1、Booking travel online has become the norm for most travelers in todays digital and highly connected world.With 60%of all reservations being made online but only 20%coming directly through a hotels website,it is now as vital as it has ever been for hoteliers globally to start thinking of their direct

2、 booking strategy.A recent study led by h2c and sponsored by Amadeus,among others,involving 96 hotel chains worldwide(representing 19,000 properties,2 million rooms)showed that,for these chains,while the share of all bookings coming through hotel booking engines has doubled from 10%to 20%over the la

3、st five years,OTAs including bed banks still capture 35%of all bookings made online.A massive opportunity exists,therefore,for hotels looking to increase their revenue,by capturing a greater portion of that online business.The study additionally revealed that 20%of hotel chains surveyed were not sat

4、isfied with and felt limited by their current booking systems,as they lacked personalization capabilities and proper upselling functionalities.They are therefore considering investing in new systems within the next three years to allow them to better acquire,convert,and retain guests through more di

5、rect bookings.This is a powerful indication that staying competitive in the hospitality industry will require new strategies to maximize direct bookings and revenue potential and foster long-term guest loyalty.Did you know that 6 out of 10 bookings are now made online?M AST E RI NG T H E A RT O F D

6、I REC T B OOKI NGM AST E RI NG T H E A RT O F D I REC T B OOKI NGMASTERTHE ARTIdentify areas of improvement for your hotels websitewith anSEO ChecklistIn todays crowded digital ecosystem,hotels must be strategic in finding ways to stand out online and make it easy for potential guests to find them.W