Hotels that have a strong online presence and engage with searchers through social media platforms, websites, and travel blogs, will be more likely to capture their attention and interest Gen Z travellers. Also, you can showcase unique offerings and experiences, including eco-friendly initiatives, local culture and other amenities, that appeal to the preferences of Gen Z travellers.  

2. Reviews

Gone are the traditional methods to book a stay. As I told you earlier, Gen Zs are digital natives. They are more likely to trust online reviews and social media recommendations from other travellers than traditional advertising. More than 95% of Gen Zers look for online reviews before booking a stay, so make sure to have ratings and reviews on websites, social media and other business listing platforms. 

And trust me, don’t ever underestimate the power of online reviews as it does impact the decision-making of searchers. Obviously, anyone would like to book a hotel or visit a restaurant that has positive online reviews and ratings from experienced guests.

3. Technology-aided Property

Being grown up with technology, most of us are accustomed to having access to every piece of information at our fingertips. We can’t deny the fact that most of us are used to internet in our daily lives. Especially, while travelling we need to communicate, gather information, search for local attractions and stay productive if necessary. Just imagine, you have to spend a day in an unknown place without internet connectivity! Let’s be real, it’s tough.

Also, Gen Zers are more likely to use their smartphones and other devices for every other work. Therefore, hotels that provide reliable and fast WiFi and modern technology amenities such as smart keys, and receive online orders and payments are more likely to appeal to Gen Z travellers.

4. Workation

A young generation like Gen Z mostly prefers to be productive every day, they are opposed to being tied to a set schedule or location for working. They value work-life balance and flexibility. With the rise of remote working opportunities, more people are choosing to work and travel at the same time. Digital nomads are attracted to the flexibility of being able to work from anywhere, while also experiencing new cultures.

What hotels can do is ensure reliable and high-speed internet connectivity throughout the property, and provide comfortable and dedicated workspaces within the hotel. Additionally, hotels can promote their amenities, such as fitness centres, pools, spas, and outdoor spaces as a way for guests to relax and recharge after work like a cherry on top.

5. Brand-building on Social Media

Gen Z is the first generation to have grown up entirely in the digital age, so they are highly connected and influenced by social media. They tend to use it as a primary source of information and inspiration for travel. They rely on it for communication, information, entertainment, and even making travel decisions. So overall, what  hotels need to have is a strong presence and engagement on social media to reach and attract this influential generation of travellers. 

Wouldn’t you agree – we all love to share our experiences on social media! As a hotel owner, you can create some picture-perfect corners in your property that they’ll want to share with friends and followers. 

6. Storytelling

As a marketer, no one would disagree that storytelling is one of the most powerful marketing techniques as well as an emotional way to connect with your audience. And yes, it works for Gen Zs too. Most of us are used to consuming content in a variety of formats. Storytelling can be presented in different forms, including videos, social media, and interactive experiences, making it more engaging and memorable. 

We are more attentive towards anything that’s visually appealing. So, expressing your brand’s story through a video and sharing it on social media will always be a plus.

For example, you can create a video tour that showcases the hotel’s history, stunning architecture, elegant decor, modern amenities, and traditional attractions highlighting the hotel’s unique features. 

7. Flexible Timings and Cost-effective Meals

Gen Z travellers often have busy schedules and different lifestyles, which may require early or late breakfast times due to their travel schedules or differences in time zones. Hence, traditional meal hours may not be comfortable for them. 

They might prefer cost-effective meal options that offer local cuisine or cultural trends. By offering flexible meal options, hotels can provide a more personalized and convenient experience for their guests to create a positive impression.

For example, offering all-day meal options can encourage guests to spend more time at the hotel, and order food & drinks from the hotel restaurant only. This will not only increase your revenue but also lead to higher satisfaction rates among guests enhancing your reputation. 

8. Customized Recommendations

Just imagine, you went on a trip to South Korea, spend a week there and still, you didn’t try world-famous Korean ramen or didn’t buy any K-skincare products. If it was me, I’d be feeling massively disappointed. So, when a guest is at your property, you should recommend local places, events or food to them as it can enhance the guest experience and build trust.

Gen Z travellers are known for valuing unique and authentic experiences that reflect the culture and cuisine. So, when you recommend such places or events to your guests, it shows that you genuinely care about their preferences and interests. This does create a positive impression and encourages them to share their experience with others.

