Welcome to the third version of this article! To date it has been super well received, so here goes the updated version with the top 12 sources of hotel bookings per country for 2022.
Thank goodness those turbulent years of hesitant bookings and constant Covid updates are behind us. The way that travellers booked throughout the pandemic has of course shifted to what we can say is a reasonable return to normal, so in this article we will cover which booking trends took precedence in 2022.
The insights we can derive from this super useful information will help you once again to work out where to focus your marketing efforts. But not only that, it will guide and influence how many, and which, OTAs offer an optimum balance for your property, according to your location and consumer demands.
This information is curated from Siteminder’s annual list of the Top 12 sources of hotel bookings as it continues to be a reliable data source. It details which distribution channels consumers are gravitating towards and, subsequently, which generate the greatest revenue for accommodation providers around the world.
So, what was new in 2022?
Direct bookings continue to increase, but OTA reservations have also soared.
According to the report, in 2021 direct bookings increased significantly, but despite having dropped down the 2022 list in 42% of markets, they did remain "on par with 2019 in 72%, and ahead in 28%".
To mitigate this news slightly, it was also reported that local booking channels like kurzurlaub.de in Germany have gained important competitive ground over the last 12 months. This reflects the growing segment of conscious consumers who are seeking a more responsible and localised booking solution than simply opting to book through one of the big OTA players.
And then there is Airbnb. When looking at your marketing strategy, you simply cannot ignore the growth of the Airbnb market. I know this is not something you want to hear, but avoiding the data will lead to missed opportunities. Airbnb has made it onto the top 12 list in 89% of featured markets, compared to just 28% in 2019.
Through knowledge comes opportunity, so take a look at the ways to use this information to your advantage. After checking out the data for your country below you will find a link that takes you to the final section "What to do now with this info?".
So, let’s get onto those results:
Click on your destination below, or feel free to browse through the whole list. Do note that Siteminder endeavours to cover the most popular destinations, but of course there are some countries that do not feature. Here's hoping to see new additions in 2023!
I will add that the report also contains some great data about Average Lead Time, Cancellation Rate, Length of Stay and Daily Rate, in conjunction with respective insights that should not be missed. At the end of the article you will find the link to access the full report.
Top 12 Booking Sources List
Top 12 Booking Sources for Australia
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Austria
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Canada
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Colombia
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for France
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Germany
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Indonesia
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Ireland
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Italy
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Mexico
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for the Netherlands
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for New Zealand
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for the Philippines
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Portugal
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for South Africa
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Spain
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for Thailand
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for the United Kingdom
What to do now with this info? Click here
Top 12 Booking Sources for the United States
What to do now with this info? Click here
These reports thrown up some super interesting food for thought, right?
The next question is of course, what to do with this information?
First, do not be disheartened if OTAs such as Booking and Expedia top the lists in your country.
If anything, this helps you to decide whether to continue working with them while you sharpen your direct booking skills. I am a firm believer in balance, but I also believe you should have control of your OTA listings. When the offers start to stack up it is easy to lose sight of the lowest available price that will end up being published. Being on top of your price parity is crucial to successful hotel marketing. To delve deeper in what you could and should be doing with your OTA profiles, take a look at this blog about how to get the most out of your Booking . com profile.
You may find this to be controversial, but Siteminder’s internal data states that “promoting a property on five or more channels can increase bookings by up to 40%”. This is technically just due to volume, the more places you appear, the more chances you are to meet the guest who is looking for what you offer.
This is the moment to take a look at those Newcomers and Ones To Watch to see if any of the local booking channels are an ideal fit for you and your potential customers. This might include some important research about where your customers are originating from, and this could well have changed since the pandemic. As Siteminder points out, “in markets like Germany for example, where almost 2-in-3 guests are domestic travellers, being connected to high performing local channels remains valuable, while in a market like Thailand, where almost 80% are international guests, the circumstances are different.”
Examples to check out are:
Kurzurlaub.de in Germany
Luxury Escapes in Australia, Indonesia, and Thailand
tboholidays in France
Voordeeluitjes in The Netherlands
Wilderness Window in South Africa
Klook in The Philippines
Spend some time on this. Research their profiles to see if they could be a good fit for your property, and you for them of course.
This is also where the power of the Billboard Effect cannot be underestimated. This refers to the people who use the major OTAs as a search tool, and then Google the one(s) they like the look of to see if their direct websites a) answer their questions, b) resonate on an emotional level, c) offer a seamless online booking process and/or an immediate way for contact.
When was the last time you looked at your website and booking process from the eyes of a potential guest? There is always something that can be tweaked.
And in regard to Airbnb, I am not suggesting you list your property on their platform (though I would love to hear from you if you have done that with any particular success). What I am suggesting is taking some time to consider why that certain segment of travellers are opting for independent properties? What is it that attracts them to that option? Once you have done some of that work, consider how you can integrate some appealing features such as private entrance, cooking facilities etc., into your own offer.
However, while this is a good exercise, I truly believe that joining them rather than differentiating yourself is not going to get the long-term results you desire. If Pepsi tried to emulate Coca Cola more rather than continue to market why and how they are different, would they be successful?
The most successful messaging I put out there is not that that talks about how to increase direct bookings or make more money, it is the messaging that offers help in improving your personal health and the wealth of your business. I will give you an example.
Exhaustion and burnout are common problems among hospitality business owners. When I make the promise that my tailored marketing coaching programme will help hotel owners de-stress and feel less overwhelm when running their businesses, as well as generating more wealth on a daily basis, it resonates deeply and emotionally and attracts more clients into my world.
By wealth, I mean impact and richness on a primary, immediate level, both of which generate more financial wealth over time. The way I bring the sustainability in tourism conversation into my marketing consultancy is unique as it focuses on that intangible but powerful feel-good factor that your business, through guided, responsible decision making and action, can become a force for good, no matter how small you are. Get a glimpse of my messaging, how I speak, and how I teach, in this super short but insight-packed Top 5 Consumer Travel Trends video. Click the image below for access and if you are super motivated to learn more and get impactful, check out a recent blog that deals out some great inspiration on how to engage your guests.
When you do the work to understand what you customer really wants, and talk right to that in your marketing messaging, you stand a MUCH better chance of stopping the scroll, getting people to listen, and to book. It takes courage, but if you were not courageous you would not be running a tourist accommodation business!
So, that’s it from me. You can find the complete Siteminder report here. Don't forget to check out that interactive info showing Average Lead Time, Cancellation Rate, Length of Stay and Daily Rate.
Or click here to go back to the list of countries at the start of this blog to check through the reports again.
If you have any questions or just want to share, send an email to sarah@responsibletourism.school