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The festive season is right around the corner, which can only mean one thing: Black Friday is set to return with a bang.&nbsp;As the most significant commercial event of the year approaches, it is crucial to establish your own strategy for the occasion. Whether you need travel marketing tips or assistance in securing the best travel deals for your clients, we are here to support you in making Black Friday 2024 a resounding success.&nbsp;Why do I need to prepare for Black Friday?Of course, you don’t need to do anything – but by not taking any action, you may run the risk of being overshadowed by competitors who recognize the benefits that Black Friday can bring.&nbsp;During 2023, the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide was approximately 1.3 billion. And while this figure was a 33% rise compared to 2022, the levels of international travellers are still below what they were in 2019 pre-covid.&nbsp;&nbsp;This significant number of travellers highlights why events like Black Friday are so important to travel providers! Not only does it signify the sheer demand waiting to be capitalised on, but the remaining growth until we reach the numbers we were seeing pre-pandemic, suggests that offering a great deal might just be one of the best motivators for a hopeful but undecided traveller.&nbsp;This is especially true as travellers continue to become increasingly money-aware, and financially savvy; as Black Friday offers them a key chance to secure bookings for the trips and experiences they may have been bookmarking for later all year.&nbsp;In light of the continuously evolving patterns of traveller and consumer behaviours, as exemplified by the growing overlap between peak seasons and shoulder seasons, the rising popularity of bleisure travel, and shifting preferences regarding duration of stay, it is imperative for you as travel providers to stay well-informed about travellers' needs, and adeptly tailor your offerings to meet their needs.What are the benefits of Black Friday, you ask?&nbsp;Despite the recent inflation concerns worldwide, specifically in European countries, there seems to be a consistent high spending intent for Black Friday and the associated Cyber Week. This presents a valuable opportunity to leverage the demand throughout the sales period, extending beyond just Black Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;For instance, a study conducted by Sojern in 2022 revealed that travellers in the US and Canada spent more on Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday, while Europe and South America experienced higher booking rates on Black Friday.&nbsp;Additionally, while there was an increase in demand for trips 90+ days in advance, the demand for the 'instant gratification' of a trip booked with a shorter lead time was equally just as favoured by travellers - so both styles of travel should be accommodated in your travel marketing efforts.&nbsp;Many businesses, regardless of their industry, note a significant increase in traffic to their sites and bookings during this time, and the numbers don't lie: in 2023, retail industries saw a staggering $9.8 billion in online sales — up 7.5% from the year before. But Cyber Monday shoppers blew those numbers away, spending an additional $12.4 billion, which constitutes a 9.6% increase from 2022.&nbsp;The elongation of the Black Friday period to cover, at times, a whole week, may mean that travellers wait until the last moment to finalise their bookings; and implies that timely and market-specific offers have a higher chance of securing a sale, possibly due to a fear of missing out on these special deals.&nbsp;In short, taking part isn’t a necessity, but it’s something you should certainly consider – especially when getting involved can be as simple as following the steps we’ve laid out below!Step one: the best offers + the best destinations = bookings secured! (suggested timeline: around 4 weeks before Black Friday)When it comes to Black Friday, the best place to start is at the end of the process: what is it that your customers are hoping to book with you?&nbsp;An invaluable tool is Insights, our award-winning search and marketing tool. Offering tailored recommendations based on real-time market data, bookings made by the thousands of agents working with us, and historical search data, Insights provides accurate opportunities which help boost your sales.&nbsp;When using Insights, you might notice that some hotels are labelled with discounts. These are ideal options for your Black Friday campaign, so be sure to save them to your favourites for later.&nbsp;&nbsp;Additionally, you’ll be able to search for more discounted room nights by logging into our time-saving Booking Engine!&nbsp;Did you know?: our upcoming Black Friday campaign is set to be bigger and better than ever – so make sure you’ve got a reminder set for November 20th, when our 2024 campaign goes live.&nbsp;Not one of our valuable clients yet? Sign up today to take advantage of our exclusive deals during this high-demand sales period, and capture all those bookings you might otherwise miss out on.Step two: identify your most valuable sales channel (suggested timeframe: 3 weeks before Black Friday)With the high level of competition during this time, it is essential to identify your most valuable sales channel, especially if you operate online. By doing so, you will be in a strong position to attract customers who are seeking the best Black Friday travel deals, whether they choose to purchase through your online platform or physical locations, if applicable.&nbsp;Of course, in today's digital age, it is undeniable that online travel booking offers unparalleled convenience. With the internet providing lightning-fast comparisons and a seemingly endless array of options, it has become a cornerstone of the travel industry. Moreover, the competitive online landscape during events like Black Friday demands a well-executed online travel marketing strategy.&nbsp;&nbsp;As travel providers, it is crucial to not only navigate but also excel in this environment, ensuring that your message rises above the noise and resonates with potential customers. This is especially important when you consider:The customer dynamic has changed: in 2022 and 2023, 'revenge travel' was still popular, driving travellers to spend more on trips to make up for lost time. However, now travellers want authenticity, and trips that feel more bespoke, which may cause them to be more particular in what they spend on.&nbsp;Competition is fierce: with the increasing popularity and demand for experience-based tourism, many more types of trips are being organised and will be on sale in your market. It's important to carefully evaluate what you offer in order to remain competitive.Customers want true value for money: with increasing inflation around the world, travellers might be looking for a truly valuable deal to part ways with their hard-earned cash.&nbsp;While the online space is certainly one of the most important places to be when it comes to Black Friday marketing, the key to succeeding ultimately lies in your ability to cut through the noise regardless of how or where you sell.&nbsp;&nbsp;Discover our tips below to elevate your strategy:If you operate in-store only:It might take a little extra effort to put your best face forward, but there are certainly ways to appeal to customers (whether they exist or are yet to be acquired).&nbsp;Enhance your social media presence by increasing the frequency of your online posts. You can even use Insights' market-specific suggestions to determine the trending destinations in your market and incorporate this knowledge into your engaging social media content.&nbsp;Even if you’re not advertising Black Friday just yet, social media apps such as Facebook and Instagram are great channels for you to showcase your knowledge and build hype about the most exciting destinations. In order to attract the attention of potential customers, it may be beneficial to make some improvements to your store. One idea is to print out visually appealing flyers featuring popular destinations and hotels and display them on your storefront.&nbsp;&nbsp;Top tip: you can create customised flyers using Insights, with the Custom Flyer Tool, for personalized marketing materials in just a few clicks!If you operate online only:Social media plays a crucial role in the success of websites, just like it does for brick-and-mortar businesses. After all, website traffic doesn’t generate itself! Utilise our search and travel marketing tool, Insights, to pinpoint the latest trending destinations and showcase them on your Instagram page.&nbsp;&nbsp;Additionally, if you have a blog, share travel advice and captivating anecdotes to captivate your audience. Lastly, take the time to interact with other users by exploring travel hashtags and participating in conversations centred around popular destinations.&nbsp;Another top tip for increasing your online reach is to secure some glowing reviews. Make sure that you’re set up on Google or Trustpilot (or, at the very least, have a feedback page on your website/are willing to share examples of feedback on your social media pages), then reach out to clients who you know had a fantastic experience of booking with you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Even if their trip was a little while ago, their fond memories might inspire them to re-live the moment and share it with you - as well as with your next potential customer.If you have the best of both worlds:You’re in the best possible position. Consider a blend of our tips above to put your business on the map, just in time for Black Friday!