Sending a reservation confirmation email is standard practice for hotels today, however; this is also a great opportunity to Welcome the guest and share important information to make them feel confident in the trip and at home onsite.
Good examples include directions to the hotel from area airports as well as dining and entertainment options either in or nearby the hotel. This is also an opportunity to provide upsell options for the guest such as premium room upgrade(s).
Upsell revenue represents a significant opportunity for hoteliers to increase profitability. Guests are generally unaware of the amenity options at a hotel and appreciate receiving information about them. Guests who book upgrade options such as a spa experience or premium room upgrade are more likely to provide a positive social review and share their experience with friends to promote the property.
Guests appreciate the ability to book packages that include their room, dining and entertainment all for one price. It makes the trip easier to plan and often more economical for the guest. If there is a local event happening in your city – create a stay experience package that includes event tickets to capture marketshare.
Guests also love to order holiday-themed cocktails or meals. The novelty of crafting specialty drinks and culinary delights provides some welcome respite from the ordinary menu items for your F&B staff as well as an opportunity for premium revenue based on the uniqueness of the meal or beverage.
Knowing your high demand times allows you to add restrictions regarding length of stay so you can maximize revenue opportunities on shoulder dates.
Consumers value social reviews 5X more than your advertising. If you see a negative review of your hotel, respond promptly by apologizing and sharing any steps taken to remediate the situation from occurring again. Every hotel will eventually receive a negative review, but what matters is how you handle it and use it to improve the stay experience for future guests.
Every hotel has underused spaces. It could be your pool area, a picnic area on the side of the hotel, or a meeting room that has become a storage room due to its size. There may even be underused space in the hotel lobby. Getting creative with how to monetize this space can result in new revenue for the property while adding to the guest experience. Outreach to the community may result in a local artist using space to showcase work in exchange for a small commission to the hotel. A local yoga group may want to use your grassy area for classes. The opportunities are limited only by your vision of what’s possible.
Paying for parking has become a common experience and expectation for most travelers today. If you’d rather not charge hotel guests to park, you can still offer paid parking for nearby businesses and residences to monetize excess parking spaces at your hotel. Events offer another opportunity to realize incremental revenue from parking.
Partner with the larger restaurants in your area during the holiday season to become the after-party destination. Offering group rates and ease of booking will give you unexpected room nights and add to a memorable evening for party goers.
Numerous software and app solutions exist to make guest engagement with your on-property services easy, convenient and enjoyable. Explore what options there are to put your amenities in the guest’s hands and realize additional revenue from better engagement and cross-selling.