Understanding traveler behaviour
According to a study conducted by Google, on average 60% of travelers are turning to search engines first vs. hotel website to plan their online trips. This means that when a user visits your hotel website, they have already done some sort of research. Now, they want to:
• Compare prices on your website versus online travel agencies, like Booking.com and Agoda.com
• Get more information about the hotel, like extra services, more photos, videos.
• Check to see if there are any special deals or package offers for selected dates.
• Contact the hotel directly to arrange for custom requests or direct bookings.
Optimise user experience for direct bookings
Nothing else matters, not aesthetics or taste.
You might think this is not how user experience should work, but as long as the website generates direct bookings, we are doing the right thing. Your booking window or button should always be in a visible spot. It should be clear with a focus on usability over design.
Users need to be able to compare room types, rate types easily to make decisions quickly, with a clear advantage for booking direct.
Make sure to provide a clear summary of the booking and optimize the checkout form according to numerous research and best practices.
