Summer travel season is in full swing, and it’s time to dial in your booking strategies. From the latest trends and spend to the most successful hotel offers, our experts dove into the industry data from May 2025 to reveal how travelers are planning their summer getaways.
NB: This is an article from Cendyn
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We’ll discuss what guests are really prioritizing when making summer booking decisions, along with actionable tips designed to get your guests engaged, excited, and ready to book their next stay.
Booking trends: shorter booking windows
Last-minute bookers are hitting the road this summer. In fact, a recent Skift report detailed that leisure booking windows are now typically under 21 days. One important caveat, however, is that even with the trend toward more spontaneous, mobile-driven bookings, travelers are opting for hotels with refundable rates or flexible cancellation policies.
Business travel also continued to drive short lead-time bookings, particularly for corporate events and conferences in major cities. Markets like Las Vegas and New York benefited from a mix of advance and last-minute bookings, with increased demand during large events and conventions.
Takeaway tip: Stay competitive with last-minute bookers by including dynamic pricing strategies to capture demand and maximize revenue. Travelers are also more likely to book if they have the option to cancel or modify plans as needed. Creating flexible cancellation policies will entice these travelers to book with confidence.
Best performing offer strategies
Capitalize on May’s booking trends with popular offer strategies that resonate with your best guests. Our data revealed that travelers are strongly driven by overall trip value, looking beyond the nightly rate to book offers that combine competitive rates with the amenities and benefits they want.
Winning offer strategy YTD: BOGO (Stay 3 Nights, Get the 4th Free)
This offer has been one of the most successful promotional tactics we’ve seen over the last year, especially during slower periods or with specific target markets like families. By encouraging guests to extend their stay, hotels can increase occupancy without significantly reducing average daily rates (ADR). Guests enjoy the perceived added value while hotels avoid slashing prices and potentially devaluing their brand.
Next best performing offers:
Local offers: Your local and drive-in market guests are an invaluable source of revenue and loyalty. Target these guests by offering a locals-only discount for staycations or create packages around a special event or attraction paired with an overnight stay. These are especially important in key regions like Hawaii and Florida.
Length of stay discounts “Stay More, Save More”: Implementing graduated discounts for extended stays can incentivize longer bookings. For example, offering 15% off for three-night stays but increasing that discount to 25% for weekly bookings encourages guests to stay longer, boosting both occupancy and ancillary revenue.
Value-added packages: Instead of offering room discounts, consider bundling popular services like breakfast, late check-out, or resort credits to create perceived value for guests. These packages attract cost-conscious travelers without eroding room rates.
Bonus tip: Our data revealed that the best-performing value-added packages include breakfast, while the worst-performing packages focus on gas or parking offers.
How to maximize offer success
To optimize conversions, hotels need a data-driven offer strategy that targets different guest needs and preferences. Ensure every guest segment has the perfect excuse to book by providing a range of offers that appeal to varying travel priorities (price, amenities, added value benefits, etc.).
