UK consumers book more of the separate elements of travel (flight, accommodation, event tickets, activities, restaurant reservations) at the same time compared to other nationalities.
Presenting research on stage at the Annual Hospitality Conference in Manchester, Flavio Leoni, regional director of global accounts EMEA for Booking.com, revealed that travellers typically book their flights first, and 42 percent of Brits book their accommodation at the same time, compared to just 29 percent globally.
Knowing that a significant portion of UK consumers book flights and accommodation simultaneously allows hotels to create targeted marketing campaigns, said Leoni.
For example, they can partner with airlines to offer bundled deals or discounts for booking both flights and stays together; or they can send special offers to guests who have booked flights only, encouraging them to book their accommodation too.
Hotels can enhance the overall customer experience by anticipating the needs of travelers who book flights and accommodation together, he added. This might include offering transportation services from the airport to the hotel or providing early check-in options for guests arriving on early flights.
UK travellers are far more likely to book taxis and airport transfers in advance than other nationalities, the research by Booking.com and Statista found.
Events and activities
Nearly one third (29 percent) of UK travellers book event tickets (compared to 26 percent globally) and 44 percent book attractions or activities (36 percent globally) as the next steps in their booking journey.
Increasingly, hotels are paying more attention to the total guest experience, and some are building databases of local events and activities. Several technology companies, including Alliants, Lokalee, OccasionGenius, Flip.io and Travel Curious, offer services that enable hoteliers to capture more of travellers’ total spend. This can include commission from selling events and activities that are happening outside the hotel.
More than half of business trips now include leisure elements, and guests increasingly expect hotels to help them when planning their stays. Online cross selling and upselling can financially benefit hotels.
Reasons to travel
Looking at the reasons behind choosing a destination, value for money is top of mind when Brits are deciding where to go. To enjoy warmer weather, taste the local cuisine, and meet friendly people were other key motivations.
“Most of the time, ‘meeting friendly people’ refers to the way guests are treated in a hotel and this is a big difference between, say, a villa or holiday home rental, where the interaction with the host is minimal or non-existent,” commented Leoni.
Which kind of accommodation do UK travellers prefer? Two thirds prefer hotels, 21 percent prefer villa/holiday home rentals, and 20 percent prefer B&Bs (compared to 15 percent globally).
“Hotels are still the main business, even on Booking.com. B&Bs are clearly part of the culture and DNA of Britain, but little by little, we see that domestic travellers are switching more towards hotels,” said Leoni.
Comfort and cosiness
What do UK travellers expect and want from their accommodation? A high number prioritise ‘comfort and cosiness’ (59 percent) which emphasises the importance of feeling at home while away.
“Sometimes a holiday villa or Airbnb, where the guest doesn’t meet anybody, can get much higher review scores than a hotel,” commented Leoni. “You can be the best hotel in the world, but if the employees do not make the guests feel at home, then you have an issue.”
A high result for ‘familiarity’ (59 percent) means that many Brits plan to return to accommodation they previously enjoyed. All-inclusive package deals remain popular (44 percent) while 38 percent expressed an interest in unconventional getaways, such as staying in treehouses or igloos.
Leoni noted that the number of Brits expressing a preference for accommodation with technology amenities and services had risen from 10 percent to 21 percent in one year.
“The ability to connect our phones or tablets to the screen when we are in the hotel is very key, and it’s growing in importance because the younger generations are travelling more and more,” he said.