Moreover, recommending customized places or food can also help to increase revenue for hotels.

Meaning, you can partner with local restaurants or tour agencies to offer exclusive discounts to your guests. 

9. Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Social responsibility and sustainability seem too heavy words for this young generation to handle, right?

But, it’s not. They do care about the environment and the future. In fact, sometimes more than the older generations. 

May it be through social media, schools or the internet, they are aware of it and surveys have found that Gen Zers list global warming, and climate change as one of their top concerns. They are environmentally conscious and prioritize sustainable travel options, prefer eco-friendly hospitality and other green tourism initiatives. Additionally, you can also consider supporting local charities that are important to the community.

The post Gen Z in Hospitality: Adapting to the Next Generation of Travellers appeared first on eZee Absolute.

For instance, in extreme weather conditions like heavy rainfall, traveling takes a back seat. But apart from that, people do travel to hill stations and beaches in the summer and to warm areas in the winter.

And as we know, in the Indian subcontinent, summer lasts longer than winter, so people seek out vacation spots to escape it.

This is why travel is at its peak in the summer, and hoteliers can reap immense benefits during this time.

Now if you are clueless or following the same regular methods to attract guests during the summer, then this blog is your savior. Here I am sharing the most effective ways to market your hotel for this summer season.

Summer: The Most Popular Season Among Travelers

Statistics show that summer 2023 saw an upsurge of 8.7 million travelers based on current booking trends. This is a big green flag for the hospitality industry.

In fact, 42 percent of UK travelers reported that climate change will impact their travel plans for 2024.

But why does summer get this special love from travelers?

From what I have experienced, summer evokes a nostalgic feeling. It brings back childhood memories of summer break and family time. This is why people choose summer for family vacations and trips.

Aside from families, many businesses send their employees on summer vacation to take a break from heat waves and maintain a work-life balance.

Moreover, summer suits every age group, whether it is kids, adults, or boomers.

Hence, hoteliers need effective hotel marketing strategies for this summer so they can secure an upper hand at bookings and revenue. More on such strategies are discussed below. Follow along!

How Can Hotels Make the Most Out of Summer 2024?

Summer is one of the busiest seasons for the hotel industry, but the question is: how can you make your hospitality stand out to drive maximum booking traffic?

To help you do this effectively, I have curated 8 brilliant ways to market your hotel for the summer of 2024. Explore them all in this section.

1. Give a summer touch to your marketing

Marketing is the main pillar for driving guests. So, you must roll out your summer marketing strategies at the perfect time, which is now.

Your website and social media platforms should have a summer-ready makeover.

Images play a crucial role in helping you achieve this. They set up a visually pleasing vibe for your guests and persuade them to make bookings.

Apart from this, your content should also highlight the summer-specific amenities like air-conditioning, swimming pool, complimentary cold drinks, etc.

On top of it all, sprinkle a good color theme that gives a soothing effect to your guests’ eyes in the middle of the hot summer.

2. Add emotional appeal

How can hotels use summer to emotionally appeal to their guests?

— By advertising how a summer vacation at your hotel can enrich their lives with memories and good times.

After all, who doesn’t go for a vacation during the summer break?

Kids especially love that! They get tired of sitting inside the four walls and going nowhere because it’s too hot outside. So, a trip with their family can do wonders for them.

Furthermore, Friendship Day comes in mid-summer, so you can create a buzz around friend groups to finally go to their pending reunions.

In a nutshell, it’s just a matter of adding emotions to your marketing to build instant connections with your guests. Once they see that you offer a perfect stay featuring fun for kids and leisure for adults, they can barely resist making a plan.

3. Provide amazing packages and discounts

As the summer season is almost here, this is the best time to offer good deals on pre-bookings of summer packages.

Letting your guests claim exciting packages on family or group bookings is a smart and sure way to increase your occupancy rate.

You can also offer an early bird discount on great deals and ensure that your guests get an all-inclusive experience. 

So, it’s time to frame your summer holiday packages and promote them on your social media handles and website to engage guests’ activities at the very outset of summer.

You must note here that a good package can sell itself more than any other offer.

4. Beat the heat with a welcome drink

We know that summer is all about finding ways to keep our cool.

And the most basic way to step up against the hot summer is by drinking cold water, homemade beverages, and fresh juices.

Hence, it is plausible to welcome your guests with a glass full of chilled satisfaction.

