Blog

The winter of 2026 is creating a complex scenario for the hotel sector in various Spanish urban destinations. In addition to adverse weather conditions, there is an environment of uncertainty surrounding rail travel following recent incidents and service disruptions.

Several surveys published in recent weeks reflect a decline in user confidence in trains as a means of transport. Beyond this stated perception, the relevant question is whether this situation is having a tangible impact on hotel occupancy data.

To answer this question, at Paraty Tech we have analyzed, based on our direct sales data, the year-on-year evolution of the pickup truck, focusing on:

• Last 30 days
• Last 14 days
• Year-over-year comparison of revenue and cancellations

Delimitation of the analysis: why these destinations

The study focuses on Cádiz, Málaga, Seville, Córdoba, and Madrid. The selection is based on exposure to rail connectivity, especially along the Madrid-Andalusia axis.

These are destinations with a significant domestic market share and short and medium stay trips, segments that are potentially more sensitive to changes in the perception of transport reliability.

Madrid also serves a dual purpose: it is a well-established urban destination and the main hub for sending tourists to and connecting with the southern Iberian Peninsula. This allows us to observe the behavior of both the source market and the receiving destinations.

Our goal is not to extrapolate conclusions to the whole of the country, but to analyze those markets where, according to the sample we manage, a change in mobility could have a greater impact.

Generalized deceleration in the short window

According to the data we have, the pattern is consistent across the five destinations: the year-on-year growth rate is lower in the last 14 days than in the last 30.

• Cadiz: +50% → +27%
• Malaga: +17% → +8%
• Seville: +17% → +7%
• Madrid: +30% → +12%
• Cordoba: -20% → -21%

Four markets maintain positive growth, but with a clear loss of recent momentum. Córdoba is the only one showing a sustained year-on-year contraction.

The YoY pickup chart visually shows this lateral deceleration.

Increased volatility: the growing weight of cancellations

If we apply the same comparative analysis to the year-over-year behavior of cancellations, the pattern is consistent again: February shows the largest year-over-year difference in most destinations.

According to the data we have, the breakdown by location would be as follows:

• Cadiz : notable year-on-year increase in February, with gradual normalization in the following months.
• Malaga : one of the highest relative peaks in cancellations during the period, especially concentrated in February.
• Seville : significant increase in cancellations at the start of the year, coinciding with the adjustment observed in the short window.
• Madrid : year-on-year revenue growth accompanied by a high level of cancellations in February, which reinforces the idea of greater volatility.
• Cordoba : significant increase in cancellations in February within an already contractionary context in customer acquisition.

While the pick-up analysis showed a slowdown, the cancellation analysis showed a concentration of risk at specific times.
From a purely technical perspective, the combined effect is clear:

• Less inertia in recent capture.
• Higher probability of reserve reversal.
• Reduction of net visibility in the very short term.

In terms of the quality of growth, the relevant data is not only the percentage of variation in revenue, but the relationship between generated bookings and consolidated bookings.

February is the month with the highest tension

Another relevant pattern is the concentration of cancellations in February. This is observed in several destinations:

• Significant year-on-year increase in cancellations.
• Notable differences between revenue growth and booking stability.
• A key event in Cádiz: Carnival. This demand will not be postponed to a future date.
• The cancellation chart reinforces this reading: the relative level of cancellations in February is high in virtually all destinations analyzed.
• The observed behavior does not point to a disappearance of demand, but rather to greater volatility. Reservations are being made, but cancellations are also occurring more frequently than last year.

Technical conclusion

According to the data we have at Paraty Tech, winter 2026 does not reflect a widespread contraction in year-over-year growth in the destinations analyzed. Four of the five locations maintain positive year-over-year variations in revenue and pick-up.

However, comparative analysis between time windows reveals a consistent pattern of slowdown in the last 14 days compared to the previous 30, accompanied in several cases by a relative increase in cancellations.

From an analytical perspective, this behavior suggests:

• Loss of inertia in recent capture.
• Greater volatility in reserve consolidation.
• Concentration of risk in certain months, especially February.
• The market, therefore, does not show a structural drop in interest in destinations, but rather a deterioration in the stability of demand in the very short term.

Implications for revenue management

Beyond the current analysis, the data points to an environment where the critical variable is not only the pace of sales, but also the stability of the reserve. In a context of greater volatility:

• The 14-day window becomes more relevant as a leading indicator.
• Managing cancellation policies and flexible terms is of particular importance.
• Net pick up analysis (bookings minus cancellations) becomes a key metric.

It seems clear that the slowdown is a response to a temporary period of uncertainty, and the market is expected to regain momentum once the situation stabilizes. However, if the loss of momentum persists during the short-term travel window, we could be facing a more persistent adjustment in domestic travel behavior.

Continuous monitoring of the relationship between revenue generated and consolidated revenue will be crucial in the coming weeks.

Non-Refundable Rates (NRF) are regaining the prominence they lost during the pandemic. According to data from our clients, so far in 2025, 24.6% of direct bookings have been made under this model. But what’s most interesting about this trend isn’t just the volume — it’s how this model has evolved to adapt to the industry’s changing needs.

What was once known as the traditional NRF rate —a lower price in exchange for 100% prepayment with no refunds— has transformed into more flexible formats, aligned with current traveler expectations. Hotels offering these rates through their direct channel have discovered that rigidity is no longer essential to secure early bookings or improve cash flow.

At Paraty Tech, we’ve developed and identified several Non-Refundable Rate formats that are making a significant impact on direct channel conversion.

1. Non-Refundable Rate with Date Change Option

This variant adds value to the traditional NRF rate, improving customer perception when booking. Now, in case of an unforeseen event, guests can modify their stay dates without losing their booking (or their money), unlike the classic non-refundable model.

How does it work?

• The guest prepays the total amount to access the benefits of a traditional NRF rate.
• However, if an unexpected situation arises, they can change their stay dates within the deadline set by the hotel to protect occupancy (a model widely used by airlines, often for a small extra fee).
• If the new stay is more expensive, the guest pays the difference; if it’s cheaper, no refund applies.

Interestingly, fewer than 1% of guests actually modify their booking dates. Still, simply offering the option eliminates one of the biggest barriers to conversion: the fear of losing money or the booking itself.

2. Non-Refundable Rate with Split Payment

Advances in payment gateways and tokenization have opened new opportunities for the direct channel. Thanks to Paraty E-Payments, hotels can now offer automated, secure Non-Refundable Rates with split payments.

How does it work?

• The guest pays an initial percentage at the time of booking (e.g., 30%).
• The remaining payments are automatically executed according to the hotel’s payment rules (e.g., two months before arrival).
• The entire process is tokenized and requires no manual intervention from the hotel.

“This model is particularly appealing in the UK market, where travelers are used to paying for their holidays in installments rather than having the full amount saved upfront”, explains Valdas Tverijonas, Director of Global Accounts at Paraty Tech.

Additionally, split-payment NRFs are ideal for encouraging longer stays and boosting conversion during high season, when room rates are higher.

Bringing the Tour Operator Model to the Direct Channel

For decades, tour operators have worked with split-payment systems. Now, thanks to our technology and Paraty E-Payments, hotels can offer the same flexibility directly —without intermediaries and with full control over the process.

Some properties are even integrating specialized payment gateways like Scalapay, incorporating split payments as a distinctive feature within their direct sales strategy.

3. Non-Refundable Rate with Cancellation Insurance

This variant allows guests to recover the money paid for their stay if they cannot travel due to specific circumstances: serious illness, accident, job loss, court summons, urgent medical tests, among more than 20 covered reasons.

This model usually requires integration with specialized insurance platforms, such as FlexMyRoom. Although it slightly increases the final price (usually paid by the guest), it’s particularly appealing for certain traveler profiles — older guests, those with medical conditions, or those visiting destinations with uncertain health or political conditions — as it provides peace of mind when booking in advance.

4. Resellable Non-Refundable Rate: The Next Step in Flexibility

The resellable NRF is the latest evolution of Non-Refundable Rates — a model already showing excellent results in markets like Italy. Through integrations with platforms such as Trip Resale, a new concept enters the direct sales ecosystem: the possibility of reselling a confirmed reservation to another traveler, creating a genuine secondary market for hotel stays.

