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Top 4 Hotel Trends You Should Know In 2024

Posted on July 11, 2024December 26, 2024 by Marija Glavonjić

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve and adapt to changing guest preferences and new technologies, staying on top of emerging trends is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge.

Thus, it would be beneficial to keep an eye on new trends to improve service quality and adapt to the needs of modern travelers.

Curious to discover the top 4 hotel trends in 2024?

Let’s get started, then!

Top 4 Hotel Trends To Watch For This Year

1. Implement Contactless Technology

Adding contactless solutions to your hotel’s tech stack is about more than following the latest trends.

It’s also about streamlining your hotel’s operations and enhancing guest satisfaction.

1.1. Enable Mobile Check-Ins

Mobile check-in options allow your guests to check in to their rooms and complete pre-arrival procedures using their mobile devices without visiting the front desk.

These options offer:

Convenience,
Efficiency, and
A personalized guest experience, benefiting both you and your guests.

Key Benefits of Mobile Check-Ins

? Convenience

Guests can bypass the front desk queues, save time and complete the process at their convenience, whether en route to the hotel or upon arrival.

? Contactless Experience

Mobile check-in promotes a contactless check-in process, reducing physical touchpoints and promoting health and safety measures, which is particularly relevant in a post-pandemic travel environment.

? Personalization

Guests can select room preferences, view upgrades, and access special offers, enabling a more personalized and tailored stay experience based on their preferences.

? Efficiency

Mobile check-in automates the check-in process, reduces wait times, minimizes paperwork, and enhances staff productivity.

By doing so, your hotel staff can focus on guest service and other tasks.

? Upsell Opportunities

You can use mobile check-in platforms to promote room upgrades, amenities, and additional services to guests during check-in and drive incremental revenue.

? Data Insights

Mobile check-in options provide valuable data insights into guest preferences,

booking patterns and behavior, enabling you to:

Analyze guest data,
Personalize marketing efforts, and
Optimize operational strategies to meet guest needs effectively.

Mobile check-in options offer a win-win solution for both you and your guests.

OTA SYNC’s Guest App is a comprehensive solution that allows your guests to:

Do a smooth mobile check-in quickly.
Obtain all the necessary information about hotel rules and policies.
Get answers to the most common questions via our Ask Concierge feature within the app.

Enhance their stay by offering upselling options, such as gourmet dinners or luxury spa days.
Navigate the stay and get instant reservation updates.
Personalize their invoices by selecting and customizing billing details for easier expense monitoring and transparency.

1.2. Transform Your Rooms Into Smart Rooms

Transforming hotel rooms into smart rooms involves integrating technology and automation to enhance guest experiences and improve efficiency.

Besides your hotel’s size and budget, another determining factor in choosing the right solution is the profile of your typical guest.

Therefore, “use” your guest persona to decide which smart features will add value. Later, as your hotel grows, you can gradually incorporate more smart tech.

Thus, depending on the above factors, here are some solutions you may want to implement:

? Smart Room Control — A central control system or mobile app that allows guests to:

Adjust thermostats, lighting, and other room settings,
Request services, and
Access hotel information from their smartphones or in-room tablets.

? Smart Connectivity — Provide various solutions for work, entertainment, and communication purposes, such as:

High-speed Wi-Fi,
Wireless charging stations,
Smart TVs with streaming services,
Bluetooth-enabled speakers, etc.

? Smart Keys — Come in various forms, including keycards, key fobs, smartphones with digital keys, etc., and provide temporary or time-limited access for specified durations.

? QR Codes — QR codes placed around the room and the hotel offer a handy way to share practical info, such as:

House rules,
Restaurant menus,
Digital maps to navigate around the hotel,
Upselling offers
Room service
Direct contact with the front desk, etc.

? Contactless Payments — Implement a POS system to process payments, track inventory, customize menu, etc.

OTA SYNC has a fully integrated payment gateway that instantly processes transactions and allows multiple payment methods.

Thus, you can pay with debit and credit cards, digital wallets, etc.

