A fully integrated booking journey allows guests to plan and book their entire stay in one streamlined process. In parallel, hotel teams benefit from centralized control, reduced manual work, and improved visibility across all offerings, ensuring that sales and distribution are consolidated into one scalable and efficient hub.

For properties looking to strengthen their direct booking strategy, the integration plays a key role. Experience-based packages can be offered directly on the hotel’s own website, helping attract guests earlier in their planning process, increase conversion rates, and reduce reliance on third-party channels. This also allows hotels to retain full ownership of the guest relationship while delivering a more engaging booking experience. As a result, hotels can optimize revenue while delivering a consistent, end-to-end guest journey that reflects how modern stays are planned and experienced.

First Adopter in Iceland: Black Sand Hotel

Black Sand Hotel is now live with BookVisit, marking a shift toward a more integrated and experience-driven approach to hospitality. This launch goes beyond a technology upgrade and reflects a strategic move to align the booking experience with how modern travelers plan and experience their stays.

“We are really excited about our new booking engine with BookVisit, as it makes it much easier for guests to book not just a room, but their whole Black Sand Hotel experience in one go. Being able to add the restaurant and spa in the same simple process feels like a big step forward for both our guests and our team.”

— Óskar Vignisson, Hotel General Manager

If your property falls into the latter group, there is still time to act. With a few strategic adjustments, it remains entirely possible to capture valuable revenue and strengthen year-end performance.

Revisit Your Minimum Length of Stay Rules

Early in the booking window, minimum length of stay (LOS) restrictions help secure longer bookings and stable occupancy. But as the holidays draw closer, rigid restrictions can leave you with one-night gaps that remain unsold. Now is the time to reassess. Opening one-night stays where necessary helps fill those empty spaces and improves overall occupancy without compromising your longer bookings.

Manage Cancellations and Leverage Nonrefundable Rates Strategically

As the holiday period approaches, some early bookings will inevitably cancel. Rather than viewing cancellations as a setback, see them as an opportunity.  Each released room can be resold at a higher rate as availability tightens. Monitor cancellations in real time and prioritize reselling those rooms through your most profitable direct channels. Use updated pricing or short-stay offers to quickly refill gaps and turn potential lost revenue into additional profit.

Also, maintaining a focus on nonrefundable rate plans to secure revenue and limit cancellations. As the season progresses, flexible options can be introduced to attract spontaneous travelers. Keeping nonrefundable plans available longer helps capture last-minute guests willing to pay premium rates, boosting both occupancy and yield. 

Avoid Overpricing or Undervaluing

During high-demand seasons, it’s tempting to continuously raise rates. However, every market has its limits, especially depending on your location and concept. Overpricing can quickly lead to lost opportunities if guests perceive your property as too expensive compared to competitors. Keep your pricing dynamic and transparent, adjusting as demand shifts. The goal isn’t just higher rates, it’s finding the optimal price point where value perception meets profitability.

Drive Longer Stays Through Smart Packages

Consider promotions that reward longer stays, such as discount around the peak dates or create experiences that add value beyond accommodation. Including dining options, spa access, or local excursions to enhance both the guest experience and the hotel’s overall profitability. Thoughtful packaging is one of the most effective ways to increase average spend per guest. 

Leverage Local and Domestic Demand

Don’t overlook your local market. In many urban destinations, local guests drive significant business during the holiday period. Staycations, festive dining packages, or weekend spa getaways can all attract residents looking for a seasonal experience without the hassle of travel. Promote these offers directly through your website, social media, and email campaigns to capture more bookings. Also, focus on the returning guests by targeting them with additional value such as breakfast included or room upgrades. 

Final Thoughts

Even in the final stretch before the holidays, there’s plenty of opportunity to optimize performance. By staying flexible with length-of-stay rules, maintaining balanced pricing, crafting attractive packages, and engaging local markets, hoteliers can make a powerful impact on year-end results.

Success in the holiday season is about adaptability. With the right last-minute strategies, your property can finish the year strong and set the stage for even greater success in the year ahead.

• Sjálfvirkar greiðslur
• Endurgreiðslur
• Einfaldari hópagreiðslur
• Skipta greiðslum
• Öruggari greiðsluleið

Hægt er að skrá greiðsluhnapp hjá helstu greiðsluaðilum á Íslandi. Skráðu þig í dag:Korta: SkráningValitor: SkráningBorgun: SkráningEf þú ert þegar með greiðsluhnapp þá er hægt að uppfæra í nýjan með því að hafa samband við okkur:Hafa sambandNýi greiðsluhnappurinn í Godo Property opnar á fleiri aðgerðir og valmöguleika en hægt var áður ásamt því að veita mun sterkari öryggiskröfur er varðar geymslu á kortaupplýsingum.