Here I am recommending just a basic drink, nothing extravagant! You can also consider an indigenous drink to make it more appealing.

This small gesture can fulfill your guests more than you can imagine. We think that only big things matter, but believe me, it’s the small gestures that win your guests’ hearts.

5. Add a cool breeze to your menu

Now let’s move on from the welcome drinks and talk about the rest of them, shall we?

Just kidding

Setting a perfect menu that complements the summer theme is another important task.

First of all, in the summer, people are a bit repellent toward cooked or warm food. And they look out for foods that are light on the stomach. 

This means your menu must have loads of fresh fruits, salads, juices, cocktails, and smoothies. These categories of food must be kept on your menu because people are now more conscious of their health.

Adding to this, cakes, pastries, and ice creams can give your menu a wholehearted summer vibe.

6. Include sports activities

Relating to the family vacations and packages we talked about, adding sports activities and fun games can add more value to your guests’ stay.

These activities are always a good choice for making their vacations active and worthwhile. If you succeed at this, then only word of mouth will be enough to drive your sales for the rest of the season.

Not only families, but friend groups or bleisure travelers may also wish to join in for a fun game session.

You can choose evenings when the sun is at its lowest intensity. Host fun, summer-themed games and activities for your guests, like a lawn twister, a frozen-t-shirt race, a dunk bucket game, and much more.

You can come up with quirky water games according to your property’s space.

7. Shield your guests from the sunny havoc

Just 2 seconds of exposure in the afternoon of a summer day is enough torture, right? This is why saving your guests from this is important.

For doing so, conditioning the air temperature is essential—whether by providing AC rooms or installing centralized ACs.

Aside from that, your hotel can consider providing cab services for guests to save them from the hot sun. You can provide it for free up to a certain radius around your property.

You can also install patio umbrellas to provide a shady boon to your guests. It will add comfort to their swimming session while they relax by the pool.

Note: Keep greenery on your property for natural cooling covert and shade.

8. Offer complimentary services

Who doesn’t love complimentary services?

They are the key to establishing an amazing guest experience. 

Is your hotel ready with summer-themed complementary items?

Well, the one on my mind right now is the summer survival kit that can please your guests.

You can put together a nice kit that includes all of the summer essentials, such as body wash to keep them clean, sunscreen to keep them from getting tanned, face cream to keep their skin look fresh in the midst of the summer sweat, and stuff like that.

How about a complimentary ice cream treat per day on bookings of 5 days or more? Or for all the children that visit your hotel? This will be my personal favorite, as we all know that summer and ice cream are always a big hit together.

Explore the benefits of complimentary services

The post Amazing Hotel Strategies to Attract Guests During Summer 2024 appeared first on eZee Absolute.

And there’s no hiding that Online Travel Agents (OTAs) are a major source for optimizing their online booking flow.

It is observed that OTAs control approximately 2/3rd of all online bookings.

Then it must be the best friend of hoteliers, right? Indeed! 

But with so many OTAs available, how do you know where to list your hotel? Which OTAs are the best? 

Well, every OTA is best in its own way; however, there are a few that might do a better job and deliver better results. 

So for all the hoteliers reading this blog, here I am sharing some of the best OTA platforms to increase your hotel bookings by manifolds.

Top 9 OTAs to Drive Maximum Bookings

I am listing below the prime OTAs in the hotel industry that can promote your hotel on a larger scale to drive maximum bookings.

Here goes the list:

1. Booking.com

Booking.com is recognized as the global leading OTA platform where more than 1.5 million rooms are booked on a daily basis.

It connects a wide spectrum of accommodations; from apartments, vacation homes, and family-run B&Bs to 5-star luxury resorts, tree houses, and even igloos.

Its website and mobile apps are available in 43 languages which helps accommodation providers to generate a worldwide network and enhance exposure.

But the real treat for hoteliers is that the listing process doesn’t charge you anything. You only get charged if a booking is successfully completed.

In addition, this platform showcases the booking info in a very clear way so that the users get transparency on every detail and policy. This helps establish a strong sense of trust among its users.

2. Agoda

With a strong emphasis on providing customers with cheap or discounted accommodation, Agoda is getting popular among travellers.

It can help your property business to stand out whether it is a hotel, hostel, or any resort. It is preferred for group bookings and packages because it offers flight + hotel bookings at low costs. Therefore, it is an ideal platform to attract international travellers.