Since we operate in over 150 countries, the system allows payments in multiple currencies and updates the exchange rate daily.

Furthermore, our OTA Payments tool also automatically charges virtual credit cards from OTAs such as Booking.com, Expedia, Hotelbeds, etc., in a secure way.

Another great perk of using OTA Payments is that it integrates with multiple POS systems, thus providing comprehensive payment solutions.

2. Embrace Direct Bookings

According to the H2c’s 2023 Digital Hotel Operations Study, direct bookings continue to increase. Last year, they accounted for 33% of total bookings.

Furthermore, although most bookings still come from OTAs, the numbers are down compared to the previous years.

So, what makes direct bookings grow in popularity?

The biggest “culprits” for this trend are the quality content on your website and loyalty offers, as well as an increasing guests’ interest in using smart, flexible systems.

With most of the upselling happening during the booking process, direct booking provides ample opportunities to boost ancillary revenue.

But there’s even more to direct booking. In addition to reducing your dependency on OTAs and the commission fees, you can collect more guest data.

Most OTAs keep this type of data to themselves.

However, when you collect data, you can leverage the info to personalize the guest experience and create more tailored offers to align with your guests’ wishes and needs.

Our Booking Engine provides a user-friendly interface so your guests can check room availability, view pricing, and complete secure bookings in real time, at their own pace.

? Moreover, with various booking widgets and availability calendars in more than 15 languages, you get a centralized platform for an easy overview across all channels.

? Additional customization options enable you to change logos and colors and tailor the appearance of your booking forms, emails, invoices, and general settings.

? The system is flexible and comes with plenty of options to automate your operations while catering to your guests:

Different price lists per accommodation facility, unit or a person with a centralized view.
Upselling opportunities, special offers and packages, promo codes, etc.
Automated city tax and VAT, depending on the region and market.
Extra services, such as extra beds, cots, dry-cleaning, etc.
And many more.

3. Tap into The Bleisure Travel Market

If you’ve never heard of bleisure travel, it’s high time you opened your hotel to that possibility.

Blesiure trips, as the name suggests, combine business trips and leisure, creating additional benefits for the hospitality industry.

Although the above stats focus on the US market, bleisure travel is a global phenomenon and an important revenue aspect for other markets.

Business travelers love adding a few extra leisure days to their business trips, especially if their family or friends can join them.

Again, the figures speak for themselves if you look at the statistics.

So, how can you leverage this rising trend?

Provide incentives for companies whose employees stay at your hotel and enable:

Special discount prices for extended stays
Benefits of loyalty or reward programs
Additional perks, such as complimentary room upgrades, late check-out, spa sessions, etc.
More personalized offers based on the guest data you’ve collected. For example, guided tours, visits to local attractions, restaurants, markets, etc.
High-quality wi-fi and co-working space or a conference room.

4. Opt for Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Solutions

According to Booking.com’s Sustainable Travel Report, an increasing number of travelers, 76 % to be more precise, want to travel more sustainably.

Thus, implementing green practices and sustainability has become a great deal within the hospitality sector, which should lower the carbon footprint.

? Energy Conservation

Install energy-efficient lighting such as LEDs, motion sensors, and automated controls to reduce electricity consumption.
Use renewable energy sources like solar panels or wind turbines to generate clean energy on-site.
Implement energy management systems to monitor and optimize energy usage in guest rooms, common areas, and back-of-house operations.

? Water Management

Install low-flow fixtures, dual-flush toilets, and water-saving showerheads to reduce water consumption.
Implement water recycling systems for irrigation, landscaping, or non-potable water usage.

? Waste Reduction

Partner with recycling companies and incorporate recycling programs throughout the hotel for paper, glass, plastic, and other recyclable materials.
Minimize single-use plastics by providing reusable alternatives, such as refillable amenities and water bottles.

Compost organic waste from kitchens and food services to reduce landfill waste and promote sustainability.
Do smart meal planning to reduce food waste, and add more vegan and vegetarian options to your menu since this food type can contribute to 75% less climate-heating emissions.

