Booking travel stays online has become the standard these days, but hotels still have a lot more potential to grow digitally. Chain and boutique hotels can utilize the software that’s made lodging booking platforms, such as Airbnb and One Night, popular by launching their own over-the-top (OTT) app.
Due to the term “hotel” coming to encompass different accommodations (and budgets), there is a major opportunity to offer customers personalized digital experiences that elevate their trip, all while adding revenue streams to your business.
Sponsorships and exclusive deals:
Through a streaming app, guests can get a comprehensive sneak peek at daily offerings via photo galleries or video content. Hotels can help highlight local going-ons and present guests-only deals from nearby dining, museums and nightlife around the city. This is where the opportunity to secure and roll out brand partnerships, as well as local businesses’ sponsorships, comes in. Hotels can create mutually beneficial business collaborations for multiple local parties, all while promoting the local culture and economy.
Local news:
Hotels can use OTT channels to not only directly provide guests with up-to-date information on their stay and surrounding area, but also upsell their own services at the same time. This includes notifying clients of the hotel restaurant’s latest menu items, or even the bar’s happy hour specials that night. Informing guests of special factors, like weather and local news reports, can also create potential revenue sources via bookings of special activities nearby that travelers may not be aware of.
Building a mobile companion app:
Another way to support your OTT channel is by launching a mobile app that goes with it. Much like live concert experiences, businesses specializing in travel booking can attract and retain guests by using apps to extend them exclusive deals. It can help push out custom, data-driven notifications to guests that promote several business offers. Fore example, management can suggest rooms to clients who’ve recently booked airfare to their hotel’s locations. They can also use the app as a platform to market Instagram-worthy content, inspiring existing clients to return by booking that last minute getaway they’d been eyeing.
With customizable layouts, live stream capability, support of all major content formats and monetization tools, MAZ can help create your hotel’s intuitive mobile app experience.
All in all, OTT apps help give hotels complete “TV” control over their respective public spaces, as well as provide an instant launching pad for curated content in guest rooms, where apps can be updated in real time. If you’re interested in learning more about launching a custom app for your business, including the addition of subscriptions and ad support, reach out to a team member here at MAZ.