The property defines the advance period during which resale is allowed, retaining full control and visibility of the process. The reservation maintains its original conditions (dates, room type, board), and the hotel can even repurchase it if demand is high — increasing revenue by being able to resell that room again.

Although this model is still emerging in many markets, the resellable NRF offers an innovative way to bring flexibility to Non-Refundable Rates and maximize direct channel revenue without losing operational control.

Strengthening the Direct Channel

The evolution of Non-Refundable Rates mirrors the broader changes in the hospitality industry. Competition is no longer just about price — it’s about the value and flexibility each channel offers.

At Paraty Tech, we continue to innovate to ensure that hotels have the technology, automation, and payment solutions they need to make their direct booking channel the traveler’s first choice.

+100% growth during the first four months of 2025 at both Miami hotels

The Kent Hotel and The Colony Hotel, two iconic Art Deco gems in South Beach, Miami , combine history and luxury in a prime location that attracts millions of tourists each year. Since the beginning of our collaboration, we have worked hand in hand to centralize their technology ecosystem under a single provider, boost their direct sales channels , and significantly reduce their operating costs, achieving revenue growth of over 100% in less than a year.

Thanks to the comprehensive collaborative project and the implementation of Paraty Tech's technological solutions, "our websites are now more functional and attractive than before," says Eddie Nunez, General Manager at The Kent Hotel & The Colony Hotel.
Discover the strategies that have transformed these historic icons into digital leaders in Miami Beach's competitive hotel market in our Success Story.

DISCOVER HOW TO BOOST DIRECT SALES IN THIS SUCCESS STORY .

After the storm comes... the snow

With the ski season now drawing to a close, it's time to take stock. At Paraty Tech, we've thoroughly analyzed the performance of the direct channels of accommodations located in the main snow destinations on the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on three key areas: Andorra, the Pyrenees, and the Sierra Nevada .

And the results leave no room for doubt: this year's abundant rainfall , which at higher altitudes has fallen as snow, has had a very positive impact on bookings, occupancy, and revenue, especially during April, a period that last year went virtually unnoticed in terms of activity for many accommodations, which were even forced to make the decision to close their doors that month due to the lack of snow and/or the premature closure of resorts.

Below, we present the aggregated key KPIs for these three regions, and then analyze them in detail for each destination. We'll focus on metrics such as revenue, number of reservations, room nights, ADR, average stay, advance notice, cancellation rate, and booking source. We'll compare all of this with data from the previous season.

General improvement of all indicators

Before diving into a detailed analysis of each area, let's look at the overall evolution of ski accommodations during the season , according to our data. The general trend is clearly positive, and demonstrates that, despite being an increasingly exclusive product (the average ADR is around €200), skiing continues to attract a growing number of enthusiasts year after year.



The comparison between the 43.16% increase in revenue generated and the 28.35% increase in the number of reservations reveals two other very interesting indicators: on the one hand, the increase in ADR, which stands at around 10%, and on the other, the increase in Room Nights, close to 30%, with an average stay of 2.18 nights. More nights at a higher price equals more revenue, despite the lower growth in the number of reservations. Let's look at other interesting KPIs:

• Origin of the reserves:
• Spain (77.5%)
• France (16.5%)
• United Kingdom (2.3%)
• Revenue increase: +43.16%
• Increase in the number of reservations : +28.35%
• Increase in the total number of Room Nights : +29.44%
• Average stay : 2.18 nights
• ADR increase : +9.75%
• ADR : €199.61
• Average cancellation rate : -11.36% vs. last season
• Lead Time : 22.44 days
• Increase in Lead Time : +4.8 days
• Revenue increase in April : +812.48% (only hotels open both years)

Andorra: longer average stay and significant differences in ADR by market

Andorra has shown more moderate growth overall, but stands out for having recorded the largest increase in revenue in April , demonstrating a significant recovery from a historically difficult period. It is also the region with the longest average stay .



The ADR in Andorra is high , although there are significant differences depending on the source market. While a French traveler can pay up to €213.90 (more than 4% above the average), a local traveler will pay close to €145 (almost 30% below the average). Below are all the details:

• Origin of the reserves:
• Spain (50.4%)
• France (24%)
• United Kingdom (6%)
• Andorra (3%)
• Revenue increase : +11%
• Increase in the number of reservations : +6%
• Increase in the total number of Room Nights : +7%
• Average stay : 2.65 nights
• ADR increase : +3.5%
• ADR : €204.45
• France: €213.90 (+4.62% vs. average)
• United Kingdom: €204.90 (+0.22% vs. average)
• Spain: €200.84 (-1.76% vs. average)
• Andorra: €144.33 (-29.43% vs average)
• Cancellation rate : -23% vs. last season
• Lead Time : 25.15 days
• Increase in Lead Time : +6.25 days
• Revenue increase in April : +1098.50%

Sierra Nevada, a very popular resort

Sierra Nevada is, without a doubt, the area that has experienced the greatest growth this season. With notable increases in revenue, bookings, and room nights, in addition to a rising ADR, it reflects the popularity, predominantly among Spanish skiers (97.2% of bookings), of this southern Iberian ski resort. However, it also stands out for having the shortest average stay , a slight increase in cancellations , and hosting the least planning traveler profile (booking advance notice is just 12.97 days).

• Revenue increase : +65.50%
• Increase in the number of reservations : +42.05%
• Increase in the total number of Room Nights : +42.38%
• Average stay : 1.87 nights
• ADR increase : +14.13%
• ADR : €186.10
• Cancellation rate : +0.23%
• Lead Time : 12.97 days
• Increase in Lead Time : +2.8 days
• Revenue increase in April : +92.94%

The Pyrenees (Aragonese and Catalan) are synonymous with performance

The Pyrenees are positioned as one of the most robust regions in terms of performance. They have experienced significant growth across all KPIs, with a high ADR, excellent performance in April, and very low cancellation rates . Furthermore, it is the region with the highest average advance booking rate.

• Origin of the reserves:
• Spain (91%)
• France (6.2%)
• United Kingdom (1.5%)
• Revenue increase : +53%
• Increase in the number of reservations : +37.06%
• Increase in the total number of Room Nights : +38.95%
• Average stay : 2.02 nights
• ADR increase : +11.63%
• ADR : €208.28
• Cancellation rate : -11.33%
• Lead Time : 29.22 days
• Increase in Lead Time : +5.4 days
• Revenue increase in April : +1246%

With the weather permitting, skiing will continue to be fashionable, no matter the cost.

Andorra leads in average stays, the Pyrenees in advance, and the Sierra Nevada in booking growth . These and the rest of the data presented confirm that the 2024-2025 snow season has been very positive for mountain accommodations, thanks in large part to the generous snowfall recorded, which has allowed many resorts to extend operations into April.

But also because, despite the fact that skiing remains an expensive product— with an average ADR approaching €200 per night —demand remains strong, and the overall improvement in indicators supports this.

In fact, it is increasingly attracting young people, and its new followers continue to grow, attracted not only by the improvements in the facilities, such as the addition of snow parks, but also by that other fun aspect associated with this sport known as après-ski .

With a wide variety of events and concerts taking place at the resorts, sometimes even on the slopes themselves, a multitude of championships being held (freestyle, slalom, etc.), and countless complementary activities (guided snowshoe tours, sleigh rides, snow grooming, etc.), the door is also opening up to developing dynamic packages in this segment, whose contribution to increasing direct sales and the average ticket is already very significant for many of our clients.