? Go Green

Team up with local organic suppliers, farmers, etc., and support the local economy by opting for organic and fresh products.
Use eco-conscious cleaning products, linens, and furniture made from recycled or sustainable materials.
Offer eco-friendly activities, tours, and experiences that promote environmental education and conservation efforts.
Participate in tree planting programs, energy efficiency projects, or renewable energy investments to offset carbon emissions.

Besides obvious benefits to our planet, supporting environmental initiatives can enhance your brand reputation and let you tap into a growing eco-friendly guest base.

Wrapping It Up

Although digitalization in the hospitality industry is integral to adding value to guests’ stays, hotel chains still haven’t fully embraced digitalization regarding guest experience.

Thus, it leaves plenty of space for improvement and personalization.

OTA SYNC, a robust hotel management software, can provide you with digital tools to automate every aspect of hotel operations and overall guest experience.

This way, you can get a head start and solve the biggest challenge in digitalizing operations — system integration.

How Can OTA SYNC Help You Digitalize Your Hotel?

OTA SYNC, an all-encompassing hotel management system, helps you:

? Get more direct bookings via its fully customizable Booking Engine to align with your brand and offer your guests live availability and rates, upsell options, etc.

? Manage reservations, room assignment, check-in, and check-out processes from a centralized place.

? Integrate with point-of-sale systems, ERP solutions, and reporting tools to get a comprehensive overview of the hotel’s performance.

? Update room availability, rates, and bookings in real-time, ensuring consistency across multiple OTAs and booking platforms.

? Efficiently control room distribution and avoid overbooking or underselling with automated updates

? Streamline the planning and execution of events and banquets, track event details, manage reservations, and generate invoices.

? Enhance the operations of your hotel’s spas, wellness centers, and fitness facilities with features such as appointment scheduling, client management, and resource allocation.

? Manage housekeeping via the centralized platform for efficient task assignment, real-time updates on room status, and seamless communication among housekeeping staff.

? Directly communicate and chat with guests that book over Booking.com, Airbnb, and VRBO from a unified inbox, so you won’t miss messages again.

? Automate multiple payment options and instantly process transactions.

And the list goes on.

Want to see OTA SYNC in action?

Try OTA SYNC for free and take your hotel and guest management to the next level.

Keep Learning:

10 Ways To Improve Your Hotel Business In These Challenging Times

11 Proven Strategies to Boost Your Hotel’s Revenue

10 Best Hotel Guest Apps for Your Business

How To Start Advertising On Booking.com [Step-by-step Guide]

Posted on June 7, 2024December 26, 2024 by Marija Glavonjić

With over 556 million visits to Booking.com in March 2024, the platform is definitely a go-to place if you’re thinking about listing your property there.

At the same time, more than 29 million total reported listings mean the competition is stiff.

So, how to start advertising on Booking.com and make your property more visible?

It should be pretty doable with our tips.

Let’s dive in!

How Does Booking.com Function?

Booking.com is a commission-based model, which means you pay a set percentage on each reservation you get through the platform.

You’ll receive an invoice at the beginning of each month that includes all your bookings for the previous month and the total commission for those bookings.

On average, it is about 15%, but you’ll know the exact amount once you’ve read the Accommodation Agreement when signing up to the platform.

? Note:

Booking.com won’t charge a commission if your property has been on the platform for less than a month or if you’ve had fewer than 5 overbookings yearly.

Why Should You Advertise on Booking.com?

Spanning over 200 countries, Booking.com provides a huge pool of travelers actively searching for accommodations.

Thus, listing your property can lead to greater visibility, which can consequently attract more guests and bookings.

Besides this, Booking.com also offers:

Free listings.
An easy-to-use and navigable platform.
Multiple-language possibilities.
24/7 access and customer support.
Marketing tools to help you better target your audience and track your ad campaigns.
A mobile app for iOS and Android.
A possibility for guests to leave reviews, acting as powerful referrals.

In order to reap the benefits of advertising on the platform, you should optimize your listing to make it more attractive and clickable.

It can be a lengthy process, covering everything from compelling photos to amenities and pricing.

