Is Your Hotel Targeting Millennial Guests as Effectively as It Could Be?

The millennial market offers plenty of opportunities for hotels to attract new customers with a passion for visiting an array of destinations. The younger generation is keen to spend disposable income on experiences rather than material goods and travel is a top priority.

With the right marketing strategy and customer service in place, hotels can improve how they’re viewed by millennial travellers.

Millennials aren’t only an important customer segment due to their size – they’re the biggest generation since the baby boomers – but due to their views, priorities and spending habits. For any hotel, taking steps to boost your millennial profile can have a significant impact on direct bookings and occupancy rates, given this is a section of the population that values travel.

While millennial income might be under pressure, how they choose to spend it is vastly different to previous generations. A study has shown that 72% of millennials prefer to spend money on experiences, whether it’s going out for a meal or heading to an undiscovered holiday spot, over products. Research from Mintel in 2016 also found that 23% of millennials spent more on travelling than they had in previous years, demonstrating a growing appetite for seeing more of the world. Being aware of this as you create your marketing hotel strategies for the year ahead could be the key to driving up direct bookings in the next 12 months.

If you haven’t already shifted your hotel offering to reflect millennial travellers, revaluating could prove a wise business move. But what are millennial travellers looking for when booking a hotel? Understanding what drives this customer group to make a booking could transform your business.

Getting social

More than eight in ten millennials check social media on a daily basis and they want to share their updates too. Instagram-worthy shots could be exactly what you need to encourage more bookings. That means going for bold design and standing out from the sea of other hotel rooms. It’s a move that can tie in with marketing hotel strategies too as potential guests increasingly turn to social media for holiday research and travel inspiration.

Give a local experience

Authentic experiences that reflect the local area are a core part of what millennials want from their travels. It’s a vital area to focus on to improve customer satisfaction, reviews, and repeat bookings. Having local guides to hand and staff that are encouraged to share their local knowledge with guests keen to discover hidden gems is a step in the right direction.

Create communal spaces

Linking with the demand for experiences, creating open, sociable spaces within your hotel can attract more bookings from millennials. Having an informal place where your guests can relax together  for example adds to the overall holiday style that millennial travellers seek. Hotel lobbies are the perfect place to start. Offer comfy seating, artwork, local books, and other activities for your guests to try their hand at during their stay. It’s also the perfect opportunity for staff to speak informally to guests gathering information to inform marketing hotel strategies and other business areas.

Utilise technology

Technology has transformed the hotel industry in the last decade but are using it to its full potential? In-room technology can be used to make stays more personalised and comfortable. Dedicated apps give you a chance to communicate and understand your travellers and tech can speed up processes. Putting technology in place appeals to the millennial generation, who has fully embraced the digital revolution.