TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, is a traveler’s ultimate go-to resource for planning the perfect trip. From insights on hotels, restaurants and attractions, TripAdvisor details countless destinations across the globe. Additionally, the site serves as an excellent tool for hospitality industry professionals.
In their Top 13 tips for Special Offer Success article, TripAdvisor provides hoteliers with advice on how to use special offers to propel their business forward. Building upon their ideas, we have provided best practices for independent hoteliers using innRoad to increase bookings by incentivizing travelers with special offers. By leveraging innRoad’s booking engine and Global Distribution services, two integral features of our hotel management system, hotel owners and operators can widely promote special offers that can substantially increase bookings, drive greater top-line revenue and result in stronger bottom-line profit growth.
Promote Your Less Frequently Booked Rooms
Some hotels have specific rooms that do not sell out often or are not as frequently requested as others on-property. Rooms located near a busy street, an elevator shaft or housekeeping closet can be viewed as undesirable by guests and left unoccupied, if operators do not make a concerted effort to fill them. Without an occupancy growth strategy, unoccupied inventory will continually result in missed opportunities to capture highly-desired revenue.
As key features of our hotel management system, our Booking Engine and Global Distribution services are tools specifically designed to help hoteliers maximize occupancy. Through each channel, innRoad allows hoteliers to display special offers and rates, such as promotions for less desirable inventory. By clearly stating the reason for discounting certain rooms, hoteliers can attract value-minded guests who will gladly take a less popular room in exchange for cost savings. By honestly promoting this inventory and clearly communicating with their guests, operators can convert unpopular inventory into steady revenue and capture profits that may have otherwise gone to competitors.
Target Specific Traveler Segments
Every traveler has requirements they rely upon when booking a hotel room. For business travelers, hotels that provide free and powerful Wi-Fi that allows them to check email and remain productive while away from the office are always attractive lodging options. Budget-conscious leisure travelers, especially families, enjoy receiving exceptional value in exchange for their dollars, so hotels that provide free breakfast and kid-friendly activities are prime candidates for their reservations. Every hotel has a different client base that drives their business, so operators can maximize booking opportunities by marketing directly to these travelers.
Similar to packaging special offers for less desirable rooms, hoteliers can leverage the features of innRoad’s property management system to promote traveler-specific deals. In targeting travelers, a discount is not always required. Sometimes just highlighting available services and amenities that cater to their needs is all that is needed to capture their business. Through innRoad’s Booking Engine, offers can be promoted and booked directly through hotel websites and with Global Distribution System connectivity, travelers can discover and claim deals through popular online travel agents, like Expedia, Travelocity and TripConnect from TripAdvisor. Additionally, innRoad’s Mobile Booking Engine, a premium add-on feature of our property management system, lets travelers book hotel deals easily on their mobile devices.
Checking Out
Separating your hotel from competitors is challenging, but the advanced features of innRoad’s property management system provides operators with the tools to promote occupancy-driving incentives to travelers across the globe. We invite hoteliers to try innRoad with a free demo of our cloud-based property management system. Register today and take the first step toward optimizing your hotel for maximum occupancy and profitability.
