Exclusive Feature: In this day and age, your hotel is only good as its web presence - at least that what 70% of travelers believe -
The 'Seeing Returns: Building Loyalty at Hotels through Digital Customer Experience' report recently revealed that digital and mobile experiences are at the top of travelers' lists.
The report surveyed 1,000 travelers across the United States to find out what they're looking for in a digital experience, and also looked at the differences between hotel stays for business, for leisure and with family.
For 70% of the travelers surveyed, the hotel's website and app have a direct impact on whether they decide to book a room. Seems the digital experience for travelers is a direct correlation to the in-room hotel experience. The connection isn't as far-fetched as you'd think, either.
Travelers have become more digitally-reliant - they use Smartphones, iPads and apps to book trips on-the-go, research when they're there and even communicate with hotel teams and other guests during their stay, thanks to Twitter and Facebook. This always-connected, always-responsive way of doing business is something more travelers have come to expect from inside hotels, too.
That's where the website and app come into play. The more informational and helpful a hotel's digital experience is, the more it connects with the traveler.
Unique content, photography, tips and travel advice lend to the overall experience online, but it's equally important to carry that all the way through the experience.
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Melanie Nayer is a hotel reviewer and expert on luxury travel around the world. She has covered all aspects of hotels including corporate restructures, re-branding initiatives, historical aspects and the best of the best in luxury hotels around the world. Melanie writes a weekly exclusive column for 4Hoteliers.com