The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel lockdown has level-set many of the hospitality industry’s expectations. Whether, and when, things will “return to normal” is no longer applicable – both owners and operators must adapt their strategies to compete in the current environment and future-proof their organizations to remain relevant long term.
One of the most impactful strategies hoteliers must revisit is how they acquire customers. Travelers are shopping in different ways and looking for new kinds of experiences. Hoteliers are acutely focused on reducing costs and driving more profitable bookings, desperately needing to fill their hotels with the highest-paying guests.
Meanwhile, the digital marketing game is evolving at a rapid pace. Many of the channels hoteliers traditionally relied on for acquiring guests – OTAs, metasearch channels, Google, Facebook – are placing a heightened emphasis on customer privacy, creating hurdles for how hotel marketers track the…