A new study from Barclays Corporate Banking has found that 37% of British holidaymakers plan to book their stays directly through hotel websites or self-accommodation providers this year compared to 17% in 2007 and 30% five years ago.
This contrasts with international travellers who apparently prefer to use travel agents, with just 17% booking direct with their accommodation provider.
Along with these findings, other research also suggests that certain hotels are experiencing a surge in direct bookings. Take Premier Inn, for instance, whose website accounted for 87% of all its bookings in 2016. That said, at other hotel chains, like Hilton, direct bookings are far lower as they struggle to compete with aggregator sites.
So, what can we learn from Premier Inn? And how can both UK and international hotels increase their direct bookings? Here’s just four factors that could make a difference.
#1: Mobile optimisation
Google’s 2016 Travel Trends report suggests that 60% of searches for travel information come from mobile. Meanwhile, conversion rates have grown 88% on mobile travel sites. So in order to capture some of this search interest – and draw users away from online travel agencies – hotels need to ensure a good mobile UX across all channels and throughout every step of the journey.
This doesn’t only mean in terms of the immediate booking process, either.
Interestingly, hotel apps and mobile bookings are said to lead to greater levels of satisfaction compared to the same technology delivered by a third party or OTA. A survey from J.D. Power found that guests who book through an online travel agency or a mobile app not directly associated with a hotel are more likely to experience a problem and be less satisfied with their stay overall.
This suggests that a mobile strategy is not only important for first-time direct bookings, but to increase the likelihood of repeat direct bookings – as well as long-term loyalty. Features like mobile tickets and check-in can be hugely beneficial for increasing satisfaction and keeping consumers coming back.