• Sjálfvirkar greiðslurNúna er hægt að láta greiðsluhnappinn rukka bókanir sjálfvirkt! Það er hægt að stilla greiðsluhnappinn þannig hann rukkar bókanir sjálfkrafa X dögum fyrir komu. Hægt er að hafa mismunandi reglur á bakvið mismunandi gerðir bókana og afbókunarskilmála.
• Endurgreiðsla inná kortNotendur þurfa ekki lengur að hafa samband við sinn greiðsluhirði þegar kemur að endurgreiðslum.  Fyrir hverja greiðslu sem er tekin í gegnum nýja greiðsluhnappinn birtist “Refund” hnappur og nóg er að smella á hann einu sinni til að bakfæra greiðsluna.
• Skipta greiðslum upp á milli kortaEf gestir vilja skipta upp greiðslum á milli korta þá er það enginn vandi með nýja greiðsluhnappinum. Notandinn einfaldlega smellir á “add card” og slær inn kortaupplýsingar og hvaða upphæð skal rukka af hverju korti.
• HópagreiðslurEkki þarf lengur að sameina greiðslur á milli bókana á einn stað heldur sér greiðsluhnappurinn um að sameina allar greiðslur fyrir hópabókanir á einn stað.

Öruggari greiðsluleið:Nýi greiðsluhnappurinn notar dulkóðaðan gagnagrunn frá PCI booking til að geyma kortaupplýsingar. Með þessari aðferð uppfyllir greiðsluhnappurinn kröfur sem gerðar eru fyrir 3D secure greiðslur, en 3D secure greiðslurnar eru hannaðar með það í huga að koma í veg fyrir kortasvindl.

Managing a small hotel requires multitasking across various operational areas such as booking management, guest check-in, payment processing, and guest communication. These diverse responsibilities can often take attention away from the core goal of delivering an exceptional guest experience. Automation is no longer an option for small hotels, it is a vital tool to reduce administrative workload, streamline operations, and boost guest satisfaction. By selecting management systems with comprehensive automation features, small hotels can optimize daily workflows and focus more on personalisation, which is key to creating memorable stays for guests.

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Automation Technologies and Their Impact on Guest Satisfaction

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1. Website Chatbots for Instant Guest Communication
Implementing chatbots on hotel websites or booking platforms can deliver instant, accurate information 24/7, reducing repetitive tasks for staff. Advanced chatbots may facilitate basic booking processes or route complex queries to staff for personalized follow-up, thereby improving responsiveness and guest engagement. For hoteliers, this means decreased workload on front desk personnel and enhanced guest satisfaction through timely communication.

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2. Self Check-In and Digital Access for Enhanced Convenience
Self check-in systems empower guests to manage their arrival process independently via mobile devices or kiosks. These tools provide digital room keys and flexible check-in times, which are particularly beneficial during late arrivals or periods of limited front desk availability. By minimizing wait times and congestion at reception, self check-in enhances operational flow and guest convenience. Guests appreciate the ability to skip the line and access their room with ease, enhancing their first impression and reinforcing the hotel’s modern image built on automation and personalization.

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3. Automated Invoicing and Payment Processing for Operational Accuracy
Guests expect error-free invoicing, something that’s easily achievable through automation. By reducing manual processing, hotels can ensure greater accuracy and a smoother experience at key moments like check-in and check-out. Automation solutions streamline these financial processes by issuing timely invoices, securely processing payments, and maintaining accurate transaction records without intensive manual oversight. This reduces billing discrepancies and administrative errors, fostering a seamless financial interaction for guests and freeing staff to focus on service delivery rather than paperwork.

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Recommendations for Hoteliers

• Evaluate current operational bottlenecks and identify repetitive tasks suitable for automation.
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• Implement chatbot technology on digital platforms to provide 24/7 guest support and booking assistance.
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• Adopt self check-in and digital key systems to offer flexible, contactless arrival options.
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• Utilize automated invoicing and payment systems to reduce billing errors and administrative workload.
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• Continuously monitor guest feedback to ensure automation supports

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Conclusion

Small hotel operators face significant challenges balancing the demands of administrative tasks with the delivery of exceptional guest service. Automation presents a viable solution to these challenges by handling routine processes such as guest inquiries, check-in, and payment management efficiently and accurately. The resulting operational improvements enable hotel staff to engage more meaningfully with guests, enhancing guest satisfaction and fostering loyalty. Implementing automation technologies strategically can therefore contribute to both improved guest experiences and the long-term sustainability of small hospitality businesses.

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Innheimta áður fyrr

Það eru ekki mörg ár síðan stærri hótel og hótelkeðjur voru með fleiri en einn eða fleiri en tvo starfsmenn til þess eins að ganga úr skugga um að allar bókanir væru örugglega rukkaðar á réttu verði og réttu gengi. Bókarinn og endurskoðandinn voru kallaðir inn til þess að lesa yfir hverja bókun í hótelbókunarkerfinu og handfæra inn þær upplýsingar sem reikna þurfti virðisaukaskattinn af.

