In our first article, we explored three effective steps to elevate your independent hotel’s online reputation, boosting the number of positive bookings to drive more direct bookings.
NB: This is an article from Directful
Now, let’s dive into the second part! When it comes to increasing direct bookings, guest satisfaction is key. Alongside demonstrating your commitment to guest satisfaction through monitoring and responding to guest reviews, you should explore other cost-effective marketing techniques.
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Leverage Personalization: A Cost-Effective Path to More Direct Bookings
As independent hotels may not have the marketing budgets of OTAs or large hotel chains, they can outshine them in personalization. While OTAs offer convenience and a vast selection of accommodations, their business model and scale can limit their ability to provide the same level of personalized experiences that independent hotels can offer.
Personalization is a game-changer in the hospitality industry, as it enables hotels to connect with guests on a deeper level. By focusing on improving guest satisfaction through personalization, independent hotels can earn word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied guests and can lead to a steady stream of direct bookings.
Did you know that 82% of travelers expect personalized experiences from the hotels they choose to stay in? In fact, 78% of guests are more likely to book with a hotel that offers personalized experiences, with almost 50% willing to share the personal data necessary to promote an individualized stay.
Step #4: Enhance Efficiency: Utilizing AI for Personalized Guest Experiences
The implementation of personalized campaigns has posed notable hurdles for hoteliers, including data privacy concerns, balancing automation with human touch, managing the vast amounts of guest data that they collect. In this scenario, technologies can emerge as a valuable partner in overcoming these obstacles.
Today, managers of independent properties can harness affordable AI-driven tools to seamlessly personalize guest experiences, often surpassing OTAs in efficiency. Well-executed hyper-personalization can deliver the return on investment on marketing spend, and lift sales by 10% or more, according to Deloitte research.