It's time to take advantage of the last moments of the season! We recommend checking the current status of the slopes, the expected closing date for each resort, and other details relevant to your business. You can do so at Infonieve . However, for your convenience, below is a list of the resorts that plan to close at the end of April:

• April 20, 2025
• Panticosa
• Nuria Valley
• Astún
• Candanchú
• Cerler
• Formigal
• San Isidro
• Laciana Valley - Leitariegos
• Winter Fountains
• Ordino Arcalís
• Pal Arinsal
• Grandvalira


• April 21, 2025
• Piau-Engaly
• Vallter
• Cauterets Cirque du Lys
• Spot
• The Molina
• Port Ainé
• Baqueira Beret
• Ski Canaro
• Boí Taüll


• April 27, 2025
• Masella
• May 5, 2025
• Sierra Nevada

As you can see, some resorts are still open and still have plenty of skiable kilometers. In their desire to squeeze the most out of the season, the average skier will likely be willing to give their all in exchange for a few last-minute parallel runs. Take advantage of this final push and make this season a memorable one .

Ring2Travel handled a total of 123,000 calls and completed 10,000 reservations, resulting in an economic impact exceeding €8 million. This represented a 65.37% growth compared to 2023. Personalized customer service was established as a key factor in increasing hotel revenue , strengthening loyalty and improving the guest experience.

To learn more, read the full article on the ITH blog.

Royal River Luxury Hotel , a tourist complex located in one of the most exclusive enclaves of Tenerife, in front of the Costa Adeje Golf Course and with views of the Atlantic.

Since its opening in 2020, Royal River Luxury Hotel has sought to differentiate itself within the hospitality sector. With 50 luxury villas, elegant rooms, numerous swimming pools, a first-class spa, gym and a diversified gastronomic offer in four spaces, the hotel embodies the essence of superlative comfort. To continue in the line of excellence, the collaboration with Paraty Tech has become a key piece to boost sales in its direct channels.

The choice of Paraty Tech by Royal River Luxury Hotel is based on both the vast experience of the technology company and its wide range of services. Starting from its agile implementation, the connection between modules and tools , and the variety of services that reduce the number of interlocutors, favoring direct communication between the client and the supplier.

The project ranges from the design of the website, 100% customized, with independent versions for desktop and mobile devices, to the implementation of a booking engine with new functionalities adapted to the specific needs of the hotel.

With this association, Royal River Luxury Hotel meets the objective of being at the forefront. In this way, customized service launches have emerged such as the Gift Cards module . An implementation with which any user can give away stays from two to five nights, generating a Promocode to redeem for the purchase. This service will allow past, present or future guests to be rewarded, favoring the opening of a new way to boost direct reservations. In addition, the website is also supplied with a packaging service of unified and indivisible services such as the “romantic getaway” option, designed for couples.

"At Royal River Luxury Hotel, we are known for offering our guests an unparalleled experience, and to do so, we have found in Paraty Tech the perfect partner who shares our vision of excellence. Their experience and technological solutions have allowed us to take our offer to a new level," explains María Lorenzo, General Manager of Royal River Luxury Hotel.

Seeking to make the most of the potential of the services offered, both teams have worked hand in hand to completely renew the image and usability of the website, adding the adoption of the role of partner in digital marketing. Through the services of Paraty Digital Suite , the company carries out meticulous positioning work on the official website and traffic generation, as well as managing metasearch, SEM and Google Hotel Ads campaigns.

A degree of commitment that is not only reflected in the design of the website, but in the implementation of tailored solutions to take the hotel to the next level. Royal River Luxury also has Call Seeker services. A tool created with the aim of simplifying the task of quoting reservations and, thanks to active listening to the sector, gradually incorporating a wide range of functionalities.

One of them is activated when the website detects that the visitor has been inactive for a while and senses the possibility of losing a reservation. To recapture the user's attention, a pop-up appears requesting the email address in order to later send the quote by email.

With the main objective of boosting reservations through the direct channel, Royal River Luxury Hotel has Parity Maker , a tool that guarantees parity with the selected OTA and absolute control of rates. The best ally of the booking engine, to guarantee precision, constant evolution, in addition to reducing the abandonment rate and increasing the conversion rate.

For our part, “working with Royal River Luxury Hotel has been an exceptional opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities in the luxury hotel sector. Our mission is to provide tools that not only facilitate management, but also significantly improve the customer experience, and with this project, we believe we have achieved those objectives,” concludes Daniel Sánchez, CRO of Paraty Tech.

Joint work has allowed us to achieve the main objectives of the collaboration. For us, customer satisfaction is essential, and we have managed to meet the established objectives while maintaining excellence in our customer service and support. This has allowed us to generate positive results and obtain valuable feedback, promoting direct sales channels and optimizing the customer experience. Thanks to these achievements, Royal River Luxury Hotel has stood out in the competitive Tenerife hotel market.

Paraty Tech, a leader in technology solutions for the hospitality industry, and Spazious, a group and event booking and management platform, today announced a strategic alliance to offer hotels a group and event booking engine.

This partnership will allow hotels around the world to access Spazious' cutting-edge technology in conjunction with Paraty's booking engine and other solutions, greatly simplifying their daily operations.

Spazious automates the reservation and group management process from initial request to final confirmation, reducing manual work and eliminating errors, freeing hotel staff to focus on more important tasks. With this partnership, hotels will be able to:

• Receive all group and event requests centrally.


• Check room and event space availability in real-time.


• Create immersive 3D visualizations of future events.


• Confirm reservations and securely manage payments.


• Access detailed reports on group and event performance.

Thanks to the merger of both technologies, the Paraty Tech API will feed the Spazious platform at the pricing level, favoring and improving the automation of processes related to payment methods, download of reservations, etc.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits, hotels will have access to preferential rates when contracting both package solutions.

Gina Matheis, CEO of Paraty Tech, said, “We are excited to partner with Spazious to offer our customers a complete group and event management solution. This partnership will allow us to offer hotels state-of-the-art technology that will help them improve efficiency, increase revenue and provide a better experience for their guests”.

For his part, Antonio Batanero, CEO of Spazious, added: “We are very excited about this partnership with Paraty Tech. This collaboration will allow us to reach a greater number of hotels and help them make the most of our solutions for digitizing the event and group business”.

About Paraty Tech

Paraty Tech helps hotels improve their direct sales by developing customized solutions and tools. Headquartered in Malaga (Spain), with offices in Albufeira (Portugal) and Cancun (Mexico), and sales offices in Colombia and the USA, Paraty Tech works with more than 3,000 hotels worldwide that already benefit from its technology, which includes products such as a booking engine, web design, revenue management tools, online marketing, connectivity and metasearch management, loyalty programs, and its own call center, among others.

About Spazious

Spazious is a solution for booking and managing events and groups in hotels. The company offers a state-of-the-art booking engine that allows hotels to centrally manage all of their group and event requests, as well as a 3D event simulator that allows them to generate virtual tours of the different facilities that the hotel offers to its clients. Spazious is headquartered in Miami, USA, with offices in Madrid and Cancun.

Contact us:
Paraty Tech:
Daniel Romero | dromero@paratytech.com

Spazious
Carmen Benitez | carmen@spazious.com

We are at the beginning of the year, still taking stock of 2023 and focusing on the objectives of 2024. A few days of reflection, thinking about improving and becoming aware of everything we have achieved last year, which is not little.

We tell you about it here, and in the process, you will see the importance of having a Customer Experience Center like Ring2Travel on your team.

In the digital era in which we are immersed, it is very clear that some people prefer and need direct contact, the famous human-to-human , and this is reflected in the 345 hotels we provide services to, spread across Spain, Portugal, Italy, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

A tangible testimony of the effectiveness of the strategy focused on the customer and the voice channel is the revenue generated, during that period, being €11,347,300.65 . Our focus on the quality of our service makes it our commitment to offer a completely personalized service for each hotel establishment, with our team acting as one of the hotel's own professionals. Becoming a strategic pillar for our clients, in addition to becoming a driving force to increase income through direct reservations.

A year is a long time, 365 days are enough, in Ring2Travel, to answer 441,409 calls , which is said to be early. We operate 24 hours a day and in the different countries mentioned above, offering our telephone solutions to anyone who wants to outsource and have a well-defined strategy for incoming, outgoing calls, emails, chat...

These incredible results represent notable growth compared to the previous year, generating 32.25% more revenue compared to 2022 , reflecting, in this way, the continued confidence of customers in the call center services and their ability to evolve in an dynamic business environment.

