Attract High-Value Guests with Expedia Members Only Promotions
Online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia provide a reliable source of bookings, bringing more visibility to your property than you could reach alone. While many travelers prefer to book direct, others choose to use trusted OTA sites to compare prices and book travel because of the convenience and perks OTAs offer, including loyalty programs. Expedia […]
6 Priorities for Independent Hoteliers This Year
There’s a lot trending in hospitality right now—so how do you prioritize? When we sat down to work through our recommendations for independent hotels to focus their energy on this year, what emerged was a heavy focus on technology. There’s little to no separation between our digital and “real” lives anymore. Offering guests truly exceptional […]
Celebrate Spring with Style: A Hotelier’s Guide to Easter
The last of the Valentine’s Day chocolate has barely been finished and there’s already another sweet (and potentially profitable!) holiday around the corner. Easter is celebrated by 80% of Americans, and if you play your cards right, they could celebrate with you. Here’s a quick guide for independent hoteliers to make the most of this […]
How an Independent Motel Can Be a Lodging Superstar
When we think of a roadside motel, we don’t think of a business with five-star service and amenities. Ironically, that’s why independent motels are uniquely positioned to surprise and delight; guests don’t expect it. Designed to serve roadtrippers with convenient, affordable accommodation, motels are the preferred choice for many travelers—travelers who expect to get nothing […]
Hotel Marketing Trends to Watch This Year
2023 has arrived with plenty of innovative marketing trends on the horizon, from fresh openings in social media to shifts in SEO. This year, guests are socially and safety conscious with both the environment and Covid-19 occupying their mental space. Here are important hotel marketing trends to help elevate your strategy and revenue this year. […]
An Independent Hotelier’s Guide to Virtual Hotel Tours
Advertisers have always tapped into the power of imagination. In fact, it’s the first step in creating desire. Studies show that the imagination increases guests’ intention to travel and imagining experiences can impact purchase decisions even weeks later. “Evoking the imagination as a strategy of influence” (Petrova and Cialdini) is not a new concept for […]
How to Attract Business Travelers to Your Independent Hotel
The business travel landscape has changed dramatically post-pandemic with the Zoom boom and rise of the workcation. However, this segment can still be very lucrative if you know what your audience wants and leverage the right amenities. In 2021, business travel comprised a fifth of tourist spending worldwide, contributing over 740 billion US dollars to […]
Building a Brand: An Independent Hotelier’s Guide
“Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.” – Paul Rand Does your hotel have a brand? The answer is yes, even if you said no. Everything from your website design to the language used in your emails to room decor says it all about your hotel. And if you haven’t put any effort into […]
Love the Locals: How to Spice Up Your Staycation Offerings
Even as travel has opened up, staycations remain an appealing option for many potential guests. According to a 2022 survey by The Vacationer, 67% of respondents said they had taken a staycation or planned to take one that year. And why wouldn’t they? They can explore new facets of their local area… and order room […]
An Independent Hotelier’s Guide to Sleep Tourism
“I need a vacation from my vacation.” Hours of driving, flying, ferrying, and waiting in line. Days packed with exciting yet exhausting back-to-back activities. Sumptuous meals, drinks, and extended bedtimes. Sound familiar? In the past, going on holiday typically meant making the most of your time by participating in as many experiences as possible. Going […]
5 Big Reasons Your Hostel Needs a Cloud PMS
Managing a hostel is quite different from running a hotel. You sell beds—not always rooms—and often have to deal with activity reservations and high staff turnover. Your guests’ expectations are different too; they’re looking for clean bathrooms and a chance to meet new people, not an aromatherapy butler. (Wi-Fi is still mandatory though). But, just […]
WebRezPro Ranks on Hotel Tech Report’s Best Places to Work 2023 List
For the second year in a row, WebRezPro has snagged a spot as the only Canadian company on Hotel Tech Report’s 10 Best Places to Work in Hotel Tech list. It isn’t only clients who love WebRezPro; staff love it here too. WebRezPro is committed to our people and to making our company a supportive, […]