However, we’re happy to show you how you can list your property on Booking.com to make the process smoother.

How To List Your Property on Booking.com in 6 Steps?

Before you get started, you need to ensure that your accommodation, regardless of its type, meets certain basic criteria.

For example:

Is it clean enough?
Does it have access to the Internet?
Does it have functioning furniture?
Is there enough daylight?

Let’s assume you’ve already created a Partner account and signed the Accommodation Agreement.

Step 1: Choose A Property Type

Once you’ve signed up, you can choose a property type you wish to list: a hotel, B&B, vacation rental, etc.

When you choose a property type, you’ll receive a list of more detailed property descriptions so you can see which one best suits you.

This is an important step because it will determine how your future guests will find you via the Booking.com filters.

What is other information you can expect to include?

You’ll also need to enter basic info about your property, including its name, location, and contact details.
Regarding location, you can pin the location of your property so your guests will know exactly where to find you.
In addition, if your property is near famous landmarks or attractions, pinning it can boost its popularity even further.

Again, the input info will depend on your property type.

For example, for hotels, you’ll be able to fill a star number, whether you are a property management company or part of a group or chain, etc.

? Note:

The more information you provide, the easier it is for possible guests to learn more about your property and make a booking.

When you provide sufficient information to people browsing your Booking profile, you enable them to make an informed decision and more readily hit the “Book now” button.

Step 2: Choose Amenities

The next thing on the agenda is to add facilities or amenities your property provides. The initial list represents facilities that are most popular among guests.

In case you don’t see an amenity or facility you provide, you can add more from a larger list after you’ve completed registration.

Adding amenities is yet another way to showcase your facility and emphasize your property’s selling points.

On top of that, it helps guests narrow their search while helping you target your ideal guest type more effectively.

In addition, you can also choose:

Breakfast: Do you provide breakfast? If yes, is it complimentary or paid?
Parking: Do you offer parking? If so, is it free or paid? Is it private or public? Do guests need to reserve a spot?
House Rules: What are the house rules? For example, what are the check-in and check-out times?
Languages: What languages does your staff speak?
Pets: Do you allow pets? If yes, are there any additional fees for bringing pets?

The more facilities you offer, the bigger the chance to attract more guests. Now, you’ve officially completed the Property details section.

Step 3: Add Rooms

When it comes to the room details, here you’ll add information about the room type, number of beds, their size and the room’s size.

Same as with the 2 previous steps, the more details you provide, the better because it makes it transparent what future guests can expect.

You’ll also include how many people a room can accommodate and if smoking is allowed.

Other info you’ll have to provide is:

Bathroom Types: What types of bathrooms are available? (e.g., private, shared, ensuite)
Bathroom Items: What items do you provide in the bathroom? (e.g., toiletries, towels, hairdryer)
Room Amenities: What general amenities are available in the room? (e.g., TV, wardrobe, heating, electric kettle)

? Note:

Including the room size can be a great upselling option if, for example, your room size is larger than an average hotel room.

Step 4: Set The Price

All aspects of listing your property on Booking.com are essential, but pricing is utterly important because you need to set it right to make a profit.

Furthermore, you still want to have a competitive advantage and not set prices too high or too low.

A good thing about listing on Booking.com is that you can always alter your price according to the current market and seasonal trends.

? Note:

Although you can always come back and change your price, it is good to think upfront about what price you are comfortable and profitable with after the commission rate.

Step 5: Add Photos

High-quality photos are essential when renting out any kind of property.

Potential guests form their first impression based on these images, influencing their decision to learn more and ultimately book your property.

Booking.com allows you to upload multiple photos in .jpeg and .png formats. Each photo should not exceed 47MB.

? Note:

Step 6: Set Up The Final Details

The final step in listing your property is to add payment methods, invoices, and licenses.

While this task may seem tedious compared to the previous steps, it is crucial for ensuring transparency in how you run your property.

This transparency helps eliminate potential questions or disputes about payments and refunds.

In this section, you can also indicate if you use a Channel Manager and integrate one if applicable.