&nbsp;Step three: tease your campaign (suggested timeframe: 2 weeks before Black Friday)Once you’ve determined which channel will earn you your bookings this Black Friday, the next step is to let your customers know that great deals will be theirs to secure very, very soon.&nbsp;Where applicable for your particular business as travel providers, be sure to pick up the phone and start connecting with your leads; by initiating this contact a few weeks prior to Black Friday, you can generate excitement among your clients about the possibility of a trip. Moreover, this approach allows them ample time to set aside funds or contemplate their next destination.&nbsp;Another way to tease Black Friday is – you guessed it – to utilise your social media channels. Take inspiration from companies inside and outside of your industry to see how they’ve advertised Black Friday ahead of time: from deliberately subtle campaigns to an up-front and unavoidable approach, there are numerous ways to inform your followers and potential customers are about upcoming discounts. If you have a website, consider adding a countdown banner to generate excitement and anticipation among your audience.&nbsp;Finally, a solid email marketing strategy will make sure that your customers are primed and ready for the big occasion. Craft subject lines to pique their curiosity and remind them to mark their calendars for the big day.&nbsp;Top tip: why not offer some early Black Friday deals? By browsing&nbsp;the promotions&nbsp;in our Booking Engine, you can cherry-pick hotels on discount in a particular destination.&nbsp;&nbsp;Or, by using Insights, you can identify which destinations are trending and the hotels on offer right now. Make the most of these deals and start driving your Black Friday sales early!&nbsp;Step four: push those offers! (suggested timeframe: Black Friday-Cyber Monday)You’ve already put in the work to market your Black Friday offers ahead of the occasion, but now is not the time to slow down – you still need to secure those sales!&nbsp;During the Black Friday period, it is highly likely that your customers will be entirely money-driven, and seeking the best deals. Whether they have discovered your offerings through your exceptional social media presence, found your website via Google, or are already familiar with your brand and promotions, it is crucial to ensure that these potential bookings are locked down. So, make sure you know your offers inside out – one of the best ways to do this is by exploring the&nbsp;promotions in&nbsp;our Booking Engine to see the most valuable opportunities for your business.&nbsp;Want to gain access to these exclusive offers? Simply sign up today to become one of our clients, and supercharge your sales this Black Friday period.&nbsp;In order to effectively reach clients who may not be aware of Black Friday, it is essential to promptly inform them of your limited-time offers. This can be achieved by prominently featuring banners on your website, or by personally asking clients if they are interested in booking their trip today.&nbsp;By creating a sense of urgency surrounding your Black Friday deals, you can significantly increase sales and drive customer engagement. Thus, it is crucial to establish and enforce these guidelines for your business.&nbsp;Referring once again to online bookings, it is possible that ‘cart abandonment’ will apply to some bookings: this is where a client will browse offers and get as far as the check-out page, before deciding not to proceed with the booking and closing out of the browser. Ensure that you have an email strategy or web pop-up in place to capture this type of client, with a reminder that prices can and do rise quickly – especially over Black Friday – and that the best time to secure a deal is now.&nbsp;Did you know?: According to some statistics, cart abandonment email reminders have an open rate of 45% - a huge percentage of potential travellers you could be tempting back in.&nbsp;Step five: Travel Tuesday is your time to shine (suggested timeframe: the Monday/Tuesday after Black Friday)Fortunately, the fatigue of over-commercialism has not had a major impact on the travel industry when it comes to the Black Friday sales period, given the predictability of the deals and the ubiquitous offerings out there. In fact, statistics indicate that the Tuesday following Black Friday continues to be a significant success for companies that offer discounted rates on accommodations and flights.&nbsp;Known as Travel Tuesday (or ‘Travel Deal Tuesday to some), this event has become a prime time for would-be travellers to secure their dream escape. In fact, past Travel Tuesdays have been known to offer twice the number of deals than advertised over Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined; in fact, last year more airlines, hotel chains, cruise lines, and tour companies offering deals than in previous years. The hashtag #TravelTuesday also received over 100 million views on TikTok!&nbsp;&nbsp;Even if you’re not offering extra or heavier discounts over Travel Tuesday, the number of travellers looking for a deal is likely to increase – so be sure to capture their imagination by sharing the hotels we have on offer between November 20th – 3rd December!&nbsp;Ready to take on this all-important sales period? Log in to your account now&nbsp;to discover our amazing portfolio of hotels and ancillaries, and keep a look out for our upcoming Black Friday offers!Ready to take on this all-important sales period? Sign up now to discover our amazing portfolio of hotels and ancillaries, and keep a look out for our upcoming Black Friday offers!

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How Travel Providers Should Prepare For Black Friday

Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year, and it's also a key date for the travel industry. Every year, travellers know they will find great discounts for their future trips. Black Friday offers them an excellent opportunity to secure bookings for trips and experiences they may have postponed throughout the year. &nbsp;&nbsp;And how does Hotelbeds contribute to this? We satisfy this growing demand by offering the best hotels to our wide network of travel distributors.&nbsp;This is where your property comes into play. To boost hotel room sales, we are once again launching our successful Black Friday campaign, one of the most beloved among our hotel partners. &nbsp;&nbsp;Below, we’ll share all the essential details you need to know about the campaign and how you can participate to make the most of this opportunity. &nbsp;&nbsp;Black Friday Campaign at Hotelbeds: Why it’s beneficial for your property &nbsp;To begin with, offering attractive deals during these campaigns is an excellent way to attract guests who tend to stay longer, come from distant markets, and on average, spend more. &nbsp;&nbsp;Participating in our campaigns significantly increases your hotel’s visibility to over 54,000 travel distributors, including travel agencies, tour operators, airlines, banking institutions, and more. &nbsp;&nbsp;How do we do it? &nbsp;We implement a wide range of promotional actions, including mass email campaigns, banner placement on our booking engine, the creation of dedicated landing pages, and promotion on social media, among other initiatives. This way, we reach a global audience eager to benefit from this highly beneficial campaign. &nbsp;&nbsp;Need more reasons to join? Last year, hotels that took part in our Black Friday campaign enjoyed an average 50% increase in bookings compared to non-participating hotels.&nbsp;All the details about Black Friday for hoteliersHere are all the key details to help you join and make the most of Hotelbeds' Black Friday campaign: &nbsp;&nbsp;The booking window for travel distributors will be from 20th November to 3rd December 2024. &nbsp;&nbsp;As for the travel window, customers will be able to travel between 20th November 2024 and 31st July 2025. &nbsp;&nbsp;If your property is already registered with Hotelbeds, you will receive detailed information via email about this and other great campaign opportunities available over the coming months, as well as the steps to follow to participate. &nbsp;&nbsp;If you haven’t registered yet, now is the right time to maximise your partnership with us from the beginning. We recommend joining as soon as possible by completing this brief form. Once completed, we will contact you to guide you through the onboarding process, so you can start distributing your rooms as soon as possible. &nbsp;&nbsp;The Black Friday campaign is one of our key global initiatives, but it’s not the only one. As a Hotelbeds partner, each quarter we will inform you about available global and regional campaigns, as well as the conditions required to participate. On average, hotels that join our campaigns gain a significant competitive advantage over other similar properties in their area that don't participate. It's a fantastic opportunity to stand out! &nbsp;&nbsp;Lastly, if you're new here and not sure what other products and services are available to you, we've got you covered! Download our comprehensive, visual guide now, where we review our full hotel offering. Get it for free below!&nbsp;