Tæknin hefur svo sannarlega snert ferðaþjónustuna eins og aðrar atvinnugreinar og það með góðum hætti svo að ofangreindir starfshættir eru liðin tíð hjá flestum. 

Sjálfvirk greiðslumiðlun

Megininntak þessarar greinar fjallar um sjálfvirka greiðslumiðlun og hvernig tæknin getur sparað rekstraraðilum tíma og oft á tíðum verulegar fjárhæðir á árlegum grundvelli. 

Flestir, ef ekki allir, rekstraraðilar í gistirekstri þekkja tilfinninguna þegar annasamur dagur er að kveldi kominn og þreyta í mannskapnum, þá þarf að setjast niður fyrir framan hótelbókunarkerfið með posa í annarri og kaffibolla í hinni. Nú skal rukka eins og vindurinn þær bókanir sem komu inn í dag, bókanir dagsins í dag, bókanir sem falla inn fyrir afbókunarskilmála hótelsins næstu vikuna og óendurgreiðanlegar bókanir sem ná langt fram í tímann. Þetta er sviðsmynd sem margir rekstraraðilar þekkja af góðu og illu. Hér skal sækja tekjurnar inn í búið en hér gerast oft mistökin sem koma svo niður á tekjunum með neikvæðum hætti.

Handvirkt innheimtuferli getur verið tímafrekt, viðkvæmt fyrir villum og getur haft áhrif á afkomu hótelsins. Sjálfvirkt innheimtuferli í gegnum hótel stjórnunarkerfi getur á hinn bóginn sparað bæði tíma og peninga fyrir hótelið. Skoðum dæmi:

Sparnaður í sjálfvirkri greiðslumiðlun

Við skulum sjá fyrir okkur 50 herbergja hótel með 75% nýtingu á ársgrundvelli og meðalverð herbergis 20.000 krónur. Á þessu tiltekna hóteli hefur verið tekin ákvörðun um að nýta sér sjálfvirkni þegar kemur að greiðslum fyrir hótelgistingu. Stjórnendur gera sér grein fyrir því að með því að nýta sér tækni sem býður upp á sjálfvirkni í greiðsluferli í hótelbókunarkerfinu kemur það til með að hafa aukinn kostnað í för með sér í formi hærri færslugjalda hjá greiðsluhirði sem er oft á bilinu 0.3 – 0.5% aukning miðað við venjulega verðskrá.

Þá er hægt að spyrja sig, af hverju ætti stjórn hótelsins að innleiða tækni sem ber með sér aukinn kostnað fyrir reksturinn? 

Nú, stjórn hótelsins hefur tekið saman þann tíma sem fer í að rukka öll viðskipti sem fara í gegnum posakerfi hótelsins, horft á verðmæti þeirra starfskrafta sem sinna þeirri vinnu og litið til framtíðar með það að leiðarljósi að nýta krafta þeirra til frekari verðmætasköpunar fyrir hótelið. 

Ef tekið er mið af 20.000 ISK sem meðalverði þá eru árlegar tekjur hótelsins 274 milljónir miðað við tæplega 13.700 seldar nætur sem er afrakstur 75% nýtingar á hótelinu.

Nú eru ekki öll herbergi seld á erlendum sölurásum eða í gegnum heimasíðu fyrirtækisins. Hótelið selur 30% af herbergjum beint til ferðaskrifstofa í gegnum reikningsviðskipti á Travia markaðstorginu og eru þar af leiðandi að rukka 9.600 bókanir árlega á kreditkort viðskiptavina. Samkvæmt mælingum hótelsins tekur að meðaltali 3 mínútur frá starfsmanni að rukka hverja bókun sem eru þá í heildina um 480 klukkustundir árlega eða 60 heilir vinnudagar.

Með því að taka ofangreindar upplýsingar og setja svo í samhengi við kostnað sem tengist starfsfólki er hægt að komast að niðurstöðu um hvort vænlegra sé fyrir hótelið að nýta sjálfvirkni í innheimtu kreditkorta eða tíma starfsfólks. 

Laun starfsmanna eru ólík milli hótela svo við tökum mið af hóflegu meðaltali í tímagjaldi sem nemur 3.500 ISK og þá eru tekin inn í dæmið launatengd gjöld, vaktaálag o.s.frv. Miðað við þessar forsendur og þá staðreynd að á bilinu 0.2-0.5% af handfærðum bókunum innihalda villu af einhverju tagi (bókun er ekki rukkuð, hún rukkuð á röngu gengi o.s.frv.) er hægt að reikna sig fram til kostnaðar á bilinu 1,5 – 2 milljónir árlega.

