Independent hotels facing the addictive reach of OTAs
It is undeniable that the biggest change in recent years is related to technology and automation and, despite the apparent slowness of the hotel industry to adapt to new technologies, it seems that something is changing. More and more hotels and hotel chains are relying on new systems, technologies and innovative concepts to enhance the digital guest experience and allow travelers to interact in a modern way with their brand.
Hotels and hotel chains are increasingly relying on new systems, technologies and innovative concepts to enhance the digital guest experience and allow travelers to interact in a modern way with their brand.
Today it is not only about offering a good in-house service, but also about creating a unique experience at all stages of the travel, including the booking process. All major innovations and new technologies require a substantial investment of time, money, knowledge and manpower. These are the most important factors for independent hotels when talking about digital innovations and solutions.
In the next two years, travel agencies will continue to play a very important role in the digital distribution world, but the share of direct bookings will recover. Recent studies have shown that the fight against dependence on third parties is yielding positive results. Hotels should continue to focus on their own channels and strengths. It is the only way to escape this vicious cycle.
OTAs have a far greater reach than independent hotels can have,
becoming “addictive” precisely because of this. Even so, hotels must use these channels in a smart and restrictive way. Only if they monitor them very closely can they become a great benefit to individual hotels. The focus and efforts should always be on improving and enhancing their own distribution channels.
On the other hand, social media will play an increasingly important role in terms of generating leads for hotels. It is very important for hotels to actively manage these channels because they are fundamental in the travel decision process. They are the new hotel brochures, but with a higher level of credibility, because they allow guests to get real information based on the experience of other users and interact with the brand.
TENDS 2019
There are two important trends to look out for in the year that has just begun: the personalization and the mobile experience. Today's travelers expect a personalized experience and want to feel unique at every turn. To meet this need, hotels must rely on digital solutions, quality data storage and well-trained staff.
A balanced combination of these elements is the key to success for hotel professionals. On the other hand, hoteliers need to offer guests a unique mobile experience. This may seem old-fashioned, but reality shows that many hotels don't even have a multichannel version of their website. Everyone in the industry needs to understand by now how important the use of mobile devices is to sales.