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Black Friday Campaign for Hoteliers: All You Need to Know 

Having access to our Partner Portal (previously called MaxiRoom) is the first step on your journey to boost bookings and maximise revenue with Hotelbeds. With plenty of features available for your convenience, our platform streamlines your daily operations and management. &nbsp;&nbsp;The Partner Portal has many advantages, from independently managing your inventory and bookings to monitoring connectivity with your channel manager, setting up offers, and accessing your financial information.&nbsp;&nbsp;With the objective of accelerating your learning process so that you get the most out of our platform, we’ve created the Hotel Help Centre. This article will give you a sneak peek into some of the most frequently asked questions about the extranet. Solve your main doubts below, and visit the Help Center to learn more about our advanced extranet and to find quick videos about our platform and information about our products and services.&nbsp;&nbsp;How to update rate plans and availability? &nbsp;Here are some key details to help you understand your Hotelbeds inventory:&nbsp;Remember that every time you create a new room, you must include them in a rate plan in order for them to be distributed. To do this, link each room to any of your rates.&nbsp;&nbsp;How can you update your availability? Go to the ‘Inventory’ section &gt; Click on ‘Edit Availability’ &gt; Make your changes &gt; Save the changes, while making sure to apply them to the correct number of Available Rooms and Release days. &nbsp;&nbsp;How can you update your rates? Go to the ‘Inventory’ section &gt; Click on ‘Edit Prices’ &gt; Make your changes &gt; Save the changes, while making sure to apply them to the correct number of Available Rooms and Release days.&nbsp;&nbsp;How can you create a new rate plan? Go to the ‘Inventory’ section &gt; Click on ‘Rate List’ &gt; Click on ‘Add new rate’ &gt; Fill your new rate details. If you don't see the 'Add new rate' button or want to create a new rate plan type not found on the page, please contact your Contract Manager.&nbsp;&nbsp;These are just a few examples of the main doubts you can find resolved on the ‘Inventory’ section of the Help Centre. Learn more here about how to create new rooms and how to add them to your rate plans, as well as to get a better understanding of our variety of rate plans and room capacities. Also, here you can download this visual guide to get started with the Partner Portal.&nbsp;Do you manage your inventory via a Channel Manager or a Property Management System (PMS)? We have you covered on this too! Visit this page if you work with a Channel Manager, or this one if you do it with a PMS. &nbsp;&nbsp;How to contact Hotelbeds for Partner Portal-related queries? &nbsp; &nbsp;There are several ways to get in touch with our Hotelbeds support team if you can't find the answer to your questions in the Help Centre. &nbsp;&nbsp;For general queries: Send us a ticket via the Hotel Support Form, which you will find in the Partner Portal’s platform. Simply click the icon (person with a headset) on the right side of the menu.&nbsp;&nbsp;For specific queries: Go to the Partner Portal and click on ‘Contact’, located in the footer. This is where you will find the Hotelbeds contact information you need for financial issues, contractual queries, business optimisation, and other general queries and integration issues. &nbsp;&nbsp;Update hotel content in Hotelbeds' Partner PortalYou can seamlessly upload all hotel-related content to the extranet to ensure that it accurately showcases what your property has to offer. Whether you need help uploading high-resolution images or updating hotel information, room details, or hotel services, this section of the Help Centre has the right answers to all your queries. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Partner Portal's two-factor authentication: what do you need to know? &nbsp;At Hotelbeds, we take security very seriously, which is why we've proactively implemented security measures to protect your Partner Portal account. The two-factor authentication implementation means that every time you access the Partner Portal, you’ll need to enter a one-time code (OTC), which will be sent via email. &nbsp;&nbsp;This is what you should consider: &nbsp;&nbsp;How long will the code be valid? You’ll have 10 minutes to access the platform once you’ve received the code via email. To generate another one, please log in again to the Partner Portal. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What to do if the one-time code doesn’t work? Try logging in again to receive a new one-time code. If the code still doesn't work, please ensure that ‘maxiroom@hotelbeds.com’ is whitelisted by adding it to your address book. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What to do if you haven’t received the one-time code? Make sure that ‘maxiroom@hotelbeds.com’ is whitelisted and not in the spam folder. Also, if you need further assistance, please contact your Contract Manager. &nbsp;Find out more about the two-factor authentication.&nbsp;What payment methods are available at Hotelbeds? &nbsp;VCC PaymentsOne of the payment methods offered by Hotelbeds is Virtual Credit Card (VCC). In order to properly operate with it, this is what you need to know: &nbsp;&nbsp;A VCC will be issued for each booking you receive. To find your card details, visit the Partner Portal’s 'Bookings' section, search for that specific booking, and click on the reference number to see your VCC’s details. From then on, you can introduce it in your Point of Sales Terminal and charge it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Several factors can cause your VCC to be declined or experience any issues. Make sure to check the VCC activation date, charge the VCC as per the contract currency and charge net amounts. Also, remember that one VCC is created per booking’s total amount (not per room), and your VCC will always be automatically updated in case of booking amount modification. To report further issues, send us a ticket via the Hotel Support Form, as explained previously. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Once your booking has been charged and the invoice is set in your system, you’ll need to send us an invoice via email or via e-billing. &nbsp; &nbsp;Ecobill is our electronic invoicing platform, accessible via our Partner Portal. Besides, for the VCC payment method, a valid tax invoice is mandatory in certain countries. Find out more about Hotelbeds invoicing entities, which countries need a valid tax invoice and how to invoice via Ecobill in this section. &nbsp;&nbsp;Wire PaymentsBank transfer is Hotelbeds' second payment method. If you wish to operate this way, this is what you need to know:&nbsp;In order to get paid, you'll need to send your invoice. By default, suppliers should invoice Hotelbeds for each booking right after the check-out date via our electronic invoicing system called e-billing, available on the Supplier Finance Web.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you need to send the invoice via email or post, you can do so by opening a ticket, and our Finance team will provide you with detailed information. &nbsp;&nbsp;Bank transfers are scheduled twice a month. However, the first condition is to upload or send the invoice. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;To learn more about how to update your bank details, invoice via e-billing and Hotelbeds’ invoicing entities by country, please refer to this section. &nbsp;&nbsp;What campaigns and offers are available to you? &nbsp;Our offers and campaigns contribute to increasing your property's visibility and bookings. As a result of this exposure, you can attract new guests, enhance brand recognition, and boost your hotel's revenue. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;You can choose from a variety of options:&nbsp;&nbsp;Available offers to create your custom promotion: Last Minute, Opaque, Long Stay, Early Booking and Free Nights are just a few of the available options. Click here to find a detailed explanation of each one, as well as how to set them up. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Monthly promotions: Each month, we release 3 new offers specifically designed to attract guests and increase bookings. You can find these campaigns on your Portal Partner account home page. &nbsp;To join any of these campaigns, simply click on the ‘Join Campaign’ button &gt; Select the dates of stay and booking window &gt; Add it to your rate plans &gt; Define your own conditions and combine them with other offers already loaded.&nbsp;&nbsp;Global and Regional Marketing campaigns: We run several global and regional campaigns throughout the year to connect you with wholesale and retail customers not accessible via traditional B2C channels. Some examples of campaigns include New Year, Black Friday, Early Booking Summer, long-haul campaigns, and other campaigns to promote specific territories, such as China.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Campaigns are published on your Partner Portal home page, and you can join them by clicking on the campaign, setting dates of stay and booking window, and adding it to your rate plan. &nbsp;&nbsp;These are a few common questions we've noticed hoteliers have about the Partner Extranet. We hope we have clarified some of them, and if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to visit our Hotel Help Centre.&nbsp;We aim to constantly update this page, so you always have the latest information available. Besides, you’ll find access to several helpful resources for a seamless quick start with the Partner Portal, as well as valuable content about our Hotelbeds' offering and travel industry insights. Take a look!&nbsp;