Frá þessari tölu drögum við frá þann kostnað sem leggst á hverja færslu sem hótelið greiðir fyrir sjálfvirka greiðsluhirðu og komumst að eftirfarandi niðurstöðu:

• Kostnaður vegna sjálfvirkrar greiðsluhirðu = 9.600 x 20.000 x 0.45% = 865 þúsund
• Árlegur sparnaður = 700.000 – 1.2 milljónir.

Af ofangreindu dæmi má draga allskonar ályktanir og setja spurningamerki við þær forsendur sem nýttar eru í dæmið. Þannig má færa rök fyrir því að hótel og gististaðir á Íslandi eru jafn ólík eins og þau eru mörg. 

Góður rekstur verður betri rekstur

Það sem greinarhöfundur er að reyna að kasta ljósi á með þessari grein er hins vegar möguleikarnir sem opnast þegar sjálfvirkni, sem kemur í stað handavinnu, er tekin inn í rekstur gististaða. Handvirk greiðsluhirða hefur oftast í för með sér möguleika á mannlegum mistökum og mögulegum tekjuleka tengdum þeim.

Í dæminu hér að ofan reiknuðum við okkur fram á sparnað fyrir hótelið sem kemur sér vel fyrir bókhald rekstursins en við reiknuðum okkur sömuleiðis fram á tímasparnað upp á nánast þrjá mánuði fyrir einn starfsmann fyrirtækisins. 

Sá tími sem farið hefur í að rukka kreditkort viðskiptavina getur sem dæmi nýst í frekari markaðssetningu og að efla viðskiptatækifæri til dæmis með því að opna á samstarf við ólíkar ferðaskrifstofur á Travia. Tími gefst til að straumlínulaga innri verkferla hótelsins, útbúa tilboð og auglýsingar á ólíkum miðlum og svo mætti lengi telja. 

Þegar allt kemur til alls þá getur sjálfvirknivæðing skapað tíma fyrir þig til þess að vinna í því sem þér þykir raunverulega skemmtilegt, vinna í verkefnum sem setið hafa á hakanum, sinna gestunum þínum betur og hlúað að öðrum þáttum í rekstrinum.

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Is that evident to potential guests across all platforms?

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If your hotel isn’t showcasing the right content at the right time, it risks getting lost in the crowd–That’s why we’ve partnered with Keeps CMS, an advanced integration that streamlines content management and ensures your property always stands out. 

When travelers search for accommodations, they rely on online listings, reviews, and visuals to make a booking decision. Incomplete, outdated, or inconsistent content across OTAs and your website can deter bookings and weaken your brand presence. Your photos, property descriptions, and amenities should tell a cohesive, compelling story that makes travelers choose your hotel over competitors.

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The Risks of Content Chaos

Managing and maintaining content across various OTAs and platforms is a time-consuming task. Many hoteliers juggle multiple responsibilities, and content updates often fall to the bottom of the to-do list. This can have major consequences, including:

• A lower content score – Outdated photos, missing information, or low-quality visuals can hurt your rankings on OTAs and search platforms.
• Lost booking opportunities – If travelers don’t see complete, up-to-date information, they may move on to a competitor with a stronger online presence.
• Brand inconsistencies – If your hotel looks different across various platforms, it creates confusion and reduces trust in your brand.

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How Keeps CMS and Godo Property Solve This Challenge

At Godo Property, we understand how critical content consistency is for attracting and converting guests. That’s why we’ve partnered with Keeps CMS, a content automation system that streamlines content updates across multiple channels—ensuring your property shines online, everywhere.

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Keeps CMS: The Key to a Unified, Polished Online Presence

• Centralized Content Storage – Keeps CMS stores all photos, descriptions, and branding materials in one place, making content management simple and consistent.
• One-Click Updates Across All OTAs –  Instantly update content across all platforms, ensuring accuracy and professionalism without the hassle of manual changes.
• Brand Consistency – Maintain a high-quality, unified brand presence across Booking.com, Expedia, your direct website, and more–building trust and credibility.
• Social Media Integration – Use Keeps CMS to post directly to Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, or schedule content up to 12 months in advance—or let Keeps handle it for you.
• Seasonal Content Scheduling – Automatically update photos to match the season, ensuring travelers always see the most relevant and appealing visuals.
• Optimized Visibility – Keep content fresh and relevant to improve search rankings and drive more direct and OTA bookings

With Keeps CMS, managing content across platforms is effortless, ensuring that your guests always see up-to-date, high-quality visuals that reflect the true experience of your property. 

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How to Make Your Property Shine Online

Maintaining a strong online presence goes beyond just updating your listing once and forgetting about it. Here are four key areas that deserve your attention:

1. Photos: Refresh your photos at least every two years. Travelers rely on visuals to decide where to stay—outdated or low-quality images can reduce bookings.

2. Property Information: Ensure every listing has accurate details about rooms, amenities, and location so guests know exactly what to expect.

