Ensuring that the right content is available radically reduces the issue of travellers booking outside policy – HRS research shows that doubling the number of photographs can increase a hotel’s conversion several times over and even a full, rather than partial, property description can increase conversion significantly.
Improving adherence to travel policy is the second highest priority for travel managers worldwide in 2013-14, an issue which has been addressed in the first of a series of white papers by HRS, the hotel solutions provider. The paper ‘Content is King’ addresses the key priorities of travel bookers as well as travel and procurement managers, finding that, for 80% of procurement and travel managers, reducing booking leakage is a key objective.
The ‘Content is King’ white paper will be distributed for the first time at The Business Travel Show, Earls Court on the 4th-5th February 2014. It will available from HRS’s stand B1435.
The paper highlights that optimising compliance reduces leakage. In fact, the importance of content is vital, as the breadth and depth of information provided by hotels can have a major impact on the conversion of searches to bookings in both online and offline environments.
Ensuring that the right content is available radically reduces the issue of travellers booking outside policy – HRS research shows that doubling the number of photographs can increase a hotel’s conversion several times over and even a full, rather than partial, property description can increase conversion significantly. Up to half of all corporate hotel bookings are made outside policy and this equated to £3.3bn in un-leveraged hotel spend in the UK during 2012 (source: GTMC).
HRS has compiled its content best practice guidelines in the white paper – what to focus on in order to best present content to boost booking ratios:
1. Professional photography should reflect the personality and features of a hotel and its different room types
2. Multi-language descriptions should be translated professionally
3. Detailed information about facilities, services and location
4. Room and advance booking availability
5. Bookings can be cancelled at least up to 6pm on the day of arrival or midnight if possible
6. Guests’ comments and reviews.
Jon West, Managing Director of HRS UK and Ireland says, “After extensive research, we have found that leakage from travel policies is a huge issue for travel bookers – it is important that hotels not only provide the most effective information to display to those booking but that they also choose the right distribution channel to place their content. It is now estimated that 42% of the overall managed travel market in Europe is made of online bookings, so correct content on the right channel can have a major effect.
“The ‘Content is King’ white paper, which is available on our corporate website and is freely accessible to anyone, takes an in-depth look at content and will provide hotels and travel managers valuable insights into this critical issue for business travel moving forward.”
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
