5 Signs Your Online Travel Business Needs Accommodation Mapping
For online travel businesses, accurate and streamlined data isn’t just a technical necessity but an important ingredient to building trust, enhancing search experiences, and skyrocketing conversions. Basically, it is what makes or breaks your customer’s booking experience. If a traveler searches for a cozy beachside resort on your platform, but instead, they’re met with mismatched names, duplicate listings, and inconsistent details, they’ll probably get frustrated and move on to your closest competitor. If this scenario feels all too familiar, your online travel business might be suffering from the pitfalls of poor accommodation mapping.Accommodation mapping is like cleaning, sorting, and standardizing hotel & room data available to customers on your platform to ensure accuracy and consistency and avoid duplication. For travel and booking platforms, standardized hotel & room content means fewer errors, no duplicate listings, and a smoother experience for travelers looking to make an informed booking decision. It involves two key parts:A) Hotel Mapping Hotel mapping ensures that the same hotel listed differently on your booking platform (from different suppliers) is recognized as one unique property, even if the names, addresses, or descriptions vary slightly. For example: First listing: “The Royal Beach Resort” Second listing: “Royal Beach Resort & Spa” Both refer to the same property, listed differently (from different suppliers). Hotel mapping standardizes this hotel data, which includes hotel name, geolocation, facilities, etc., and groups multiple listings of the same hotel property under one accurate hotel id so there are no mix-ups or duplicate entries. Why it matters: It prevents duplicate listings of the same hotel Ensures the property’s details (like location, amenities, and ratings) stay consistent Makes it easier for travelers to find the hotel they’re looking for Also Read: 10 Best Practices for Nailing Customer Experience with a Hotel Booking API B) Room Mapping Room mapping is about preventing travelers from encountering duplicate room listings on your booking platform page, ensuring that bookings are accurate and seamless. The mapping process standardizes the peculiar room details like bed size, room views, smoking/non-smoking, board types, etc., and displays competitive prices for the unique rooms available. For instance, a “King Suite with Ocean View” might be listed slightly differently on your platform as “Ocean View King Suite”. With room mapping, all these variations are recognized as the same room, giving travelers confidence that they’re booking the exact room type they want. Why it matters: Prevents booking confusion (like mistakenly choosing a different room category) Helps travelers compare room options and prices easily Improves the overall booking experience by keeping room descriptions consistent Enhances the traveler’s confidence in their booking choice Both hotel mapping & room mapping create a clear and consistent booking experience for travelers and help platforms avoid confusion or errors. Also Read: Effective strategies for OTAs to optimize conversions So, how do you know if you need to implement hotel mapping or room mapping on your online travel booking platform? Look for the signs! As an online booking platform, you pull hotel and room data from different suppliers, which can often lead to inconsistencies, confusion, and errors in the booking process. If you’re experiencing any of the following signs, it’s a strong indicator that your platform would benefit from Accommodation Mapping to ensure smooth, accurate listings and improve the customer experience.The same hotel appears multiple times on your platform, each time with slight variations in the name, description, or address. For example, “Beachfront Grand Resort” might show up as “Grand Beach Resort” or “The Grand Beach Hotel” from different suppliers. Here’s why it’s a problem: Multiple listings of the same property can confuse customers, making it difficult to compare prices or make the right choice. It clutters your platform with duplicate entries, which can overwhelm users and reduce the credibility of your site. It leads to inefficiencies in inventory and booking management. Also Read: What is hotel mapping and why it matters for your online travel business Room types and their descriptions may differ slightly between suppliers. For example, a “Deluxe Ocean View Suite” on one platform might be listed as “Ocean View Deluxe Suite” on another. This inconsistency can make it difficult for customers to compare rooms across suppliers. Here’s why it’s a problem: Inconsistent room descriptions can lead to confusion, and customers may book rooms that don’t match their expectations. It makes it harder for users to understand exactly what they’re booking, which can lead to dissatisfaction and cancellations. Suppliers may have different naming conventions or room classifications, making it challenging to maintain a uniform experience. With a room mapping API, you can standardize the room descriptions and consolidate them into a consistent format. This ensures that every room, regardless of its listing source, is recognized correctly and displayed with accurate, uniform descriptions. Your platform displays rooms as available, but those rooms have already been booked through other channels or suppliers. This occurs when availability data from different suppliers is not synchronized. Here’s why it’s a problem: Overbooking creates a poor customer experience and risks your relationships with