3. Reviews & Reputation Management: Monitor and respond to reviews regularly. Engaging with guest feedback enhances credibility and boosts visibility.

4. Cross-Platform Consistency: Check for discrepancies between your website, OTAs, and social platforms to maintain a strong, unified brand presence.

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Why This Matters for Your Bottom Line

A well-maintained, visually appealing, and content-rich listing increases trust, engagement, and conversions. Research shows that consistent branding across all channels can boost revenue by up to 23%. Travelers want clarity and confidence when booking—giving them a seamless experience across platforms encourages them to choose your hotel.

With Godo Property and Keeps CMS, you can eliminate content chaos, enhance your hotel’s digital appeal, and maximize revenue without the hassle of manual updates.

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Take Control of Your Hotel’s Content Today

In a competitive hospitality landscape, your hotel’s online presence is just as important as the experience you offer on-site. Don’t let outdated or scattered content hold you back.

Learn more about how Keeps CMS and Godo Property can transform your content management and ensure your property always shines online.

Read More About Keeps CMS

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One of the most powerful benefits of integrating TourDesk with Godo Property is the ability to send automated, branded emails to your guests. This is an easy way to recommend local tours, activities, and transfers before they arrive. When they book through your link, your hotel earns a commission.

That’s why we’ve partnered with TourDesk — a smart solution that helps you add value to every guest’s stay while unlocking a new revenue stream. Instead of relying solely on room bookings, you can now boost your income by offering memorable guest experiences.

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How to Sign Up 

Getting started is easy. Just fill out the form linked below, and a representative from TourDesk will be in touch shortly to help you set up this revenue-boosting solution.

TourDesk offers your hotel a simple, seamless way to recommend and book local tours and activities at no cost to you. It’s an effortless way to enhance your guests’ experience while generating additional income for your property, all year round.

—> Sign Up for TourDesk Here

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The Challenge: 

Many hotels lack a simple, structured way to connect guests with local activities. Tour recommendations often depend on individual staff knowledge or are overlooked entirely. As a result, guests miss out on enriching experiences—and hotels miss out on valuable opportunities to stand out and increase income.

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Enhanced Guest Experiences

By integrating TourDesk, your hotel can go beyond accommodation and provide guests with personalized recommendations for local tours and activities in your area that enhance their stay.

Having easy access to bookable experiences means your guests can explore the best of your destination with confidence, knowing their tours and transfers are arranged by a trusted source. This adds convenience and value to their stay, increasing guest satisfaction and positive reviews for your hotel.

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Automated Emails from TourDesk with Hotel Branding

One of the most powerful features of TourDesk & Godo integration is the ability to send automated, branded emails to your guests. These emails:

• Suggest relevant local activities before their stay.
• Are fully customized with your hotel’s branding for a seamless guest experience.
• Help drive direct bookings for tours and activities without requiring manual effort from your team.

This means your guests will receive tailored recommendations at the perfect time, maximizing the chances of them booking an experience—and ensuring your hotel benefits from the commission.

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Simple & User-Friendly

Unlike traditional tour booking systems that require extensive training and effort, TourDesk is built to be intuitive and easy to use. Staff can quickly check availability, make recommendations, and book experiences in just a few clicks. No complicated tools, no extra workload.

Even better, TourDesk integrates directly with Godo, ensuring your hotel’s operations remain streamlined. Whether it’s front desk teams making bookings on behalf of guests or travelers securing activities on their own via a branded portal, the system works effortlessly in the background.

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Ready to Turn Experiences into Revenue?

With Godo and TourDesk, you can effortlessly transform guest interactions into revenue opportunities while enhancing their overall experience. Empower your team, showcase local adventures, and make every stay count—without adding extra work.

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Learn more about how TourDesk & Godo can help your hotel stand out, increase guest satisfaction, and drive more revenue today!

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The strengths and opportunities of self-service technologies in the hotel industry

The idea of allowing self-service at gas stations was considered a “radical change” in 1994. Much has changed since the New York Times labeled this as “a push from the Japanese big business trying to cut costs.” Nowadays, when we are busier than ever, our motto is a Queen song – “I want it all and I want it now”. While we are unwilling to wait for anything the remedy is to embrace technology and the power of self-service. None of us can imagine one day without ATMs and vending machines that relentlessly took over reduced person-to-person communication and provide speed and efficiency.

In the hotel industry, self-service is a new trend that took off in the past two decades. Some attribute the success to the big number of millennial travelers – a generation raised with technology and demanding it in almost all sectors of their lives. And it is not only the millennials anymore. Hoteliers now understand that guests are starting to prefer self-service options during their hotel stay. Online bookings and self-check-in kiosks at airports and hotels are already taking the world by storm thanks to the vast range of advantages. The biggest one being increasing guest satisfaction. A single touch on the screen means having a better and transparent view of availability, amenities, services, and prices. This “new way of traveling and staying in hotels” gives the guests a sensation of having full control of their stay and the planning of activities.