Agoda is owned by Booking Holdings (which also owns Booking.com) and it charges between 15 to 20% on successful bookings.

3. Airbnb

Airbnb is a classic choice for small and local properties to boost their booking flow.

And if you look precisely at the contemporary picture, you will see that this platform is gaining popularity among big hotels too.

The reason that guests get attracted to the properties listed on it is – they are personalized, homely, and have a local connection. So if you have a well-furnished property, then Airbnb is the ideal place to land.

Airbnb might drive a few bookings compared to other mainstream OTAs but it ensures longer stays.

Also, it does not charge you money directly—it takes a cut out of every booking which is the lowest among other OTAs, typically 3% of the booking amount.

4. Hotelbeds

With more than 71,000 tour operators, travel agents, and airlines, and 50 million room nights sold annually, hotelbeds is one of the renowned names in the accommodation distribution space.

By listing your hotel on hotelbeds you get all the solutions and tools you need to maximize your room occupancy rates. Additionally, it also offers a wide range of marketing solutions and products that gets your property much-needed attention. Meaning, your hotel gets seen in the right place at the right time.

Over the years, hotelbeds has worked dedicatedly to build strong relationships at both ends of the travel chain to offer products, services, and solutions that help all its client and partners grow.

It can rightly be said that it is one of those platforms that can contribute significantly to maximizing your hotel occupancy and revenue. 

5. Cleartrip

Founded in 2006 as a hotel and air aggregator, Cleartrip is another popular OTA that accommodation providers shouldn’t overlook.

Being one of India’s fastest-growing online travel portals and with hundreds of partners from the travel and hospitality industry, the OTA provides access to a bouquet of offerings and enables people to take that much-needed vacation at attractive prices.

Upon its acquisition by Flipkart, the platform even participated in the Flipkart Big Billion Day event, which was like a travel shopping spree on the Cleartrip website and app as well.

If your hotel is in India and looking for a bundle of services to just boost occupancy but also increase revenue, then Cleartrip should be one of your go-to OTA.  

6. MakeMyTrip (GoMMT)

Established in 2000, MakeMyTrip is a household name in the Indian OTA space and over the years the company has strengthened its offerings extensively. 

It has more than 2.5 million daily users searching for hotels and homestays, making it the preferred OTA for accommodation providers. 

One of the events that made MMT one of the most preferred partners was its merger with Ibibo Group in 2017, making it GoMMT.

Today, GoMMT is a leading travel group in the country, providing a one-stop shop for all accommodation providers.

Whether you own a hotel, villa, resort, lodge, guest house, serviced apartments, hostel, homestay, cottage, or a BnB, you can list your property for free with MakeMyTrip & Goibibo and leverage its best-in-class offerings to maximize online bookings and bottom line.

If your property isn’t listed on GoMMT, there’s no doubt that you’re lagging. So, without further ado, get your accommodation listed on this sought-after platform. 

7. Expedia 

Expedia lures maximum travellers to its platform through the “Best Price Guarantee”!

Yes, it pulls out the cheapest deals for the consumers and hence they love it. And this is why the booking traffic is always massive on Expedia.

Adding to this, it provides everything in one place. Travellers can book their flights, hotels, or packages for their entire trip in one go at an affordable price.

With commission fees between 20% and 25% on bookings, it gives great exposure to increase your hotel presence.

Furthermore, as a fun fact, Expedia is one such entity that owns more than 200 travel booking sites, and over 150 mobile apps and websites worldwide. So, you must understand how this company is still a reigning leader. 

While it’s not practical to list all of them, here are some of the popular ones:

• Hotels.com
• Travelocity
• Orbitz

8. Trip.com

With Trip.com rewards (coupon codes and discounts), travellers get a chance to save on their bookings. This is why it has 400 million users worldwide. 

If an OTA has such a massive following then isn’t it the best match for your hotel? It is!

This OTA lets the customers buy their whole trip at one stop. Whether it is booking a hotel, flight tickets, car rentals, or holiday deals.

The commission rates are also flexible depending on various factors like your property size, location, duration of stay, and so on.

9. eDreams

In quarter one of the fiscal year 2023, e-Dreams reported 4.4 million bookings, which is the highest ever in a quarter and 50% up on bookings compared to pre-pandemic.