both travelers and hotel suppliers. It can damage your platform’s reputation, leading to customer complaints, cancellations, and lost trust. Lack of real-time synchronization can result in operational headaches for you and your hotel suppliers. With accommodation mapping, your platform automatically updates the availability data from all suppliers into a single, real-time system. When a room is booked through one supplier, its availability is immediately updated across all channels, preventing overbooking and ensuring accurate inventory management. The same hotel room might show up at different prices depending on which supplier provides the data. For example, a “Deluxe King Room” may be listed at $150 on one supplier’s page and $160 on another. Here’s why it’s a problem: Price discrepancies can lead customers to believe they’re being misled or unfairly charged. If your platform displays inconsistent pricing, it can cause your users to question the reliability of your service. Inaccurate pricing may result in lost revenue or missed sales opportunities. Room mapping ensures that pricing data from all suppliers is aligned,
Optimizing Your OTA for Retention and Profitability
Achieving a balance between user retention and profitability is crucial for online travel agencies. Your website must be a well-oiled machine to keep users on your site, prevent cart abandonment, and develop a loyal following. As you know, users have hundreds of options. That means users will only remain on your site if the experience is fast, intuitive, and convenient. At the same time, after all the processing and third parties involved in selling hotels and flights, your margins can end up alarmingly small, which makes it essential for online travel agencies to continuously seek ways to optimize profitability without compromising on competitiveness In this comprehensive guide, we’ll look into strategies for enhancing user retention and maximizing profitability. Error Reduction Booking errors can be a significant deterrent to customer loyalty. These errors often stem from discrepancies in the data pulled from various sources, leading to customers arriving at hotels with non-existent reservations. To mitigate this risk, integrate automated systems that consistently check and update booking information. For instance, using a robust API to sync data in real time can reduce the likelihood of human error, ensuring that customers have accurate and reliable information at their fingertips. Advanced Filtering Users appreciate the ability to refine their search quickly and effectively. Implement advanced filtering options that cater to various user preferences, such as price range, amenities, location, and user ratings. These filters should be intuitive and easily accessible, enabling users to zero in on the perfect option without frustration. For example, integrating AI-driven recommendation systems can personalize the search experience, further increasing user satisfaction. Enriched Content Providing rich, detailed, and up-to-date content is essential. Users rely heavily on visuals and descriptions to make booking decisions. High-quality images, virtual tours, and comprehensive descriptions of properties and services can significantly enhance user confidence in their choices. Moreover, keeping this content fresh and accurate is vital; outdated or misleading information can lead to dissatisfaction and loss of trust. Cache System A cache system can vastly improve the speed of your website, especially during peak times. You can reduce server load and provide faster response times by caching frequently accessed queries. However, updating cached data regularly is important to ensure that users receive the most current information. This balance between speed and accuracy can enhance the overall user experience, making your site more attractive compared to slower competitors. Integrated Property Reviews User reviews are a powerful tool for building trust. Incorporate an easy-to-use review system that allows guests to share their experiences. Highlight these reviews on property pages, as positive testimonials can influence potential customers. Additionally, respond to reviews, both positive and negative, to show that you value customer feedback and are committed to continuous improvement. This interaction not only builds trust but also provides valuable insights for future service enhancements. While providing an exceptional user experience is critical, profitability must also be a priority. Here are strategies to optimize your margins: Read More: Boost Your OTA’s Profitability: The ROI of Investing in Hotel MappingProfit Margin Control Establish a system that dynamically adjusts pricing based on demand, booking patterns, and competitive analysis. A rule-based profit management layer can help automate these decisions, ensuring your pricing strategies are competitive and profitable. For example, using predictive analytics can forecast demand fluctuations, allowing you to adjust prices accordingly to maximize occupancy and revenue. Automation Automation is a powerful tool for reducing operational costs. From automated booking confirmations to AI-driven customer support chatbots, reducing manual intervention can cut labor costs and increase efficiency. Automating mundane tasks also frees up your team to focus on strategic initiatives, such as enhancing customer service and developing new features. Fraud Management Online fraud can severely impact profitability. Implementing advanced fraud detection systems can help identify and prevent suspicious activities. These systems can use