We contribute to customer satisfaction, since we are right where they want us to be. At Ring2Travel we serve every day of the year, 24 hours a day and in 5 languages , helping the reception and reservation departments of the hotel establishment. Call overflow, cancellation recovery, prepaid calls, SMS campaigns, chat service, email management, satisfaction suveys... and much more.

This 2024, don't miss the opportunity to obtain incredible results in your direct telephone sales thanks to Ring2Travel , do you dare?

Call Seeker, Ring2Travel's advanced solution, improves reservation management with features such as real-time quoting, pre-booking, manual rate adjustments, and capacity locking . Its integration with CRM and payment gateways facilitates hotel operations, optimizing both the guest experience and property efficiency.

To learn more, read the full article on the ITH blog.

Direct sales in hotels find an irreplaceable ally in the voice channel. A specialized call center not only optimizes the management of reservations and inquiries, but also increases the average ticket, strengthens customer loyalty, and contributes to the planning of campaigns for future stays .

To learn more, read the full article on the ITH blog.

Get Ready for the New Year

Back to the routine after these festive days, and it's time to catch up. In order to help you shape your marketing plan for this new year, Paraty Tech has gathered 5 digital marketing trends that will be present in the hotel industry during 2023:

Meta Search Engines

You might be wondering, Meta Search Engines, what is that? But let's summarize it in a few words: they are metasearch channels that allow comparing the price of a hotel across different distribution channels, whether it's the official website or various OTAs.

Some examples of these platforms include: Google Hotel Ads, Trivago, Tripadvisor, Kayak, Skyscanner, etc.

Once again, Google is on the podium, gaining a very competitive advantage that others don't have. It is the most used search engine in the world, and with Google Hotel Ads, metasearch results appear directly when conducting a search on Google.



If your hotel's official website does not appear in the metasearch results, you are losing sales to OTAs. Google allows you to be in these results for free (free booking links) and paid, through ads (Google Hotel Ads). However, for either option, you need a company that is an official Google Partner, as is the case with Paraty Tech. If you want more information, feel free to ask your account.

Mobile Marketing

Leaving home without your mobile is unthinkable now, isn't it?
In just a few decades, mobile phones have become an indispensable object in our daily lives, and some even classify them as an extension of the human being.

If they were once just a means of socialization and connection, today, mobiles allow access to services, banking apps, work tools, tickets (plane, concerts, events), GPS, etc.

It is up to companies, in this case, hotels, to make the best possible use of mobile devices to add value to the guest's journey. Examples of how we can use mobile marketing include: sending pre-stay SMS, online check-in/check-out, mobile keys, booking a service directly from the mobile, apps that allow room control, remote TV, and geolocated notifications, etc.

CX – Customer Experience

Customer experience is the qualitative sum of all touchpoints between the brand and the guest, before, during, and after their stay. If the booking process on the website is stressful for the customer, it will add negative points to the quality of the experience. Conversely, if there is extra attention after the stay that makes the guest feel special, it will add positive points to the experience.

Basically, we have to see the customer experience as a whole, not just the experience during the stay (the famous "operation"), as this is only one phase.

By mapping the customer's complete journey, we must pay special attention to customer frustration points, such as queues or long waits, and develop more comfortable solutions for the customer through process digitalization. Mobile marketing, as we saw in the previous point, is one of the resources that allows this consumer-focused digitalization.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing will continue to grow, not only in the market for large companies. For small and medium accommodations, turning to digital influencers is an excellent way to expand brand reach and awareness. And although there is still some reluctance to this type of collaboration, it is a trend that will be present in 2023.

When inviting an influencer or saying "Yes" to a collaboration, it is important to study the influencer and ensure that their followers align with the hotel's target audience, and the values they convey are in line with the brand. Only then can the hotel ensure a strategic position in the markets of interest and, consequently, achieve the appropriate profitability.

Video Content on Social Media

It is a fact that the trend of sharing video content has been with us for a few years. But this year, it has taken on a new dimension. Because, if before the production and editing of videos depended only on experts, now this process is carried out by content creators and everyday users on Reels (Instagram) and TikTok.

These short, vertical videos are increasingly consumed on social media and, in turn, increasingly valued by social media platforms, giving them greater reach.

Integrating this type of content into your accommodation's social media planning to capture and inspire your audience is an important step to gain visibility and boost the desire to visit. If you need support in this creation, you can always collaborate on photo and video projects with influencers in exchange for content to use!

Does your hotel already follow any of these digital marketing trends? Keep them in mind when developing your hotel's marketing plan for 2023 to maximize your value proposition in line with your establishment's resources.

We add new alliances

We do not stop! This time, we partnered with Asksuite , the first omnichannel service platform for hospitality . Specialists in hotels, their customer service tool generates direct reservations . A more productive and intelligent function for the hotel, serving customers, optimizing its reservation center and increasing its sales.

Reservation systems have evolved a lot, but even so, the time has come to lead a new significant change, which is why Paraty Tech and Asksuite have decided to advance further in integration with the aim of leaving obsolete methodologies behind and continuing to contribute. to the growth of its hotel clients.

Both companies share the objective of providing innovative solutions to hotel establishments of all types and sizes. This integration agreement is intended, therefore, to come up with new formulas that continue to make it easier for hotels to attract a growing number of reservations.

“We are very proud of our solution, and connecting with other like-minded companies is the boost we need to address everything from the most basic to the most challenging needs for hotels. By adding this integration to Asksuite's growing network of technology providers, we easily get exceptional delivery from both.” Rodrigo Teixeira, CEO of Asksuite

Here are some of the benefits you can expect from the Asksuite and Paraty Tech integration :

1. Instant price quote on different messaging channels such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram Messages, webchat and Google Business Messages.
2. When the AI Booking Assistant doesn't find availability for a specific period, it suggests the closest available dates, and when the same is the case with groups, it suggests nearby properties.
3. Integration of the booking engine to make smart quotes via email and WhatsApp.
4. Centralization of the main communication channels.
5. Easy sending of massive WhatsApp campaigns to answer common questions, with calls to action that go directly to the Paraty Tech booking engine .
6. Conversions and tracking data to power the most effective and profitable marketing channels and increase direct bookings.

«Asksuite is much more than a chatbot and we are sure that the fusion of our technologies constitutes a winning bet, both to favor our expansion in new markets, as well as in relation to the increase in direct sales, but also in everything related to alleviate the workload of hotels, which will be able to focus more and better on offering an even more rewarding experience to their guests, while the technology takes care of automatically solving tasks in parallel that do not require human intervention.” Gina Matheis, CEO of Paraty Tech

Asksuite

With 2,000+ customers in 40+ countries, Asksuite's AI Booking Assistant is linked to a powerful omnichannel service platform, ensuring hotels can respond to all customer inquiries (both during and after business hours). , also helping teams to organize the workflow with a unified inbox that includes all communication channels.

Why Asksuite?

• Communication channels turned into sales channels
• Increase in direct bookings
• performance metrics
• 100% Omnichannel
• High productivity of reservations and sales agents with reduced task deadlines
• Natural language in more than 35 languages
• Easy-to-navigate AI booking assistant with CTA buttons that keep potential customers from getting lost

Paraty Tech

With +3000 clients, Paraty Tech is a leading technology provider of solutions aimed at optimizing online distribution and increasing direct bookings for hotels , hotel chains and other tourist accommodation. Paraty Tech, a company characterized by having 100% in-house technology, offers a booking engine, revenue management and price control tools, custom web page design, without templates, and a wide range of digital marketing services with the Focus on optimizing investment and maximizing revenue from the direct channel, the hotel's official website.

Why Paraty Tech?

• Official website of the hotel 100% customized, with a clear focus on sales and user experience
• Intelligent and flexible booking engine optimized for a decade for all types of hotel establishments
• Revenue management tools, including a powerful rate shopper , price comparison, and real-time price matcher
• Preparation of the online marketing strategy and a wide range of services to execute it, working tirelessly to reduce the dependency of hotels on OTAs and brokered sales in general
• Active retargeting platform integrated with the booking engine
• Up to 5 loyalty programs suitable for the different types and sizes of establishments
• Average increase of 30% in direct sales of hotels and hotel chains

It's not too late to step up the game

A Google study reveals that 69% of online consumers agree that the quality, timing and relevance of a company's message influence their perception of the brand.

