How Hotels Should Respond To The Growth Of Vacation Rental Market

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hotel, rental market, vacation rental

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With the number of travelers continuing to increase yearly, hotels have consequently been experiencing growth in sales for the past decade. However, with the home or vacation rental market also expanding, the hotel industry is coming up against an unprecedented threat.

According to global market research firm Euromonitor International, rental business pioneer Airbnb will drive in more or less $40 billion in short-term rental sales by 2020. That projection would be higher than the sales of other hospitality companies except for the Marriott-Starwood group.

Hotels have responded to the rise of the rental market in various ways, with some of them in the extremes, such as denial that the likes of Airbnb and HomeAway cater to a different, distinct market segment. The best way to respond is to adapt to them and treat them as competition, since every business has to deal with a myriad of challenges, anyway. And competitors of any form is just one of them.

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Hotels need to continuously improve their amenities and services to keep up with the vacation rental market. Most hotels are already in prime locations, one of the most important factors for travelers when choosing accommodation. But they should also go to great, reasonable lengths, to meet customer demands and provide them a positive customer experience, one that would push them to revisit the hotel or refer the place to other people.

Hotels also have to fight back in the marketing arena, which has been one of the fortes of vacation rental market sites or apps. Investing in relevant marketing channels can help up drive up sales or revenue.

For more than four decades, John Jefferis has been in the hotel and resort development industry, which you can read more about by visiting this blog.

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Hotel Sleeping Strategies For Travelers

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guest experience, hotel, rest, sleep, travel

There are just some people who can’t seem to sleep comfortably when they are not in their own beds. For travelers, this can be incredibly disappointing especially while battling jetlag and other inconveniences. Here are some sleeping strategies to help the restless traveler wind down:

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Ask for a quiet room: When booking a hotel room, a guest can ask for one that is far from the hotel’s special amenities. For example, travelers who need quiet should book rooms two or three floors above banquet halls and pools. Light-sleeping guests should also ask for rooms far from laundry areas and elevators.

Use dark curtains: Dark curtains are truly helpful in keeping the lights out. This is especially important for guests who came from red-eye flights and want to catch up on a few hours of sleep.

Avoid smoking rooms: Some guests aren’t aware that they have booked smoking rooms. Non-smoking guests and even those with asthma and allergies should make sure to get non-smoking rooms to prevent further discomfort.

Take a warm bath: A warm bath before bed helps the body temperature drop especially after long hours of traveling. Feeling clean and fresh can also help a person feel more relaxed.

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Bring sleeping aids: A comfy blanket, a trusted pillow, lavender mist, and other sleeping aids should be brought to help a person feel rested and at home even while staying at a hotel. In other places, guests can ask for sleeping masks and earplugs so that they won’t have to deal with distractions while getting their precious slumber.

John Jefferis is a Bermuda-based hotelier most recognized as the chairman and sole shareholder of Coco Reef Resort located in Bermuda and Tobago. Visit this blog to know more about the hotel industry.

 

Understanding what guests really want out of their accommodations

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accommodation, guest experience, hotel

In the hospitality industry, the guest is king. However, many hotels and accommodations fail to realize what their clients really want. Despite the countless surveys and questioning, many still fail to give their best to the people who avail of their services. They may not always say it but here are the things guests want from their accommodations:

                                         Image source: Pixabay.com

Cleanliness

Cleanliness goes beyond sweeping, buffing, and changing the sheets. What guests really want is a room that smells and feels clean. Unfortunately, many hotel rooms smell and feel stuffy. For this problem, it is vital that rooms are cleaned and checked regularly, including all air conditioning units and other ventilation systems to get rid of allergens and unwanted smell.

Comfort

Modern hotels try to improve their visuals to impress their guests. Especially in this social media era, a nice photo could garner interest from a person’s network. But this tactic can only go so far because, at the end of the day, people will still choose comfort over looks. Despite the trends, guests still want plush pillows and breathable sheets on beds that won’t strain their backs. Having an assortment of refreshing teas and freshly-brewed coffee would also be a nice touch to make them feel at home.

Connectivity

A slow Wi-Fi connection could ruin the guest experience. These days, a high-speed internet connection is important to get things done. Most hotels offer a limited connection to guests that is barely enough to send an email but will grant them better connectivity for a price. Guests these days prefer hotels that won’t charge them extra for better connectivity.

