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August 2024 Newsletter

August 2024 Newsletter

Enjoy the August 2024 edition of the GuestPoint Newsletter! This month, we explore the current cost of living crisis and how this is impacting the accommodation industry. Our latest blog explores different types of partnerships and how these can benefit your property. We’ll also show how to change your reservation plan views and inform you about current scams and how to remain vigilant. Plus, don’t miss our “Did You Know” section – can you get this month’s question right?

In this newsletter, read about…
Download the August 2024 Newsletter as a PDF here:
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Industry News

The Escalating Cost of Living Challenges Our Industry

Recent studies have found different ways the ‘Cost of Living Crisis’ has affected the travel and accommodation industry. You may have felt the effects of this for many hoteliers and moteliers. However, it isn’t all negative with international travel being less of an opportunity for travellers there is a significant opportunity to capture this new travel group looking to travel domestically. Compiled below are key points to consider when developing a plan to target this market, additionally some other relevant points that must be taken into consideration. 

 

Understanding Customer Behaviour

In today’s economic climate, 33.1% of consumers have cut back on dining out and takeaway, while 18.2% have reduced spending on entertainment to combat cost-of-living pressures. This shift necessitates a strategic approach to hospitality where value and experience take centre stage. By understanding these spending behaviours, hoteliers can tailor their offerings to provide compelling reasons for guests to choose their property for a memorable stay despite financial constraints. Highlighting unique amenities, personalised service, and special packages can effectively attract and retain guests seeking value and quality.

 

Resilience in the Travel Sector:

Despite economic challenges, reports state that 91% of respondents plan to travel in 2024, albeit with 83% intending to reduce travel costs due to cost-of-living pressures. This presents an opportunity for hoteliers to cater to cost-conscious travellers by offering attractive packages and promotions that emphasise affordability without compromising on the quality of the guest experience. Leveraging this resilience requires a proactive approach in marketing and operational strategies to capture and retain these travellers.

Enhancing Loyalty Programs:

Today’s guests expect more than just points and discounts from loyalty programs. Research indicates that GenXers increased their hospitality spending by over 46% in 2023, while millennials increased spending in this area by 38%. Hoteliers can differentiate their offerings by enhancing loyalty programs to include personalised rewards and exclusive experiences. This could involve partnerships with local attractions, unique tours, or VIP access to events, providing guests with memorable experiences that go beyond traditional incentives. By focusing on enhancing guest satisfaction and loyalty through tailored rewards, hoteliers can foster long-term relationships and increase repeat business.

 

Capturing the Staycation Trend:

With international travel still uncertain for many due to cost constraints, there’s a growing interest in staycations. Darwin Airport Resort successfully rebranded and added amenities like tropical pool villas and Indigenous bush walks, highlighting the appeal of unique local experiences. Offering special packages that include meals, activities, and relaxation options can further enhance the appeal of your property as a top choice for staycationers.

 

Optimising Dining and Beverage Services:

One effective way to keep guests on-site and enhance their experience is by offering exceptional dining and beverage services. Hotels/Motels are advised to emphasise local produce and unique menu offerings to entice guests to dine on-site. Collaborating with local suppliers and chefs to create a distinctive dining experience can elevate guest satisfaction and encourage them to dine on-site rather than exploring outside options. If your property doesn’t offer on-site dining then look to partner with local hospitality options and drive business to these partnerships. This approach not only enhances the guest experience but also supports the local community and economy.

Appealing to Corporate Travelers:

Corporate travellers, especially those managing their expenses, are increasingly focused on value and quality during their stays. According to research, Australians are the biggest global spenders on nightlife and experiences, allocating 19% of their budget to these activities in 2024 compared to the global average of 12%. Hoteliers can cater to this demographic by offering flexible check-in and check-out options, upgraded amenities such as high-speed internet and ergonomic workspaces, and quality breakfast options that justify the cost. Providing personalised service and anticipating the needs of business travellers can enhance their experience and increase the likelihood of repeat bookings, particularly during times of economic uncertainty.

 

Building Customer Loyalty:

Building and maintaining customer loyalty is crucial in a competitive hospitality market. By prioritising guest satisfaction through attentive service, personalised experiences, and consistent quality, hoteliers can create memorable stays that exceed expectations. Offering small gestures such as room upgrades, late check-outs, or personalised welcome amenities can go a long way in fostering guest loyalty. Engaging with guests post-stay through feedback mechanisms and loyalty programs also allows hoteliers to continuously improve their offerings and strengthen relationships with guests, encouraging them to return in the future.

