While the opportunities that Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) present in terms of revenue are significant, many hoteliers are opting to maximize direct bookings through Booking Engines for Hotels.

But if OTAs can be a major source of revenue, why would hoteliers prefer using their hotel booking system? In this blog, we will discuss why leveraging hotel booking engines is the right choice to maximize revenue.

A hotel booking engine is an application on hotel websites and social media pages to capture and process direct online reservations. An online booking engine is your key to commission-free direct bookings and a way to optimize your property’s sales strategy and maximize profit.

With most travelers today now booking their stays online, hotels have had to become reliant on online travel agents to deliver them reservations. Listing on them includes the benefits of reaching large, new, audiences and increasing bookings but each reservation requires a commission fee to be paid to the third party. When this fee starts to creep up over 20%, it becomes incredibly frustrating for hotels, especially independent operators, as they see their profits melt away.

The Necessity of an Internet Booking Engine

No matter the size of your hotel, you need to allow guests to book rooms online if you want to remain competitive and stay open for business. Travelers have come to expect this functionality from modern-day accommodation providers, appreciating the convenience and security it provides. This is due to the following reasons:

Guests can easily self-serve – Travellers can check which rooms are available when, and for how much, without ever speaking to you.

Guests trust online booking – When guests make a booking, Booking Engines for Hotels can securely accept credit card payments, and guest data is safely stored and accessible in one place.

Guests can book quicker – Online booking puts an end to games of phone or email tag, with travelers and hotels liaising for days before confirming a booking.

Guests look for direct booking perks – People will often head to your website in the hopes that if they book directly they’ll get something a little extra added to their stay. This is a trade-off many properties will make to save on paying third-party commissions.

Having your own online hotel booking system will put you in a more advantageous position because of the many benefits it gives. Here we’ve listed the top advantages of plugging a booking engine into your website and social media pages.

Available To Serve 24/7

Gone are the days when hoteliers had to rely only on walk-ins and phone calls to take bookings because one of the main benefits of having an online booking engine is that it works round the clock. This means that your hotel is open for business at all hours even when you and your team are not, hence reducing your workload. With this in mind, there’s a high possibility that you will attract more potential customers that live in other time zones. Online booking hotel system also allows guests to book faster, putting an end to exchanging phone calls or emails, and waiting for days before confirming a booking.

Collects Smart Data and Allow Guests to Book with Peace of Mind

What’s great about an online hotel booking engine is that it allows you to gather data on how guests are booking rooms, their preferences, the price they are willing to pay, booking patterns, and more. This information can help you determine what packages you sell the most, and areas to focus on to help grow your business.

When guests make a booking, your online booking engine can securely accept credit card payments, and your guest’s data is safely stored and accessible in one place. Also, since there is so much information guests have to keep after booking, the hotel engine allows guests to keep track of their booking details in one place that they can access anytime, anywhere.

Less Commission and More Revenues

While OTAs are crucial to maximizing hotel revenues, the fact that they ask for higher commission rates gives Booking Engines for Hotels the advantage of winning the battle because it is your key to commission-free direct bookings, helping you maximize profitability. With a hotel booking engine, you will beat the steep commission structure that eats into your revenue through OTAs by owning the customer relationship and driving direct sales through your website.