Top Tips for Cleaning Hotel Guestrooms
No matter what type of operation you run, creating a clean environment for your guests is a universally shared task for all property owners. With an emphasis on demand for effective, reliable hygiene and sanitization protocols since the COVID-19 pandemic began, now is the time for hoteliers to invest in their housekeeping departments. In addition […]
Hotel Meeting and Event Trends for 2023
In-person events, meetings, and conferences are back on! According to Cvent, 83% of event planners polled expect to host more in-person events in 2023 than in 2019! Is your independent hotel ready? Buckle up, because 2023 is bringing some major trends that will shake up the industry. Gone are the days of stuffy (and dare […]
4 Automated Tools Every Hotelier Should Use
This isn’t the age of the horse and buggy or handwritten guest book. To make sure your hotel remains relevant and competitive, you need strong technology in place to drive efficiency, personalized guest experiences, and revenue. Modern hotel technology ensures that your property not only runs smoothly but that you have all the right information, […]
How to Create Booking-boosting Hotel Videos
Hotel videos not only let guests know what to expect, they establish an emotional connection. Guests don’t book based on logic alone; they book based on what makes them excited. Videos can increase conversion rates by as much as 80 percent, if they are well-produced, and you have an effective marketing strategy. Video is simple […]
How to Improve Guest Payments at Your Hotel
Payment tech may not seem like a hot topic, but it’s fundamentally important to your business and guest experience—especially now. Think of all the ways consumers can pay for goods and services these days. From credit cards to digital wallets, we’re moving towards a cashless world where digital payments reign. If you’re still asking guests […]
6 Metrics Every Hotel Should Monitor
To run a successful hotel, you need to know your numbers. Not only that, you need to know the right numbers—your key performance indicators (KPIs). There’s no point celebrating high occupancy if your bottom line is falling through the floor. Your numbers need to tell you how many guests are coming, how much profit you’re […]
7 Simple SEO Tips for Independent Hoteliers
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an essential part of your marketing initiatives. Think of your website as a Broadway musical: the images and videos are the stars of the show while the website design plays a supportive role. Where is SEO in this analogy? Backstage, making sure the show goes on! The right keywords, meta […]
4 Big Reasons Hotel Guests Never Come Back
If you google “hotel horror stories,” three things will occur to you. One, that bed bugs, or any other type of bug, truly are the worst. Two, if the hotel is haunted, you should probably just abandon it before The Shining happens. And three, that those guests are never coming back. While your hotel (hopefully) […]
5 Emails You Should Be Sending Every Guest
From booking through to check-out, hotel emails are an extension of your front desk, providing information your guests need and opportunities to enhance their stay, and making them feel valued. Here are five hotel emails your guests expect… Are you sending them to every guest? Let’s dig a little deeper into the purpose of each […]
7 Practical Ways Your Hotel PMS Saves You Time
It’s your property management system’s job to save you time by automating routine tasks, integrating with your other hotel platforms, and ensuring your data is there when you need it. You have enough to do already with welcoming guests, responding to reviews, and dealing with that plumbing issue in room 516. It’s enough to keep […]
Top Tips for a Successful Hotel Gift Shop
What usually comes to mind when picturing a hotel’s gift shop is a space shoved to the side filled with non-essential impulse buys like trinkets and knick knacks. However, by applying modern travel trends, a hotel’s gift shop becomes an essential part of a unique, memorable stay experience while cementing your property as a local […]
Hold The Phone! 6 Tips for Converting Hotel Calls to Bookings
For hotels today, there is so much focus on online conversions that the traditional voice channel is in danger of being overlooked. But call inquiries are still key to direct sales. Eighty-three percent of US travelers would rather book online, but that leaves approximately a fifth who would not. In this digital era, front desk […]