Hospitality industry today is highly competitive in nature, with establishments of all sizes indulging in cut throat competition to seek attention of travelers over the world. Nowadays travel is sold more than any other consumer product on the internet. Internet-booked rooms is in fact the most growing segment of hotel reservations as world wide web offers the perfect platform for bringing a wide network of suppliers and a big pool of clients together on a central platform.
However, owing to the recession faced by the global economy in recent times, despite the rise in internet bookings, hospitality businesses all over the world are trying to find new ways to cut expenses. The focus has lately gotten shifted from driving profits to just being able to survive. Marketing specialists have been working overtime to find the perfect marketing mix and strategies that can help increase revenues while keeping a tight leash on spending.
Although spending on and investing in new resources at such times might sound like a strange idea, but it is important to understand that hotel marketing requires continuous effort, and results are normally cumulative in nature.
With regard to online marketing, the present economic scenario is both challenging and exciting for online hotel marketers. Since online initiatives are usually completely measurable in nature, the strategies can be quickly evaluated and adjusted to achieve most optimum results. Even during recession, there will be opportunities that will provide intelligent operators with the opportunity to optimize the average rate and maximize room occupancy. Hotels can find opportunities even during such tough times if they’re willing to adopt some methods that are slightly away from the conventional business models.
The top five online marketing tips that can help your hospitality business in surviving such recession phases are:
- Recognize and accept the fact that there will be certain weeks during the year that will be slower in nature. It’ll be better to warm up your rates during such periods, both with your OTAs (online travel agents) and on your online booking engine.
- Your portal is like a shop window for leisure clients and some segments of corporate clients. It should be designed keeping in mind these clients and must be a perfect reflection of your product.
- Begin focusing on strategic campaigns. Perhaps you can consider offering deals on private dining, office parties and corporate/private meetings.
- As per the rules of occupancy marketing, you should offer the best rates on your own booking system online; at worst, you can have rate parity i.e. you may sell your services/products at the same rates through the online travel agents (OTAs).
- You must focus on SEO (search engine optimization) activities for your website. Your target clients must be able to locate you easily when searching on google using particular keywords.
Recession compresses the marketplace. That round the corner big 5 star hotel will now be working overtime to come after your property. You’ll have to become smarter and understand what motivates your target market. Value added programs and packages are excellent methods that appeal to travelers in difficult times.
Marketing your hotel online can become much easier if your property receives regular positive feed backs related to its efficiency, on internet. Hotelogix is one such property management system that makes it possible to achieve such efficiency level consist.
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