Online Booking Engines: Best Practice

BY GEMMA TODD-MCVINISH

Approximately 700 million people will be booking accommodation online by 2023. As technology advances and guests’ expectations rise, it is essential to provide a seamless online booking experience. Not only is a user-friendly experience important for guests, but it also means you will convert more bookings and secure more revenue for your business.

With so much information circulating in the industry, it can often feel overwhelming to keep up with the latest trends, so here are some simple tips to turn your website into your most valuable booking channel.

An integrated online booking engine is hosted within your website, meaning it reflects your branding and establishes trust. A non-integrated booking engine can often make guests uneasy about placing their booking and making payment as it navigates them to an unfamiliar page.

Integrated is seamless, professional and guests will be less likely to book through an online travel agent, saving you money on commissions fees.

Ensure your booking engine is easy to navigate and follow by keeping your accommodation options to a minimum. By providing too many site types or rate options, it can quickly become confusing. Keep in mind that people digest information better in threes, so try splitting your glamping tents and sites into three tiers, such as budget, premium, and luxury.

86% of travelers are disappointed by their experience with Online Travel Agents whilst using a mobile device. Have you browsed your website and booking engine on your cell phone? You may be surprised that it looks quite different from the desktop view. If it’s tricky to navigate, contact your website designer to get it rectified – it can be the difference between someone placing a booking or abandoning their cart.

During the check-out process, you can cross-sell with add-ons (such as breakfast or firewood) and activities or tours you may offer. Package deals are also a sure way to increase your average spend per booking and really add value to your guest’s stay. For example, you could offer a couples glamping experience that includes 2-nights’ accommodation, a bottle of local wine on arrival, and a romantic candlelit picnic dinner.

Dynamic pricing is intelligently designed to maximize your revenue based on your occupancy rates (supply and demand). This allows you to optimize your occupancy during the off-season and maximize your revenue in high-demand periods. Have you ever looked at booking a flight and then a week later the price increased? This is the perfect example of dynamic pricing. It’s completely automated and generally configured within your property management system.

Provide a personalized experience with the option of site lock during the booking process. Your guests will be able to view your property map and select their preferred glamping tent or site for a small fee.

Get started with these simple tips and rest assured your guests will have a great user-experience and first impression of your glamping business.