Covering different phases of the purchase process, both Asksuite and Paraty Tech strive to offer quality communication to hotels , help them consolidate their brand message, improve productivity and focus on response speed. The union of both companies creates the complete coverage that hotels need so that travelers choose them.

Through Paraty Tech's Paraty Digital Suite (SEM management, metasearch engine management, emailings, social network management, etc.) it redirects the user to the booking engine of the hotel's official website , while Asksuite offers on-time availability to respond to the new demand.

All flanks covered!

The debut of Paraty Tech as a sponsor of Travel Tech, one of the largest online educational events for the tourism sector, leaves very good feelings after the conclusion of Travel Tech USA & Canada, the first of its five annual forums

At Paraty Tech we have had the pleasure of being part, as sponsors and speakers, of Travel Tech USA & Canada , the first of the organization's five annual forums, which will be followed by the EMEA, APAC, Spain & LATAM editions. and Portugal & Brazil, in which we will also be present.

Daniel Romero , our communications director, was the person in charge of representing us, also twice, first in the Pitch Session (March 9) and then in the debate (March 10) «How to increase the profits of luxury hotels to through revenue management, direct sales and digital marketing.

Pitch Session Paraty Tech

Fifteen minutes go a long way, it's true, but 10 years of experience and summarizing them in a quarter of an hour is not a simple mission. Our intention went far beyond limiting ourselves to presenting a list of services and solutions. We were very interested in getting to know a little more about us, about our work philosophy, about the pillars on which our constant growth and the successes achieved during the last decade are based.

For this reason, we focused directly on three fundamental concepts, which define us perfectly: Technology (100% in-house), customer service (our hallmark) and team (the family we constitute is, without a doubt, a of our main strengths). Up to here we can (want to) read. We invite you to enjoy this intervention through the following video:

Debate: How to increase the profits of your luxury hotel

Our client portfolio includes hotels of all types. Perhaps this is also one of our distinctive signs, the versatility of our technology, its ability to adapt to the most varied needs. From vacation establishments to charming boutique hotels, passing through the urban segment, the mice, the rural segment, the apartments and, of course, the luxury resorts.

When it comes to this last category, we are clear: experience rules . And if there is a channel capable of offering a genuine, complete and enriching tailored experience, it is undoubtedly the direct channel. Wow, more than ever, it was time to talk about "our book."

Moderated by Paula Carreirão (Asksuite Hotel Chatbot) and accompanied by great professionals such as Calvin Stovall (president of EV Hotel), Craig Carbonniere (senior sales director at Milestone), Carrie Ell (market director at The Hotels Network) and Theodoros Katsimpras ( COO at Book Online Now), during almost two hours of debate, the arguments we put forward revolved around key concepts such as the aforementioned guest experience , personalization , loyalty , the adaptation of technology to the habits of the target audiences , upselling and cross-selling techniques, the need to internalize excellence as a premise, meticulous control of distribution , big data as an essential source of knowledge, or the importance of the voice channel (Ring2Travel ) which, due to its characteristics , plays a fundamental role in increasing ADR and revPAR.

Does the luxury segment really require different treatment?

Price strategy

Yes and no. That is to say, everything stated above could really be applied to any type of establishment. If anything, the difference lies in the fact that in the luxury segment, hotels simply cannot afford to fail. We are probably talking about the only target willing to pay more if the experience is really worth it.

In this sense, the pricing strategy does differ greatly from that applied in other establishments, which usually find their best asset in offers and discounts. On the contrary, the regular guest of luxury hotels and resorts may understand a price drop as a reduction in service and identify in a very high rate the guarantee of living a unique experience. Therefore, it is more about keeping an eye on the competition, carefully controlling distribution to ensure that intermediary sales do not harm the perception of product quality, and not being afraid to charge more if you are really providing the value you deserve. justify it.

Personalization

In-depth knowledge of the guest here becomes even more important, if possible, in order to offer a 100% personalized experience (market of origin, booking window, language, preferred channels and devices, tastes, needs, hobbies, etc.). To do this, it will be necessary to have the appropriate technology, properly integrated, to make the most of every possible source of information, always being aware that a wealthy millennial (more reluctant to human interaction, more fond of technology) has nothing to do with , etc.), with a business woman, a senior couple moving in their natural environment, or a family that has saved for months to afford that luxury getaway. The hotel must be able to meet the expectations of each of its potential audiences in each of the phases of the conversion funnel.

Communication

Everything, absolutely everything, communicates. Let's see if we accept this once and for all. From the photos on the Google My Business listing, to the descriptions of the establishment in the OTAs, through the way to respond to a review, the design and usability of the website and the booking engine, the actions that are carried out In terms of sustainability, social networks, banners, emailings... EVERYTHING. And we can assure you that failures are paid dearly. Hence that phrase that said something like "it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but only five minutes to destroy it."

The guest experience does not begin with check-in or end with check-out. It starts at the moment you start dreaming about traveling and can extend to the point where you decide you want to repeat. The guest should feel special before, during and after their stay.

To do this, you will have to find many motivations in the establishment itself, but also in the destination. That's why it's good to look at what competing hotels are doing, but in reality, any company, whether in the industry or not, can be a source of inspiration.

It is necessary to identify what really differentiates your establishment from the rest, complement those strengths with the main attractions of the area, and build a solid value proposition that will probably have to be renewed periodically to avoid becoming obsolete. And then, focus all communication on that value proposition, aligning the messages in each and every one of the media and communication and dissemination channels.

Direct sales: official website and voice

Well managed, direct sales will always be more profitable. But if we talk about luxury hotels and resorts, taking proper care of direct channels can multiply the benefits exponentially. And note that we are talking about "the" direct channels, because the voice must necessarily be linked to the web. No one, ever, will be able to offer a more personal treatment and experience than the hotel itself and its reservation agents, and this technology-human treatment tandem is, without a doubt, a winning bet. Believing this is a great first step.

Finally, it is essential to assume that each member of the team can contribute to increasing direct sales: a waitress, the reception team, the restaurant maitre'd, etc. Direct selling is much more than having a booking engine and a website. It is a way of understanding hotel marketing, a philosophy that every worker must internalize.

Perhaps the only two things that the functionalities we will see below have in common are, on the one hand, the inclusion of the word "bonus," and on the other, their contribution to the increase in direct sales.

Enough to gather them in an article that explains their benefits and how to configure them. After all, they all add value, enhance the guest experience, and offer alternative ways to travel under the best possible conditions.

Gift Vouchers: giving experiences is a trend

Allowing the gift of a stay or a specific service from your establishment is, in essence, offering the possibility of giving an experience. Increasingly, people seek to surprise others on occasions such as birthdays, holidays, Valentine's Day, anniversaries, etc. Turning your hotel into the perfect gift is straightforward by adding the Gift Vouchers functionality to your engine. This opens the door to new ways of boosting direct bookings, expanding your potential customer base to people who might not have been considering traveling.

Can you imagine how many people could visit your hotel's website if a section of it were properly positioned in search engines for keywords like "unique gifts," "special gifts," "gifting experiences," or "Valentine's Day gifts"? Gift Vouchers also serve as a mechanism to generate quality traffic, increase the visibility of your establishment, and exponentially multiply the likelihood of generating new sales. If you can meet the expectations of both the "gift giver" and the "recipient," you will have gained two potential future guests and, in the process, two new advocates for your product. Word of mouth is a powerful loyalty resource.

How it works

It all starts with creating a specific section on your hotel's official website, properly promoted throughout the site. The buyer fills in the recipient's details, following the normal booking process, and both receive the confirmation email. That's how simple it is.

In addition to those looking for an original or special gift for their partner, family, or friend, ensure that anyone arriving at your direct channel, for whatever reason, leaves knowing that your product is also available as a gift. From there, the configuration parameters allow you to customize this marketing method to the fullest:

• Two-step purchasing process


• Custom design


• Economic amounts of predetermined or free-choice reservations


• Custom validity date


• Separation of the buyer's and recipient's confirmation emails


• Text field for a congratulatory message


• Possibility to add incentives (e.g., x euros gift for every euro spent)


• Possibility to gift stays and/or services


• Scheduled delivery of the gift voucher to the recipient


• Compatible with payment gateways, Bizum, etc.