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6 Frequently Asked Questions about Hotelbeds Partner Portal 

&nbsp;World Tourism Day is an annual event in the travel calendar that encourages industry stakeholders to reflect on the impact of tourism on the world: socially, culturally, environmentally and economically. &nbsp;&nbsp;Each year, this annual celebration is marked by a specific theme that reflects key tourism trends in the sector, from the impact of COVID-19 in recent years, to 2023's focus on innovative solutions for 'people, planet and prosperity', opportunities to reflect and rethink how we do tourism, to this year's focus on 'tourism and peace'.&nbsp;This year's theme reflects on:"Tourism can play a vital role as a catalyst in promoting peace and understanding between nations and cultures, and in supporting reconciliation processes."&nbsp;World Tourism Day is important for travel providers to be aware of and consider, as it can help to:Learn about industry best practiceFind new business opportunities &nbsp;Raise awareness and knowledge &nbsp;Promote sustainable tourismIdentify travel habits and future trends &nbsp;Improve travel offerings&nbsp;So, can you take this year's theme of 'Tourism and Peace', which is a far-reaching theme, and apply it to your everyday?&nbsp;Promoting Peace and Community Resilience through TourismOften highlighted for its role in economic development, tourism also plays an important role in promoting peace. &nbsp;&nbsp;At a global level, where nations are interconnected and interdependent, tourism, an industry created by and for people, is proving to be a compelling and dynamic force in overcoming stereotypes and challenging prejudices.&nbsp;Did you know? &nbsp;Countries with a more open and sustainable tourism sector tend to be more peaceful.Tourism spreads philanthropy and leads to regional cooperation.Tourism supports post-conflict recovery.&nbsp;&nbsp;Success lies in empowering local communities to actively engage with their rich culture, while minimising conflict with the natural environment and all external forces - such as tourism. &nbsp;&nbsp;Real-world example: The town of Lahaina in West Maui was devastated by one of the worst wildfires in American history. Tourism resumed several months later, which raised new considerations for more mindful travellers. For instance, would their stay in a luxurious hotel displace residents who were temporarily accommodated there following the destruction of their homes?&nbsp;While West Maui accounts for 15% of Hawaii's tourism revenue, many local residents viewed the period of rebuilding Old Lahaina as an opportunity to address issues such as overtourism, environmental degradation, and economic imbalance. In fact, 17,000 residents signed a petition to delay the reopening of tourism in order to focus on the needs of Lahaina's working-class population.&nbsp;Nonetheless, with the projected loss of $9 million in tourism revenue per day since the fire, the Hawaii Tourism Authority enacted the Maui Marketing Recovery Plan to aid in the restoration of travel demand. This incident presented a crucial opportunity for thoughtful, intentional travel. A focus on regenerative tourism that reinvests in people, places, and encourages the 'long-term renewal and flourishing of our social-ecological systems' was paramount.&nbsp;It was essential that the tourism mindset shifted from an individualistic to a collective perspective, for visitors and residents alike, to foster empathy and initiate collaborative action.&nbsp;Many travellers were inspired to add several volunteering experiences onto their itinerary upon seeing business owners' livelihoods burned down, and residents respected most the behaviours of travellers who engaged with patience and understanding while also giving back to the community.&nbsp;How can you as providers encourage this type of travel?Encourage travelers to support local businesses and volunteer – these are key ways to continue that shift towards intentional travel that benefits host destinations.Promote alternative destinations – try sister locations to places that are suffering from severe consequences of overtourism.Promote a mindset for travellers grounded in intention - for example, one that asks 'where can we snorkel that's most respectful' instead of 'where do locals go?'&nbsp;Be aware of the wider industry and world – keeping informed as to any local challenges, initiatives or movements within the destinations that you’re recommending.&nbsp;These measures advocate a proactive approach to ensure that economic growth remains inclusive for the entire community, and that tourism is promoted for the benefit of residents as well as visitors.&nbsp;Top tip: Did you know that in February 2024, the General Assembly officially declared 2027 as the ‘International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism’? The next few years are a prime opportunity to take the travel industry even further when it comes to pioneering sustainable, beneficial initiatives.&nbsp;Engaging with Authentic Voices and Preserving Local HeritageCultural tourism is characterised by visitors' ardent desire to discover, experience, and learn about a particular destination. Whether that entails exploring novel cuisines, residing with remote rural communities, supporting local business owners and artisans, or travelling pilgrimage routes, the interest in cultural immersion is rapidly escalating.&nbsp;Ensuring that travel experiences are firmly grounded in the essence of a place is also in the interest of travel providers from a success standpoint:Cultural and historical travel accounts for 40% of all tourism globally.73% of millennials report being interested in cultural and historic places.Cultural tourists spend 38% more per day and stay 22% longer than other traveller types.&nbsp;Many countries and organisations around the world are already showing how it’s possible to balance economic development with retaining vital cultural heritage, and sustainable transformations. &nbsp;Urban regeneration – a ‘Special Area Plan’ in George Town, Malaysia, balances conservation with economic development, allowing local owners to restore their homes and set up businesses, while protecting historic buildings from tourism-induced redevelopment.Prioritising native industries – to avoid over-reliance on sole economic drivers, like tourism. For example, in AlUla investments are being made into native industries such as agriculture. Diversifying the local economy creates increased revenue for residents and lessens the strain on economies that rely on tourism as a main driver of revenue. &nbsp;‘Living heritage’ – the ‘Beirut Housing Rehabilitation and Cultural Creative Industries’ project offers small grants to local artisans, while the regeneration of the historical Mar Mikhael train station aims to reactivate cultural markets and businesses.&nbsp;A pivotal strategy for providers to incorporate sustainable cultural tourism into their day-to-day operations is to elevate local communities to the forefront of your experience recommendations.&nbsp;Adopting this approach satisfies the prevailing trend for authentic, experiential tourism in a manner that generates longer-lasting positive impact for the host community and economy, while also maintaining business engagement with customer preferences.&nbsp;By actively engaging with local communities, the tourism industry can ensure that the generated revenue remains within the community, where it can yield the most substantial impact.&nbsp;Promoting Travel that Champions SustainabilityIn 2015, the Member States of the United Nations collectively adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which endeavor to 'enhance health and education, diminish inequality, and stimulate economic development – all while addressing the challenges of climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.'&nbsp;The tourism industry presents a multitude of opportunities to impact and contribute to the realisation of these goals: through the provision of high-quality tourism training, which invests in education and skills development; by investing in sustainable infrastructure; by working to further the eco-conscious transformations in communities, economies and mindsets, including initiatives to decarbonise the sector; and by investing in innovative travel technology and upskilling tourism's workforces globally.&nbsp;Sustainable tourism is a major focus for the travel industry, with the appetite for sustainability showing no sign of easing: 83% of global travellers believe that sustainable travel is important.&nbsp;For the environment - &nbsp;One of the paramount concerns, not solely for the travel and tourism industry, but for the broader global context of sustainability, is the prevelance of single-use plastics. The hotel industry alone is responsible for the generation of 150 million tonnes of plastic per year – a significant proportion of which ultimately ends up polluting the world's oceans.