Who are your guests exactly?

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time," said the great American poet and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou.

That sentiment rings true for building relationships with guests. Throughout their entire booking and stay journey, guests are leaving data breadcrumbs — insights into who they are, what they like, and their expectations of a memorable hotel experience. Believe that data and use it as fuel to energize your guest connections.?

You might only get a few chances to interact with guests, so taking advantage of that first touchpoint can make all the difference when it comes to laying the foundation for a strong relationship.?

Whether you’re experiencing a dip or rush of bookings at this time, there’s still an opportunity to gather those data breadcrumbs and get to know the guests coming your way.

In case you missed it: On March 12th, we announced that our former CEO and Revinate Co-Founder, Marc Heyneker, has become our Chairman of the Board and Bryson Koehler is leading the company as the new CEO. Learn more about Bryson here.

Dive into the 2024 Hospitality Benchmark Report

It’s time to jumpstart your improvement journey. This report is ready for you to compare results against hoteliers in your region, define goals and KPIs based on industry benchmarks, and get inspired by what you can accomplish when you’re empowered with data.

Access the report now

Numbers that matter

Group demand grew 9.1% YoY

• Group demand is up just in time for Easter. As many journey and gather to see family for the holiday, it’s only adding to the recovery of this segment as group demand has been steadily increasing for luxury and upper-scale hoteliers. If you fit in this category, consider drilling down on personalization in your email campaigns, or even over the phone. Capitalizing on this demand will prove advantageous if you turn these bookers into repeat customers to drive more loyalty for your brand.

31% of hospitality businesses have experienced a data breach

• That’s nearly a third of hoteliers and their guests who’ve been violated by cyber attacks. As you know, data privacy and security are paramount if you want to earn the trust of your guests. Using tools like a Customer Data Platform can ensure that added level of security, adherence to the latest privacy regulations, and GDPR compliance — protecting your guests and your hotel from data breaches.?

RevPAR is expected to grow 3% in 2024

• While we still haven’t reached the summer season, RevPAR is projected to trend positively, according to CBRE. That’s why focusing on the group travel segment is key in order to capture the highest demand within the market. International travelers will contribute to this growth as well, so personalization will be more important than ever to attract the right guest on the right channel at the right time.

Trends that matter

Trend #1: Segmentation for the win

Despite demand shifts, changes in guest preferences, and market fluctuations, hoteliers have shared that segmenting their database has been the best thing they’ve done to maintain a healthy bottom line. Segmentation answers the “who” and the “why,” so that your marketing never goes unnoticed from the laptop lugger to the Gen Z concert enthusiast.

Trend #2: "Flying solo"

Expect more solo travelers occupying your rooms through the rest of the year. The solo travel trend is gaining traction, especially within the luxury sector. The guests are expecting more — from adventurous off-property excursions to immersive dining experiences. It’s something to keep in mind when deciding what amenities to promote and how you’ll present those to these guests in your email campaigns, website displays, and social posts.?

Trend #3: Small towns, but not for long

You heard there’s a solar eclipse coming, right? April 8th. Small-town hoteliers mark your calendars as you’re likely to experience a major surge in overall tourism for your area with an increase in bookings to follow as people try to get as close as they can to the path of totality. Any stay discounts and marketing messaging aimed at these glasses-wearing tourists is a good idea if you haven’t done so already.

Perspectives that matter

EMAIL CAMPAIGN: The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa increased their direct booking revenue with this cart abandonment drip series

• Prevent cart abandonment like The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa. With this automated drip campaign, the hotel re-captured guest’s attention when they first failed to complete their bookings, and drove 188 booked room nights. Never let a guest touchpoint go cold!

BLOG: Hospitality benchmarks for database health in 2024

• Maintaining a healthy database not only leads to accurate guest data, but also precise and effective marketing — reaching the right guest, building a connection, and driving brand loyalty. We’re giving you regional benchmarks North American hoteliers can use when it comes to their database health straight from our 2024 Hospitality Benchmark Report.

CUSTOMER STORY: How Revinate helped Level Hotels & Furnished Suites’ marketing team become a data-first organization

• Is your database healthy? Because if you have a healthy database, you can send emails that average a 29% open rate and a $126K per campaign. Level Hotels & Furnished Suites is achieving that success as well as $16M in lifetime revenue across all their properties by cleaning their guest data with Revinate Marketing.?

PODCAST: Revinate’s new CEO — on a mission to empower hoteliers with data-driven technology

• Want to hear a little bit about what Bryson has planned as the new CEO of Revinate? Tune into this episode of the Hotel Moment podcast, as Bryson joins Karen Stephens, host and Revinate CRO, to unpack his background in both the hospitality and technology industry and explain how he plans to pursue innovation for hoteliers with data-driven solutions.?

WEBINAR: Summer 2024 travel trends: Get prepared with us

• The summer is coming up fast! We want to help you ensure your campaigns are segmented and personalized to target the right customer as the trends of the season unfold. Register now to learn more about what to expect from your guests as they make their summer travel plans.

NAVIGATE Miami tickets are selling fast

Join us at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach from Tuesday, April 23rd through Thursday, April 25th, 2024 for an unforgettable event filled with insightful sessions, meaningful networking opportunities, and chances to speak with our ecosystem of partners.

Learn more and register