Stop leaving money on the table! Many tourism operators struggle to fill rooms or tour spots at the last minute. Booking.com offers a range of tools and strategies to help you attract those spontaneous travellers and convert empty inventory into valuable revenue. It's about more than just slashing prices; it's about smart targeting, appealing offers, and optimising your visibility when demand is high.
Understanding the Power of Last-Minute
Last-minute travellers are a significant segment of the market. They might be locals looking for a weekend getaway, business travellers with unexpected schedule changes, or tourists extending their stay. These travellers are often less price-sensitive and more focused on convenience and immediate availability. This is where Booking.com's last-minute features can be particularly effective.
For tourism businesses, mastering last-minute bookings translates to increased occupancy rates, higher overall revenue, and reduced losses from unsold inventory. It's also an opportunity to attract new customers who might become loyal patrons in the future. Imagine a hotel filling five extra rooms a week through last-minute offers, or a tour operator adding a few extra participants to each tour. The impact on the bottom line can be substantial. Plus, a busy business feels more appealing than an empty one, encouraging other potential customers to book.
How to Implement This
Turning last-minute availability into bookings requires a strategic approach. It's about more than just hoping someone will stumble across your listing; it's about actively attracting and converting potential customers.
Activate Last-Minute Deals
Booking.com allows you to create specific last-minute deals. These are often highlighted to users searching for immediate stays or activities. To set these up, navigate to your 'Promotions' tab in the Booking.com extranet. Many operators find that offering a small discount (10-15%) combined with a sense of urgency works well. For example, a hotel could offer a 'Flash Sale: 15% off for stays tonight only!'
Use Mobile Rates
Mobile users are often booking on the go, making them prime targets for last-minute offers. Booking.com's mobile rates allow you to offer exclusive discounts to users browsing on their phones. This can give you a competitive edge and encourage spontaneous bookings. You can configure mobile rates within the 'Promotions' section of the extranet. These offers will encourage phone users to book with you, over another option.
Review and Optimise Your Pricing
Regularly analyse your pricing strategy to ensure you're competitive during peak and off-peak periods. Consider using a dynamic pricing tool to automatically adjust your rates based on demand. Keeping an eye on competitor pricing will allow you to make sure you have the best offer available.
Highlight Availability
Make sure your Booking.com listing clearly shows your real-time availability. Keep your calendar up-to-date. Travellers are more likely to book if they see that you have rooms or tour spots available. If your calendar is unclear, travellers may assume you are completely booked and look elsewhere.
Set Up a 'Genius' Discount
The Genius programme gives greater visibility to partners on the Booking.com platform. These are usually repeat customers who travel often, so they're highly valued by Booking.com. Many tourism operators have seen a huge boost in their business by offering these guests a small discount. The benefit is that it increases your visibility, not just for Genius travellers, but for all travellers on the platform.
Your Implementation Roadmap
- Audit your Booking.com listing - Ensure all information is accurate, up-to-date, and appealing. Pay special attention to photos, descriptions, and amenities.
- Analyse your current pricing strategy - Compare your rates to competitors and identify opportunities for optimisation.
- Set up basic tracking - Start monitoring your occupancy rates, booking patterns, and revenue per available room (RevPAR).
Key Takeaways
Last-minute bookings are a valuable source of revenue for tourism businesses. By implementing the right strategies, you can attract spontaneous travellers and fill empty rooms or tour spots.
Optimising your Booking.com listing is crucial for success. Make sure your information is accurate, your photos are appealing, and your pricing is competitive.
Continuously monitor and adjust your approach. The tourism market is constantly evolving, so it's important to stay informed and adapt your strategies as needed.
Next Steps
- Audit your Booking.com listing - Ensure it's accurate, appealing, and optimised for last-minute travellers.
- Activate last-minute deals and mobile rates - Start experimenting with different offers to see what works best for your business.
- Research dynamic pricing tools - Consider implementing a tool to automatically adjust your rates based on demand.