Benefits for the hotelier

• Another way to increase direct sales: appeals to both travelers and gift buyers


• Differentiating factor: stand out from the competition with this functionality


• Destabilizing element: can enable this functionality for low-demand dates or seasons


• Direct channel traffic generator: your hotel will gain visibility for a broader spectrum of potential customers


• Spontaneous advocate generator: both the buyer and the recipient will recommend your establishment if satisfied with the experience

Refundable Vouchers: build guest loyalty without facing financial refunds

Developed during the pandemic to cope with the surge of cancellations, this functionality has not lost its utility and remains of great interest to hoteliers. We face a strange scenario where the reasons for travelers to cancel can sometimes be beyond their control. However, the hotel should not be forced to make refunds that it is not entitled to, nor should it risk losing a guest forever due to dissatisfaction with poor cancellation management. This is where Refundable Vouchers come into play.

How it works

Let's consider the following situation. A customer makes a non-refundable reservation. In theory, they cannot cancel it because they have benefited from a better price by choosing that rate. However, restrictions in their country of origin or the destination country prevent them from traveling on the scheduled dates.

The hotel faces a difficult decision here. It can wash its hands, stick to the conditions of the contracted cancellation policy, pocket the reservation money, and deal with a dissatisfied customer who probably won't return to an establishment that did not offer alternatives to a problem beyond their control.

Or, on the contrary, it can be flexible and opt for an intermediate approach. That is, not refunding the money but offering the possibility to postpone the trip by providing a voucher for the same economic value as the amount paid, for use in a future reservation. This way, everyone wins. The customer doesn't feel like they've wasted money, and knowing that no refund was due, they will be very satisfied with the hotel's stance and highly value its willingness to help. Maximum-level loyalty.

Moreover, the hotel ensures the payment of the reservation, avoids having to refund money it had already counted on (crucial given the current cash flow needs of establishments), and has a resource to minimize the impact of possible waves of cancellations, as they have already experienced. Of course, the configuration parameters of these vouchers allow the hotelier to plan according to their needs and interests:

• Custom design


• Language selection


• Amount


• Discounts (percentage or amount of the total, percentage or amount per night of the reservation, etc.)


• Single-use Promocode


• Validity date


• Applicable rates


• Location, query, and modification


• Location and detailed query of the reservation where it has been applied

Benefits for the hotelier

• Avoid facing refunds


• Maintain direct contact with the customer


• Ensure revenue from canceled or postponed reservations


• Minimize the impact of cancellations


• Loyalty by adopting a flexible attitude

Tourism Vouchers: benefit from your community's tourism vouchers

The lack of demand due to the pandemic has led many destinations to launch tourism vouchers as an economic incentive to promote travel reactivation. The protocols imposed by different autonomous communities vary greatly, making it a cumbersome process for both the hotel and the tourist in many cases.

At Paraty Tech, we have done everything possible to integrate these protocols with the official website's booking engine. Thus, if the Andalusian Voucher required the intermediation of a travel agency, we quickly reached an agreement with a local company. This allowed guests to book normally through the hotel's direct channel, even though the reservation was being managed by an agency internally, complying with the legal requirements to benefit from the voucher's associated privileges.

Automating and facilitating such processes favors hotels that decide to implement this functionality, placing them ahead of others when guests decide on accommodation. In this regard, communication becomes more important than ever to ensure that all potential customers are aware that a particular hotel supports or encourages the use of tourism vouchers.

Even in cases where it is not possible to fully integrate the protocol with the booking process, it is useful to employ social media, newsletters, or website banners to direct guests to where they should register and inform them clearly of the requirements their reservation must meet to become eligible for the voucher (e.g., the Valencian Voucher requires a minimum of two nights' accommodation and a maximum half-board regime).

How it works

As mentioned earlier, the configuration and implementation of this functionality depend on the autonomous community where the establishment is located. It's best to get in touch with us to explain how it specifically works in your destination. In some cases, it simply involves informing that the establishment is affiliated and facilitating the registration process for voucher use. In others, it involves configuring and activating certain parameters, but don't worry; we take care of everything. Some of the vouchers we have worked with include:

• Andalusian Tourism Voucher


• Viatgem Comunidad Valenciana


• Bonus Turístic per a Residents Illes Balears


• Tarjeta Turística “Quedamos en Galicia”


• Euskadi Turismo Bono


• Bono Turístico Aragonés


• Bonos Turísticos de Extremadura


• Bono Canario

Benefits for the hotelier

• Stimulate demand


• Helping always leads to loyalty


• Destabilize by increasing occupancy in low or mid-season


• Increase traffic by becoming a reliable source of information


• Increase direct sales by offering all facilities for booking

If you want to expand this information and see some examples, don't miss the webinar: "Pre-Fitur Academy: Refundable, Gift, and Tourism Vouchers", November 16, 11:30 a.m. You can register by clicking here!

The Virtual Conference "Smart Tourist Destinations," organized by Diario SUR and Segittur, took place last Thursday, June 24th. We had the pleasure of participating, and it delivered a profound message: smart destinations represent an opportunity for efficiency and competitiveness.

Undoubtedly, we agree that the current moment is ideal for Malaga to face this transition. This is due to the rise of data extraction, monitoring, and analysis tools, the launch of applications pursuing efficiency and resource optimization, and the clear intention of municipal administrations to work together on the implementation of innovation policies aimed at consolidating a broader and unified destination: the Province of Malaga.

In this regard, both the DTI Network and Segittur state that they have been outlining different lines of action and creating a list of pending tasks for the development of smart tourist destinations. Under concepts such as governance, sustainability, accessibility, technology, and innovation, they have formed a manual of best practices that is increasingly gaining subscribers.

Block I: What does being a smart tourist destination contribute?

The first block of the event, moderated by Manuel Castillo, Director of SUR, brought together Fernando Valdés, Secretary of State for Tourism, and Francisco de la Torre, Mayor of the city of Malaga, to discuss the contribution of smart tourist destinations: benefits, challenges, and future projects. They reflected on the current recovery context, with a special focus on Malaga, recently declared European Capital of Smart Tourism.

Fernando Valdés focused on three key aspects of smart destinations: governance, which allows coordinating an increasing number of actors contributing directly and indirectly to the tourist offer and the improvement of the visitor experience; innovation and technology, emphasizing the "need for good communication between tourism, technology, and tourism intelligence."

"A smart tourist destination is a recognized, proven methodology that, together with an analysis and action plan, makes a destination more competitive." - Fernando Valdés, Secretary of State for Tourism

Francisco de la Torre referred to smart tourist destinations as "synonymous with a guarantee of quality for both residents and tourists." He highlighted recent actions implemented in Malaga, such as applications related to capacity control, mobility, and sustainability, which have proven highly useful. He stated, "firmly established in many hotels, regarding resource optimization."

Valdés referred to the destination as a service, emphasizing the importance of streamlining transportation contracting and combining cultural offerings from institutions. He spoke about the need to specialize in complementary cultural products, positioning the destination as a cultural product. According to the Secretary of State for Tourism, "a smart tourist destination is a recognized, proven methodology that, together with an analysis and action plan, makes a destination more competitive."

Both speakers also highlighted the importance of promoting data-based business models. They emphasized that knowing everything about the tourist—where they come from, what they like, their risk tolerance—allows companies to improve their positioning in a market with an increasing number of actors. It also helps organizations make informed decisions and manage limited resources.

Regarding future challenges and projects, De La Torre aimed to "perfect digital marketing, make the most of extracted information, and target new markets." Valdés introduced an innovative project with a €130 million investment, "aimed at consolidating relationships with tourists before, during, and after their stay." It involves a technological solution that allows tourists to design personalized experiences, receive tailored suggestions, and establish communication mechanisms to stay in touch with the traveler after leaving the destination.

