Latest Trends in Hotel Industry

4 top latest trends in hotel industry to watch in 2017

Mobile marketing strategies, travel planning apps, and an increased need to understand guest data will top the list of hospitality industry trends affecting hotels in 2017. The global travel market is constantly evolving, as new technology and changing traveler expectations cause hotels to adopt new methods of communicating with customers. After examining the latest trends in hotel industry, we have identified the 4 top trends that will have the greatest impact on hotel success in the coming year.

#1: Travel planning apps will increase the need for strong SEO Travel planning apps such as Google Trips definitely top the list of hospitality industry technology trends that will have a significant impact on hotels in 2017. Google’s recent entry into the travel planning market makes achieving a high visibility with the search engine more important than ever before. The app does far more than simply organize users’ travel information. It recommends place and activities to users, delivering experiences and destinations that best match travelers’ interests.

Hotels that gain the top places in travelers’ search engine results are also going top the list of Google Trips recommendations. Hotel owners will need to perform SEO maintenance on a regular, monthly basis to make sure that all the content, images, keywords, and content on their websites position their lodging as the best answer to travelers’ needs. 

#2: Mobile marketing will revolutionize bookings

Mobile marketing will take center stage as one of the top hospitality marketing trends in 2017. According to research from eMarketer, 73% of travelers used a mobile device to research a trip in 2016, and traveler reliance on mobile technology continues to grow. A study released this year by Google and research giant TNS found that 35% of travelers who used a smartphone for research made an online booking. Considering those statistics, it is obvious that to attract mobile-centric travelers in the coming year, hotels need to develop a robust mobile marketing strategy. A responsive hotel website design with a strong booking engine is the first step to owning this hospitality industry trend. Add in simple, easy-to-use features and a mobile app with a dedicated booking engine to make sure your hotel will be perfectly poised to capitalize on the mobile booking trend. 

#3: Leveraging online channels key to regaining guest bookings

OTAs will continue to take a lion’s share of online hotel bookings in the coming year, but hotel owners that know how to leverage online tools will be able to increase direct bookings. In 2016, Marriot and Hilton took center stage in the fight to regain direct bookings, developing ways to side step the rate parity agreements with OTAs. Hotels that deliver an effortless booking experience, offer rewards for guests who book through their branded apps, and intensely develop social media channels to publicize the benefits of direct booking will be able to make great strides to regain ownership of their guest bookings. 

#4: Understanding guest data will be essential to hotel success

In the increasingly competitive hospitality industry, hotels will need to deliver a superior experience in order to hold guests’ attention. Hotels have access to an amazing amount of data about their guests, as every online interaction guests have with a hotel brand reveals insights into their wants, needs, and behavior. Understanding the travel data produced by your guests will enable you to improve your hospitality marketing strategies so you can attract more guests and book more stays.

For more information on the latest trends in hotel industry, turn to Travel Tech Strategies. Our experienced marketers can show you how to leverage the emerging hospitality marketing trends of 2017 for an extra edge that will help your hotel book more guests. Contact Travel Tech Strategies today at 954-779-2801 for more tips on how your hotel can leverage the latest trends in hotel industry to gain more guests in 2017 and beyond!