Online sales possibilities have revolutionised tourism\r\nbrands, however, with all the network alternatives available, customer demands\r\nand preferences have also been affected and evolved over time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Today, we are facing a highly competitive landscape in\r\nwhich the need to know and understand the guest is fundamental in order to\r\nemploy appropriate marketing and sales strategies.<\/strong> Being aware of needs and\r\npreferences of your guest can help you to significantly increase direct sales\r\nand thus, the revenue of your hotel.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Regardless of their nationality, it is possible to\r\ndefine several customer typologies which help to establish an idea of the\r\ndifferent market types that the establishment can target.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 1. Families.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Families are one of the classics in the hotel sector\r\nand this type of customer has essentially had the same priorities for years.\r\nThe family decision-maker, i.e. the person making the booking, knows that leisure\r\nand catering services are essential.<\/strong> For this reason, during the research\r\nprocess, they will only consider establishments that can adapt to suit their\r\nfamily.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n On the one hand, this decision-maker will have an\r\nabsolute necessity to keep the youngest and\/or teenagers entertained, so will\r\nlook for an adapted hotel with appropriate facilities. They will also make sure\r\nthat there is a catering service which offers meals suitable for the little\r\nones.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n On the other hand, the objective of the decision-maker\r\nwill be to take a break from their daily routine and they will look for\r\nactivities which will allow them to relax, accompanied by their partner, or\r\nperhaps keep them active in a distinguishing environment, accompanied by the\r\nyoungest members of the family.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2. Tourists.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Tourists are a type of customer for whom the hotel is\r\nan experience in itself. A tourist looks for the comforts offered by the\r\nestablishment<\/strong>, so all additional services play a fundamental role in the\r\nenjoyment of their stay. However, the guest also wants to discover the\r\nessence of the destination in a way that is simple<\/strong>, so visits (often\r\nguided) will be key.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This is the type of customer whose opinion has also\r\nbeen fundamental to those establishments which are centred on \u201cbeach tourism\u201d;\r\nhowever, there are a wide variety of different profiles within this category,\r\naccording to location and trends.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 3. Travellers.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Leisure, tours and the most active experiences are\r\nfundamental for self-proclaimed travellers <\/strong>(non-tourists), a type of customer for which the establishment is solely\r\nan addition, as they are interested in the destination and the experiences they\r\nhave there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This type of customer is an avid consumer of information<\/strong> regarding local culture, someone who is interested in discovering the lesser-known and most unique locations, how to get around independently, in addition to the types of events that may coincide with their stay.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Within this typology, it is worth highlighting the growing influence of Generation Z in tourism<\/a>: a profile with great technological knowledge, and makes trips that prioritize experience over price, despite the fact that this is a decisive factor when booking. Focusing efforts on this next generation of travelers can ensure a competitive advantage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 4. Special.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Whether they are elderly customers or have a\r\ndisability, special guests have very specific needs and are looking for a\r\nmore specialised or adapted type of hotel<\/strong>. In these cases, although the\r\nfinal customer may be of one type or another, this may not coincide with the\r\ndecision maker, i.e. the person researching and making the booking. These\r\nspecial customers choose destinations and activities that suit their abilities\r\nand, in many cases, group experiences are valued.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 5. Business.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 20% of global travellers do so for work and\r\nconsequently, these business travellers could become the most important market\r\nfor many inner-city hotels, a market which, occasionally, is not solely work-based,\r\nas we will see.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This is a type of executive customer that has very\r\nspecific needs in terms of commodities<\/strong> which enable them to continue with\r\ntheir routine, in addition to having access to all the technology required in\r\norder to work. They may also require rooms enabled<\/strong> for the planning of\r\nspecific events. In fact, MICE tourism is a great source of income for large\r\ncities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 6. Luxury.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Although in the other groups we can identify disparate\r\npurchasing powers, the type of customer that demands luxury is clear that the\r\ncost of its demands and preferences can be high. This customer looks for\r\nexclusive, unique experiences, an excellent, limited service<\/strong>, with\r\nprivileges that are not offered to the general public.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 7. Eco-friendly.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The main goal for eco-friendly travellers is to enjoy\r\nthe environment in its purest, most natural state. This growing type of\r\ntraveller goes in search of sustainable experiences<\/strong> and takes into\r\nconsideration the impact of their actions and the services they acquire<\/strong>,\r\nin order to reduce the consumption of natural resources. This type of customer\r\ndemands specific information and consciously aims to contribute to the local\r\neconomy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Although these are the types of customers or markets\r\nwith which we start in order to implement marketing and sales actions, the\r\ntruth is that many have been marked by different trends that have affected\r\ntheir form of consumption in the sector. Trends you should take into account\r\nwhen it comes to attracting, retaining and addressing your final hotel guest. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 1. Online communities.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Online reputation management platforms such as\r\nTripAdvisor have had, and continue to have, a significant impact on hotel\r\ncustomer consumption. Transparency and the need to manage reputation online is\r\nfundamental in this sector, as opinions and comments are a decisive factor in\r\nbrand positioning.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2. Online Travel Agencies.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In general, OTAs or commission channels have earned\r\nthe trust of consumers for their competitive prices and ease in terms of\r\nbooking management. In particular, they have altered distribution channels, detracting\r\nvalue from the establishment information and becoming an obstacle in the direct\r\ncommunication between hotel and guest. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 3. Sharing economy.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Currently, there are also other companies in the tourism\r\nsector, such as Airbnb, <\/em>that increase competition, reinforced by the\r\nfact that these tourist properties do not comply with the same rules and\r\nregulations as traditional hotels.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 4. Environmental awareness.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n People are becoming increasing aware of environmental\r\nand social issues. Aligning with this trend and ensuring transparency is\r\nimportant, even for those establishments that do no host eco-friendly customers\r\namong their types of customers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 5. Bleisure options.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Bleisure tourism (business + leisure) is a trend that\r\naffects business travellers, as they add leisure days to the trip in order to\r\ndiscover the city on their own accord. In fact, more than half of all customers\r\nwhich fall into this category have been affected by this trend and\r\nconsequently, the information they consume and the services they acquire are\r\nmore than just work needs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 6. Digitalisation.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Following the online consumption phase, today, the\r\nproposal of palpable digitisation in the same establishment is increasingly\r\nimportant for the guest, especially for younger generations. This is a factor\r\nthat can be considered an opportunity, as long as the customer profile of the\r\nestablishment is well known.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 7. Overall experience.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Last but not least, the overall traveller experience\r\nis the base for many current marketing and sales strategies. An experience or\r\npurchase cycle that depends on the type of profile.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n When discussing customer types, this categorisation\r\nfalls short in terms of establishing appropriate strategies. Due to the trends\r\nthat have affected consumption within the tourism sector, the most important\r\ntoday, if applicable, is to ensure a better understanding of the profiles of\r\nthe customers who frequent the establishment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you think about it, your real guests may only correspond to two (or perhaps one) of the aforementioned categories, but the reality is that your guest\u2019s needs and preferences may vary depending on their purchase cycle status.<\/strong> This is why it is essential to define buyer personas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Establishing these buyer personas and discovering their form of consumption during a purchasing cycle or experience is what will help you implement the adequate strategies. In order to define them, you must rely not only on socio-demographic data, but also on an assessment of qualitative information, <\/strong>skilfully obtained<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>stored and managed by way of a CRM<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSo, what types of customer can we identify in\r\nhospitality?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Which consumer trends may affect them?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
So, what types of customer profiles should you\r\ntake into account?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n