Personalized experiences are highly sought after by travelers. In an Epsilon research survey, 87 percent of respondents said they are more likely to do business with travel sites that offer tailored recommendations.
Personalization via localized content helps form all-important relationships with travelers. Those local suggestions let them have unique experiences and off-the-beaten-path journeys that create a bond with a hotel’s brand and result in great user recommendations. By providing hand-crafted, localized content displayed in an easy-to-read, user-friendly manner and sharing that with guests at the right time, hoteliers will create an amenity that guests will actually use.
Localizing Recommendations To Increase User Engagement
It’s essential that travel players provide local recommendations to facilitate exploring an interesting new destination. Explorers are typically only in a destination for a short amount of time and want to see everything they can and not waste a second.
There are three characteristics that make a good recommendation: an excellent team to create the content, an easy-to-use user experience (UX) design, and technology that personalizes recommendations to each guest profile. In regards to the team, at least two people are essential in crafting quality localized content:
- A local person who knows the area around the hotel well enough to give the actual recommendations; and
- A writer who is able to describe the experience in vivid detail while understanding a brand’s goals.
Once the content is created, it needs to be displayed in a way that promotes user engagement. A user-friendly design allows guests to consume the content easily and engages them in thorough recommendations exploration so they are ready to get the most of their destination.
With personalized, flexible content, guests will have a higher level of satisfaction and a better experience in general. Memorable trips inspire travelers to share their experiences with others and promote a hotel’s brand through word of mouth.
Being Relevant and Boosting User Engagement Online
Timely information sharing is gold. Recommendations sent at the right moment are the best way to get travelers to spend time on a website. But when is this right moment? According to a Google study, 85 percent of travelers don’t plan their itineraries in advance and only decide what they want to do once they’ve arrived at the destination. Therefore, sending recommendations directly upon a guest’s arrival or at the moment of check-in will be most impactful.
Personalizing the guest’s journey is a win-win for both side—the guest will enjoy their trip more, and hotels will increase their bottom line.
