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Download Now: Direct Booking Acceleration Study Research Highlights

We are pleased to present the Research Highlights of our latest study, The Hotel Direct Booking Acceleration, which focuses exclusively on key trends in the hotel chain sector, including the evolving role of online direct sales, AI and Automation. The Research Highlights provide new insights into how technology is shaping the industry and presents findings that can help hoteliers better understand and adapt to current challenges.

Our key findings are outlined below:

  • After peaking in 2022, online direct sales have stabilized and are now following a healthy growth trajectory.
  • Strong growth in mobile bookings is anticipated over the next years.
  • There is increasing demand for AI-powered Internet Booking Engines, which offer significant potential for personalized bookings.
  • Nearly half of hotel chains offer loyalty programs, with member rates being the top benefit for customers.
  • Shifts in IBE pain points: While personalization and customization have improved, issues with upselling, rate strategies, and reporting functionalities persist.
  • Ancillary revenue potential exceeds actual sales. Three-quarters of chains are interested in expanding item sales.
  • Many hotel chains still have untapped automation opportunities.
  • AI-Centric Innovations lead, with direct booking capabilities for local activities and AI-powered chatbots gaining traction.
  • Gaps in system integrations persist, particularly with loyalty programs and POS. Data cleansing is still challenging.
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More details can be found in our report, which can be downloaded here.