Five Reasons why holiday rentals are becoming mini-hotels

by Pedro Colaco

Due to the recent economic downfall guests are searching for alternative accommodation products for their leisure travel.
Vacation rentals are capitalizing on this trend and finding ways to reinvent their offer and look for new online distribution channels.
Firstly, there are now important distribution sites like Homeaway to sell their units.
Secondly, vacation rental owners and managers finally understood that having their own website and a reliable e-commerce system with social marketing tools can help them grow their business.

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Four months after implementing GuestCentric’s powerful e-Commerce solutions, StayinEstes.com experienced a growth of 700% in their direct online revenue

More and more independent properties have to adapt online technologies to meet the demands of their customers and overcome rough economic times. Can smaller properties create a strong online presence focused on maximizing online bookings with the help of innovative technologies?

Aware of the new online searching patterns of travelers, StayinEstes.com a 9-loft independent property located in Estes Park, CO was committed to create and control a successful e-commerce strategy. At the same time they were concerned about how to provide a professional looking website that increased their direct bookings.

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What hoteliers need to know about HTML5

By Pedro Colaco GuestCentric President and CEO

The introduction of HTML5 will affect the future of how people use the web. At first glance it seems to be a subject only related to web developers but it relates to all of us. So, for all you non-web-geek-hoteliers that want to know how it will affect the future of your hotel website.

Let me begin by explaining what is HTML5: HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language = the code websites are built on) was developed by W3C. In 2004 a group of members of the HTML working group realized there were too many plug-ins being used to add features to regular HTML to allow it to fulfill real world needs. With that in mind, they formed a new group called WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group) that would be in charge of creating a new standard for web development. Although they didn’t come up with a great group name, they did focus on turning HTML5 into the web’s next big thing. And now it’s here!
HTML 5 is now starting to be used by developers and its new functions that can greatly benefit Internet users. HTML5 introduces a number of new elements and attributes that will turn the web experience richer, yet lighter. Here are some highlights:

• The new canvas element can be used for rendering graphics or other visual images on the fly. All done without having to rely on third-party plug-ins like Adobe Flash. This is a completely new open field with endless possibilities. If you heard about the controversy on Apple no longer supporting Adobe Flash on its mobile devices, it is directly related to HTML5.
• Embedding video also used to be impossible without third-party plug-ins such as Apple QuickTime or Adobe Flash. Thanks to the new video element, chances are this will become the new standard way to present video online. YouTube already has HTLM5 in beta testing, so you can join and take a look http://www.youtube.com/html5
• Today most websites already sniff the user’s location by means of IP address detection. But as good as we try to make it, its not always as reliable as one would like to. HTML5 geolocation presents an alternative method of correctly pinpointing a user’s location by capturing this information from Wi-Fi towers and GPS.
• The other major addition that is grabbing everyone’s attention is the ability to store offline data for Web apps. This means that you will be able to create files in a web application like Google Docs or draft e-mails on Google Mail when offline. These changes would be automatically synced the next time you’re connected.

All of this matters to hoteliers because your daily Web activities will become easier, you will be able to have a richer experience and you will also be able to have this same experience on a light, portable, universal platform like a phone or an iPad. In fact, you’re probably already taking advantage of it and you don’t even know it. Safari (both mobile and desktop), Google Chrome and Firefox 3.6 all support at least some elements of HTML5. Although Internet Explorer 8 is very limited, it seems that version 9 will take advantage of the full potential of HTML5.

Most importantly, HTML5 matters to you because in a constantly changing world, you need to know what’s out there so that you can use it to provide better service to your website visitors. Make sure you push the envelope and take the most out of what this new technology can do for your business and at the same time make sure your providers are able to follow you into these unexplored waters.

Many people wonder how is it possible that GuestCentric customers reach online results within the hundred’s percent in a short period of time. Well, this has to do with the optimization of the look-book-interact cycle, through the use of user-friendly, cost effective and integrated e-Commerce solutions. The high quality of the product and technology offered by GuestCentric contributes to the simplification and expansion of the look-book-interact cycle by making online transactions faster and immediate.

How does it work?

Look

More than 60% of online travelers begin their search for online accommodations through online travel agents like Expedia.com, Bookings.com or Lastminute.com. Once they find the accommodation that fits their needs, travelers search directly for the property’s website to find out more information about pricing and amenities. It is the perfect opportunity to capture their attention so make sure your web design, website content and website navigation are impeccable because they play a very important role when differentiating your property from your competitors and converting visitors into guests.

