As the summer season, and big peak time for hospitality, has arrived there’s a lot on the agenda for hoteliers; manage summer staff, provide exceptional guest experience, manage communication with partners and stakeholders, and maximize revenue. To get that extra revenue, and not let majority of bookings slip away to OTAs, direct bookings on your own website is key. To help you on the way, here are some quick tips and reminders to optimize your hotel’s website for direct bookings this summer (and beyond):
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A ‘Book Now’ button that catches the viewer’s attention
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Appealing and detailed descriptions that visualize an experience
Help potential guests visualize their stay by providing comprehensive and engaging descriptions of your rooms and property. Don’t forget that summer travelers, more often than not, want to have an experience at your hotel – so focus on benefits and experiences rather than just features of the hotel room.
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High-quality photography
Make sure that you use professional, high-resolution images to show your property at its best; highlighting rooms, facilities, and key attractions on your website.
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Highlight packages and offers to stand out from OTAs
Provide and highlight special offers and packages that guests can’t find on OTAs. Such as last-minute deals when booking on your website, a tailored spa & dinner package, late check-out options, and more, can motivate guests to book directly.
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Spread the word on social media
If your hotel has social media accounts set up, make sure that you’re active through these channels, and link to your website’s online booking. If you have summer packages and deals set up in your online booking, promote these on your social media and website to engage potential guests.
To sum up…
We hope these quick tips can be of help, or act as reminders, for optimizing your hotel’s website and getting those extra direct bookings in this summer season! Stay tuned for more tips for increasing direct sales going forward.