 

The Opportunity 

Despite the challenges posed by the ‘Cost of Living Crisis,’ there is a silver lining for domestic and affordable hotels and motels aiming to attract travellers. As many seek to explore unique Australian destinations without opting for high-end accommodations, this presents a promising opportunity for a variety of properties. It’s an ideal moment for property owners in rural and distinctive locations to promote their offerings and provide experiences that may be unfamiliar to travellers. 

Blog Article

Partnerships

Operating a property in regional areas or smaller cities often presents challenges in attracting new bookings. However, one effective strategy to enhance your marketing efforts and enrich the guest experience is by forming partnerships with local businesses.

Types of Partnerships

Partnership Agreements: 

Establish agreements with local attractions or businesses, such as museums or galleries, to offer exclusive discounts to your guests. For instance, guests staying at your property could receive a 15% discount on museum entry. This not only adds value to their stay but also generates additional revenue for the partnered businesses. Marketing these offers as bundled packages can create a unique selling proposition, attracting guests who are interested in both accommodations and local experiences.

Brochures and Flyers:

 Allow local businesses to place promotional materials at your front desk or in guest rooms. By providing information about nearby attractions, restaurants, or activities, you enhance guest satisfaction and convenience. While this initiative may initially appear to benefit the promoted businesses more, it can also strengthen your negotiation position for future partnerships, ensuring better deals for your guests.

Special Packages:

 Collaborate with local restaurants, cafes, or entertainment venues to create special packages for your guests. For example, a ‘wine and dine’ package could include a meal with wine pairings at a nearby restaurant. Such value-added services not only enhance the guest experience but also differentiate your property from competitors, potentially increasing bookings.

Joint Marketing Campaigns: 

Partner with local businesses for joint marketing efforts. By promoting each other’s services or activities, you can reach a wider audience interested in local experiences. This reciprocal promotion can range from featuring each other on your websites or social media to jointly hosting events or offering cross-promotional discounts.

Benefits of Partnerships

Enhanced Marketing Power:

Collaborating with local businesses allows you to combine resources and create compelling marketing campaigns that appeal to both your customer bases. This synergy increases brand visibility and recognition, potentially expanding your reach and serving as a referral system between partners.

Brand Strengthening:

Offering exclusive deals and packages through partnerships not only improves guest satisfaction but also elevates your property’s brand image. Satisfied guests are more likely to recommend your property to others, contributing to positive word-of-mouth marketing.

SEO Boost:

Partnering with local businesses can improve your property’s search engine optimisation (SEO) by increasing the number of backlinks from reputable local sites to your own. This enhanced online presence can drive more organic traffic to your website and improve your search engine rankings over time.

Product Expansion:

Collaboration with partners can open up new revenue streams or expand your existing services. For instance, if your property has event spaces, partnering with event organisers or caterers can help you attract corporate clients or wedding parties, maximising the use of your facilities.

Effective Promotion Strategies

Direct Booking:

Highlight partnership benefits on your direct booking channels, encouraging guests to book directly through your website to take advantage of exclusive deals and packages.

Social Media: 

Showcase your partnerships on social media platforms where modern travellers often research accommodations. Collaborating with respected local businesses can enhance your property’s credibility and attractiveness to potential guests.

Website Integration: 

Feature your partnerships prominently on your property’s website. Modern travellers often visit property websites to learn more about amenities and local offerings, making it crucial to showcase these partnerships to highlight the additional value and differentiate your property.

OTAs (Online Travel Agencies): 

Use strategic calls-to-action in your OTA listings to direct potential guests to your website for more information on exclusive partnerships and packages. This approach can help minimise OTA commission fees by encouraging direct bookings.

 

GuestPoint’s Influence on Partnerships 

PMS Benefits:

Utilise GuestPoint’s Property Management System (PMS) to implement promotional codes and manage partnerships seamlessly. This feature enables you to offer unique deals in collaboration with local businesses, potentially increasing bookings and optimising room occupancy.

Website Customisation:

If you use GuestPoint’s website services, take advantage of the platform’s flexibility to showcase your partnerships effectively. Customising your website to highlight partnerships and exclusive offers can enhance your online presence and attract more guests seeking unique local experiences.  Use the self log in tools to ensure you or your marketing team are updating your site as required.

GuestPoint Guide to:

How to Change Reservation Plan Views

Changing the reservation plan views in your Property Management System (PMS) can indeed be crucial for optimising how you manage your inventory and reservations. Here’s a general guide to help you adjust and customise these views to better fit your needs:

1. Access the Reservation Plan

– Log in to your PMS with the appropriate credentials.

– Navigate to the Reservation Plan or Calendar View section of your PMS.

