The hospitality industry struggled with a staffing crisis throughout the pandemic and felt its affects after – with research from Failte Ireland released earlier this year telling us that as many as nine out of ten hospitality businesses were having big problems with recruitment. Pre-pandemic hospitality was the third-largest industry in the private sector, was estimated to contribute £133.5bn to national gross domestic product and employed over 3.2m people. Automation refers to anything (a technology, process or procedure) that exists to reduce or eliminate inputs while maintaining outputs; t ..read more

Metasearch is a very important part of your overall marketing mix. It helps to increase your online reach, generate more bookings and can help to increase your direct bookings too. Metasearch engines aggregate results from a variety of search engines. Travelers enter search terms, like their destination, travel dates, and number of guests, then the metasearch site delivers search results that include hotels that meet their criteria. Metasearch engines have grown in usage hugely over the last few years and even more so over the last year. Although direct bookings rose over the pandemic (direc ..read more

We only have 24 hours in a day, and sometimes it’s just not enough… the entire idea of ‘content’ can be slightly overwhelming for hoteliers, we know. As if you don’t have enough to do with everything else that seems more pressing and directly linked to customers and bookings. However, content can be a very valuable and worthy resource for customers, it has the ability to interest potential guests and keep existing guests coming back. Content marketing can result in increased sales, cost savings and a loyal customer base. ‘Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating ..read more

With consumer expectations rising by the day, it’s no surprise the book direct channel (your hotel’s website) is becoming more popular with tech savvy holidayers (aka the majority!) We have become used to increasingly personalised experiences when it comes to parting with our money in exchange for a product or service. When booking a hotel, we approach it no differently – in fact, our expectations potentially rise again, because a holiday (large, small, workation, staycation, vacation, whatever) is generally a larger expense. Therefore we want more. Consumers know that shopping around for the ..read more

What’s the one device that is as embedded into our lives as our family or friends? For better or worse, it’s our smartphones. 5.22 billion people (66.6% of the global population) currently use a mobile, and to give you an idea as to how often we’re glued to those little screens, the average American uses their phone for 5.4 hours each day. When we say mobile usage is growing globally, we mean across the board. Usage is growing in relation to internet browsing, streaming and also purchasing. 80% of B2B buyers are using a mobile device to make purchases In a global context, mobile data traffic i ..read more

With the impact the last two years has had on us all – as people, professionals and guests – it’s no wonder technology investment will be really important in 2022. The collective pushback and need for a more satisfying existence means that most businesses providing a product or service will need to truly tune in to their customers’ needs. The hotel industry is no different. Making your guests’ experience as quick, pain-free, pleasant and easy as possible will not only be achieved through technology, but technology will play a huge part in things. Your technology needs to support the human aspe ..read more

If you think about it, we humans crave consistency. Consistency is as comforting as our routines – it’s constant, stays the same, and makes us feel secure. This idea applied to your hotel marketing strategy is no different. A consistent marketing presence is a key factor in a longer lasting connection and relationship with guests, because it will help them to get to know you over time and to trust you are who you say you are – and you can deliver what you say you can deliver. Watch our masterclass on content marketing  Your brand is the touchpoint to which everything falls back on. It is ..read more

What else does a new year mean if not fresh starts, new perspectives, a heightened sense of the possibilities within reach, and a determination to improve? Before Christmas, we took a look back at the key trends that stood out from 2021 in relation to hotel marketing, bookings and tech. Now we’re on the other side, we’re taking a look at what’s coming down the line and how you can plan for 2022 as a hotelier. There are some things we cannot predict, but by focusing on what you can control, you’ll be setting yourself up for success the best way you can at this point. Download your guide to plan ..read more

It’s been another long year for us all, and a tough one for the hospitality industry. Ups and downs have been weathered, with some periods of success and relief experienced amongst the harder, more worrying times of uncertainty. Restrictions across Europe and the US have become generally tighter recently in a bid to minimise the threat of the Omicron variant. Pubs and restaurants across Ireland are now closing at 8pm every evening, while we are simultaneously noticing hotels experiencing strong bookings for the month of December. Voucher sales are also up – in fact, they’re currently higher th ..read more

We know it can be difficult to settle on the right booking engine and marketing mix for hotels who want to increase their direct bookings as much as possible. Alongside our partners over at Taktikon, we are passionate about aiding hoteliers through this journey. That’s why we have collated our expert takes to best inform hoteliers on their options across tech and marketing – all with the aim of increasing their direct bookings. We believe in creating harmonious third party relationships Oliver: Taktikon are forever curious about hotel technology game-changers that help hotels become more effic ..read more