This rapid increase in bookings has a hidden fact that it offers up to 40% discount on its vacation packages (flight + hotel).

Here is a little more: If you list your property on E-dreams ODIGEO you can leverage the opportunity of getting exposure through 3 more international brands along with eDreams - Opodo, GoVoyages, and Travellink.

This can help you reach 18.5 million travellers in 46 countries. So think it over!

OTA Listing and Your Channel Manager Go Hand in Hand

Firstly, listing your hotel on OTA platforms can work only if you have a suitable channel manager at your property because that is the source to connect your hotel with any OTA.

With a channel manager, you update your inventory and rates on various channels or OTAs you are listed on. It automates the process of adjusting rates and room availability.

Now, to connect with any OTA platforms including the top ones mentioned above, you need to make sure that your channel manager offers the required integration to do so.

You can check out eZee Centrix, our channel manager, which offers integration with 130+ OTAs, GDS, and vacation portals. 

In addition to this, if you prefer any local OTA platform whose integration isn’t available then you can contact us and get it integrated with our channel manager depending on its feasibility.

The post Top 9 OTAs for Hotels to Boost Bookings appeared first on eZee Absolute.

And guess what?

Through all my travel experience, lately, what I have drawn is that hotels aren’t really focusing on catering to millennials.

Last year, when I was in Vientiane, Laos, my hotel didn’t have a stable internet connection. And working with the laggy internet was frustrating.

I didn’t take much time to check out from that hotel.

This isn’t just me. I am sure hundreds and thousands of other millennials would agree with me.

So, hey hoteliers, if you’re reading this, I am here to discuss ‘how you can turn your hotel millennial-centric’.

Trust me, we millennials have quirks and expect our hotel experience to be a little different than others.

If you have been struggling to cater to us, then you’re in luck as I am going to list some of the prominent tips to offer millennials a great experience.

What Do Millennial Hotel Guests Want?

In most common situations, millennials follow a busy and cluttered schedule in their regular life where they do not get to spend quality time with family, friends, or themselves.

The reason they go on a vacation is not just the craze to explore the world but to spend some days without work stress, doing fun activities, and relaxing.

Fun fact: According to a survey result, 83 percent of millennials somewhat or strongly agreed with the statement “I’m all about taking a nap on the beach, spa treatments, and all-day relaxation”

This means comfort is the basic key to targeting millennial guests as they long for a vacation that comes with every service and minimum effort.

Explore more about the travel trends of millennials

Ways to Attract Millennials to Your Hotel

To cater to them, the hospitality industry needs to keep a checklist of what millennials are looking for in hotels while traveling.

For making it convenient, I am sharing with you all the contemporary ways to attract millennials to your hotel. These are easy to be followed at any hotel and can make a massive difference in driving booking from this group of travelers.

1. An amiable ambiance

People today are sensitive to how they are treated at any place. Especially on vacation, they need everything to be positive, and the people around them to be welcoming.

So your hotel, its staff, and overall ambiance should set up a friendly tone. Giving a kickstart with unnecessary professional attitudes can make your millennial friend feel aloof and uncomfortable.

Therefore, it is important to train your hotel staff in a way that your guests feel light and cheerful while interacting with them.

Moreover, the basic tone of your hotel should feel comforting; this includes the building, its colors, and the vibe of the whole space.

Millennials might not spot the particular thing which is wrong but they will just not feel excited if things are in any way dull or lousy.

2. Value for money

Millennials earn, save, and spend their money with care. These people are much more experienced in handling finance and judging services by value.

Therefore, it is a compulsion to give justice to what they pay.

They can live with less adventure but not with fewer facilities. So if they have booked your hotel, then they must have inquired or seen reviews to make sure that your property offers all the necessary amenities at a reasonable price. And it becomes your job to ensure they get it all; be it travel conveyance, good food, comfortable rooms, or quick service.

3. Mobile tech-first

Nobody likes to carry around various documents, papers, or even money nowadays, especially when they are going on a vacay. And millennials are the generation of people that have seen the revolution in mobile technology from the very start.

They are up to date with technology and prefer things to get done with a few clicks. Hence your hotel must become tech-first to give a green signal to millennials. 

Let’s see how.

Millennials travel with planning, the priority being where they will stay. To finalize this, they will always surf the internet. 

Now, if you have not made a website or listed your hotel on Google My Business (GMB) and OTA platforms, they can never reach you.

