Gift experiences: a tool to diversify income

Selling experiences at the hotel, such as SPA, romantic dinners, themed events, concerts or day passes, is part of the commercial strategy of many hotels.

​

At Roiback, we offer you several ways to sell the experiences offered by your hotel: individually or as part of an accommodation + experience package.

​

Now you can also sell them without including a specific date of enjoyment at the time of booking and with the option of giving them as a gift to a third person.

​

We call it Gift Experiences, and it is a new functionality of our system that allows you virtually unlimited flexibility when selling the experiences and products offered by your hotel.

​

​

How are experiences displayed in the Roiback booking engine?

​

Roiback offers several ways to display experiences during the booking process.

​

Specific Experiences section on the hotel website: from this section, the user can view all the experiences available in a hotel or chain, filter them (with or without accommodation included) and book them as Gift Experiences (without the need to indicate a specific date of enjoyment) or also as an activity with a specific date of enjoyment.

​

Example: https://www.blauhotels.com/es/paquetes/

​

​

Search results page: Using a deeplink – or a direct link to the search results of the booking engine – the user can view the experiences in a clear and intuitive way, and easily make the reservation.

​

The direct deeplink to the search results can be used in a very flexible way: newsletters, banners or booking confirmation emails, SEM or display campaigns and up-selling or welcome emails to the hotel, or even from QR codes present in the hotel, among many other possibilities.

​

​

​

What types of experiences can you offer?

​

From accommodation + experience packages, or one-day experiences without the need for accommodation, the possibilities are as many as your hotel and creativity allow.

​

Some examples:

• Day pass: one-day ticket with special menu.
• Romantic accommodation + experience package: a weekend for two with room, breakfast, SPA and dinner.
• SPA and wellness: couple massages + lunch and/or dinner.
• Gastronomic experiences: special breakfasts, themed menus or gourmet tasting.
• Multipurpose spaces for special occasions: Christmas, New Year's Eve, family or company events.
• Golf package: accommodation + green fee + lunch, or green fee + lunch.
• Sports experiences: ski lessons + equipment + ski pass.

​

Guided tours: if your hotel is in a unique building, offer tours of your facilities that showcase its historical or cultural value.

​

Experiences and activities: a differentiating element to position your hotel and your brand.

​

Many hotels sell them, but few maximize the benefit of their experiences and activities, relegating them to a mere complement rather than a differentiator for their brand and value proposition.

​

The current context reveals a traveler and consumer much more demanding in their purchasing decisions. And this forces hotels to reinvent themselves more and more frequently and to be more creative in the products they offer.

​

Some data:

​

• 88% of U.S. travelers indicate that traveling is their main life aspiration, above wealth (American Express).

• 72% of U.S. travelers prefer to spend their money on experiencing the destination, rather than on other products (American Express).
• 67% of travelers with high purchasing power prefer to spend their money on activities at the destination than on a hotel room (Skift).

​

Selling experiences allows you to generate an additional source of income, increasing your ADR and profitability. But, above all, it helps you position your hotel as an expert and benchmark in the destination.

​

Your hotel ceases to be a place of accommodation to become a place where travelers can be inspired and connect with the destination in a more authentic and profound way.

​

You move away from the dreaded commodity effect and position yourself in a space that OTAs – global marketing tools with little direct relationship with the destination - will never be able to cover.

​

​

What are the benefits of selling experiences for your hotel?

​

• Attract a new customer segment: Day experiences allow you to attract a local or nearby audience that is not looking for accommodation but to live and discover an experience near their place of residence, becoming an ambassador for your product and a valuable source of income even in low season.
• Improve your cash flow: In the case of Gift Experiences, by charging in advance you will get immediate liquidity as these require a prepayment.
• Generate additional income: Diversify your income streams by selling other products and services, in addition to rooms.
• Monetize your hotel's facilities and services: You will increase the occupancy and use of your facilities or services, whether restaurants, event rooms, SPAs or any other product or service of your hotel.

​

If you want to know more about Gift Experiences, do not hesitate to contact our team.

​

We will help you implement an effective experience sales strategy for your hotel:

• Suggestions on the products with the most sales potential in your destination and according to the type of your hotel.
• Best practices for content creation: images and product descriptions.
• Definition and implementation of a communication and marketing plan.
• Continuous monitoring of KPIs to ensure the best possible results.

​