Why hotels need to effectively capture emails to prepare for the next travel wave

Successful data collection and email capture and is key to success

Do you want to learn more about how you can capture emails from potential guests? Download our guide, “Getting started with hotel data collection and email capture,” to see how you can make the most of guest data.

After years of putting vacations on pause, travelers are finally ready to visit destinations both near and far. You’ve probably even seen your own friends and family posting photos of their vacations on various social media channels.

It doesn’t just feel like there’s a growing interest in travel — data shows that travel is on the rise. Research from STR that was presented at the Hotel Data Conference reveals that the portion of hotels with occupancy above 60% is nearly what it was in 2019, with economy and upper midscale properties driving the bulk of demand.

How can you prepare for the growing demand wave? The key is to capture emails and other data to build a robust database so you can gain an understanding of your guests and target them with personalized messages. Let’s explore why gathering guests’ information is so critical for hoteliers.

The value of data collection

To understand just how important data collection is, you need to know about the trends shaping the industry. The increase in demand is just one element to take into consideration. There are other factors at play as well.

Gas prices are remaining above $4 per gallon and there’s been an uptick in airport hassles from growing TSA screenings. It’s important to note that demand is increasing despite these challenges. Additionally, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) even shows that consumers are spending more on food services and accommodations. With all this information showing that potential guests are eager to travel, now is the time to focus on sound email capture and other data collection.

By gathering guests’ information, you can get a head start on gaining an understanding of them, what they care about, and what types of behaviors you can expect them to exhibit. Collecting data now means you can leverage that information once they’re on your properties to ensure an exceptional experience that promotes loyalty and drives future bookings.

So, what types of data should you collect? Here’s an overview:

• Contact information: name, email address, and phone number.
• Demographic information: age, gender, location, and  language.
• Stay data: booking channel and date, check-in/out, guest status, family travel, length of stay, market code, rate code, room type, and average room rate.
• Guests’ preferences: late check-out, early check-in, a room with a special view, spa packages.

Once you focus on capturing guests’ data, you’ll be able to build a healthy database you can draw from in the future. This will really come in handy for email marketing, which is one of the best tactics for connecting with guests.

Why to prioritize email capture techniques

While all guest data can be useful, email addresses are particularly important. They allow for email segmentation, meaning you can break your database down into smaller groups you can target with personalized messages. Advanced marketing solutions allow for incredibly granular segmentation, which can be based on everything from guest preferences to VIP status.

For example, you can send a holiday campaign to guests who’ve stayed at your property (or properties) during the month of December for the last two years. You could also run a campaign promoting new spa services to guests who’ve booked one or more spa visits in the last year. There’s a good chance that guests who receive emails specific to something they’re interested in will be persuaded to book.

In short, sending personalized messages to different parts of your database results in better engagement and better results. Our research shows that segmented emails often see 2.5x higher open rates and 3x times higher click-through rates. Ultimately, that leads to greater revenue down the line.

Need more proof? There are hotels using effective email capture techniques right now to drive direct bookings. Check out how some of Revinate’s customers are seeing success with personalized email marketing:

• Phuket Pearl Resort, APAC
• Van de Valk, EMEA
• InnHotels, North America

As for how to actually capture emails, there are a number of different options. You’re probably already leveraging some techniques, such as asking guests for their email addresses when they arrive to check in. Your specific options depend a bit on which email marketing tool you use and what types  of features are available to your operations teams. The right technology makes a world of difference.

Develop your email capture strategy

It’s clear that hoteliers need to effectively capture emails and other relevant data now more than ever before. With clean guest data, you can truly understand your guests and deliver targeted messages that deliver value to them while helping to increase your own revenue.

If you’re eager to learn more about how you can improve data collection and email capture techniques, take the next step. Download your copy of our guide, “Getting started with hotel data collection and email capture.”