Hotels want more online bookings, won’t invest in tech

Cheerful young woman waking up in her hotel room, stretching her arms.

A report by the global hotel industry’s leading cloud platform, SiteMinder, has found that the ability to grow direct bookings and online presence is the top business focus for hotels this year.

The finding is based on the Global Hotel Business Index that included 2,100 survey responses from hoteliers at both independent properties and hotel groups around the world.

Increasing direct bookings and growing online presence is a higher business priority for hoteliers than mobile bookings or personalisation to enhance the guest experience.

There is a paradox to this. In spite of 95 per cent of respondents ranking ‘driving guests to book direct’ as a challenge, only 37 per cent nominated ‘exploring new hotel technology and systems’ as a high priority for their hotel business.

“Outdated technology and systems – and the high costs that typically come with those – are rampant in our industry,” said Siteminder’s Managing Director Mike Ford.

“We are clearly witnessing an unprecedented rise in online bookings – both direct and via third party channels.”

Research showed the dominance of OTAs and the rise and rise of Airbnb have also been keeping hoteliers up at night.

The perceived dominance of OTAs came out as the top challenge that hoteliers think the industry is facing – ranked at 54 per cent.

In a bid to help hoteliers get a headstart on their competitors, Siteminder created a handy infographic. Check it out:

 

Watching-Your-Competition_INFOGRAPHIC

 

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • News

APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

  • Cruise
  • Luxury
  • News

Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

  • Luxury

Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]