Have you ever heard of last-minute bookers?
NB: This is an article from The Hotels Network, one of our Expert Partners
Some of you may be thinking, “That’s totally me,” and others wondering, “Who is crazy enough to do that?” Well, the answer fits in one word: Millennials. According to a study conducted by Hotels.com, after two years of travel restrictions, 62% of millennials have saved money so they can travel more, or better, presenting a huge opportunity for hotel brands.
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Whether it’s a few days or weeks prior to the trip, we’ve been keeping a close eye on the behavior of this new generation of travelers. Here are our tips to retain last-minute searching millennials on your hotel website and convince them to book a stay at your property.
1. Embrace spontaneity
1 out of 2 millennials take last-minute vacations. It’s more than a trend now, it’s a habit. They like to be free and require flexibility, and if they want to travel the following week, they will do so. Having grown up during the explosion of advancing technology, they strive to keep pace with this evolution, recognizing the advantages it offers both functionally and ergonomically. Previously considered just an ally to this generation, digital tools have now evolved into an integral part of their lives.
As millennials like spontaneity so much, why not present them with spontaneous offers? Here, adding a sense of urgency on your website is key. Let’s imagine that a user is entering their potential stay information on the booking engine. Personalization tools can automatically detect that the dates entered are coming soon and show a countdown clock communicating promotional offers throughout your website, ensuring that visitors are aware that these are time-sensitive deals.
Countdown Layer encouraging users to book a limited time offer
2. Secure loyalty
To understand the millennial mindset, you need to keep some key information in mind. Firstly, to book the best deal available, 85% of millennials are prepared to search on multiple websites which shows that loyalty isn’t their strong suit. Your hotel needs to have competitive offers and communicate them effectively on your website to have a chance of retaining visitors.
Secondly, it’s all about the perks. Who doesn’t like exclusive rewards? Whether it’s complimentary breakfast, a welcome gift, or even a discount, people love to feel special. Be sure to create attractive packages, which can be displayed via a Layer, that spark the interest of millennials, while offering them a little extra that can only be found on your hotel website. The best part? A combination of products doesn’t necessarily mean reduced price! On the contrary, offering multiple packages is the perfect opportunity to upsell.
Showcasing packages available exclusively when booking direct
3. Think mobile
Today, with mobile dominating traffic to hotel websites, it comes as no surprise that one out of two millennials book travel through a smartphone or tablet. So, how’s your brand’s app or the mobile version of your website doing? Considering that 86% of millennials are disappointed by bad mobile experiences, this is your chance to stand out from the crowd.
Highlighting personalized offers in the mobile booking engine for users looking for last-minute deals is an effective way to grab millennials’ attention and encourage them to confirm their direct reservation at that moment. Consider pushing mobile-only discounts or hotel deals for one-night-only to increase your booking engine to booking conversion rate on this device. Make sure your message fits seamlessly on a mobile screen, short and simple is always the best approach.
Inliners built for mobile screen appearing for a last-minute search
So there you go, three key factors to consider when it comes to resonating with and appealing to this new wave of millennial bookers. These actionable tips will definitely boost the number of last-minute reservations your hotel website receives, and ultimately generate an increase in your revenue. Now it’s up to you, go get them!