Booking.com offers multiple payment options, including debit and credit cards, PayPal, WeChat Pay, and AliPay.

Optimizing your listing is essential as it is the initial step to effectively advertising your property.

?ProTip

If you advertise on other sites, then make sure you link all the calendars to the channel manager to avoid double reservations.

OTA SYNC’s Channel Manager allows you to connect to major OTAs and easily manage all your listings from one place while expanding your reach.

How to Leverage Advertising on Booking.com in 5 Effective Ways?

Having a listing with high-quality photos and accurate descriptions will nudge visitors to check your property in more detail and possibly make a booking.

Nonetheless, there are additional “tricks” you can use to leverage advertising efforts.

1. Join Genius Program

The Genius program helps you achieve higher levels of visibility and recognition based on the percentage of Genius bookings your property receives.

If you offer discounts to Genius members, you are more likely to be featured prominently on the Booking.com website and search results.

In addition, this way, you can:

✔️ attract more bookings,

✔️ increase occupancy rates, and

✔️ build customer loyalty.

To qualify for the Genius program, you must have a minimum of three reviews with an average score of 7.5 or higher.

2. Offer Mobile Rates

Did you know that over half of all bookings on Booking.com are made via mobile devices?

With the increasing number of mobile users, offering a mobile rate is an excellent way to attract more guests, especially millennials.

This demographic writes more reviews than others, and more positive reviews can enhance your property’s credibility and appeal.

Providing an exclusive discount of 10% or higher for mobile users will earn your listing a special badge.

This badge is displayed next to your property, making it easily identifiable to visitors.

3. Join The Preferred Partner Program

To join the Preferred Partner Program on Booking.com, you need to meet the following criteria:

High Average Score: Maintain an average guest review score of more than 7.
High Conversion Rate: Ensure that a significant number of guests who view your property end up booking it.
Updated Booking Calendar: Keep your booking calendar up-to-date with minimal blocked days.
Timely Invoice Payments: Pay all invoices on time.

It’s important to note that participating in this program requires giving Booking.com a 3% higher commission than your current rate.

4. Tweak Your Availability

Increasing your property’s availability can significantly enhance its visibility to potential guests.

The more dates you have open, the higher the chances of attracting bookings. Additionally, being flexible with dates and offering various rates and rate plans allows you to cater to a broader audience, meeting diverse needs and preferences.

5. Offer Special Promotions

Every now and then, it’s good to get an extra boost by offering special deals and promotions.

They can range from last-minute, early bird, free nights to basic discounts for guests who book a larger number of nights.

You can also create a geo-price list through which you can give special offers to guests from certain countries.

All these promotions and special discounts affect the number of reviews of your accommodation and also represent an additional motivation for potential guests to book.

? Note

Our advice is to attract guests with discounts during low seasons and to give early-bird discounts to count on some reservations in advance.

On the other hand, during the high season, we’d recommend pausing The Partner Program because, due to high demand, there is no need to pay additional commission.

How Can OTA SYNC Increase Your Property’s Visibility?

While listing your property on Booking.com is a fantastic way to start, it’s important to diversify your advertising efforts across multiple platforms.

This ensures broader visibility and maximizes booking opportunities.

OTA SYNC, an all-in-one PMS, is the ultimate solution to help you manage and advertise your property across various OTAs from a centralized dashboard.

Here’s why OTA SYNC stands out:

✨ Centralized Management: View and manage all your channels and multiple properties from a single interface.

✨ Unified Calendar: Easily move, change, and cancel reservations in one place with just a few clicks.

✨ Enhanced Booking Capabilities: Maximize your website’s potential for direct bookings with live availability, rates, special offers, and reduced dependence on OTAs.

✨ Seamless Communication: Improve guest experience with automatic replies and template messages, ensuring smooth and efficient communication.

✨ Robust Analytics: Gain insights into which channels bring you the most bookings and revenue, thanks to real-time performance tracking across multiple platforms.

Ready to take your property management to the next level?

