#29 HIC NEWS OF THE WEEK

Happy Monday and happy new week!

The last month in 2023 has begun and this gives us the opportunity to go down memory lane, reflect and look back to what we have achieved this year but also to set new goals for 2024. We are looking forward to keep on delivering the hottest hospitality news to you every monday.

Here are this weeks topics:

Start risk-free: In-room tablets with no initial investment
Cendyn and SiteMinder establish strategic partnership to grow revenue for hotels
Technology and tourism: a journey through the centuries
Black Friday 2023: Direct Channel Campaigns Boost Hotel Website Conversions by 43%
opensmjle: Learn the key practices to optimize your website and turn visitors into guests!

Thank you, and see you next week,

Laura and Jess

Start risk-free: In-room tablets with no initial investment

– by SuitePad

SuitePad is revolutionising hotel technology financing with its new performance model with built-in ROI. Hotels can now drive their digital transformation without the usual challenges of an initial investment.

What’s changing?

No hardware fee
No installation fee
No monthly software usage fee

Instead, the costs are limited to a pre-defined success fee. You only pay when you realise actual financial benefits. These can be, for example, cost savings from cancelled room cleaning or additional revenue such as breakfast bookings initiated directly via the in-room tablets.

The SuitePad performance model at a glance

No investment: Trial the benefits of digital guest communication at no initial cost.
Transparent profit sharing: Only pay if your hotel achieves financial added value with SuitePad.
Unrivalled guest experience: Meet your guests’ digital expectations with the leading provider of in-room tablets.

DISCOVER SUITEPAD PERFORMANCE

Cendyn and SiteMinder establish strategic partnership to grow revenue for hotels

– by Cendyn

Cendyn, a leader in digital transformation in hospitality, and SiteMinder, a key player in hotel revenue optimization, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing revenue management for over 70,000 hotels. This collaboration allows Cendyn’s clients to access SiteMinder’s revenue platform, complementing Cendyn’s award-winning central reservations system (CRS). It offers enhanced rate plan and inventory management, and access to SiteMinder’s extensive distribution channels. Similarly, SiteMinder’s customers will benefit from improved platform features, leveraging Cendyn’s hotel performance data. This partnership builds on their initial collaboration since 2018, aiming to provide greater revenue opportunities and streamlined operations for global hoteliers.

You can read the full article here.

Technology and tourism: a journey through the centuries

– by Mirai

Technology and Tourism: A Journey Through the Centuries” explores the intertwined history of technology and the tourism industry. Initially, travel was a basic human activity, with the 4th century seeing the creation of the Tabula Peutingeriana, an early travel guide. The Crusades marked the beginning of organized travel groups, relying on technology for success. The discovery of the Americas in the 15th century further highlighted technology’s role in exploration.

By the 16th century, the Grand Tours of Europe began, driven by technological advancements. The 18th century introduced travelers checks, simplifying financial transactions during travel. The steam engine’s invention in the same century revolutionized travel, leading to tourism for pleasure. Thomas Cook’s first train excursion in 1841 marked the start of tour operations.

The article also covers the development of the hotel industry, the rise of large hotel chains in the 1950s, and the emergence of credit cards and global distribution systems in the 20th century. The 1990s saw a digital revolution in travel, with the creation of online travel agencies and platforms. The article concludes by discussing the hotel industry’s growth and the significant role of technology in hotel distribution and marketing.

Read the full article here.

Black Friday 2023: Direct Channel Campaigns Boost Hotel Website Conversions by 43%

– by The Hotels Network

Black Friday 2023 proved to be a game-changer for the hotel industry. The Hotels Network (THN) conducted a study analyzing over 6,500 hotels globally. Key findings revealed that hotels with Black Friday campaigns saw a notable increase in website traffic and booking engine searches. Most strikingly, these hotels experienced a 43% surge in website conversion rates, compared to just 2% for hotels without such campaigns.

This trend debunked the myth that Black Friday deals reduce average booking values. In fact, hotels running campaigns saw an 18% increase in revenue per booking. Effective strategies included early pre-sales, collecting emails for exclusive deals, and optimizing discounts with minimum length of stay requirements. These insights highlight the significant potential of Black Friday campaigns in boosting direct bookings and overall revenue in the hotel industry.

Learn the key practices to optimize your website and turn visitors into guests!

– by opensmjle.

Best practices:

Mobile optimization: Your website needs to be as inviting on mobile as it is on desktop.

Fast loading times: Keep your visitors’ attention with fast loading times.

Clear CTAs: Clear calls to action lead to more bookings.

Build trust: Customer reviews and security seals create trust.

Multimedia content: Images and videos present your hotel attractively.

Simple booking processes: Fewer clicks mean more bookings.

Personalization: Offer tailored content to increase interest.

Key takeaways

Think about mobile users.
Pay attention to fast loading times.
Use clear CTAs.
Builds trust through ratings and security certificates.
Use multimedia content for your hotel.
Simplify the booking process.
Offer personalized content to increase engagement.

A tip from Daniel:

“The booking button should be easy to find at all times. We are testing new CTAs – stay tuned!”

Increase your conversion rates and generate more bookings with these tips! Conversion optimization is an ongoing process – test, analyze and improve your strategy continuously. Good luck with your digital hotel marketing!

Read the full article here.

#29 HIC NEWS OF THE WEEK

Start risk-free: In-room tablets with no initial investment

Cendyn and SiteMinder establish strategic partnership to grow revenue for hotels

Technology and tourism: a journey through the centuries

Black Friday 2023: Direct Channel Campaigns Boost Hotel Website Conversions by 43%

Learn the key practices to optimize your website and turn visitors into guests!

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