On top of the trends and innovations, guests still prioritize their basic needs. In the quest to be the best, hotels should consider these three factors to provide excellent guest experience.

                                                              Image source: Pixabay.com

Bermuda-based hotelier John Jefferis is the chairman and sole shareholder of Coco Reef Resort located in Bermuda and Tobago. Mr. Jefferis has been working in the hotel industry since the 60’s and is responsible for developing and acquiring some of the famous hotels, resorts, and restaurants in Caribbean region. Visit this blog for more information.

The Impact Of Ai Technology On Hotels

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AI, Hospitality, hotel, technology

A hotel’s long-term success hinges on its ability to bring in new customers and gain their loyalty. However, with the increasing demand for exceptional customer service, abundance of information online, and a multitude of options and competitors, it has become more challenging for hotels to meet customer requirements.

But with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, hoteliers can receive a helping hand, particularly in three areas.

Big data

Data and analytics are the trends nowadays because they provide businesses the means to gain all the information they need about their target market. But with so much data available, crunching these numbers can be time-consuming and is prone to human error. AI can automate the processes involved in collection and analysis of data, making it more efficient and allowing hoteliers to come up with strategic choices as quickly as possible.

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Booking

Currently, most hotel bookings are driven by a cookie-cutter approach, too formulaic and lacking individuality. However, making it more personal will likely compromise efficiency. An AI technology can solve this dilemma, as not only can it book guests in an efficient manner, interaction with would-be customers can also be personalized. This can lead to better online experiences, which can, subsequently, result in better client loyalty.

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Operations

AI can also be implemented in the hotel’s other operations. At present, some hotels already use AI-powered concierge or front desk, such as Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Hilton Worldwide, and Edwardian Hotels. There is also the potential for AI to improve other aspects of hospitality, including room service, valet, housekeeping, and more.

John Jefferis is a multi-awarded hotelier with more than 40 years of experience in hotel and resort development. If you want to learn more about the industry, subscribe to this blog.

Pop-Up Hotels: Portable Lodging

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accommodation, hotel, lodging, pop-up

The pop-up business has already become widespread across the world, adding billions of dollars to many state economies. The most visible ones are pop-up restaurants and pop-up shops. Even pop-up museums are being installed in various locations.

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In past years, pop-up hotels have also become a popular choice among travelers. Hoteliers are investing in mobile, collapsible accommodations set up in strategic places. And customers, particularly the millennials, are enjoying these for various reasons:

Experiential

According to a recent study, a little more than 70 percent of millennials, the largest generation now in U.S., would rather spend money on experiences, instead of material things. Similarly, research by American Express showed that the same percentage of the population prefers having a personalized travel experience.

And it is not just millennials who look for customized experiences. Airbnb reports the over-50 sector are also craving the same when traveling.

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Hotels in unique or forbidden spaces

There are some places that forbid the construction of permanent hotels; an example are the ranch lands in Colorado and festival locations. By putting up temporary pop-up hotels that are made of tents, shipping containers, or other materials, travelers can be provided accommodation in their location of choice.

John Jefferis, an acclaimed hotelier with 40 years of experience, is known and admired for being strongly involved in the various aspects of his business – from conceptualization to logistics. See more articles about the industry by subscribing to this blog.

Crunching Big Data To Keep Hotel Clients Happy

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analytics, data, Hospitality, hotel

Data or information is readily available – whatever industry a business may be in.   And countless organizations have taken advantage of crunching big data and of analytics solutions to bring in more customers and meet their expectations, keeping them satisfied with the products or service.

The opportunity big data provides is available as well to hotels and other businesses in the hospitality sector.  There are millions of travelers in any given day, and hotels are better served utilizing data to gain an understanding of how to bring in these consumers.

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A pioneering example of a hotel using data and analytics was during the winter season of 2013-14.  During this time, the cancellation rate for flights was roughly 3 percent, standing around 90,000 passengers every day.  This meant that hotels close to major airports were presented a distinctly valuable opportunity.

U.S. economy hotel chain Red Roof Inn understood this and had its marketing and analytics team used openly available public data sets to weather conditions and flight cancellations.  With the knowledge that stranded passengers would search for nearby accommodation through their mobile devices, the hotel chain launched targeted marketing campaigns that resulted in a 10 percent increase in sales in the specific areas where they deployed the strategy.

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Basically, big data and analysis can help hotels understand the preferences and requirements of the customers, formulate optimal pricing, and bring value to clients.

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