&nbsp;In light of this, marine and coastal conservation programmes serve as an ideal example of how to promote experiences that cater to customer requirements while adhering to sustainable practices.&nbsp;Real-life example: Based in Cap Ternay research station on Mahé Island - which can be accessed via the Seychelles International Airport for overseas visitors, located near the capital of Victoria – GVI offers several volunteer and study projects where participants can spend their time scuba-diving to help underwater research, snorkelling to collect data on marine life, or even hiking through palm forests. &nbsp;&nbsp;Experiences like these are the perfect example of how agents can promote sustainable travel which not only aligns with the needs and desires of the customer, but that also benefits the host destination.&nbsp;How Hotelbeds HelpsWe’ve looked before at how important is to offer single-use plastic-free options for travellers (as just one example of sustainable tourism) and how this can and should become part of every travel agent’s strategy.&nbsp;But one way we’re making it easier for travel providers to offer sustainable tourism is by offering sustainable experiences in our Booking Engine. Including PADI-approved diving centres for those eco-conscious marine adventures, as well as thousands of other in-destination activities and experiences that offer tangible benefit to both traveller and host.&nbsp;Plus, our ‘Sustainable Hotels’ filter in our Booking Engine makes it simple to refine your searches to hotels that hold sustainability at the forefront of their operations.&nbsp;In fact, hotels are only shown in this filter once they have achieved industry-certified sustainability levels such as the Hotel Sustainability Basics certificate by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the GSTC Industry Criteria offered by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).&nbsp;Sign up today to discover our sustainable hotels and expand your portfolio for the travel options so important to today’s traveller.&nbsp;For local communities - &nbsp;Overtourism represents a distinct tourism-induced challenge that numerous renowned destinations across the globe confront.&nbsp;Initiatives such as the sustainable tourism tax, introduced in the Balearic Island of Mallorca, assist in supporting the conservation of this esteemed destination. Additionally, Kyoto, Japan, has implemented several measures to mitigate the strain of overtourism, including addressing traffic congestion and utilising social media to disseminate alternative routes and information for visitors.&nbsp;To work alongside these internal initiatives implemented by local governing bodies, it's vital that you fulfill your role as an provider to endorse destinations in a sustainable manner. After all, as the expert, you are the one placing travel prospects directly into the hands of travellers.&nbsp;Tip: discover thousands of eco-conscious in-destination experiences with our Booking Engine, encompassing conservation opportunities, regenerative experiences, tours and experiences facilitated by local guides, and a plethora of additional options.&nbsp;Furthermore, our global portfolio equips providers with comprehensive sustainable options as result of our status as a full-service provider, including green transfers and car hire, as well as single-use plastic-free and sustainable hotels.&nbsp;Tourism Helps Create Meaningful Connections&nbsp;This sector can be perceived as the epitome of intercultural dialogue; it allows meeting the "other" through learning about different cultures, hearing foreign languages, discovering new cuisines, creating bonds with other people, overcoming cultural differences through sharing experiences, and building tolerance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Travel, in its quintessential form, is an endeavor to expand one's perspectives. Extensive research has even suggested that 'tourist affiliation with nature and connection with local people' are 'critical determinants of positive psychological outcomes'; that travel fundamentally enhances well-being.&nbsp;This, undoubtedly, aligns with the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) previously mentioned: to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all individuals, irrespective of age.&nbsp;We see the connection between travel, identity and wellness in:Travellers seeking out experiences that align with their personal values, backgrounds or heritage.Travel that actively strengthens bonds with cultures or communities around the world.88% of younger travellers saying that travel has impacted their personal growth.72% of Gen Z travellers remarketing that travel is core to their identity, and how they express themselves.&nbsp;Social belonging is defined as an essential human requirement, a 'fundamental human pursuit' - and tourism plays a vital role in generating prospects for interpersonal connection.&nbsp;Moreover, this sense of social cohesion is also apparent in the industry-wide transition towards experience-based tourism, where authenticity and genuine connection has become paramount for tourists' overall experiences.&nbsp;There is substantial merit in the positive impact for travellers and their companions, including reinforcing connections amongst friends, loved ones, creating more meaningful experiences and memories, as well as increasing the probability of revisiting a destination.&nbsp;There is also, a great deal to be explored about the benefits of more connected social relationships between travellers and host communities:‘Immersion in the local community and socialisation with local people generate learning opportunities for tourists to know different cultures and virtues, which leads to self-reflection and potentially causes personal transformation.’&nbsp;Real-world example: The experiences of 26 international tourists to Fiji were examined in a recent study, to determine the connection between tourism and psychological wellbeing.&nbsp;Fiji has high levels of tourism, thanks to pristine natural environments and cultural diversity, and derives a great deal of revenue from tourism as a result: 34% of Fiji’s GDP was contributed to tourism, and around 150,000 residents are directly employed in the tourism sector. &nbsp;&nbsp;Travellers’ responses were categorised into themes, including ‘gaze’ (how tourists view the people and destinations they interact with and visit), ‘practice’ (a subjective, expressive encounter) and ‘reflection’ (post-trip learnings, related to personal transformation).&nbsp;&nbsp;And from increased sense of enjoyment when experiences where shared, a deeper sense of cultural understanding through authentic encounters with local communities and more chances for ‘shared memory’, results showed that travel can be a vehicle that increases social connectedness, personal development and transformation, and improved mental health.&nbsp;Not only this, but interacting with landscapes and residents who have been relocated due to climate change, or impacted by natural disasters, invokes a sense of awe that is directed not internally, but externally.&nbsp;&nbsp;These connections ‘evokes an ‘environmentally responsible consciousness’ in visitors, redirecting ‘personal concerns’ towards ‘more collective dimensions of personal identity’. These are significant factors in wellbeing, and support the notion that travel creates meaningful connections for people across the world.&nbsp;What are the key takeaways?Travel providers (and destination boards) ought to incorporate group travel into their tourism offerings – for more effective and numerous changes to offer chances for travellers to build connection with their companions during their trip.Accessible facilities are an essential requirement for children and elderly visitors – to promote collective participation in tourism activities and an enhanced sense of connection.Destination loyalty and revisit intentions experience an increase when visitors feel socially connected.Enhancing tourists' connection with nature, their companions and local communities will result in long-term advantages for providers, local economies and travellers themselves.&nbsp;Our Impact &nbsp;As part of HBX Group, it’s our ongoing mission to demonstrate through action how much value we place on industry-recognised travel standards, and our own environmental, social and governmental (ESG) commitments. &nbsp;&nbsp;Following the development of a new reporting framework, we’re able to anticipate future regulations, and achieve higher certification, which means that we can work even harder to make travel a force for good.7,889 volunteer hours completed - contributed by 1015 employees.€7612 raised – for global social causes.444.58kg waste collected from forest and beach cleanings.12,000 trees planted – that’s 9.04 hectares of developing forest.Carbon neutral in scope 1 and 2 – it's our 6th anniversary of this accreditation.Think Big Project – we launched this initiative to help create sustainable micro destinations, to empower local communities in rural areas.40,000 sustainable hotels – including 5000 single-use plastic-free accommodation options as part of our Sustainable Hotels Programme.We’ve become a UN Global Compact member.Hybrid vehicles – offered in even more global cities.Thousands of cultural tours, nature tourism and wildlife-centred activities – available in our Booking Engine, to encourage deeper connection with the environments and habitats of the world.Safari, reforestation, sanctuary and eco-conscious experiences – available for our clients to book.Purposeful Pause – space for employees to discuss important topics, such as financial wellbeing.Health Month – promoting employee wellbeing via yoga sessions, meditation and more.&nbsp;For a closer look at our parent company’s dedication to making ourselves and the world of travel a better place, you can download the HBX Group ESG report for 2023 here.&nbsp;

