Searching for ways to maximize occupancy and revenue per available room? Scale your business by capitalizing on emerging trends to attract new travelers.
Here are five tips for boosting last-minute bookings in an ever-changing market:
Be Flexible About Minimum Length of Stay (MinLos) Requirements
- Reducing MinLos for last-minute stays can attract travelers looking for quick trips with shorter booking windows.
- While the average stay booked on Whimstay is 3.5 nights, nearly 25% of Whimstay users search for stays between 1 and 2 nights within the next 2 weeks.
- Moreover, an additional 25% are searching for trips with flexible lengths of stay, indicating that price, property appearance, and amenities are influencing factors.
Diversify Your Channels to Maximize Exposure
- Promote your listings on channels that focus on targeting new audiences—Whimstay markets to last-minute travelers looking for exclusive deals on properties that might otherwise go unbooked.
- Whimstay's traveler demographics show that the average user is 26 - 55 years old, focusing on millennials, young parents, and multigenerational families across a wide range of economic statuses.
- Whimstay's average lead times show that 35% of users are booking stays within 1 week, and 25% of users are booking stays within the next 7 - 15 days.
Consider Flexible Cancellations for Bookings Made Farther Out
- Create freedom for travelers to modify or cancel stays made with longer booking windows.
- Offering flexible cancellations can help increase last-minute bookings by giving travelers confidence in their ability to change their plans without penalty.
Engage Your Audience
- Showcase upcoming activities to do and places to visit for each region.
- Share traveler testimonials, how-tos, tips, and tricks written by customers to build trust and attract new travelers.
- Retarget audiences based on user behavior and real-time, 1st party data.
Promote Last-Minute Travel with Discounts
- Entice drive-through traffic to stay longer with exclusive discounts for shorter booking windows and longer stays.
- Whimstay's average daily rate is $1,134 because of this tactic.
Let Whimstay help you generate incremental revenue and profitability – No commitment required, 5% commission, and 15-minute onboarding. Email getbookings@whimstay.com to learn more.
Editor's note: Barefoot is thrilled to partner with Whimstay to help our clients increase their last minute bookings using Whimstay's powerful marketing platform.