“Full” automation – what are the hotels gaining and losing along the way

Self-service technology is one of the top priorities in hospitality. Agreed! It does change the guest experience but raises other questions. Should service on-site be avoided and sent back to history? Is “full” automation the best option? Where exactly is the equilibrium between self-service and service on-site?

It is very clear that in the hospitality industry convenience is priceless! It all starts with the booking and continues with the check-in, but the final picture ends with the check-out. Until recently, many hoteliers were afraid that digital self-service would compromise the human aspect of the hospitality industry. But it is the 21st century and everything digital is an inseparable part of our lives. The automated check-ins, room selection, checkout, secure payments, etc. actually eliminate the clerical part of the job for the front office staff. And this is not a disadvantage but a great gain. It does not shorten the human interaction– it gives the staff tie time, energy, and accuracy to communicate with and serve the guest.

Leaving the check-in to automated processes by providing the guests the tools, gives the guests full control over their stay and plans. It is convenient, consistent, and fast. Guests can solve any common inconveniences if they are given the right tools. This spares time both for the guest and the hotel staff. It leaves no option for many solutions from different staff members that might have different approaches and experience. Also, more importantly, it leaves no place for inconsistency in the service. Yet, to the hoteliers, it still gives the time and opportunity to take a minute to give the guest the best service suiting their personalized profile and reduces the errors. Instead of checking all data before letting the guest into their room, we believe it is much better to spend time and energy on knowing our guest’s profile, providing quality recommendations, and giving the best service at our guests’ fingertips.

And another gain coming out from this is the reduction of the costs. Still, we do agree that some matters require “human assistance”, and that is why we need to underline that self-service does not mean a complete dismissal of the human resource. 

We believe that self-service does not mean a lack of service. On the contrary. It can only contribute to the guests’ comfort and improve the experience. For many guests, check-in is a tedious procedure that is time-consuming. Why not turn the hectic rush into something more convenient, calm, private, pleasant, and much faster?! With a self-check-in procedure, the guest does not need to feel bad for arriving late at night or in the early morning hours. Also, most hoteliers today believe that greeting the tired guests after a long trip, while they still are dragging their suitcases, might not be the chance to leave a good impression.

Choosing the right strategic partner when digitally transforming your hotel

All of the mentioned above leads us to the key point – choosing the right partner when digitally transforming a hotel. One can say that the property management system is the central nervous system for any hotel. Having this in mind, there is no need of writing a novel to describe the importance of choosing an experienced company that is an expert in Hotel PMS. Living in the era of the rise of self-service in the hotel industry, imagine a software that does not allow the hotel staff to organize, schedule, and manage the daily operations. That would be such a disaster. Now imagine a piece of perfect machinery – an experienced company becoming your partner when you are in the rush to satisfy the guest’s needs when they say: “I want it all and I want it now”.

It is very important to remember that creating newer options for your guests and for your hotel does not instantly mean abandoning the old ones that used to work well. In simple words, a hotel PMS should be the helping hand that automates operations, connects easily to other software, saves man-hours, and helps serve guests better.

Undanfarin ár hefur samkeppni á hótelmarkaði farið harðnandi samhliða auknu framboði. Kröfur ferðamanna um sanngjörn verð, gæði, upplifanir og þjónustu hafa einnig aukist og mikilvægt fyrir fyrirtæki að standa undir væntingum gesta þannig að þeir fái það virði úr viðskiptum sem þeir vænta á sama tíma og fyrirtækið fái eins gott verð og mögulegt er hverju sinni fyrir vöruna. 

Nú kveður við annan tón í ferðaþjónustu um heim allann og erfitt að segja til um hvenær ferðalög verða jafn tíð og þau voru fyrir Covid-19. Á þessum fordæmalausu tímum er mikilvægt fyrir stjórnendur hótela að nota tímann vel til að greina og fín-stilla alla þætti starfseminnar. Það gefst sjaldan jafn góður tími til þess að hreinsa til í kjallaranum og einmitt núna þegar fáir eða engir gestir eru að heimsækja hótelið.

„Í öflugu viðskiptaumhverfi er verðstýring í senn bæði lífsnauðsynleg og flókin – sérstaklega þegar markaðurinn breytist hratt„

Virk verðstýring er mjög mikilvæg, sér í lagi í síbreytilegu rekstrarumhverfi og við markaðsaðstæður sem breytast hraðar en nokkru sinni fyrr. Það er því að mörgu að huga og höfum við tekið saman helstu atriði sem hafa þarf í huga til að ná góðum árangri í verðstýringu. 