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world tourism day 2024 travel as a catalyst for understanding

Travel as a Catalyst for Understanding: World Tourism Day

&nbsp;Why are cybersecurity issues so prevalent in the travel sector?&nbsp;&nbsp;The tourism industry holds hugely valuable and sensitive data on every traveller, and it is crucial for travel agencies and providers to recognise that cybercriminals are constantly developing advanced techniques to access and steal this information from booking websites, internal systems, servers, and mobile platforms.&nbsp;The rise of online travel booking has created new opportunities for cybercriminals. With the increasing digitalisation of booking processes and the sharing of personal data online, the risk of security threats has also grown. Mobile travel apps, which are widely used by online travel agencies, have become prime targets for threat actors.&nbsp;In the following sections of this article, we will delve into the valuable insights shared by industry leaders such as MasterCard and Citibank regarding the advantages and security measures provided by virtual credit card tools, which were highlighted during our at the MarketHub Europe in June, hosted by our parent company HBX Group.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, let's first examine the potential risks involved in managing, creating, and processing online transactions, the implications for travel providers like yourself, and the role that Hotelbeds plays in this landscape.&nbsp;Security and the Travel Sector: RisksDuring recent industry-leading MarketHub events hosted by our parent company HBX Group, cybersecurity was a key topic of discussion. Attendees had the privilege of hearing from cybersecurity specialists during these events.&nbsp;One of the reasons why cybersecurity risks are so prevalent nowadays, is that a whole ecosystem has developed – forget the eras of ‘one-man hackers’, cybercrime has become ‘CAAS’, cybercrime as a service. &nbsp;&nbsp;There is a lot of money to be made from cybercrime, and as Christo Butcher, global lead for threat intelligence at NCC Group and Fox-IT, mentioned at our MarketHub Europe event, the travel sector is a low-hanging fruit in the eyes of many cybercriminals. &nbsp;&nbsp;"It's a highly dynamic sector with multiple stakeholders involved and constantly evolving interactions," Christo pointed out. Social Engineering, as a prevalent method of cybercrime discussed in our article on top cybersecurity threats, is particularly prevalent within the hospitality industry.&nbsp;Social Engineering plays off the nature of the sector, taking advantage of the customer service mindset to manipulate a situation to the benefit of the cybercriminals and at the cost of whichever hospitality business is in their sights.&nbsp;So, what can be done, especially when it comes to digital bookings? &nbsp;&nbsp;Data Regulation ComplianceData regulation gives more control over personally identifiable information and aims to simplify the ‘regulatory environments’ for international businesses dealing with this sensitive data.&nbsp;UK and EU businesses must operate in compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), while the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is the US equivalent, and the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) applies to businesses and data subjects – people – in Asia. &nbsp;&nbsp;Travel marketers must pay close attention to data handling compliance when executing marketing campaigns and sending enticing offers to customers for bookings. This involves the careful processing, storing, and utilisation of customer databases to ensure everything is handled according to regulations and best practices.&nbsp;Incorporating the core principles and rules of global data protection regulations into your business is critical! These principles include: data minimisation, purpose limitation, storage limitation, accuracy, integrity, and security. Make sure to search for your countries’ relevant data protection regulation to see the most up-to-date rules.&nbsp;Sticking to the strict rules laid down by worldwide data protection regulations helps to:Ensure data accuracyProtects data against unauthorised accessEmpowers people to exercise their rights over their own dataHow is this linked to travel booking?Utilising any form of online booking software encompasses a range of activities falling under the broad scope of 'processing'. This includes collecting, recording, storing, using, and disclosing data through various means such as transmission. From basic contact information to sensitive payment details and personal preferences, every piece of data gathered by travel agencies is subject to stringent data protection regulations.&nbsp;As travel bookers, it’s vital that you’re processing, storing and using data lawfully and transparently.&nbsp;Using online booking systems that adhere to these strict rules not only means that you’re meeting global requirements as a travel provider, and therefore a handler of data, but also ensures the privacy and security of your customers’ data.&nbsp;Using Safe Providers and Booking PlatformsThe use of booking software goes hand in hand with travel providers – even in brick-and-mortar travel provider businesses the booking is completed using an online booking platform. &nbsp;&nbsp;The majority of websites use SSL encryption to protect any data that’s transmitted between a website and a shopper.&nbsp;HTTPS website security is crucial for building guest trust and securing online transactions. &nbsp;&nbsp;Those in the hospitality and tourism industry must take proactive steps, including appointing a compliance champion, educating staff, controlling data access, and collaborating with PCI-compliant vendors, to adhere to these standards and protect against data breaches and hefty fines.&nbsp;Surveys say 84% of users would abandon a purchase if data was sent over an insecure connection, and a large majority are concerned about their data being intercepted or misused online. &nbsp;&nbsp;So, what are the risks involved with online booking platforms, and how can we ensure that bookings made using travel booking software are secure?&nbsp;Christo Butcher, our insightful guest speaker at MarketHub Europe, also spoke about this.&nbsp;Interestingly, though there is potential to hack the booking platform itself, Christo suggested that its ‘much more interesting to focus on the weaker links in the chain: the users.’ In an example where you have users who can log into a booking platform, this account is ‘probably much easier to hack than the platform itself’, and once this is compromised, the hacker effectively becomes the hotelier, or provider, with ‘direct access to all guests and travellers via legitimate communication channels.’&nbsp;This situation provides hackers with an ideal chance to engage with actual end users in a seemingly authentic manner, serving as a significant force amplifier in the cybercrime domain. By hacking a single account, the potential for profitable scalability is enormous.&nbsp;How can this risk be mitigated? Multi-factor authentication.&nbsp;Managing the risk involved in stolen or hacked passwords is key! MFA (multi-factor authentication, sometimes also called two-factor authentication, helps reduce the chances of stolen credentials.&nbsp;Another key risk is third party security, especially when it comes to travel providers such as Online Travel Agents (OTAs). The issue here, for OTAs, is that income pivots around products which are provided and sold by different suppliers, like airlines, hotels, car rental companies, or travel insurance, just as an example. The combination of this dynamic and changing collection of suppliers, along with the ‘inoperability’ between these businesses – for OTAs – opens a prime environment for hackers.&nbsp;Implement Security Standards for PaymentsThe Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a crucial industry standard mandated by major credit card companies. It plays a vital role in ensuring the secure processing, storage, and transmission of credit card information. This standard directly impacts every single credit card transaction, emphasising the importance of compliance and adherence to these rules.&nbsp;Should a guest use their credit card to pay for something at a hotel, for example – be it a room reservation, spa treatment or coffee – or a traveller use their credit card to secure a booking with you, PCI DSS applies to that purchase.&nbsp;When it comes to digital booking, the most important factor is that you’re selecting an online travel booking platform that is fully PCI DSS compliant – like the Hotelbeds Booking Engine.