Powerful back end and user interface development, paired with supply from partners, has put the power firmly in the fingertips of the traveller.
With that, we are seeing a re-alignment of the online travel booking experience, with technology putting the traveller’s considerations at its core.
The reasons to focus on guest experience are clear: better guest experiences lead to higher rates of re-booking, greater brand loyalty, and better reviews which lead to additional bookings. By using technology and marketplaces which put the traveller experience at the centre, hoteliers can drive better traveller experiences and better outcomes for all.
Using technology that tracks and analyses key touchpoints, from guest reviews, cancellations, and in-stay feedback, to call propensity and relocations, can all help to build an accurate picture of the overall experience.
Whilst this feedback helps to improve a hotelier’s offering, this information is also helping to improve online marketplaces for hoteliers and travellers alike.
Expedia Group is introducing changes to our marketplace where a hoteliers’ visibility will reflect two types of signals, offer strength and guest experience. In turn, giving travellers an accurate and clear picture of what they can expect when they book their accommodations by meaningfully elevating the importance of the guest experience. Some of the signals impacting this score will include staff and service ratings, cleanliness ratings, relocation rates, amenity ratings and more.
This traveller-centric shift will reward accommodation providers that have delivered positive guest experiences with increased visibility and performance, and more opportunities to create connections with guests.
Why? Because when the traveller wins, we all win.
Without adopting technology that puts travellers at its core, hoteliers’ risk being left behind as travellers seek an online travel booking experience that best serve their holistic interests – not just price. By adopting the right technology, hoteliers can expect a richer suite of tools to better understand and serve travellers and better businesses because of it.
To learn more, check this article on guest experience factors.
By Jamie Griego, Director, Market Management, Australia, Expedia Group