Breytileg verðlagning

Með tækniþróun sem gerir breytilega verðstýringu auðvelda hefur verðlagning fyrir hótel og gististaði breyst mikið síðustu ár. Það heyrir nánast sögunni til að bjóða föst verð eftir árstíðum líkt og tíðkaðist hér áður fyrr. Nú er fremur horft í framboð, eftirspurn, samkeppnisaðila o.fl sem góður hugbúnaður er fljótur að læra að lesa. Verðlagning er vandasöm og erfitt getur reynst að finna“rétt” verð sem er í takt við væntingar gesta hverju sinni. Með hjálp algríms (e.algorithm) geta verðstýringatól á borð við Godo Primo reiknað út hvenær á að hækka og lækka verð með tilliti til breytna sem geta verið mismunandi eftir staðsetningu, samkeppnisaðilum, stærð hótels og fleiru. Ef ekki er notast við verðstýringartól er mikilvægt að vera vakandi fyrir sveiflum og nýta breytilega verðlagningu til að standa sterkt á markaði. 

Verðflokkar og takmarkanir

Draumur allra hótelstjóra er að finna hið fullkomna verð á vöru sem skilar bæði sem mestu í bókhaldið ásamt því að vera fullkomlega í takt við væntingar kaupandans. Þegar kemur að uppsetningu á verðflokkum fyrir hótel og gististaði, þá skiptir miklu máli að átta sig á og þekkja þarfir mögulegra kaupenda hvort sem um ræðir ferðaskrifstofur, hópa eða einstaklinga. Hinn eini rétti verðflokkur finnst ekki nema tillit sé tekið til væntinga gesta, afpöntunar-reglna, dvalartíma, árstíma og fjölda gesta

Verðstýring og viðskiptagreind

Við nýtum okkur tæknina sífellt meira til þess að taka yfir ákveðna þætti í daglegu lífi okkar hvort sem er í vinnu eða heima fyrir. Við sjáum þetta bersýnilega þegar kemur að verðstýringu fyrir hótel og gististaði. Með því að nýta sér kerfi sem býður upp á viðskiptagreindar-algoritma sem notar upplýsingar um allt frá samkeppni, meðaltali verðflokka, birgðum og kröfum á markaði fáum við bæði góða innsýn og áreiðanleg gögn sem annars er mjög tímafrekt að kalla fram og meta handvirkt. Að beita reglum og stillingum í þessum reikniritum sem miða við sérstakar þarfir tiltekinnar eignar, fylgjast stöðugt með og aðlaga kerfið í samræmi við þróun er lykilatriði til að ná sem bestum árangri þegar kemur að verðstýringu.

Hvenær er nauðsynlegt að hækka eða lækka verð?

Þó svo að viðskiptagreind sér að ryðja sér æ meira rúms á markaði í dag er mannlegi þátturinn í verðstýringu enn ómetanlegur í greiningu. Ekki er hægt að mæla öll gildi með reikniriti eða viðskiptagreind og því er mikilvægt að geta tekið ákvarðanir í tengslum við markaðsstefnu og sérstöðu við rekstur. Það er því mikilvægt að skilja bæði efsta og neðsta þröskuldinn á verðbili tiltekinna vöruflokka og hvenær er nauðsynlegt að lækka eða hækka verðin. Því er nauðsynlegt að geta svarað spurningum á borð við:

• Er afslátturinn á ákveðnum tímabilum of hár ?
• Fáum við sama fjölda bókana ef verðið á herberginu er aðeins dýrara ?
• Þarf ég að lækka verðið á herberginu yfir jólavertíðina

Þessar spurningar skipta reksturinn gríðarlega miklu máli ef svörin við þeim byggja á vel ígrundaðri verðstýringu.  

Þar sem það búa ekki öll hótel svo vel að hafa starfsfólk á sínum snærum sem flokkast undir sérfræðinga á sviði verðstýringar þarf oft að leita út fyrir veggi rekstrarins til þess að sækja þá sérfræðiþekkingu.

Rekstrarþjónustur fyrir hótel og gististaði

Hótel og gististaðir eru í sí-vaxandi mæli byrjuð að útvista hluta starfsemi sinnar til fyrirtækja sem sérhæfa sig á sviði verðstýringar, söluhagræðingar, gestasamskipta og bókunarskrifstofa. Ávinningur af útvistun er margþættur og felur oftar en ekki í sér endurskipulagningu rekstrarins sem leiðir til minni rekstrarkostnaðar, aukinnar sölu og það sem mikilvægast er af öllu, jákvæðari gesta-upplifunar.

Góð verðstýring er án efa einn mikilvægasti þátturinn í árangursríkum hótelrekstri ef henni er gefin góður gaumur. Velta hótela á ársgrundvelli breytist til betri vegar á skömmum tíma ef verðstýring er tekin til greina og tekin alvarlega. Kraftmikil og samkeppnishæf verðlagning, vel skilgreindir verðflokkar, takmarkanir, viðskiptagreind og eftirspurn á markaði eru aðeins hluti af þeim þáttum sem þarf að hafa í huga við innleiðingu á trúverðugri viðskiptaáætlun fyrir hvert hótel.