Manuel Castillo also addressed post-COVID issues. Both guests were cautiously optimistic, recognizing hopeful figures in the data but acknowledging the challenging position of many companies. Valdés explained, "domestic tourism will perform well this season; visits from the German market represent 80% compared to the previous year, and there are good prospects for other markets, such as the Nordic." Regarding the arrival of tourists from the British market, he concluded, "they will come when their authorities allow them. We have done what was in our hands, working as a safe destination at a time of epidemic control, and the entry of British tourists will depend on the evolution of the strain."

Block II: Best practices of smart destinations in Andalusia

Pedro Luis Gómez, Director of Publications at SUR, opened this roundtable, the second block of the conference, advocating for the need to adapt to new times. He proposed consensus between public and private entities for a common goal: digitization.

Alongside him were Sandra Extremera, Councilor of Commerce and Development of the Torrox City Council; Aida Blanes, Tourism Councilor of the Torremolinos City Council; Laura de Arce, General Director of Tourism of the Marbella City Council; and Antonio Díaz, General Director of Tourism Costa del Sol.

Sandra, responsible for providing the necessary perspective of small destinations, explained how, "on the way to Carratraca, I cannot work because there is no coverage. It is necessary to offer technological structure to the tourist." Aida, representing the birthplace of tourism on the Costa del Sol, praised the municipality's heritage, advocating for "actions to increase its offer with many other products that the destination can provide." She emphasized the need for "common technological tools that allow tourists to move around our province."

Antonio Díaz highlighted that "the Costa del Sol has a well-established tourism that, faced with difficulties, must open up to new markets." He stressed the importance of "incorporating complementary products into its offer that shape our personality." He pointed out that "heritage, nature, or gastronomy are differentiating elements that, along with the possibilities of segmentation and personalization enabled by big data, offer travelers a wide range of activities tailored to their preferences and needs."

Finally, Laura de Arce also emphasized going beyond sun and beach tourism, gastronomy, nature, or nomadic tourism. She praised complementary offerings as an enriching element of the destination and added a new variable to the formula: communication, "so that the players believe it." She also joined the idea that "we all have advanced a lot, but intercommunication between provinces is lacking."

The concluding debate of this second block provided valuable contributions, all linked to the idea of promoting tourism from an interprovincial perspective, pooling resources to improve the perception of the Province of Malaga as a destination and leveraging technology and more targeted data. All participants agreed that, after overcoming the worst of the pandemic, tourism will return, but they are open to doing things differently based on what they have learned.

Block III: Opportunities for companies in smart destinations

After an hour and a half of interesting interventions and content, the third and final block featured our colleague Pedro Díaz Burló, Partner and Head of Turobserver, who shared the stage with José Juan Nebro Mellado, President and Founder of Gecor System, and Pilar Martínez, Tourism Editor of SUR, as the moderator.

"Our commitment to the destination translates into its commercialization and distribution, its positioning against the competition, its promotion through virtual workshops, audit and consulting services, and a firm commitment to training tourism professionals." - Pedro Díaz Burló, Partner and Head of Turobserver

After the customary introductions, Pedro Díaz explained why Turobserver's smart data platform is one of the most comprehensive in terms of tourist information: "We are a globally established company, a leader in web scraping and data monitoring, and our platform is fed by one of the broadest information networks in the sector, including OTAs, online reputation websites, tourist accommodation platforms, tour operators, car rentals, hotels, etc. Plus, official data generated by our partners. Our commitment to the destination translates into its commercialization and distribution, its positioning against the competition, its promotion through virtual workshops, audit and consulting services, and a firm commitment to training tourism professionals."

The president and founder of Gecor System also delivered a strong message: "What is not digital does not exist." He firmly believed in the possibility of consolidating "massive personalized production." Nebro insisted on the opportunity for the destination to digitize, overcoming challenges such as the implementation of a data policy, addressing possible market niches, or "creating an app that encompasses the 8 apps that tourists currently need to enjoy the destination, which also interacts with them and responds to the information provided, optimizing services and the overall experience."

"What is not digital does not exist." - José Juan Nebro Mellado, President and Founder of Gecor System

From Pedro's perspective, "technology is key for a destination," but he emphasized, "not every piece of data is valuable; there is a need to socialize the data, make it accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises, and then monitor the destination continuously to ensure nothing fails." Aware of the current situation and knowing that many tourism businesses have prioritized cost reduction over marketing due to lack of time or resources, he considered that the sector's current stage could provide an opportunity to do so.

José Juan complemented these statements by adding that, in any case, a clear definition of objectives and goals is essential. A destination that is clear about what it seeks and which data are important will achieve much more competitive results. As a conclusion, he stated, "the principle of sustainability will prevail in the market, and technology will position itself as a differentiating element."

"Not every piece of data is valuable; there is a need to socialize the data, make it accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises, and then monitor the destination continuously to ensure nothing fails." - Pedro Díaz Burló, Partner and Head of Turobserver

Asked about what will happen in the coming months, Pedro believed that "aligned objectives need to be established to emerge stronger from this crisis." He referred to the consensus between the public and private sectors and joined the wave of hopeful messages from other participants in the conference, suggesting that "after this turning point, which meant having zero tourists, tourism will change. The key to recovery lies in observing the market and responding to the opportunities that may arise, staying prepared for change, being adaptable, and using the knowledge that makes us different and competitive."

"Tourism will change, and the key to recovery lies in observing the market and responding to the opportunities that may arise, staying prepared for change, being adaptable, and using the knowledge that makes us different and competitive." - Pedro Díaz Burló, Partner and Head of Turobserver

On his part, José Juan agreed with Pedro and concluded by defining the constantly growing tourism sector as "an industry of the future." He highlighted the privileged area it is in, the actions taken for "the creation of a more demanding, competitive destination with more professionals, based on digitization and the application of technologies."

Paraty Tech and Sojern, two of the main proponents of direct hotel sales, decide to join forces and share resources to devise new formulas to further boost hotel bookings through the direct channel.

• Paraty Tech's primary strength lies in the high conversion capacity of its tools. Sojern, on the other hand, specializes in generating quality traffic through the execution of programmatic campaigns based on real-time traveler purchase intent.


• Both technology companies aim to strengthen their contribution to the increase in direct bookings from their clients and, at the same time, access new markets and establish positions in those where they already operate.

The paths of Paraty Tech and Sojern, two technological giants and key figures in the culture of direct hotel sales, have crossed on numerous occasions in the past. They have been seen together in various webinars and panel discussions, or more recently, sharing the spotlight at Pavilion 8, a virtual tourism and technology fair organized by Paraty Tech, in which Sojern actively participated as a sponsoring company.

Now, both technology companies have decided to go a step further, formalizing a collaboration agreement aimed at enhancing their current competitiveness and efficiency through the sharing of resources, data, knowledge, and tools. Always with the common goal of favoring the exponential increase in direct hotel sales, this union of specialties constitutes the definitive reinforcement for the measurement and control of each stage of the traveler's purchase intent process, as well as for the joint analysis of the factors that influence the different phases of the conversion funnel.

Sojern describes themselves as experts in travel marketing. According to Richard Cottrell, Commercial Director at Sojern, "thanks to our technological platform, Sojern Traveler Platform, we leverage real-time travel intent data and machine learning algorithms to execute programmatic campaigns across display, mobile, video, social media, etc., with a clear goal: personalize the message and ensure the generation of quality traffic to the direct channel."

On the other hand, Paraty Tech's solutions, 100% focused on sales, with its booking engine as its flagship, range from website design to the development of proprietary revenue management tools, including various online marketing services that, together, guarantee one of the most reliable conversion rates in the market. In the words of Daniel Sánchez, Chief Revenue Officer, "the formula we intend to implement through this strategic alliance is as simple as it is effective: quality traffic, plus a high conversion rate, equals elevated direct sales."

The brands Paraty Tech and Sojern, therefore, seem destined to move forward hand in hand over the next few years, during which it will become increasingly common to find them sharing the spotlight in their respective communication channels. Both also agree that this new journey, as part of the planned actions in their international expansion plans, will facilitate their access to new markets and help establish positions in those where they already operate today.

