Hotels expand beyond traditional room sales

Hotels are revolutionizing booking systems, ushering in a more innovative and profitable era of hospitality

Traditionally, hotel websites have offered generic and limited choices, but technological advances are transforming the booking experience into a personalized and interactive process. Guests can now select specific rooms using tools such as 3D maps, while hotels are unbundling services to monetize room features and amenities. This shift not only increases revenue, but also reduces reliance on online travel agencies by encouraging direct bookings with customized offers.

Key takeaways

• Wyndham has invested in cloud technology to enable services such as early check-in and pre-arrival amenities, generating thousands of dollars in incremental revenue per property;
• IHG offers upsell options for room features and extras, significantly increasing revenue;
• Marriott aims to become a "travel retailer," using dynamic pricing for experiences and services beyond room bookings.

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