Boost your business with the right software and integrations

More bookings through your own website and OTAs

Nowadays, bookings flow in via various channels. On one hand through your own website, but also through various online travel agencies (OTAs). It is difficult to manage all these channels manually. Central management via the Channel Manager ensures that all your possible booking channels are on point and reinforce each other.

Here are a few tips:

#1: Make sure your own website invites to book

Direct bookings are commission-free and therefore excellent for a higher return. So make sure that guests quickly find their way around your website and are inspired.

We offer templates to make your website even more attractive. These can be adjusted to your look & feel and contribute to a well-converted, well-organized website.

Expand your website with an online reservation module or booking engine. This way, customers can make reservations quickly and safely. The handy rate box also provides a handy overview of all rates.

#2: Promote your online visibility through OTAs

Your own website is one thing, but you also need to use other channels to show your accommodation to the general public. Through the Connectivity Marketplace, you will find a wide range of OTAs that you can connect with, ranging from big players like Booking.com or Airbnb to smaller local players.

If your accommodation is present on several channels, it is important that you can manage this excellently and that you can manage your prices and availability in one system. The ideal software for this is Cubilis Channel Manager, which actually acts as the engine for all your reservations.

#3: Keep payments secure

A smooth booking and payment process increases customer satisfaction. There are several payment providers available with which you can link and allow your guests to choose their method of payment.

#4: Also focus on metasearch

Price is one of the most important deciding factors in the booking process.

When a traveler enters a search query on a metasearch site, it not only displays accommodations that match the search query, but also the room rates of various booking platforms. This way, the traveler can immediately see which booking site offers the best price.

A metasearch site is therefore not a booking site. The comparison platform leads the visitor to the various booking sites that advertise the room in question on the platform.

"By promoting your own website via metasearch, you do increase your online visibility."

Because the price on your personal website (often lower) is immediately compared to the price you charge on other booking channels (often higher), you also increase the chance of direct bookings.

With Google Hotel Ads and TripAdvisor, for example, you pay per reservation (cost per acquisition). With Trivago and HotelsCombined, you pay when people click through to your website (cost per click).

#5: Opt for connection to a GDS

A Global Distribution System (GDS) is an important distribution channel for larger accommodations (> 20 rooms). It is a worldwide network that passes on the availability and prices of airline companies, car rental companies and hotels to travel agencies (both physical and online).

With a GDS you do not connect directly, but through a GDS provider. These integrate with your channel manager, allowing you to easily manage all your distribution channels. Via Stardekk, you can connect to various GDS parties.

Less administrative tasks

Invoicing and administration take up a significant part of your time. With a Property Management System (PMS), you can reduce this workload considerably. Choose from the numerous PMS applications and focus on your guests. With a PMS, check-in and check-out will be much more streamlined anyway, and thanks to reporting and handy dashboards, you can keep a perfect overview.

#1: Simplify your invoicing and reporting

Besides a smooth check-in and check-out, correct and well-organized invoicing is an important part of the guest experience.

With a Cloud PMS, you quickly generate mandatory reports or export important analysis data, but you also have a faster financial settlement and less administration.

A link with your accounting system is also one of the possibilities. This significantly improves the communication of your bookkeeper or financial department.

#2: Go for an automated, personal approach

Even before your guests cross your threshold, you undoubtedly want to build a relationship with them. Thanks to automated mailings, for example, you can approach them personally even before they check-in. With the help of these personalized email templates, you can inform them in advance about tourist attractions and restaurants in the area, the weather on the day of arrival, etc.

Also after their stay, you can keep the contact warm and mail them for a review.

#3: Go for streamlined management

There are numerous integrations on the market that can make your guests' stay even more pleasant. Think, for example, of a high-performance KEY system so that guests can enter the room and the hotel 24 hours a day, or an intelligent cash register system (POS) so that your invoicing runs faultlessly.

Use extra tools to boost your business

You can take the operation of your accommodation to a higher level with other software. You can use marketing tools to automate your mailings, such as Oaky or Emailinglist.

Also, pay attention to your optimal pricing strategy by using revenue management software. Thanks to these tools, you offer your rooms at the right time, at the right price, to the right guest.

Finally, it is also important to strive for the highest possible guest satisfaction, this is called reputation management. With Reputation Management Software, you can generate more reviews, increase your reputation score and automate communication with your guests.

Do you want to boost your business with the right software? Ask for a free trial.