During my time attending the Digital Travel Conference in Las Vegas back in April, I overheard the same takeaway from multiple hoteliers: “If I can just convince a traveler to stay at my property once, we would have a customer for life.” Since getting customers in the door for that first visit is seemingly the most difficult (and definitely the most expensive) endeavor for marketers, we set out to look for some answers using our proprietary contextual data to better understand the hotel shopper.
To find out, we segmented consumers by hotel category in alignment with the Smith Travel Research chain scale—budget, midscale and luxury—and examined their research patterns to understand what makes them tick and better advise how hotel brands can utilize resources, such as big data, in order to personalize digital content based on interests and personal preferences. This data was run during May 2018.
Budget
Data suggests local research revolving around quick-serve restaurants appeal to budget hotel seekers, so a simple offer for free breakfast or snacks could tip the scales when they are weighing hotel options. We also see our budget hotel seekers researching nearby big box and office supplies stores, so messaging around onsite amenities such as business centers, mini-stores or complimentary conveniences that solve last minute needs for business or leisure can really add a thoughtful touch for the budget traveler. In addition to business and leisure, people moving or relocating to different areas also fall within the budget seekers segment. Knowing this ahead of time certainly helps the budget hotelier make their guests feel right at home for an extended stay.
