How Hostels can fulfill their guest engagement potential
And generate more revenue from it...
Research shows that travelers choose accommodations that mirror the desired vibe of their trip, placing accommodations at the forefront of the travel experience. This is especially true for hostels, which satisfy a social need as much as a practical one. Hostels differ from other accommodation providers as they host the most social, frequent, and tech-savvy travelers. Yet, the potential for a powerful online communication link between hostels and their guests isn’t being fully realized, no matter how significant it may be. The limited online communication between hostels and their guests is evident in the check-in process, which often results in long queues at reception rather than an easy and friendly experience. Investing in online communication with travelers (with OTAs as well as direct bookings) can do more than improve the welcoming experience. It allows hostels to offer more services to their guests and take control over the guest experience. It can also increase brand awareness and, in turn, drive more bookings. This is exactly where hospitality tech fits in, providing solutions that enable hostels to enhance guest engagement. Here are four important solutions that guest experience platforms can provide for hostels:
Contact your guests before arrival
Aside from sending confirmation emails and assuring guests of reservation details, not much is done to communicate with guests prior to arrival, but there is much more that can be done. Guest experience platforms allow hostels to collect and send information to guests, scan passports, ask for estimated arrival times, sign terms and conditions, and more. This communication not only improves operations but also generates more revenue from additional services and upsells that can be offered to guests in the pre-arrival stage when they are planning their trip.
Making check-in a friendly process
There is nothing more tedious than arriving at a hostel after a long commute, tired and eager to step into vacation mode, only to stand in line waiting to show a passport and start signing forms. A guest experience platform can alleviate this unfriendly welcome, allowing hostels to automate paperwork and enabling the reception staff to welcome guests in a much more personal and friendly way. This warm, bureaucracy-free greeting will leave a lasting impression on guests and create a memorable experience.
Offer additional services
Travel planning involves much more than just booking accommodation. Travelers dedicate considerable time to planning transportation, logistics, and researching activities, culinary experiences, and more. Guest experience platforms allow hostels to offer additional services that provide added value to their guests, including luggage storage, early check-ins, activities, and more. Furthermore, guest experience platforms enable you to manage payments and easily accept credit card transactions online. Whether these services are provided in-house or by external suppliers, hospitality tech allows hostels to offer these services and generate more revenue from upsells while simultaneously enhancing the guest experience. Travelers carefully choose their accommodation to match the experience they seek, so why not follow through and provide similarly enriching in-destination experiences?
Provide an advanced Guest Guidebook
Hostels share a wealth of local knowledge with guests daily, yet not many provide an easily accessible, mobile-friendly way to access that information. Young travelers are accustomed to having all information readily available on their mobile devices, which is why an advanced guest guidebook will create a comprehensive experience and position the hostel as the local authority on travel experiences in the area. Utilizing hospitality tech to extend this information into an easy-to-access guest guidebook includes smart features such as auto-translations, dynamic fields to personalize content, and more.