Monthly Newsletter
April 2023 Newsletter
In our latest newsletter, we focus on the optimization of using a channel manager in conjunction with the highly anticipated launch of GuestPoint’s exclusive channel manager for APAC properties.
Additionally, we introduce a new way for guests to book your property direct, along with insights for short-term rentals to expand into targeted markets and tips on updating online rates for effective management.
Stay informed and up-to-date with our latest industry happenings and more by checking out our newsletter.
Industry News
How Google Hotels is Delivering you More Profit
The changing landscape of online travel agents (OTA’s) is giving hotel and motel owners more control over the visibility of their property.
The majority of travellers begin their holiday research with a Google search. Google is significant for many property managers’/owners’ marketing efforts. Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important tool to keep your property at the top of the search results. However, the new Meta Search, Google Hotels, has a powerful feature property owners/managers must recognize!
Firstly, what is Google Hotels? Google Hotels is a search engine that compiles a range of motels, hotels, and vacation rentals from multiple sources. Whenever a prospective guest searches for lodging on Google or Google Maps, a consolidated list of available accommodations with their corresponding room rates are generated and displayed at the top of the search results.
Google Hotels offers a significant advantage to property owners and managers by enabling them to capture potential guests right at the beginning of their search, thereby increasing profitability. This strategy ensures maximum visibility and has a proven track record of converting more direct bookings. By sending guests to the property’s website, you will own the guest data, allowing you to build a customer relationship and potentially upgrade your guest’s stay. Accommodation providers can now truly own the guest experience!
Blog Article
Channel Manager: 5 ways to Better Manage your Online Distribution (maximise booking potential)
As a hotelier, motelier, B&B owner, or property manager, you know how crucial it is to distribute your inventory across multiple online channels to reach more potential guests and increase your revenue. However, managing those channels can be a daunting task, especially if you’re using different portals for each one. That’s where a channel manager comes in – a centralised solution to simplify and automate your distribution process.
Here are five ways you can better manage your online distribution:
- Update availability in real-time: It is essential to ensure that the channel manager being used has fast updates. This will enable more efficient management of online distribution, minimising the likelihood of double bookings or overbookings, resulting in improved online distribution and fewer cancellations.
- Centralise Rate Management: A centralised location to manage room rates enables motel/hotel managers to easily adjust their prices to match market demand, seasonal trends, and competitor pricing, without having to manually update each channel.
- Manage Multiple Channels from One Dashboard: Managing all channels from one dashboard gives you more control over your online distribution. This will save you time and streamlines the management of your property’s online distribution.
- Know your Channels: Ensure your property is being distributed across the channels you want, such as popular channels like Google Hotels, Booking.com, and the GDS (Global Distribution System). By managing where your property is being distributed, you can increase your online exposure and reach more potential guests. This is because travellers typically use a variety of channels and platforms to search for different types of holidays.
- Optimise Pricing Strategy: A channel manager helps you optimise your pricing strategy by providing you with real-time pricing data and insights. You can adjust your prices based on demand and market trends, helping you to stay competitive and maximize your revenue.
Short-Term Rentals
How Short-Term Rentals can be Leveraged Using a Channel Manager (3 Leading OTA’s for Short-Term Rentals):
Short-Term Rentals provide a win-win situation for both guests and property owners/managers as they offer flexibility and cost savings for the guests while providing property owners/managers with an additional source of income. Short-term rentals are becoming increasingly popular as they offer a more localised experience for guests and are attracting a broader range of travellers.
Integrating your property through a channel manager allows owners/managers to create and manage their rental listing through the channel manager’s platform, such as selected OTA’s that resonate with your ideal traveller. This can increase the likelihood of attracting interested and relevant guests to your property.
3 Leading OTA’s for Short-term rentals:
- Airbnb: This platform offers various property types, from shared rooms to entire homes, and provides features such as instant booking, messaging, and a secure payment system. Airbnb’s target market is primarily younger, tech-savvy travellers who are seeking unique and authentic travel experiences.
- Bookings.com: This platform is a leading OTA that offers a wide range of properties, from hotels to motels, apartments, and vacation homes. Booking.com targets a broad range of travellers, from business travellers to families and leisure travellers with a focus on ease of use and competitive pricing.
- VRBO: This platform focuses on providing a wide range of rental options, from beach houses to cabins and villas, with a focus on larger properties that can accommodate groups of travellers.
GuestPoint’s Channel Manger’s complete business solution supports your short-term rental property. We partner with leading short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb, Bookings.com, and VRBO, so your property is getting the maximum amount of exposure for your target market.
See our entire list of channel manager partnerships here:
Property of the Month
Coast Motel and Apartments
Coastal Motel and Apartments is located in Port Noarlunga, South Australia.
This property has achieved an outstanding record-breaking month in March this year, as they continue to thrive post-COVID. Jacqui and her team have found a successful formula, given that 17 out of the 18 months since the borders opened have been the best on record.
One of the keys to their success has been maximizing the minimum night stay, and boosting future weekend bookings once they reach 50% occupancy. Additionally, they have invested in professional images across their new website made by GuestPoint and across all booking sites to entice guests.
For other moteliers looking to replicate this success, it is highly recommended to invest in professional images. Coastal Motel and Apartments spent $1000 and received 65 images, including drone shots, which were resized to suit online travel agencies. This investment has paid off significantly, with Jacqui describing it as the “best $1000 spent!”
By following Coastal Motel and Apartments’ lead and investing in professional images, and capitalising on extended stays, you can showcase your property in the best possible light, entice more guests to book, maximise revenue and ultimately, achieve greater success.
Management Tips & Tricks
How Often Should I Update My Rates and Availability?
The recommended frequency for updating your availability and rates using a channel manager can vary based on multiple factors, such as seasonality, property demand, and booking frequency. Nonetheless, to ensure accuracy across all channels, it is advisable to update your availability and rates at least once per day as a general guideline.
By updating your availability and rates at least once a day, you can help ensure that your listings are always accurate and up to date, which can help increase your visibility on the platforms and improve your overall booking performance. Additionally, it is important to monitor your bookings regularly to identify any potential discrepancies or issues with your listings. If you notice any discrepancies or issues, make sure to update your listings immediately to avoid any potential conflicts with guests.
STR
STR Benchmarking
Do you regularly benchmark against your competitors?
STR is a leading provider of hotel industry data and benchmarking services, helping hoteliers make informed decisions about their business. Their data covers everything from room rates and occupancy levels to market trends and consumer preferences.
By integrating with STR, GuestPoint can provide motel and hotel owners and managers with valuable insights into the performance of their property and the wider market. For a small monthly fee of as little as $5, they gain access to a wealth of data that can help them optimize pricing, marketing, and operations to maximize revenue and profitability. With this data-driven approach, motel/hotel owners/managers can make better-informed decisions about their business, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and revenue.
Visit the STR website to find out more:
Did You Know?
GuestPoint’s Channel Manager updates to OTA’s, start to finish in under 1-minute on our cloud-based solution.
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Simplify your operations, manage your revenue, and create great experiences with GuestPoint.