See how GuestCentric can transform your website design for maximum visibility.

Stay tuned for next post about BOOK

GuestCentric Systems celebrates Social Media Day and offers a one time promotion for Social Media Cloud Solution

Nowadays, being able to expand your brand is a key success factor for independent hotels and social media networks like Facebook and Twitter can play a very important role in this matter. By using the proper social media tools you not only increase your brand visibility but you are able to offer a better service to your customers that will generate more revenue for your property. If you are a hotel operator looking for end-to-end social media solutions to expand your brand with the use of viral marketing strategies and engage customers through social networks then we have the perfect solution for you.

Sign-up for GuestCentric’s social media cloud service through GuestCentric’s Facebook local business page, will get 25% discount off the Social Distribution and Followers Specials annual fee. The offer is only valid on June 30 for more information and to see the terms and conditions go to: http://www.guestcentric.com/social-media-day-promotion/

More and more independent properties are looking into adopting the best technologies in the market to improve their e-commerce. Here are 4 tips to keep in mind when planning your e-Commerce strategy.

Strong presence

The most important aspect of e-commerce has to do with the way you present your business and sell your service. It is not only about the looks but also about the navigation, how the information is presented, trust mechanisms, simplicity in the transactions and confidence that your website transmits to the visitor. You need to use your website as your best sales representative and for that you need to provide it with the proper tools to stimulate visitors to book and stay on the website.

Offer diversification

Knowing what your customers want is very important but it is even more important to be able to provide it to them. Your website should not only offer the best available rate but also it should offer a range of different experiences where the visitor can choose from. That way they are going to be able to book a room based on their needs and not necessarily because is the cheapest offer. This will certainly increase your revenue and make customers happier with their choices.

Good visibility

It is also very important for a business to successfully drive traffic to their website. I like to say: “no traffic no business” you need visitors to buy your rooms. This task is not easy and can be time consuming but when is well executed it provides great results. Luckily there are technology partners for the hotel industry that can provide you with tools to easily manage your online visibility.

Staying on top of the game

E-commerce success is an ongoing process; you need to stay alert because with new online technologies, travelers quickly change their searching patterns. What is fashion now might not be in the next 6 months. So make sure you know what is going on in the industry and what social media channels your customers are using.

This process takes time and it requires you attention to work properly, but once you have set your strategy you can put it on automatic pilot and enjoy the ride.

If you website lacks to accomplish what we mentioned before then contact us.

GuestCentric offers 3-month free service to hotels in the Gulf of Mexico coast line affected by the BP oil disaster. GuestCentric wants to contribute to the recovery of the region and simplify the direct communication of hotels and customers. To read the conditions

GuestCentric in Travel Technology Update

by Michele McDonald from Travel Technology Update

Large hotels and hotel chains leverage technology extensively to distribute their inventory, but it’s not so easy for smaller properties. For the manager of a 25- to 150- room hotel, technology can be expensive. It’s often difficult to use. It might require special knowledge. Read more

55 room independent hotel increased overall business by 180% in 3 months after implementing top notch e-commerce management solutions

Like many other hotels all over the world, Cuatro Naciones experienced a dramatic drop of 50% on their reservations at the beginning of 2009. Aware of the changes in preferences of the travelers towards online services, the hotel had to look for online solutions to help them overcome the economic crisis, provide exceptional services for demanding travelers and increase their direct online booking. After an exhaustive search with different providers, the manager of the hotel found in GuestCentric Systems the solution that best fit their needs; a company that focuses primarily on independent properties and provides a one-stop-shop online solution at affordable prices.

The Hotel Cuatro Naciones adapted GuestCentric’s e-Comerce solutions that included a full-feature platform, which provided them with powerful online marketing and distribution tools like:

• A brand new hotel website design
• An innovative booking engine
• A reservation platform
• Direct social media integration with Twitter and Facebook

The results exceeded all expectations. Within a month and a half of launching their new website and booking engine, the hotel had a 190% increase on their direct online reservations.  And in the middle of an unfavorable economic period, within 3 months of deployment the online reservations alone were responsible for an increase of 180% on the overall hotel business.

It is very important for the hoteliers to have a simple and integrated platform that allows them to spend more time in strategically planning and taking care of their customers rather than only managing reservations. See case study

Learn more on how GuestCentric can help you grow your online business.

Check out the new look of our Spanish website!

We just launched GuestCentric’s new Spanish website, take a look and tell us what you think.

Send us your feedback about your experience with the website to marketing@guestcentric.com