Weekly Insights. November 30, 2024

Upcoming holiday season impact on U.S. hotel performance

This article discusses how two calendar shifts—a later Thanksgiving and mid-week Christmas/New Year's holidays—will impact U.S. hotel performance during the 2024 holiday season. With only 26 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, travel compression is expected, though its impact will be moderate.

Technology trends shaping the future of the hospitality industry today

This article explores key technology trends shaping the hospitality industry, including the rise of AI for hyper-personalization, IoT for smart room experiences, and contactless solutions driven by staff shortages. Virtual and augmented reality enhance marketing, while robotics and automation address workforce challenges. Data analytics aids revenue management and personalization, and robust cybersecurity safeguards guest trust. Sustainability tech like AI-led energy management aligns with eco-conscious guest expectations. By adopting these innovations, hospitality providers can enhance efficiency, improve guest experiences, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Black Friday strategies for hotels to maximise direct bookings

This article offers Black Friday strategies for hotels to maximize direct bookings, emphasizing early campaigns, personalized offers, and urgency-driven tactics like countdown timers. Tips include leveraging metasearch platforms for visibility, offering value-added packages and discounts, and rewarding loyalty with exclusive deals. It stresses the importance of tailoring promotions to different guest segments and analyzing campaign performance to refine future efforts, ensuring success during the competitive Black Friday season.

Why franchise a hotel: 5 best hotel franchises

This article outlines the benefits of hotel franchising, highlighting how it helps independent hotel owners leverage established brands for increased visibility, operational support, and guest loyalty. Key advantages include access to global marketing, robust loyalty programs, and group purchasing power, which streamline operations and boost revenue. It also discusses franchise costs, such as initial fees and royalties, and provides insights into profitable brands like Marriott and Hilton.

Hotel brand performance 2024

The CBRE report highlights the slowing RevPAR growth in the U.S. hotel industry, driven by market maturation and competition from alternative lodging. Brand proliferation has increased, with the average brand family growing from 13 to 25 brands between 2013 and 2023. Upper-midscale hotels outperformed other segments, benefiting from strong brand recognition and guest-friendly features like free breakfast. RevPAR growth declined from 3% (2013-2018) to 1.5% (2018-2023), with most brands underperforming inflation. Selecting high-performing brands within a chain scale is critical, as top brands significantly outperform weaker counterparts. Extended-stay and limited-service hotels remain popular, while full-service urban hotels face slower recovery due to lagging business travel. The report underscores the importance of strategic brand selection and operational efficiency in navigating a competitive landscape.

Apple's latest iOS 18.2 update: What hotel marketers need to know

The article outlines the implications of Apple’s iOS 18.2 update for hotel marketers, focusing on privacy changes and AI-driven email categorization. Key updates include AI-generated email summaries replacing pre-headers and Apple Mail sorting emails into categories like Primary and Promotions, similar to Gmail tabs. These changes will make tracking email metrics like opens and clicks more challenging, pushing marketers to prioritize first-party data, compelling content, and new success metrics such as conversion rates. The update emphasizes the importance of adapting email strategies to maintain guest engagement and drive direct bookings.

The ultimate guide to buy now, pay later (BNPL) for hotels

This article highlights the benefits of implementing Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment options for hotels. BNPL allows guests to spread payments over installments, improving conversion rates, increasing booking values, and boosting overall property revenue. It helps extend booking windows, enhances guest experiences by providing flexible payment choices, and expands distribution channels to reach younger, budget-conscious demographics. Hotels partnering with BNPL providers can also enjoy upfront payments and lower commission fees compared to OTAs, optimizing both profit margins and guest satisfaction.

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