Hotels must increase direct bookings to maximize revenue and build stronger relationships with their guests. While online travel agencies are a great way to increase visibility, the commissions they take can reduce your profit margins considerably. To avoid these fees and maintain control over your guest experience, you need to focus on strategies that drive more direct bookings.
Strategies to Increase Hotel Direct Bookings
Here are some of the hotel direct booking strategies to increase hotel bookings.
Optimize Your Website for Maximum Impact
A hotel's website is the first impression potential guests get and it plays a critical factor in driving direct bookings. A good website should have:
Precise design: If your website is easy to navigate and is visually appealing it can drive a lot of conversions directly. A good hotel website should always have a prominent, "Book Now" button visible on every page.
Fast Loading: No one likes a slow website; optimize your site's speed, especially for mobile users, by reducing large images or excessive scripts that can slow things down.
Mobile Optimization: Today, more and more people are using their mobiles to book stays, so your site must be fully responsive. It should work across all screen sizes and make booking on mobile as easy as on desktop.
Click-to-Call Features: Allow mobile users to contact you directly with a single tap. This allows guests to ask questions or finalize their booking over the phone, which can help secure more reservations.
Mobile-Friendly Payments: Ensure your site supports easy mobile payments, including options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and saved credit card details for faster checkout.
Offer Special Deals for Direct Bookings
One of the most effective ways to encourage direct bookings is to offer exclusive perks that guests can't get through online travel agencies.
Unique Discounts: The rate parity clause in the hotel and OTA agreement may prevent you from undercutting OTA prices, but you can offer other incentives, such as free breakfast, complimentary room upgrades, or flexible check-in and checkout times for those who book directly through your website.
Exclusive Packages: You can create special value-added packages for guests booking directly through your site. These could include spa treatments, special tours, or welcome drinks. These extras make your direct offers more appealing and persuade prospective guests to book directly.
Use a Booking Engine
Your hotel booking engine needs to provide a smooth and secure user experience. The simpler and faster it is, the more likely guests will complete their reservations.
Real-Time Availability: Make sure your booking engine displays real-time room availability. This helps guests feel confident that they can book the room they want without delays or double bookings.
Secure Payments: Guests need to trust your site. Use safe payment gateways that protect their information and give them peace of mind during the booking process.
Mobile Integration: A mobile-friendly booking engine is essential. It should allow quick reservations with minimal effort from a phone or tablet.
Leverage Retargeting and Personalization
Many visitors won't book on their first visit, but that doesn't mean they're not interested. With smart marketing strategies, you can win them back.
Retargeting Ads: Show targeted ads to people who've visited your website but haven't completed a booking. A special offer, like a discount or upgrade, could bring them back.
Personalized Email Campaigns: Use data from guest behavior to send tailored email offers. For example, if someone looked at a specific room type, you could follow up with a discount for that room or a personalized offer based on their preferences.
Loyalty Programs: A loyalty program can keep guests coming back. Offer rewards like discounts, free nights, or special perks for those who repeatedly book directly through your website.
Promote "Book Direct and Save" Campaigns
Encourage guests to book directly by showing them the benefits of doing so.
Best Price Guarantees: Let guests know that they'll get the best available rate by booking directly. This reassurance can be a strong motivator for them to avoid OTAs.
Flexible Cancellation Policies: OTAs often have rigid cancellation rules. Highlight your more flexible policies for direct bookings, making it an attractive alternative.
No Hidden Fees: Emphasize that direct bookings come without extra fees, which can sometimes appear with OTA reservations.
Use Social Media to Promote Direct Bookings
Social media platforms can be a great way to drive direct bookings when used effectively.
Promotions and Offers: Promote exclusive offers and discounts on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Use compelling images and clear calls-to-action to drive traffic to your website.
Influencer Marketing: Partner with influencers who can promote your hotel. Their endorsements can increase your visibility and encourage direct bookings, especially among younger audiences.
Encourage Upsells During the Booking Process
Upselling can improve the guest experience while increasing your revenue.
Additional Services: Offer guests the option to add extras like spa treatments, dinner packages, or room upgrades during the booking process. These small upsells can make their stay more personalized and enjoyable.
Customizable Stays: Allow guests to customize their experience by choosing amenities or services that match their preferences, such as pillow types, meal options, or specific room views.
Read More on Hotel Upselling
Showcase Guest Reviews and Testimonials
Guest reviews can be a powerful tool in convincing potential customers to book directly with you.
Highlight Positive Reviews: Display glowing reviews and testimonials on your homepage and booking pages. Seeing what other guests have said can build trust and encourage new bookings.
Encourage Feedback: After their stay, invite guests to leave a review. The more recent and positive reviews you have, the more appealing your hotel will seem to future guests.
Balance OTA and Direct Booking Strategies
While OTAs can help you reach new guests, direct bookings are more valuable in the long run. Balance the two strategies by encouraging OTA guests to book directly next time.
Exposure via OTAs: OTAs provide excellent visibility, but once guests are at your hotel, focus on converting them into direct bookers by offering exclusive perks for their next stay.
Follow-Up Offers: After an OTA guest stays with you, send them a special offer for booking directly next time. This is a simple way to turn OTA guests into loyal, direct customers.
Advantages of Direct Bookings for Hotels
Higher Profit Margins: Direct bookings eliminate commission fees associated with third-party booking sites, allowing hotels to retain more revenue from each reservation
Enhanced Guest Relationships: Booking directly fosters a direct line of communication between the hotel and the guest, enabling personalized service and better understanding of guest preferences
Increased Flexibility: Guests often enjoy more flexible booking options, such as easier changes or cancellations, when they book directly with the hotel
Loyalty Incentives: Hotels can offer exclusive benefits, like lower rates or room upgrades, to guests who book directly, encouraging repeat visits and fostering loyalty
Improved Guest Satisfaction: Direct bookers tend to be more satisfied due to their active choice in selecting the hotel, leading to better reviews and positive word-of-mouth
Better Feedback Opportunities: Direct engagement allows hotels to gather valuable feedback from guests who are more invested in their experience, leading to enhanced service improvements
Brand Awareness: A direct booking website serves as a dedicated platform for showcasing the hotel’s unique offerings, strengthening brand identity and visibility
AxisRooms Hotel Booking Engine
The booking engine also supports mobile bookings, ensuring a seamless experience for guests on their smartphones. Additionally, it integrates easily with various property management systems and channel managers, allowing hotels to streamline operations and reduce overbookings.
AxisRooms helps hotels increase their revenue by focusing on direct sales while maintaining control over guest relationships and marketing efforts.
Increasing direct bookings is all about creating a better experience for your guests. By simplifying your website, offering exclusive perks, optimizing mobile bookings, and using smart marketing tactics, you can successfully drive more direct reservations. Don't neglect the role of OTAs, but make sure you're always working towards turning those guests into direct bookers.