OTA Promotions and Marketing
Marketing strategies for hotel businesses are highly dependent on the avenues through which their customers make bookings. While some tend to come into contact with the hotel directly, majority of the people explore through Online Travel Agencies (OTA). As such, you need to find a way through which you can achieve hotel revenue optimisation in a cost effective manner. Hacking into the system of OTA promotions and marketing is one of the options you can utilise. Here are a few strategies you can use:
1. Use an OTA’s Reach
The budget for marketing for OTAs like Expedia are averages to be in the billions of dollars. As a hotel, you will not be able to allocate that amount of money to your budget for marketing and promotions. However, a smart thing to do would be to make use of the reach that an OTA would have. Promote your business through them –use SEO optimised keywords and hashtags- and reach a wider customer base.Â
 2.Use the right OTA for promotion
OTA promotion can be very successful for air BnBs and hotels but only if they choose the right OTA. Once you determine the right OTA, you will be able to have access to your target market, discover new markets and maximise revenues through massive amount of bookings. Promoting your hotel on Expedia, for instance, can save you from expensive promotional campaigns that would not have had the similar effect in regards to generating more customer
3. Have an international reach
Through OTAs, you will be able to reach an international market base. People from all over the world will be able to have access to your business and its deal through a common platform –an online travel agency. You can use avenues like Google Analytics to gauge where your customers are coming from and maximise the potential for revenue.
4.Create packages
One of the most successful marketing strategies for hotel businesses is through creating a package. More often than not, OTAs often provide customers a complete package including stays at hotels, flights, travel and the like. They do not advertise single night offers from hotels. Thus, if you were to create a package yourself, it would appeal to the convenience the traveler’s are looking for all the while placing you at the top of the recommended lists.
5.Understand the way OTA promotion and marketing works
It is natural for you to consider OTAs when deciding on marketing strategies. However, you will need to understand the characteristics of different OTAs and the way they have been designed so that hotel revenue optimisation is at its maximum. Some OTAs provide traveler’s options of booking that are far beyond their geographical location where as some tend to stay close. Similarly, some are used for making booking on a short notice where as others are used for booking after an extended period of time. Additionally, the way they are created are also immensely different. Some may not protect you from sudden cancelations or offer add-ons. These are factors to consider when deciding which OTA you want to promote your hotel business from.