If they need to call the frontdesk for every small thing rather than just getting access to everything digitally, that will also be a buzzkill.

If they can’t make cashless payments, that will be a killjoy.

It means technology is a major factor through which hotels can keep up with millennials.

4. Transparent hotel policies

Transparency is the key to your hotel’s success. If you are not honest about your policies from the very start then you can lose your millennial audience in no time.

Because these are the people who get agitated the most in such situations where hotels do not mention their policies clearly or only mention when something goes wrong. This is a big disappointment!

Let’s look at this with an example:

Samay has to travel with his pet. He surfed through many booking platforms using a specific keyword – “pet-friendly hotel” and got one property claiming they welcome pets wholeheartedly. So, he made the pre-paid booking. 

However, at the time of check-in, he was told to pay additional charges for his pet. 

See, the reason for his dismay was not that he had to pay extra charges for the pet. But the hotel has showcased only half information about its policy. They have displayed their pet-friendly services but not the charges they cost.

So, even after providing an additional service, hotels can lose their integrity if their policies are not clearly mentioned and taken care of.

5. Indigenous frills

Millennials are always longing to mingle with activities, food, clothing, and even the slang language of the place they are visiting. They desire to enjoy a 360-degree tour of the place and its cultural roots. (Xanax)

To put a fair impression on them, turn your hotel into a flavor of the place they are visiting; in terms of infrastructure, services, food, and overall hospitality. 

For instance, you can welcome them with a snack your place is famous for. In addition, have proximity to the local beauty such as markets, popular monuments, and restaurants having indigenous cuisines.

Millennials love to breathe in the new air because this is why they are visiting the new place – to explore its unique features.

6. Spaces to socialize

There is one thing that most millennials are good at, and that is ‘building real-life networks’.

Even if they are traveling alone, they will find a companion just like themselves and hit it off. Therefore it is only considerate to provide them such spaces where they can socialize and meet new people.

To fulfill this you can set up an in-house restaurant or a small gym area. You can also host some interesting activities or events, where they can socialize and play something together.

Apart from this, utilizing the roof is important for such spaces because a roof can attract a lot of people without much effort. Be it a rooftop bar, a clean pool, or a gaming area.

7. Coworking space

As I mentioned at the start, with changing times and technology, millennials nowadays prefer to work remotely in the comfort of their homes. And while doing this, they can easily plan and go on workations; for they have the leverage of working and vacationing together.

The only terms required here are a good network and workspace. If your hotel provides them with these two things then millennials are all yours.

Though it is comfortable for them to work from their room, they want to go out too. They don’t want to feel like they are at home.

Here comes the need of building a dedicated coworking space in your hotel and set up a required ambiance for working people, and bleisure travelers, who have to take client meetings, to help them crack their deals.

8. Blend of aesthetic and modern

Millennials have become modern in this digital era, yet they seek aesthetic beauty while on a vacation. 

To complement this requirement, your hotel, along with modern tools and technologies, should have an aesthetic beauty attached to it.

Though your hotel building can play a big role in setting up the aesthetic score, there has to be beauty otherwise; the furniture, lighting, artsy decor, and most importantly greenery - trees, and flowers.

These small things can help set a bright mood as most millennials travel from cities to vacation spots and are always up for a green breeze.

9. Personalization

In the hospitality industry, the power of personalization can never be neglected and the same is true with millennials.

When you offer even the tiniest personalized service, they feel like they are in charge of choosing things on their vacation and they like this idea.

Attract them in with this power of control.

You can maybe ask them their food preferences when they book your hotel and give them a welcome meal, help them get trusted conveyance for traveling around, and if they make a special request, do consider it.

10. An extra dose of comfort

Millennials are working all the time whether it is to earn or to run domestic chores therefore, it is reasonable to long for more comfort.

To cater to this, you can provide them with a few services to bring them a feeling of relaxation; a spa service, hot water bath, massage services, an outdoor pool, or whatever best suits your hotel.

Also if you are offering complimentary meals then set the time limits a bit open. I have seen hotels keeping the breakfast only till 7 AM and after that, you need to buy it. This can break the comfort zone of your guests who aren’t morning people and wake up at 9 or 10 AM – which is most of the millennials on trips or vacations.

Also, keep these services free or at discounts, or you can maybe give them a coupon when they book you. It will enhance your image for your millennial guest.

