Advantages of transient business: increase your revenue!
Due to coronavirus, most people find themselves homebound. Luckily, the number of coronavirus infections are decreasing in many countries, allowing the government to review the regulations regarding the hospitality industry. Hotels are reopening, and a lot of borders are opening for tourists again. These new developments introduce an excellent time to focus on transient travellers and how they can increase your revenue.
Why transient travellers are interesting for your business
When you think of transient travellers, you probably think of business travellers. However, that group is not the only one that covers the transient business. It also includes walk-in guests, last-minute bookers and guests that require a very short-term stay. They’ll likely be going on a city trip or exploring rural regions for a weekend getaway.
Most transient travellers have an easy-going attitude: they don’t ask for much, except for a clean room, basic (but good) service and a simple breakfast. That’s precisely what makes this target group interesting! They are willing to pay a standard rate, but they don’t need a lot of attention. A quick win!
How to increase revenue with transient business
Now that you know who those transient travellers are, it’s time to focus on how to attract them to your accommodation and how to boost your sales. Below you can find three essential tips:
Adjust your rate types
The most common rate type is the 'Best Available Rate'. However, for the transient traveller, you might want to think of spicing it up a bit. Adding a last-minute rate or promotional rate and offering them on your connected online travel agents (OTAs) is a good idea. But, do make sure the length of stay* of your rates is set to a minimum of one night to facilitate a short stay. With BedBooker, new rate types are easily added, and restrictions can be amended in a few clicks.
A non-refundable rate is often very popular too. But, as these times are more uncertain, the non-refundable rate might be too risky for the booker. Although you can always add it for the future, we recommend to not spend too much time on it now.
* The restriction Length of Stay indicates what the minimum days are that a guest must stay at your accommodation.
Gain online visibility
Make it easier for the transient traveller to find you. By connecting to multiple booking sites, your rooms will pop-up more often on the bookers’ screen, increasing the chance they choose your room. So, don’t stick only to your two favourite booking sites but consider adding a few more to gain visibility. Connecting new booking sites is easy with BedBooker, and there are plenty of options available to connect to.
On average, BedBooker users are connected to four different online travel agents.
There are a lot of OTAs to choose from, with the most popular ones being Booking.com and Expedia. However, here are some examples of other popular OTAs BedBooker customers are using.
Get a promotional deal
Consider adding a promotional deal to attract the transient traveller to your accommodation. Think of a one-night stay, including a guided city tour, or bike rental. Tourists tend to go out and explore the neighbourhood. Why not help them do that? It will add value to their short stay, making it more attractive to book.
In addition to adding those promotional deals to the booking module on your website, you can also offer them via your connected Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). Utilise the marketing tools available to you from OTAs and get maximum exposure in their marketing campaigns; a return investment from your commission payments by getting them to work for you!
Efficiently maintaining your rates
Spicing up your rates, gaining more online visibility and adding value to the stay; it sounds like a lot of work. However, BedBooker will reduce your efforts significantly. Rates can easily be added or adjusted with a few clicks, and every change is immediately transferred to the connected booking sites. Attracting transient travellers and increasing your revenue has never been that easy!
This article has been written by our partner, SmartHOTEL.
SmartHOTEL help hoteliers navigate the exciting world of online distribution. With the use of distribution technology and tailored connectivity, they ensure you can sell your rooms in the most-efficient and revenue-generating way.