&nbsp;But for day-to-day practices that will also ensure that you’re storing and handling data correctly, here’s a few pointers: &nbsp;Name an owner or champion of PCI DSS compliance within your organisation.Be proactive: teach staff why data security is important and the impact any breach may have. &nbsp;Protect physical data.Restrict access to payment or personal data to only staff who require this information to do their job. Use individual logins and access codes to systems.Clarify the role vendors play in terms of compliance with data-related standards, and seek PCI DSS compliant partners.Secure online booking data: While you may need a paper copy of a reservation, do not print credit card details of customers from your online systems.&nbsp;Virtual Cards – MarketHub InsightsIn today's travel and tourism industry, it is crucial for businesses to cater to travellers for whom the payment method plays a significant role in their decision-making process. As pointed out by Ana Arjones of Mastercard during our recent MarketHub Europe event hosted by our parent company HBX Group, if the preferred payment method of a customer is not available on a hotel's website, 1 in 4 travellers will choose to take their business elsewhere.&nbsp;In answer to this challenge, virtual credit cards (VCC) are a tokenised version of the physical payment formats used by millions of people, companies and organisations worldwide. &nbsp;&nbsp;In a booking related environment, many travel providers have API connections to banks, and anytime a booking is created, a one-time VCC, specific to that booking is created.&nbsp;The virtual card is specifically coded for a designated supplier, amount, and in certain cases for travel or hotel bookings, the associated check-in and check-out dates. This ensures that the virtual card cannot be used for unauthorised transactions, even with the same supplier. After the payment is made, the virtual account number is deactivated and cannot be reused. This method of payment not only enhances security but also minimises the risk of fraudulent activity. &nbsp;&nbsp;Ana Arjones stated that ‘fraud rates on virtual cards are virtually zero’, much lower than the 0.3% rate on regular consumer cards. Which seems like a small figure, but 0.3% of a large volume is a significant number.&nbsp;This is incredibly important when you consider that sales made by travel providers on behalf of hotels is a significant industry, with ‘leisure sales made by travel intermediaries valued at around $500 billion,’ as Ana Arjones again suggested. &nbsp;&nbsp;Virtual Credit Cards and HotelbedsVirtual credit cards are widely supported and used by many travel product suppliers we partner with at Hotelbeds.&nbsp;Much of our supplier finance management processes hinges on the secure processing of virtual credit card transactions, with an E-Billing system specifically designed for VCC suppliers and the effective, safe management of all VCC payments and transactions. &nbsp;&nbsp;This means that when you’re confirming a booking using the Hotelbeds Booking Engine, there are layers of security and encryption involved when your customers’ data and payments are being transferred from their bank accounts to the travel product provider.&nbsp;Discover more about the benefits of partnering with Hotelbeds today.&nbsp;

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Cybersecurity: Staying Safe in a Digital Booking Landscape as Travel Providers

In recent years, the service and marketing industries have shifted their focus from accommodating Millennials as the 'future generation' to now integrating Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Born from the late 1990s to early 2010s, Gen Z and the children of Millennials, known as Gen Alpha, are already making significant impacts and are considered the true 'travellers of the future'.&nbsp;The industry is set on capturing the attention – and spending power – of these up-and-coming demographics of jetsetters, which makes sense given that Gen Z have risen to represent around one third of the global population.&nbsp;A recent study by the European Travel Commission revealed that younger travellers are more likely to: &nbsp;Return to, and add more value to, destinations over timeDiscover and actively seek out new, less-’popular’ travel destinationsIncorporate technology into the planning of, and during, their tripsSeek personal cultural experiences, benefits, and contribute to local communities in-destination&nbsp;It should be noted that Gen Z is currently one of the highest spending demographics in the travel sector. Despite not being individually wealthy, their collective spending power heavily contributes to their travel experiences. This generation's strong alignment between their values and consumer behaviors further solidifies their influence in the market. &nbsp;&nbsp;Let’s take a look at how the ‘travellers of the future’ are changing the landscape of travel and tourism.&nbsp;The impact of younger generations on travel trendsDid you know that Gen Z alone constitutes a spending power of around global spending power of $143 billion (a figure that is only increasing) and accounts for about 40% of all consumers? Or that Millennials and Gen Z consumers will make up 45% of luxury sales by 2025?&nbsp;Digital-native travellersThe upbringing of Gen Z and Gen A in a digital era has resulted in their development during crucial formative years, constantly exposed to evolving and easily accessible technologies.&nbsp;In terms of seeking out assistance from a travel provider, rather than doing things themselves, the likelihood of Gen Z doing so is influenced by various factors. However, among them all, Gen Z tends to prioritize technology integration, easy booking procedures, social environments that encourage connections with fellow guests, interactive communication with service providers, and personalized experiences.&nbsp;In light of Gen Z's ability to meet their own needs through their technological proficiency, it is crucial for travel providers to find ways to engage with this constantly connected generation, such as through Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).&nbsp;How to attract and accommodate ‘digital-native’ travellers:Highlight the benefits of using an agency over an OTA – &nbsp;in your content, your communications or ads, your website, everywhere.Personalise all communications to the right audience, at the right time. Gen Z want individual experiences; use this to your benefit as a provider who can offer that.Ensure your approach is ‘mobile-first’ - whether it’s marketing or fighting for a spot on the top results in a search engine, what’s important to know is that 80% of Gen Z travellers use smartphones to research and book their travel. Compete with OTAs and be seen.Create engaging online content – you can’t book travel for customers who can’t find your services. Not only do you need to be seen, but younger travellers need to be convinced of why they should use an agency over an OTA. Convenience is everything – but personalisation is a huge motivator for this audience.Embrace technology and digital experiences – incorporate and promote tech-based recommendations, from hotels that offer AI powered air-con and mobile check-in to using a travel booking platform that has flexible payments – like our Booking Engine!&nbsp;&nbsp;Travel influencersGen Z spends an average of 10.6 hours per day online, making them the most digitally connected generation, and in 2023, around 29% of Gen Zers were inspired to travel to a destination by TikTok. Meanwhile, around 54% of parents say their Gen Alpha child spends up to four hours a day on social media.&nbsp;Many members of Generation Z and Millennials, more than their Gen X counterparts, find travel inspiration predominantly through online platforms. Social media, with its use of hashtags, geotags, and content sharing, provides a convenient way for users to discover and explore various destinations, attractions, and experiences worldwide. Travel businesses and influencers play vital roles in showcasing these destinations through engaging content, essentially serving as virtual tour guides for their audiences.&nbsp;A recent study discovered that approximately 75% of travelers in the UK, US, Australia, China, and Japan utilize social media for travel inspiration. Leading the pack are platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest. Interestingly, 48% of travelers end up visiting destinations they stumble upon or are intrigued by on social media. &nbsp;&nbsp;Notably, during their searches, many users actively seek out new destinations, hidden gems, and unique travel experiences.&nbsp;Research indicates that the largest source of inspiration for young travelers is television, news outlets, or movies at 64%, followed closely by recommendations from friends and family at 47%. These findings highlight the significant impact of social media on the preferences of the younger generation of travelers, surpassing even the influence of personal recommendations.Build a positive online social presence to capture Gen Z travellersAnd considering the prevalence and importance of social media in their travel-making decisions, it’s fair to say that Gen Z – and even Millennials - are travel influencers too. &nbsp;&nbsp;It is important to note that for every interaction your Gen Z customers have with your customer service, booking, pre-and post-travel experiences, they are highly likely to share their feedback online, whether positive or negative. Therefore, social media plays a crucial role in the success or failure of travel companies.&nbsp;What does your online presence say about you as a travel provider?Are you creating engaging content? Is it the right content for your audience?How do travellers know what value you provide, compared to OTAs? &nbsp;Are you paying attention to what previous and existing customers say about you or your business?