A return to ‘normal’ may still feel some way off, but as vaccines continue to roll out and various governments begin to share details of how restrictions may start to ease over the coming months, we’re beginning to see both search and booking volumes gradually increase worldwide.
NB: This is an article from Triptease
And the sudden shift in booking behavior in the UK this week can be taken as a blueprint for what many countries might start to experience ahead of the coming summer.
Hotel bookings in the UK have quadrupled following the UK government’s recent announcement that domestic overnight stays will once again be allowed from April 12th, and international travel from May 18th.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and stay up to date
UK searchers and bookers over time (all values are indexed to Jan 1st 2021).
What hoteliers everywhere can take from this chart is that demand for travel is already there – people are just waiting for the signal that tells them it’s safe to book.
Search volumes in the UK might have doubled following the UK government’s announcement, but booking volumes quadrupled. Proportionally, more searches are resulting in bookings. People are ready and waiting to book.
Conversion rates of UK searchers doubled on the day the easing of restrictions was announced (February 22nd).
Even if your hotel is located in a country which is not yet quite ready to begin easing travel restrictions, you need to consider the fact that potential guests are already on your website (and those of your competitors), getting ready to book once they have the green light.
What are you currently doing to give those searchers every bit of the reassurance they need that you’ll be ready to welcome them as soon as they’re able to travel? How can you convince them that your property is where they want to spend their first trip out of lockdown?
Whether your hotel is seasonal or otherwise, you need to act now to warm up potential guests on your website so they’re ready to book when the time comes. To provide some inspiration, we spoke to hoteliers around the world who have taken advantage of their enforced downtime to fill their rooms during the high season. Read on to hear their advice.
Keep your brand top of mind
Even if guests in your region aren’t ready – or allowed – to book a stay right now, that doesn’t mean they aren’t searching and planning for their next trip. So whilst bookings might be quiet, it’s important that your hotel’s marketing activity remains visible and compelling.