machine learning algorithms to detect anomalies and flag potential fraud before it occurs. Regular audits and updates to these systems are essential to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraudulent activities. A seamless and satisfying UX keeps customers on your site and encourages repeat bookings. Here’s how you can optimize UX: Business Logic Layers Incorporating business logic layers allows you to enforce rules and gather data that supports your profit management strategies. These layers can include everything from dynamic pricing algorithms to inventory management systems, ensuring that your OTA operates efficiently and profitably. For instance, by analyzing booking data, you can identify trends and adjust your offerings to meet customer demands better, thereby optimizing revenue. Optimizing an OTA for retention and profitability requires a holistic approach that focuses on providing an outstanding user experience while implementing effective strategies to maintain profitability. Combining advanced technologies, automation, and data-driven decision-making allows OTAs to foster customer loyalty and drives sustainable business growth. Vervotech is a leading Hotel Mapping and Room Mapping API that leverages the power of AI and ML to quickly and accurately identify each property listing through the verification of multiple parameters. With One of the industry’s best coverage of 98% and an accuracy of 99.999%, Vervotech is quickly becoming the mapping software of choice for all leading global companies operating in the travel and hospitality industry. To learn more about Vervotech and the ways it can enhance your business in the long run contact us: sales@vervotech.com
Choosing the Right Hotel Suppliers for Your OTA
Selecting suitable hotel suppliers for your online travel agency can be daunting, given the variety of options and factors to consider. With over 6,000 travel distributors present in 190+ source markets, it’s important to understand how to choose the right hotel suppliers for your online travel agency. Here’s a straightforward resource to help you guide this decision-making process and find suppliers that align with your business needs. Each supplier brings a unique portfolio of properties, from luxury 4 and 5-star hotels to budget-friendly hostels. The key is identifying a supplier whose inventory aligns with your target audience. For instance, if your OTA caters to young sightseers and backpackers, there’s little need to offer a range of high-end hotels. Instead, focus on suppliers that provide the types of accommodations your customers are seeking. Read More – Effective strategies for OTAs to optimize conversionsProperty Type Adding a new supplier to your OTA can take time, regardless of the number of properties they offer. Therefore, opting for suppliers with a more extensive inventory is generally advantageous. More options mean a higher likelihood of meeting customer demands, thus enhancing the overall customer experience. Quantity Consider the geographical distribution of properties offered by potential suppliers. Some may provide widespread coverage, while others specialize in specific regions. Partnering with niche suppliers can be beneficial if your audience is particularly interested in certain areas. Distribution Area Your profitability hinges on the pricing agreements you have with suppliers. Different suppliers may offer the same property at varying prices due to their distinct contracts with hotels or secondary suppliers. Carefully review the buy rates offered, as these rates directly influence your profit margins. Buy Rates Suppliers operate with different rate types, significantly impacting how you market and sell hotel bookings. For example, net rates allow you to set your markups, while commission-based rates are final but include a profit share. Under standing these nuances will help you choose suppliers whose rate types match your business strategy. Rate Types To streamline operations and reduce costs, seek suppliers who offer additional services like car rentals, flights, and tours. However, it’s crucial to maintain the quality of hotel offerings for the sake of bundled services. Prioritize finding suppliers who offer exceptional hotels, even if they don’t provide a full suite of services. Bundled Services Suppliers often have specific requirements, such as maintaining a certain look-to-book ratio. Ensure their terms, including sales quotas and service fees, are compatible with your business model. Terms The complexity of integrating a supplier’s inventory into your system can vary. Some suppliers require multiple API integrations, which can increase setup costs and delay your ability to start selling. Opt for suppliers with simpler integration processes to minimize these challenges. With this knowledge, you can select the right hotel suppliers for your OTA. Prioritize suppliers who align with your business goals, target audience, and operational needs. This thoughtful selection process will streamline your operations and enhance your customers’ experience. Vervotech is a leading Hotel Mapping and Room Mapping API that leverages the power of AI and ML to quickly and accurately identify each property listing through the verification of multiple parameters. With One of the industry’s best coverage of 98% and an accuracy of 99.999%, Vervotech is quickly becoming the mapping software of choice for all leading global companies operating in the travel and hospitality industry. To learn more about Vervotech and the ways it can enhance your business in the long run contact us: sales@vervotech.com