The post How to Turn Your Hotel Millennial-Centric? [10 Effective Ways] appeared first on eZee Absolute.

If you get the answer to this, you’re this close to becoming the undisputed master of marketing.

Well, that sounds a little dramatic, but you’re getting the point. Aren’t you?

In this blog, I am covering a really interesting topic — “How can psychology be used in hotel marketing?” And it is sure to help hotel marketers come up with a much clearer and more effective approach to hotel marketing.

The Role of Psychology in Hotel Marketing

The hospitality industry is all about human interaction.

From having a conversation with guests at the frontdesk to offering services to creating messages for marketing campaigns, there’s a deep human connection.

Now, imagine, what if you could read people’s (your existing and potential guests) minds? What if you could understand what triggers their actions?

You’re already intrigued thinking about it, aren’t you?

Well, that’s exactly what psychology does in hotel marketing.

Hotel marketing is a complex field, and psychology plays an important role in it.

Psychological research in marketing helps you understand the guests’ mindset and behavior, which can then be used to create effective marketing materials and campaigns, and create guest service policies that are sensitive to their needs and preferences.

Psychology also helps to understand how guests respond to incentives. And once you determine that, you can decide what to offer them and how they are going to perceive it.

In short, Psychology is essential for any hotel marketer who wants to achieve success in the industry. After all, understanding the human mind is all that it takes.

How Can Psychology Make Hotel Marketing Better?

Psychology is a vast topic and given its role in hotel marketing, it will take much more time to cover every corner.

However, I would still like to give you an idea of how you, as a hotelier or hotel marketer, can leverage the power of psychology.

There are three common principles that I would like you to understand.

1. Principle of reciprocity

The reciprocity principle states that in numerous situations, humans tend to pay back for what they receive from others. 

This is not a made-up statement.

Dr. Robert Cialdini, an American psychologist and author states in his book,"Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion", that we humans are wired to return a favour in order to treat others as they've treated us.

This same principle can work wonders in hotel marketing.

Let me explain with an example:

Vienna is a seasoned hotelier. But more than that, she is a great marketer.

When Vienna started her new boutique hotel in Singapore, she took charge of the marketing efforts. Initially, her marketing seemed to be a fiasco to others as she was hosting contests, offering free merchandise, free stays, no extra charge on cancellation, and more.

But with time, those same elements turned her hotel into a trustworthy and lovable brand. People pick her hotel above any other property.

Not to mention, her guest retention rate went unbelievably higher.

Now, what’s interesting here is that, knowingly or unknowingly, Vienna has leveraged the reciprocity principle. She treated her guests, both in her hotel and marketing campaigns, with such empathy that they now have become loyal to her and her hotel.

2. Social proof effect

Let’s understand this by retaking Vienna’s example.

Recently, Vienna started an Instagram page for her hotel. On the page, instead of generic posts about the hotel or the industry, she features her guests.

Sounds fun? There’s more!

Vienna not only posts photos of her guests with goodies but also shares what they experience in the hotel. It’s like she is making her guests feel like celebrities.  

Here comes the interesting part.

Every time people on Instagram see these posts, they develop an urge to visit the hotel.

And this, mi amigo, is called the social proof effect.

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people develop a notion that, since others are doing it, I should be doing it, too.

So next time when you marketers sit on to develop a marketing strategy for your hotel, don’t forget to include this phenomenon. This could prove to be one of the excellent hotel marketing psychology tactics.

3. The Decoy effect

The decoy effect is a type of cognitive bias in which an unattractive or a more expensive option is added to influence a consumer to choose the more expensive of the first two options.

Should we go to Vienna’s hotel and see how she’s using this phenomenon to her advantage?

Yes?

Great!

So, when Vienna first created her hotel’s landing page there were only two room options:

– Gold suite – $60 per night
– Platinum suite – $95 per night

And the majority of the people were going with the first option. Why? Because that’s cheaper.

However, she learned about the decoy effect and added another room to the list, and made a tiny change. This is what it looks like now:

– Gold suite – $60 per night
– Diamond suite – $92 per night
– Platinum suite – $95 per night

Simply put, Vienna added a useless option to the list that made the last option look like a real deal.  And in turn, her hotel reservations for the platinum suite went through the roof.

The post 3 Psychological Principles for Better Hotel Marketing appeared first on eZee Absolute.