With declining infection rates and a slight recovery from the pandemic thanks to the vaccine, the future of tourism looks increasingly promising. Although we cannot rule out the idea of a regrowth; your hotel must be prepared to approach it.
According to information from the National Tourism Business Council (CNET), Mexico stopped receiving the visit of more than 20 million foreign tourists in 2020, a figure that represents a drop of 46% compared to 2019.
That is why at GuruHotel we have prepared a guide for your hotel to reactivate itself and get more guests, after the recovery of tourism.
Make your guests feel safe
It is no longer enough to have a swimming pool to attract the attention of guests. They will want to know what protocols are being followed to keep the facilities and rooms clean and safe or if there is any capacity limit. These types of questions will arise around all the services you offer, so keep that in mind when promoting your hotel and communicating with guests. Show that they can trust you to take care of them and their health.
What is clear is that tourists will be more cautious and demanding in:
- Safety and hygiene issues - they need to travel safely.
- Quality of products and services they consume.
- Ease of digital management of the contracted services.
- Customization of the products to your tastes and needs.
Flexibility in reservations
Currently, many users still feel the uncertainty of planning a vacation, either for fear of a new outbreak or another health emergency, that is why you must offer them: flexible rate facilities, changes and refunds, to stimulate demand and generate confidence.
It is a fact that this new normal invites us to reinvent and reverse ourselves when it comes to marketing tourism products and services due to uncertainty.
Market your rooms differently
The home office is becoming more and more visible. According to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the 12.2% of the workforce does it in the "home office" mode.
We invite you to read our article "Long Stays: The New Hotel Normal".
That is why you must have special packages for people looking to work, from your hotel, also providing them with friendly rooms / spaces for work, with good desks, lighting, seats and Wi-Fi.
Another way you can market your rooms is by modifying access policies. For example, many hotels do not allow pets, or do not have handicap accessible facilities. Others do not have the resources to accommodate guests with disabilities. By making your establishment available to other segments, you will be able to recover the income that you would have lost.
Stay active on the internet and digital channels
7 out of 10 travelers use online travel agencies (OTA) when planning their trip, although many times they choose to book in another way (your website).
It is important that you have the same or better visibility than your competitors within the most popular channels, such as: E.com, B.com, which although they are very important, massive digitization, the same that made us pass the pandemic, shows that your direct site is an important digital channel.
Identify the channels that attract the most bookings according to your market niche.
Get more direct bookings
To avoid OTA's commissions, check if your online booking engine is linked to your profiles on social networks and that it is a website designed for ecommerce, where you can convert visits into reservations. If you don't have one yet, it is highly recommended that you try it: it is a very useful tool that allows you to centralize direct bookings and have a closer relationship with guests.
If you require an analysis of your site and obtain greater visibility for your website, we invite you to make an alliance with GuruHotel, where you can notice an increase of up to 40% in your reservations.
The trend of the traveler is changing so many travelers will visit your website and book directly there even if they found you through an OTA. This phenomenon is known as the "billboard effect."
Follow seasonal changes
The coronavirus has disrupted the plans of almost everyone. That implies that many trips for the summer have been modified. This coupled with the fact that in some countries, the school year is also being affected, so it is important that you closely follow all the changes.
Recommendation
COVID-19 has undoubtedly revolutionized the industry and new measures had to be taken for reactivation. But what does not change is that we must not lose focus on providing excellent service to our guests. Knowing the concerns of customers, adapting operational processes to their new needs and creating a competitive advantage around them is the key to success to excel during this pandemic.
Our group of experts is ready to support you with your concerns, needs and recommendations so that in this way you can start selling more rooms.
Contact us!
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