Hotel Operations

The Tale of Two Counters: After the Booking, Where Hotel Revenue Is Really Won

I wrote about a common problem many hotels face in my last newsletter: they have high occupancy, but they rely too much on online travel agencies (OTAs). It's simple, though: OTAs clearly help people find hotels, but fighting this reality won't help your profit. Today, I want to discuss what I see happen after a guest books a room. Last week, I watched a guest check in who had booked through an OTA. The process was fast, but it was purely transactional and offered no upsells or engagement. A few hours before that at the airport, I was offered a discounted business class upgrade, and when I declined, they offered me a better seat than the one I had. Both experiences involved routine interactions and long lines, but only one was set up to encourage upselling. Today, I want to discuss what I see happen after a guest books a room.