{"id":2410,"date":"2023-04-28T08:07:51","date_gmt":"2023-04-28T08:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web_staging_fern.staging.cartstack.com\/blog\/?p=2410"},"modified":"2023-07-24T20:10:06","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T20:10:06","slug":"5-ways-to-optimize-online-experiences-to-reach-a-new-generation-of-hotel-guests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cartstack.com\/blog\/5-ways-to-optimize-online-experiences-to-reach-a-new-generation-of-hotel-guests\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Optimize Online Experiences to Reach a New Generation of Hotel Guests"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Strategies and technology can help hotels recover a lost bookings, enhance guest relationships, and generate more direct revenue<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

For those of us who grew up wrestling with the novel dysfunction of dial-up internet (or even just prior to the introduction of the computer), the digital conveniences enjoyed today often feel like they belong in a different world. In fact, they do. The early-internet age is, at this point, a bygone era reserved for nostalgic references. On the other hand, the modern world is rife with innovations that are so seamless and intuitive many of us take the convenience they offer for granted. With countless tech-driven tools and powerful search engines at our fingertips, we have grown accustomed to fast and personalized service. At what seems to be a blistering pace, technology is becoming faster, smarter, and more agile in its ability to adapt to consumer preferences and get ahead of them.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that businesses are expected to consider the quality of the online and offline experience they offer customers in equal measure. The hospitality industry, as you might have guessed, is no exception. Today\u2019s guest is exceedingly digitally savvy and well-versed in the criteria informing a great online experience. This also means that today\u2019s guest comes with high expectations \u2013 and those hospitality brands which fail to align the quality of their digital experience with that of their on-property experience will be fighting an impossibly uphill battle.

Simply stated, hotels today must prioritize optimizing their online experiences for this new generation of guests \u2013 starting with the booking journey \u2013 or they will risk being left behind.

1. Get to Know the Modern Guest<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, we can\u2019t talk about the wants and needs of the modern guest without first defining who they are. Looking beyond the well-known and often better-understood Boomer and Gen X generational groups, we set our sights on Millennials and Gen Z. Millennials were born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s, while Gen Z was born between 1997 and 2012. Millennials, with some approaching 40, are a considerable force within the hospitality industry; research indicates they travel significantly more than other generations. Specifically, American millennials are reported to travel an average of 35 days per year, followed closely by 29 days for Gen Z, compared to 26 days for Gen X and 27 days for baby boomers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen it comes to nearly all travel behaviors, millennials are the generation most likely to engage \u2014 and they do so often,\u201d explains Lindsey Roeschke in a recent CNBC Travel news update<\/a>. \u201cFor example, 18% of millennials have taken three or more domestic flights in the past year, compared to 10% of Gen Xers and 6% of baby boomers.\u201d To this effect, millennials value \u201cthe idea of vacationing over adding a few more dollars to their savings,\u201d according to a report from GWI Travel. According to its research, they are \u201cway out in front of other generations\u201d in deeming vacations to be very or extremely important to them.

As you might have guessed, Millennials and Gen Z have a lot in common \u2013 especially concerning their expectations for brand interactions across digital mediums. These travelers are, after all, digital natives \u2013 they grew up in the digital age and are entirely comfortable (if not reliant on) using digital tools to manage their travel booking experience. They are not only comfortable with technology \u2013 they actively champion it and expect a seamless, user-friendly experience that mirrors the speed of digital service they\u2019ve grown up enjoying. If there are kinks or delays in the booking process, it\u2019s likely that prospective guests will take their business elsewhere.

<\/strong>2. If it\u2019s not Seamless, it\u2019s not Effective<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this digital age, the end-user experience is the ultimate litmus test for the quality of an online experience. The e-commerce environment can hang its popularity on the fact that it\u2019s easy, quick, and convenient \u2013 and the online booking journey is expected to adhere to this formula.

