There have been a few international articles since the beginning of the year about the most important concepts in hospitality and tourism. Let’s have a look at some of the predictions for 2013:
Quality over Quantity
Studies show the 2013 traveller would rather save up for one special experience than go on more than one cheaper trip closer to home. Which could lead to more international visitors to South Africa – good news!
These travellers will then also spend more on each trip, so make sure you offer them a variety of optional extras. Cross-sell our ActivityBridge activities on your booking form to earn extra commission that would have been lost to you if they booked directly with the provider. See our blog post for more.
Mobile & Social Media
Mobile phones & tablets give social media wings to fly – you can post updates from your phone & tag friends or check in wherever you are. It is predicted that in 2013 more people will access the internet from mobile devices than from desktops or laptops.
Last-minute accommodation or activity bookings through mobile will also increase so you need to make sure you can be booked in this way! NightsBridge’s mobile booking form has recently been redone and is now super sleek and even more functional. By adding this booking option to your mobile site you are making click-to-sleep very easy for your last-minute mobile booker.
Amenity Must-Haves
Travellers want a home-from-home experience with all the creature comforts when they are away from theirs. A study by Hotels.com showed that 34% of travellers said that free Wi-Fi was their number 1 factor when choosing a place to stay. The second most popular amenity? Free food and beverages, with coffee being a must.
People want to be connected and comfortable. If you manage to get this balance just right you can be assured of a happy guest that will return again and again.
Say Cheese… or Action!![pinterest]()
Photo-sharing will continue to be popular in the year ahead. If you haven’t played around with Pinterest or Instagram yet – now is the time! A lot of brands use Pinterest to create a visual pinboard showing off all of their facilities and their location. Create your story in pictures and tell the world about it.
Or grab that video camera – unrehearsed marketing videos can show off interesting and useful information about your property. Try different approaches – have interviews with staff, demonstrations from your kitchen or film a nearby attraction. Then put it on the web! More and more people are starting to view and share videos online.
Refresh Your Website
Your website should encourage direct bookings by making it easy for the visitor to see what is available and book there and then. Keep your site fresh with new content, have great media on it (video and photographs) and make sure your NightsBridge Book Now button is prominent on every page.
You don’t want to lose a booking because the visitor gives up on finding a way to make it.
Do you agree with the trends mentioned? Which other trends do you predict will surface in 2013? Let us know in the comments below.
It’s not too late to kick off the year right – consider working some of the above into your strategy going forward.
