Throughout my career within the travel industry, I have learned a lot of things and have modified my own shopping behavior as a result. I’ve also become more aware of the mistakes some of my friends and family make when reserving accommodations for leisure travel. As an example, my best friend was booking a 3-month long road trip in the Maritime provinces for her maternity leave. This is a highly seasonal destination, and she knew that visiting in their peak season would mean she would have to pay high prices. She started shopping months in advance, 9 months in advance to be exact, and was shocked to see that most hotels had no availability. She assumed that they were already sold out and began confirming all accommodations at steep rates based on the lack of availability. As the dates of her vacation rolled around, her friends and family started booking shorter getaways to meet up with her on the road. It was then that she learned that not only was there availability, but it was much cheaper than what she had paid.
As hospitality professionals, we can learn from this experience. While we are all aware that availability and rates need to be loaded into the PMS as well as the channel manager, the average traveler is not aware of this. Furthermore, we have likely visited our competitors in person and have a laundry list of opinions about them, the average traveler has not had this opportunity. With that in mind, here are the top 3 tips I have for property managers in seasonal destinations.
Number 1: Load your availability early. Customers booking far in advance (180 days +) are likely serious travelers with a keen interest in your location. By having availability, even if the rates are higher than average, when these serious customers are looking, you want to be seen. Otherwise, they may assume you are sold out and may leave you out of the equation.
Number 2: When considering your competitive set, look at similar destinations rather than limiting your analysis to the hotels around you. Someone may be looking at Cape Cod, Massachusetts while considering Kennebunk, Maine and Conway, New Hampshire. Consider why people are traveling to your destination and where else they might find a similar vacation, not only where else they might stay within a close proximity to your property.
Number 3: With less time in the year to generate revenue, dynamic pricing and careful attention to rates is of utmost importance. Even though the property may be closed for several months, yielding up as your occupancy rises for high season will be imperative. Investing in technology with automation and AI to do this on your behalf is a great way to capitalize on opportunities.