Framtíð ferðaþjónustunnar

Það er engin spurning að heimsfaraldurinn hefur haft skelfileg áhrif á ferðaþjónustu um heim allan. Það er þó von allra að ferðaþjónustan nái sér á strik sem fyrst með jákvæðum breytingum í för með sér.  Ef marka má þær sviðsmyndir sem danska framtíðar rannsóknarstofnunin setti fram á fundi ANTOR (Association of National Tourist Office Representatives) þann 23. apríl 2020, þá verður lögð sérstök áhersla í ferðaþjónustu, eftir að Kórónufaraldrinum lýkur, á traust, öryggi, heilsu, sjálfbærni og síðast en ekki síst á tæknivæðingu og sjálfvirkni.

Það er ljóst að verðstýring kemur til með að verða byggð enn frekar á tækni og sjálfvirkni í framtíðinni líkt og fleira í ferðaþjónustu  Verðstýring er flókin og það þarf að huga að mörgum breytum til að vel takist til. Það er mikilvægt að huga að þessum málum fyrr en seinna og vera vel undirbúin þegar heimurinn fer að ferðast á ný.

The hotel industry has become more competitive with growing demand from customers demanding the highest quality and best price at any given time. With growing competition it becomes more important for hotel managers to price their rooms in the exact right way – and that can get tricky if you are not constantly monitoring the market.

In these unprecedented times of Coronavirus it is important for hotel managers to use the time and space well to analyze and optimize every part of the operation. When there are less guests visiting your hotel you should use the time well to clean and tidy up the basement. 

“In a dynamic business environment, revenue management is vital and becomes more complex when the market changes fast“

To apply a successful revenue management strategy for your hotel there are many factors to consider. Here we list four vital components;

Dynamic Pricing

Hotels are constantly under pressure to find new ways to be in line with technological developments and demands in our industry in order to maximize their visibility online and provide the best customer engagement possible. With the purpose of maximizing total revenue, hotels need to be able to offer the correct pricing and products in relation to competition and demand on a day-to-day basis, so that it corresponds to the experience and expectations of the guests.

Rate categories and restrictions

Different types of guests will have different needs and behaviors when looking for your property. Therefore, it is important to analyze how you can increase sales by offering the correct rates, taking cancellation policies, length of stay and amount of guests into account. You need to analyze the expectations of your guests in order to accommodate both your business and the guests in enjoying your services.

Managing prices through business intelligence

Computers are now able to take over certain aspects of our day-to-day life, this is well apparent in revenue management. With a system that provides a business-intelligence algorithm that uses the information on the competition, average daily rates, inventory and market demands we gain insight and data that would be impossible to obtain and evaluate manually. Applying rules and settings into this algorithm to the specific needs of a given property and constantly monitoring and adjusting the system according to any developments is the key factor to success when it comes to revenue management for hotels.

When is it necessary to raise or lower prices?

The human aspect of revenue management is still invaluable in the continuous analysis of what is happening in our market. Not all values can be measured by an algorithm or business intelligence, thus it is important to be able to make decisions in relation to marketing strategies and specifics concerning your business. It is also important to understand your top and bottom threshold and when it is necessary or not to lower prices. Are you possibly giving too much discount sometimes or would you receive the same amount of bookings for a little bit better price? This can be a defining factor in your revenue over time.

Not every hotel has a dedicated revenue manager or staff with the required skillset and/or time to dedicate the time needed to fully take advantage of the increased profitability a successful strategy can deliver. That is why outsourcing revenue management can be a smart move.

 Operational services for hotels

It has become a growing trend in the travel industry to outsource specific parts of the hotel operation to companies that specialize in the field of revenue management, sales optimization, booking office and guest management. The benefits of outsourcing these parts of the industry results in growing sales, reduction of cost and what is most important, positive guest experience – and those three key factors of the operation sound like good music in the ears of the hotel management.

Revenue management is one of the single most important factors of a successful hotel operation. The turnover for a hotel on an annual basis can differ tremendously in a positive way for the operation if revenue management is taken into account and taken seriously. Dynamic & competitive pricing, rate categories, restrictions, business intelligence and market demand are just a few of the factors that need to be considered when implementing a credible business plan for any given hotel.

What does the future hold for tourism ?

We will travel again and hopefully that will be sooner than later. 

Now, more than ever, it is important to be ready with a pricing strategy when travellers start to look into their next adventures. Therefore, it is important to take the long view when looking into your pricing strategy particularly when market conditions change drastically like in the past months. 

Outsourcing parts of your business to companies that work around the clock to maximise the revenue stream of our business might be the single most important step into the 21st century for your business.