Similar to an online retail shopping experience, if a traveler\u2019s attempt to book is sidetracked by friction points such as website errors, slow load times, surprise fees, inconvenient payment options (or, in general, a complicated booking process), that traveler is likely to abandon their prospective booking altogether. In 2023, if your online experience isn\u2019t seamless \u2013 it isn\u2019t effective.

3. The Mobile Experience Should not be an Afterthought<\/strong>

With reports indicating that 53% of mobile site<\/a> visits are abandoned if pages take longer than 3 seconds to load and a 2-second delay in load time results in abandonment rates of up to 87%, we realize that user patience is dwindling. Hotels must come to the table with a quick and seamless mobile experience. With this in mind, hotels must consider the mobile booking experience they offer travelers under the same critical lens as their website experience. A great website isn\u2019t enough if the mobile experience is lacking.

Instead, hotels must consider the possibility that millennial and gen z travelers might discover\/research hotels and book and pay for upcoming trips via smartphones. With this in mind, hotels must ensure the user experience is optimized across all<\/em> platforms and services \u2013 not just some.

4. Don\u2019t Just Inform \u2013 Engage with Data-Backed Personalization<\/strong>
<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern travelers arrive at a hotel\u2019s website wanting more information \u2013 but their expectations don\u2019t end there. They want to be engaged and get the sense that their values and preferences are reflected back at them by the hospitality brand they are considering. After all, websites and apps aren\u2019t meant to function in the same way as a billboard advertisement \u2013 engagement is a two-way street, and customer personalization is now the norm across all industries.

More than ever, hotels are expected to leverage technologies such as machine learning and AI, chatbots, data analytics, and more to personalize the guest experience and curate tailored communications, offers, and recommendations. With the help of technology, hotels can finally get to know their guests in a quicker and more scalable manner that was never before possible \u2013 and today, guests outright expect it.

This becomes especially paramount when prospective travelers begin \u2013 and then abandon \u2013 the booking process. Travel is, after all, a big-ticket purchase, and guests often require more time to contemplate their booking decision. Leading hospitality brands now leverage advanced technology to send personalized booking abandonment emails and SMS messages with data-informed details and offers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By re-engaging these guests through customized communication, hotels can recover a significant number of lost bookings, enhance guest relationships, and generate additional revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


5. Give Them a Reason to Book Direct<\/strong>

There are very few, if any, travelers who don\u2019t love a deal, and there are very few travelers who won\u2019t think twice about leaving your website behind if they are presented with an exit intent offer. With this in mind, hotel brands can leverage booking abandonment technology to quickly display a targeted message to a prospective traveler perusing the site. Whether the intent offer creates a sense of FOMO or simply offers up a great deal (i.e., \u201cBook now to save 10%\u201d), exit intent offers help drive on-page conversion up while decreasing booking abandonment rates in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By targeting and re-engaging potential guests who have shown interest in booking but still need to complete the process, hotels can increase conversion rates. This means more direct bookings for hotels and reduced revenue lost to abandoned reservations – minimizing the reliance on third-party booking platforms and commissions,  leading to significant cost savings for hotels in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


In today\u2019s world, the hospitality industry must embrace the digital revolution and prioritize optimizing online experiences to meet the expectations of the modern guest. By understanding their target audience, ensuring a seamless booking process, prioritizing mobile experiences, personalizing interactions, and providing remarketing incentives, hotels and venues can effectively reach and cater to this new generation of guests.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Strategies and technology can help hotels recover a lost bookings, enhance guest relationships, and generate more direct revenue For those of us who grew up wrestling with the novel dysfunction of dial-up internet (or even just prior to the introduction of the computer), the digital conveniences enjoyed today often feel like they belong in a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,144],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n5 Ways to Optimize Online Experiences to Reach a New Generation of Hotel Guests<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cartstack.com\/blog\/5-ways-to-optimize-online-experiences-to-reach-a-new-generation-of-hotel-guests\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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