2. Choose the View Option

– Look for a view settings or layout option, often found in a menu or settings icon.

– Common view options include Standard, Detailed, Month, Quarter, Booking Source, Group, Rates. Select the one that best suits your needs.

Example

3. If you wish to change the view more then select the little cog on the upper left side 

Key Features 

Customise Your View

  • Filters: Apply filters to show only specific types of reservations or rooms. For instance, you can filter by reservation status, room type, or guest group.
  • Sorting: Sort reservations or rooms by various criteria like date, room number, or guest name.
  • Grouping: Some systems allow you to group reservations by room type, status, or other categories for easier management.

Adjust Display Settings

  • Colour Coding: Customise colour codes for different reservation statuses or room types to make the view more intuitive.
  • Column Settings: Modify which columns are displayed in the list view (e.g., guest name, check-in/check-out dates, reservation status).
  • Column Order: Rearrange the order of columns to prioritise the information most relevant to you.

Save Custom Views

  • Save your customised view settings as a preset or default view so you don’t have to repeat the process each time.

Regular Updates

  • Regularly review and update your view settings as your needs change or to adapt to new PMS features.

Seek Help if Needed

  • If you’re having trouble finding the right settings or if your PMS has unique customisation options, consult the help centre for specific guidance.

 

By following these steps, you should be able to tailor your reservation plan views to better suit your operational needs and improve overall efficiency in managing your inventory.

Management Tips & Tricks

Are You Being Vigilant

Phishing emails are fraudulent emails sent by scammers impersonating a trustworthy business in an attempt to obtain sensitive information including usernames, passwords and credit card information.
These scams operate by closely mimicking genuine business correspondence and will either directly request sensitive information or provide a fake login link that will save any information you enter.

Key Points

  • GuestPoint will never ask you to log into your GuestPoint database via a url or hyperlink sent to you in an unauthorised email.
  • Scammers often closely imitate email addresses, domains, content and designs of genuine emails and websites.
  • Check emails for clues and if in doubt – delete the email, block the sender and report to GuestPoint Support immediately.

Credit Card Handling

For Security risk reasons, we are increasing our management of the number of card details we are holding in the vault.

Our Policy
GuestPoint stores cardholder information from the time a booking is received (if received with card data) until 7 days after the checkout date. For cardholders who are frequent stayers or are Corporate cards, and who give explicit permission to store their card information for recurring billing purposes, cardholder information may be kept for recurring billing purposes until a month beyond the card expiry date. In this instance, the CVV is not held beyond its initial use. CVVs are removed 7 days after checkout UNLESS there is a future booking with the same card. Please be aware of the new processors and adjust your Credit Card Management accordingly.

Properties of the Month

Antler Motel

Located in the scenic Queensland countryside, the Antler Motel exemplifies the premium standard of country accommodations. Nestled in the heart of Nanango this property is in walking distance of all local attractions, this unique property offers an array of facilities designed to make your stay as relaxing as possible.

The Antler Motel is fully accessible, with specific amenities for wheelchair users to ensure complete accessibility. Additional features include a BBQ area, laundry facilities, and electric vehicle chargers, using these key property features to stand out from other motels in the area. 

The local area boasts plenty of attractions. The Nanango country markets provide an opportunity to support local families and farmers while enjoying high-quality local produce. For those who love the outdoors, the nearby Bunya Mountain National Park offers breathtaking bushwalks and a rare, immersive experience. Wine enthusiasts can also enjoy a visit to the South Burnett Vineyard, offering a unique and delightful experience for all.

This property utilises the all-in-one solution that GuestPoint offers, having a Channel Manager and GuestPoint Pay integrated into their PMS. Highlighting key features in the PMS such as the reservation plan and how easy it is to book within GuestPoitn as a company. In addition to this, they have used a few channel managers and have found GuestPoint Channel Manager to exceed all these being their preferred channel manager. 

Utilising an all-in-one solution enhances management efficiency, allowing properties to focus more on their guests. With the ability to effectively advertise your property on multiple OTAs, your property gains greater visibility, leading to an increase in bookings and revenue. Additionally, the use of GuestPoint Pay ensures secure and protected payments. GuestPoint has recently introduced this comprehensive solution, and Antler Motel has been an early adopter, leveraging their PMS to its maximum potential.

Antler Motel

GuestPoint Did You Know

Due to the Olympics, how much additional revenue was generated for Tokyo (AUD)?

  1. 12.2 Billion 
  2. 10.5 Billion 
  3. 11.6 Billion 
  4. 12 Billion

Correct Answer 3. Due to the Olympics Tokyo generated a total of 11.6 billion dollars. 

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