After monitoring the prices of your desktop website, your mobile website or programs and functionalities such as Booking.basic, Genius or Early Payment Benefit, Price Seeker now also differentiates the prices coming from the Booking App

If a good part of the effort you put into trying to achieve the desired parity involves having your establishment's prices well controlled and monitored in the different channels in which your inventory is offered, then you need to make sure you are aware of the multiple strategies used, especially by large agencies, with the aim of generating invisible disparities, or very difficult to detect. What if you are focusing your attention on one point when it turns out that things are happening right in front of it? The stakes are too high to allow avoidable mistakes.

There is no doubt that loyal customers exist (I swear, I think I've seen some myself), and you may even be lucky enough to have a few among your regular guests, but the truth is that, unfortunately, loyalty It is bought very expensive, but it is sold very cheap . A few euros up or down, at the right time and in the right place, tend to make a difference and drastically unbalance that balance that has cost you so much to establish, reversing the weight of the volume of direct reservations in relation to intermediated ones. A fact to which is added another harsh reality: you are not the only one investing resources to get users to return to your website.

Booking perfectly exemplifies this double-edged OTA profile, as necessary as it is uncomfortable for the hotelier. Necessary because it sells a lot and provides visibility of extraordinary value to the establishment. So much so, that only the brave (reckless?) dare to clip its wings. And uncomfortable, because they are true experts in what they do, the best. That's why we always follow them very closely.

Well-known programs, such as Booking.basic or Genius, are joined by the implementation of more opaque actions, such as agreements with private companies, the use of timers for time slots, or the curious case of the Early Payment Benefit, whose existence We were able to alert them before their arrival in Spain, thanks to Price Seeker and the unconditional support of our international clients.

Furthermore, it is common for them to test their new creations, or to activate them permanently, without informing the establishments, who overnight may be forced to call their account in order to stop “enjoying” a functionality. that they have not requested and that does not benefit them at all. Something that has often also aroused irascibility among its clients. If all these stratagems already make it extremely difficult to trace the prices offered by the American giant, we add a new variable that further complicates the equation: the variable pricing strategy depending on the search device.

Either you arm yourself with patience, or you equip yourself with the best possible technology. We recommend that you opt for a combination of both options, and to help you, we bring you good news. Price Seeker , which already detected and monitored the prices of booking.basic, Genius and Early Payment Benefit in a differentiated way, now also distinguishes between the prices of the Booking mobile website and those of its app . We tell you in detail below.

Differentiate the prices of the mobile website and the Booking app

Controlling and monitoring Booking's pricing strategy is not easy. Until now, Price Seeker already offered you the possibility of performing searches and generating reports differentiating between:

• Booking.Basic: Booking functionality through which it offers its users third-party prices, in the event that they are not able to make the best offer available.


• Genius: Booking loyalty program through which users benefit from discounts and direct privileges just for registering and completing at least two reservations.


• Desktop website: Monitoring the prices offered by Booking on the desktop version of its website.


• Mobile web: Monitoring of the prices offered by Booking in the mobile version of its website.


• Early Payment Benefit: Discount program subject to payment by virtual cards.

Now, added to this list are the prices that Booking offers through its app, which (surprise) may be different from all the previous ones. Having the possibility of differentiating prices based on all these cases will allow you to better define your revenue management strategy, also segmenting based on search devices.

How to add the Booking App option when creating or editing a report

It works in the same way as it already did with Booking Mobile. You only need to activate the App Search button.

Setting up a Competition Report in Price Seeker

How prices are displayed in the Analyzer

As we can see in the following screenshot, in the prices of the Hotel Occidental Sevilla Viapol shows us an 'A', highlighted with a dark blue background, which identifies the prices of the Booking App.

However, we can also see how the Ayre Hotel Sevilla shows us the price of Booking Mobile, with a highlighted 'M' with a dark blue background, and not that of the Booking App. This has a logic behind it.

If we launch a report with both options activated, Booking Mobile and Booking App, Price Seeker will return the Booking App price only if it is lower than the Booking Mobile price. On the contrary, if the price of Booking App is equal to or higher than that of Booking Mobile, it will only return the price of Booking Mobile.

Price Seeker Competition Analyzer

To make it even clearer, in the following screenshots we show you the searches carried out in Booking App and Booking Mobile to obtain this test report.

Screenshots of Booking Mobile and Booking App

Direct manual searches

Finally, it is also possible to launch manual searches directly against Booking App and/or Booking Mobile from Price Seeker.

Setting up Manual Searches in Price Seeker

With this nod directed at that profile of the disenchanted hotelier, who feels that he has not quite found the right thing regarding the choice of his reservation engine, begins this article by David Madrigal, COO of Paraty Tech, included in the number of January 2020 from Tecnohotel magazine.

The article proposes seven differentiating guidelines to make your booking engine a more powerful and useful solution for your independent hotel. From the need, now unquestionable, for technology to be accompanied by permanent human support , to the importance of including loyalty modules , David makes a complete overview of all the functionalities and services that, in his opinion, are decisive:

Account manager assigned
1. Business Intelligence
2. Integration
3. Independent desktop/mobile versions
4. In-house revenue management tools
5. Multiple payment methods
6. Loyalty Club

Hiring a booking engine must be much more than acquiring simple (or complex) technology .
David Madrigal, COO at Paraty Tech

We leave you with the link to the article in the digital version of the magazine, located in Tecnohotel's Issuu account. Before, to close these lines, a phrase to whet your appetite: Hiring a booking engine must be much more than acquiring simple (or complex) technology.

READ ARTICLE

No more than three weeks ago we alerted hoteliers about the new initiative against direct sales that Booking.com had launched in certain countries. Well, Early Payment Benefit (that's what it's called) already works in Spain and we have witnessed first-hand the effect it has had on the first victims who have suffered it in our country. If hoteliers don't avoid it, Early Payment Benefit is here to stay.

Let's get into the background. On the 12th of last February, alarm bells went off when one of our clients, who operates internationally, informed us of strange disparities in the prices he received from Booking.com. In fact, thanks to Price Seeker, we were able to verify that he was right and, pulling the thread, detect Early Payment Benefit, the new functionality of the OTA giant.

We will not spend too much time explaining in detail what it consists of (you can do so here), we will simply limit ourselves to remembering that it is an automatic price equalization system via unilateral discounts, that is, without informing the hotelier of its activation. In other words, at the time of their customer's reservation, Booking.com runs a comparison and if your official website offers a cheaper price, they first match it and then camouflage the discount under the guise of a, and we quote verbatim , “reduction for early payment” .

According to the information we have, it is possible to directly request Booking.com to deactivate this new “service” which, although it does not entail a direct cost for the hotelier, since they deduct the price difference from their own commission, Its importance due to the value it brings to building customer loyalty (yours) is incalculable, helping them to continue positioning themselves as the most economical channel.

In any case, at Paraty Tech we would like to share with you again certain recommendations that can minimize the effect of this and other similar initiatives that may arise, and which we will not always be able to anticipate as on this occasion:

• Technology, technology and technology : Although we have already stressed the importance of having a Rate Shopper, we now emphasize how effective it is that it is also integrated with your booking engine and with a price matcher with OTAs. There are several on the market, although the only one that operates in real time is Parity Maker.
• Beneficial disparities for your hotel : we invite you to consult in our blog everything related to the different types of beneficial disparities for your hotel, and we list some of them below: greater flexibility in the conditions of your reservation and cancellation policies, facilities payment, exclusive privileges available only for reservations through the official website, favorable discrimination of your inventory, segmentation and personalization ... If the price constitutes a barrier, look for other ways to differentiate yourself so that, by paying the same amount, your customers enjoy experiences more than stays.

We knew that OTAs mobilized quickly, but even we have been surprised by the expansion and implementation capacity of any of their developments. Today more than ever, we appeal to the extreme importance for hoteliers of implementing the essential resources to keep meticulous control of their prices in all the channels through which they distribute their inventory. Technology, in short, will save you a lot of effort, time and trouble, while at the same time it will help you foresee and intuit these types of actions that are so harmful to direct sales.