COVER TRENDSETTING STORY – HILTON SANDTON
Five booking trends for hotels and guesthouses The travel and tourism industry is in the early stages of its recovery but, as with practically everything else at the moment, the situation remains uncertain and dynamic.
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eeping a finger on the pulse of emerging booking trends will aid hospitality providers in maximising their marketing campaigns and their guest-focused investments, as well as in optimising their profits. Tshepo Matlou, head of marketing and communications at Jurni, has a look at five important booking trends to watch out for – and to capitalise on – for the duration of 2021. The dawn of the ‘half tourist’ The ‘half tourist’ is the new buzzword within the industry, according to Mr Matlou. The term refers to an individual who decides to take a trip to an exciting destination with the intention of splitting his or her time on work-related and leisure activities. Due to advancements in 12 Business Events Africa May 2021
technology and the way in which we work nowadays, most people are able to work practically anywhere – if they have access to a laptop and a stable internet connection. Some might opt to embrace this new-found freedom to the maximum, opting to work on a warm, sandy beach with the ocean as background noise, as opposed to in their boring office at home. Numerous business owners are supporting the idea of workcations, as it is easy to see how a change of scenery and a more relaxed atmosphere has the potential to boost employee productivity. Mr Matlou said: “Now is the time for hotels and guesthouses to market to the ‘half traveller’, promoting free Wi-Fi, high speed connections, beautiful in-room views, and access to comfortable working spaces at every opportunity. It is also a good idea to anticipate an off-peak surge
Tshepo Matlou, Head of Marketing and Communications at Jurni.
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