Boosting Direct Booking Conversions by 34%: Metro Hotel Marlow Sydney Central’s Strategy

This post was originally submitted by The Hotels Network

MARKETING

Hoteliers are always looking for ways to set their properties apart from the rest and incentivize online visitors to book direct. While competitive pricing is crucial, this is only the first step. Complementary actions can be taken to secure guests and significantly increase direct bookings. This is where SafeDirect, travel assistance insurance that drives web conversion, comes in.

Why it matters: After running the campaign on Metro Hotel Marlow Sydney Central’s direct channel for two and a half months, SafeDirect boosted both total conversion and booking engine conversion.

SafeDirect is a travel assistance insurance that covers expenses arising from any medical eventuality during the stay at your hotel. Offered as an extra benefit to all users who book on the direct website, it allows you to protect guests and gives you an added value to boost direct bookings. Guests don't have to think about it! By immediately receiving this insurance included with their booking, they realize that your hotel is the best choice.

Top 3 Core Objectives: Consistently on the lookout for new methods to tailor their website user journey, the Metro Hotels team turned to one of THN’s latest innovations to advance their online visitor experience even further. Recognizing SafeDirect as a potential catalyst for higher website conversions, Metro Hotel Marlow Sydney Central decided to offer this unique perk to their online visitors.

Increase direct bookings: Capture the website user's attention with the attractive perk of travel assistance insurance. The messaging reinforces that Metro Hotel Marlow Sydney Central is the right choice for the visitor.
Stand out amongst competition: Highlight the exclusive benefit that potential visitors will only receive when booking directly with their property, not their competitors.
Reassure potential guests: Create a sense of security for Metro Hotel Marlow Sydney Central guests and show commitment to their well-being, making them feel valued and confident that the hotel is the ideal choice for their stay.

Innovators Mentioned

Metro Hotels

Lighthouse

Carlie Tait

Group Ecommerce & Distribution Manager

Metro Hotels

"SafeDirect revolutionised our website performance. We've not only boosted our revenue but also set ourselves apart in a competitive market. The unique perk paired with the peace of mind it offers to our guests is a win-win for our direct channel marketing strategy."

Carlie Tait

Group Ecommerce & Distribution Manager

👍 Group Ecommerce & Distribution Manager Carlie Tait said that SafeDirect boosts revenue and gives the property a competitive edge:

"SafeDirect revolutionised our website performance. We've not only boosted our revenue but also set ourselves apart in a competitive market. The unique perk paired with the peace of mind it offers to our guests is a win-win for our direct channel marketing strategy."

⚖️ The selection process: During their research process, Carlie Tait evaluated Lighthouse's product differentiators, customer support, and holistic value as a strategic partner and ultimately decided that Lighthouse was the best fit solution:

Group Ecommerce & Distribution Manager Carlie Tait said, about their decision: "We chose The Hotels Network because of their innovative approach and the direct impact on our bottom line. SafeDirect offered a unique perk that enhanced our guest experience and boosted direct bookings, making THN the clear choice to elevate our online performance and stand out from the competition."

📈 The results: SafeDirect boosted Metro Hotel Marlow Sydney Central's total conversion and booking engine conversion over the 2.5 month period.

+30% increase in booking engine conversion
+34% increase in total web conversion
To get a clear picture of SafeDirect's impact, we compared the results to the compset from the same time period the previous year to account for seasonal variations. Turns out, the compset (without SafeDirect) experienced a 20% decrease in both total web conversion and booking engine conversion.