Tools & Resources
Nowbookit
NowBookIt is a comprehensive booking and business management platform designed specifically to empower Australian tourism operators. It offers a centralised system to streamline online bookings, manage schedules, process payments, and enhance customer engagement, all within a user-friendly interface. The core value proposition is to free up tourism businesses from administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on delivering exceptional experiences to their customers.\n\nNowBookIt provides a suite of powerful features including online booking widgets for websites and social media, real-time availability management, automated email confirmations and reminders, point-of-sale (POS) functionality, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, and detailed reporting dashboards. It works by integrating seamlessly with a business's existing website or providing a custom-built booking page. Customers can easily browse services, select dates and times, make secure online payments, and receive instant booking confirmations. On the backend, operators can manage bookings, staff schedules, resources, and pricing, all from a single dashboard. \n\nNowBookIt boasts robust integration capabilities, connecting with popular accounting software like Xero and MYOB, as well as payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal. This allows for automated financial reporting and seamless payment processing. Furthermore, it integrates with major social media platforms and marketing automation tools, enabling businesses to promote their services and engage with customers effectively. Scalability is a key focus, with flexible pricing plans designed to accommodate businesses of all sizes, from small family-run tours to larger multi-location operators.\n\nTarget users include tour operators, accommodation providers, activity providers, and any tourism business that relies on online bookings and efficient business management. A small whale watching tour operator in Hervey Bay could use NowBookIt to manage bookings, send automated reminders, and process payments, while a farmstay in the Hunter Valley could manage their accommodation inventory, track guest preferences, and upsell additional services. The platform's versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of tourism businesses across Australia.
Lodgify
Lodgify is an all-in-one property management and website builder software designed specifically for vacation rental owners and managers. It provides a comprehensive platform to streamline operations, increase occupancy rates, and ultimately maximise revenue. The core value proposition lies in empowering users to create a professional-looking website, manage bookings efficiently, and promote their properties across multiple online channels, all from a single, centralised dashboard. Lodgify's key capabilities revolve around simplifying the entire vacation rental process. It allows users to build a customisable, mobile-friendly website with direct booking capabilities, eliminating commission fees from third-party platforms. The platform's booking engine manages reservations, availability calendars, and guest communications. It also features a channel manager that synchronises property listings across popular booking sites like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo, preventing double bookings and maximising exposure. Automated email templates, payment processing, and reporting tools further enhance operational efficiency. Lodgify integrates seamlessly with a variety of third-party services, including payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal, allowing for secure and convenient transactions. It also integrates with accounting software like Xero, streamlining financial management. The platform's scalability makes it suitable for businesses of all sizes, from individual property owners to large property management companies. As businesses grow, Lodgify can accommodate an increasing number of properties, users, and integrations without compromising performance. Its API also allows for custom integrations with other business systems. Lodgify caters to a wide range of users in the vacation rental industry. These include individual property owners managing one or two properties, as well as larger property management companies overseeing hundreds of listings. It is particularly well-suited for those seeking to gain more control over their branding, reduce reliance on third-party platforms, and improve their bottom line. Use cases include creating a branded website for a coastal holiday home in Queensland, managing bookings for a ski chalet in the Victorian Alps, or coordinating guest communication for a portfolio of apartments in Sydney.
Expedia Partner Central
Expedia Partner Central (EPC) is a comprehensive platform designed to empower accommodation providers to manage their listings, optimise their performance, and connect with a global audience of travellers. It provides a suite of tools and data-driven insights to help properties maximise their visibility on Expedia Group’s various travel booking sites, including Expedia.com, Hotels.com, and others. The platform enables partners to control rates, availability, content, and promotions, ultimately aiming to drive bookings and revenue. EPC streamlines the entire process of managing your presence on Expedia Group platforms, reducing the administrative burden and allowing you to focus on providing exceptional guest experiences. EPC works by providing a central hub for all aspects of property management. Partners can easily update their property information, including descriptions, photos, and amenities, ensuring that travellers have accurate and appealing information. The platform also allows for real-time management of rates and availability, enabling partners to respond quickly to market demands and optimise pricing strategies. Advanced analytics and reporting features provide valuable insights into booking trends, customer behaviour, and competitor performance, allowing partners to make informed decisions and improve their overall performance. Promotion management tools allow partners to create and manage targeted campaigns to attract specific customer segments and drive bookings during off-peak seasons. EPC offers various integration capabilities to streamline operations and improve efficiency. It integrates with numerous property management systems (PMS) and channel managers, allowing for seamless synchronisation of rates, availability, and bookings across multiple channels. This integration eliminates the need for manual updates, reducing errors and saving valuable time. The platform is designed to be highly scalable, accommodating properties of all sizes, from small boutique hotels to large resorts. EPC also supports multiple users with varying levels of access, allowing for collaborative management and efficient task delegation. Integration with Expedia Group’s various marketing and advertising programs enables partners to further enhance their visibility and reach a wider audience. Target users include hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, and other accommodation providers. Use cases range from independent property owners managing a single listing to large hotel chains managing hundreds of properties. For example, a small bed and breakfast in the Barossa Valley could use EPC to update their availability and rates, while a large hotel in Sydney could use the platform to manage its promotions and analyse its booking trends.