Hotel Bookings Boost

It was blunt. It was unapologetic.Former Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi didn’t mince words. To hoteliers everywhere, he said, “If they come back to us again, shame on you.” – Dara Khosrowshahi, former CEO of Expedia Group When I first heard it, I thought, 'That sounds fair.'Hotels should do a great job.Capture the guest’s heart and their email, and they’ll never need Expedia again.But it doesn't align with how the OTAs operate.That one statement tells you everything about the OTA game. The...

I'm sure you've experienced this at some point in your career; If not, you've heard about it. Your marketing team rolls out a stunning direct-booking campaign.The campaign is well planned. It includes a targeted email, a landing page, even an influencer visit, and a special offer.This offer is available on all your direct channels and can only be booked on your website. Two days later?Your revenue manager launches an OTA flash sale at a lower rate. Now, the guest sees both.Guess which one...

Your rooms are full.Your team is maxed out.And let’s be honest, you may be thinking you can take your foot off the gas. It’s peak season, and everything is in motion. That’s when the voice creeps in: “Let’s just get through the summer first.” “We’ll deal with fall offers later.” “Christmas campaigns can wait.” “We’ve worked hard to get booked. Let’s ease up a bit.” But here’s the problem:Momentum doesn’t maintain itself.And full rooms don’t always mean full profit. The Temptation to Coast...

Remember the OTA days of old? When Expedia and Booking.com flooded the market with ads: “Best price guarantee” “Compare hundreds of hotels instantly” “One-stop shop for your perfect stay” And they trained customers around the world to believe they had the best deals and the best hotels. For a long time, that worked. But the game has changed. Fewer travelers are starting their search on Google or OTA apps. They’re using AI tools like ChatGPT to ask questions such as: “What’s the best ski-in...

You’re texting a friend:“Hey, where should I stay in Chicago?” They send a few suggestions.You smile politely… but then you open ChatGPT or Google AI and ask the same question. The AI answer feels smarter.More complete.More… trustworthy. Is this true for you?You’re not alone. The Stat That Stopped Me Cold 43% of travelers who use AI book the hotel that their AI tool suggests without doing any more research. Let that sink in. Nearly half of travelers using AI for planning choose the first...

Picture this. It’s date night.Instead of making a reservation, you're taking a spontaneous summer evening stroll down Main Street looking for a dinner spot. You stand in front of two restaurants. One has a bright chalkboard on the sidewalk featuring tonight's specials, a classic cocktail, and a local band starting at 8 pm.There’s music drifting out the door and a server welcoming diners. The other?A dusty window. A faded menu taped to the glass.No updates. No personality. No sign that...

Have you ever heard "email marketing is dead.""No one reads emails anymore.""It’s all about Instagram, TikTok, and whatever comes next." But let me ask you this: Do you have an email address linked to your: Instagram account? Facebook? YouTube? Amazon? Netflix? Yeah. You do. So does your guest.Email isn’t dead - it’s central. So why do hoteliers think email marketing is dead? Here is a list of pretty compelling reasons why many think this. Overload of bad emails. If your inbox is full of...

I remember what it felt like to be the GM of a stand-alone independent hotel.A big part of me - proud. A little part of me - pessimistic. Proud of our service, our people, and what we had built without a brand name on the front door.But there was always that low hum of doubt…Was it even possible to compete with the big operators and OTAs? Other hotels had corporate marketing teams or belonged to brand collections.I had… a front desk manager who also ran revenue management and social. I leaned...

You sit down at your desk. Coffee in hand. Your browser is open to the usual suspects - TripAdvisor, Google, Expedia, and Booking.com. Your hotel reviews are waiting.....again. You groan. Skim a few. Try to think of something original to say.Or, maybe you copy and paste the classic: “Thanks for your feedback. Our team reviews these comments and is dedicated to improvement.” Another week, another round. At this point, reviews have become another item on your endless to-do list.Something to get...

Hey Reader, Years ago, in my twenties, I got into the habit of paying only the minimum on my credit card.It felt manageable.I was “on top of it.”But over time, that small balance grew into a big one.Ugh! I hadn’t gone on a shopping spree.I hadn’t done anything reckless. But defaulting to the easy choice month after month, I ended up paying a lot more than I realized.Outsourcing your hotel bookings to online travel agencies (OTAs) is similar. It doesn’t feel dangerous.It feels easy and...