Keep Learning:

13 Tips on How to Improve Hotel Sales In 2024 [Complete Guide]

How To Start On Airbnb And What You Need To Know [Rental Guide]

11 Tips to Manage Multiple Properties Effectively [Guide]

Best Websites For Advertising Your Accommodation

Posted on October 7, 2021December 26, 2024 by Marija Glavonjić

The traditional way of booking accomodation by going to a travel agency is over. The Internet revolution and its potential have been contributed to the creation of many possibilities to enable travelers to make reservations faster and easier. Expect that is more economical and efficient, there is no better way to connect people around the world.

However, the hardest part of online advertising is choosing the right site. Most potential guests search for accommodation using the best advertising sites. For owners, using such platforms brings more bookings, and ultimately higher revenue.

What are the best sites for advertising, we bring you below.

Booking.com

The most popular site today is Booking.com, justified by the fact that over a million nights are booked every day through this platform.

It allows guests to make direct reservations, and is reflected in the nemerous benefits, and access to a large audience on the platform. Prominent guest ratings are very popular on Booking, as their reviews bring higher bookings and revenue to the owner.

A potential drawback is the risk of overbooking, which can be eliminated by using the Channel Manager system.

Booking’s commission for owners ranges from 15% to 18%.

Airbnb

Airbnb is considered a platform that connects people who rent accommodation with people who are looking for them. It covers 220 countries around the world, and is considered one of the fastest growing booking platforms in the world.

Like Booking, Airbnb provides an automatic check-in process from booking to check-out. Airbnb offers numerous options, from direct negotiations between the owner and potential guests to the regulation of numerous actions to protect and secure both sides, allowing you to get more bookings easily.

Airbnb commission is 3% for reservations and 6%-20% fee for guest services. Another option is fixed commission of 14% paid by the accommodation publishers, and guests do not pay an additional fee for using the platform.

Expedia

Expedia is a platform that provides a complete service to passengers, offering holiday arrangements, flights, hotels, houses and many other services. Its advantage is reflected in a good insurance policy, discounts on accommodation, special offers and adjusted prices.

Its brands include: HomeAway, Trivago, Orbitz, Hotels.com and others, so more bookings require visibilty on more channels.

The commission is 18%-23% where are 3 possible payment options. The first way is Hotel collect, where guests pay upon arrival at the apartment, the second way is when booking via Expedia collect virtual card, while the third way involves Expedia Pay, in which the guest is automatically charged for the reservation.

HomeAway

Owned by Expedia, HomeAway is an advertising site, which allows its users to set up their own accommodation or to book a stay in private facilities. . It is considered one of the largest advertisers of private accommodation. Its coverage is in over 190 countries around the world, it is free to use, and includes millions of reviews and comments in order to make the best possible decision about the given accommodation.

Users pay fees to the owner during their stay in their accommodation, at a price determined in advance and before the reservation. Therefore, all benefits, additional fees and provisions are listed before the booking.

For owners, there are several ways. One of them is the payment of a fixed annual fee, which is about $500. Another way is to pay per booking, which is 5% commission for each rental.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is one of the most famous advertising sites, with over 340 million users and about 800,000 advertised accommodation.

When accommodation is placed on this site, it automatically appears on the services FlipKey, HolidayLettings, HouseTrip, Niumbia, which are part of the TripAdvisor portal. Therefore, its biggest advantages are saving time, money, effort as well as presence on these portals.

Accommodation is completely free. The special significance of TripAdvisor is reflected in its ratings and user comments, which are also visible on the mentioned portals. User ratings are considered to have a significant impact on the reputation of the advertised accommodation, which is why it is important to encourage satisfied guests to leave a comment.

The commission is 3% per booking.

In addition to the listed sites, social networks, such as Facebook, can serve as a great tool for advertising your accommodation. Presence on Facebook and creating a Facebook page of your accommodation, provides awareness of people about the existence of private accommodation and hotels, as well as informing guests about the availability of free rooms and appointments.

Another alternative is Facebook groups for renting accommodation, which can be useful if they have a large number of members. Their advantage is reflected in efficiency, time and cost savings.