&nbsp;&nbsp;What do travellers want? Experiential TourismA large proportion of Millennial travellers seek culturally immersive, experiential travel – a chance to ‘get under the skin’ of their destination and create personally fulfilling experiences. &nbsp;&nbsp;Generation Z is known for seeking unique experiences, and as the first digitally native generation, their travel preferences reflect a technology-first approach from the start of trip planning all the way to sharing experiences during and after their travels. &nbsp;&nbsp;Most of all, both demographics are proven (find stats) to want and prioritise: &nbsp;Experiential travel – with a focus on authenticity in-destination.Wellness experiences – from holistic therapies to silent travel, wellness is driven by what wellness means to individual travellers, resulting in demands for bespoke experiences.Cultural and destination immersion &nbsp;Niche travel – such as agri-tourism, eco-travel, halal travel, adventure travel and more.&nbsp;The Gen Z demographic is increasingly showing a preference for authenticity in destination experiences. This shift towards experiential travel reflects a desire for bespoke, tailor-made travel experiences rather than the traditional 'one-size-fits-all' approach. Building on the cultural immersion focus of Millennials, Gen Z is leading the way in seeking experiences that align with their values. The trend is towards personalized, unique travel experiences that cater to the individual preferences of this generation.&nbsp;From ‘set-jetting’ travel to luxury culinary tourism, solo travel and wellness tourism, such as ‘silent travel’, there’s no denying the fact that as well as being motivated by a desire for self-discovery, cultural immersion, and localised experiences, Gen Z are just as inspired by ‘on-screen’ destinations, social media and a keen social and environmental awareness.&nbsp;In order to appeal to this future-focused generation of travelers, it is important to stay up-to-date on popular culture knowledge and have environmentally friendly recommendations readily available.&nbsp;See our top 2024 travel trends here!&nbsp;&nbsp;Sustainable Travel for the futureAs evidenced by recent data, sustainable travel is a top priority for Millennials and Generation Z travelers. 82% of Millennials have expressed a strong desire for travel options that are environmentally friendly.&nbsp;Promote sustainable travel options – from hotels that are certified as sustainable (you’ll find these in our Booking Engine – to tours that have reduced their single-use plastic waste.Practice what you preach – many travel companies have signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism as signatories, or seek sustainability certification as part of the Sustainable Travel Agencies Certification. &nbsp;Adopt sustainable practices in your day-to-day – a key example would be to use digital travel brochures.Support local causes – recommend locally owned restaurants, tours and own voices from a portfolio of trustworthy and sustainable travel products – like our Booking Engine!Invest in ‘regenerative’ schemes – much like our adjoining company Hotelbeds is dedicated to planting tens of thousands of trees in the Hotelbeds Forest!&nbsp;Conscious travel is top of the demands list for many younger travellers, from sustainable travel practices and experiences that benefit local communities, to voluntourism and regenerative travel, alongside their undercurrent of desire for unique experiences.Discover more about overtourism, and the importance of promoting sustainable tourism here.&nbsp;The impact on Gen Alpha on modern familial travelThe growing utilization of travel technology and enhancements in travel accessibility across various demographics worldwide have created new opportunities for younger generations to travel more easily and affordably. This shift is transforming the expectations of younger travelers as travel becomes more convenient and economical, especially in regions with advanced travel infrastructures.&nbsp;Given this, Gen A is expected to be the most mobile traveller yet.&nbsp;This not only affects the future travel patterns of Generation A, but also their current impact on modern family travel. In fact, approximately 43% of families with Generation A children are influenced or inspired by them when planning a trip.&nbsp;Although the older generations still play a key role in decision-making due to their ability to book trips, Gen A is actively sharing travel-related content on social media and indirectly influencing family travel decisions. Use this insight to provide experience-led recommendations to families with Gen A children.&nbsp;A high number of families are prioritising inter-generational experiences and the needs of the family over the destination itself. Tech-inspired holidays are ideal for family and intergenerational travel as these experiences are engaging, accessible, sustainable, and memorable. Immersive experiential travel is fun for the whole family no matter the season.&nbsp;&nbsp;While this is by no means an exhaustive list or overview of the impact of younger generations on travel, travel trends, and even wider traveller behaviour, it's certainly food for thought when you're considering how to attract, appeal and retain these all important travellers of the future. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Travel Trends 2024: The Travellers of the Future

&nbsp;Did you know that around 80% of global travellers have suggested that sustainability is important to them? Or that 6 out of 10 visitors prioritise hotels that are single-use plastic free? &nbsp;As a travel provider, the responsibility lies in your hands to cater to the growing demand from travelers who are seeking sustainable options, with the aim of reducing their carbon footprint. With more and more travelers aligning their values with their spending habits, it is evident that the industry is moving towards a permanent shift to sustainability.To remain relevant, it’s essential to take into account the consumer trends within the travel industry as a whole, as travellers are increasingly showing a preference for sustainability. This includes a demand for single-use plastic-free hotels, a focus on eco-conscious initiatives in their accommodation choices, and a preference for destinations that prioritise climate change solutions and green investments.So as your travel partner, we’d be remiss not to join those paving the way for travel as a force for good, and assist you in this shift towards sustainability.&nbsp;Make Sustainable Travel Front and CentreSo, how are you able to make sustainability a priority for yourself, and easily accessible for travellers, with Hotelbeds?With our range of travel booking tools and products, our strong commitment to sustainability as a business, and our continuous focus on empowering both travel providers and travellers themselves with opportunities that cater to their specific needs, we strive to provide the best possible travel experience for all.Let’s take a look at how we’re helping you to help your clients travel sustainably.&nbsp;Sustainable Hotels ProgrammeWe have our Sustainable Hotels Programme (formerly our Green Hotels Programme) offered in line with our parent company, HBX Group.Since its beginnings in 2020 our Sustainable Hotels Programme has continued to grow, from offering 15,000 to around 40,000 sustainable hotels, and a recent Accor campaign that Hotelbeds, also under HBX Group, boosted the single-use plastic free hotels we’re able to offer from 500 to 5000.The Sustainable Hotels Programme was established to provide hotels worldwide with a platform to demonstrate their commitment to transforming travel, catering to the growing importance of conscious travel choices for consumers, and facilitating the integration of sustainable options into the booking process for our registered partners.This leads us onto our next point...&nbsp;The ‘Sustainable Hotels’ Filter in our Booking Travel PlatformOf course, travellers need more than just a ticked box to be assured that their choices are wholly sustainable.Enter in, sustainability: certified.One of the fastest ways for our registered travel partners to access, identify, and promote our collection of sustainable hotels is by using the ‘Sustainable Hotels’ filter in our Booking Engine.Hotels are only shown in our ‘Sustainable Hotels’ filter in our travel booking platform, if they have sustainable certification – provided by industry-leading organisations such as the World Tourism and Trade Council (WTTC) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).You can read more about hotel certifications here.By selecting 'Sustainable Hotels' in our Booking Engine, you and your clients can have peace of mind knowing that the hotels and resorts recommended are accredited with the highest levels of sustainability.Considering that travellers are seeking authenticity more and more, it’s important that as their travel booker you’re able to offer trustworthy and approved sustainable options. Not only for ultimate peace of mind, but also to maximise that customer-agent relationship that we know is so important for you and your business.Not signed up yet? Sign up and start taking advantage of our 40,000 sustainable hotels!&nbsp;Personalised Travel BrochuresImagine this: You are a valued member of the Hotelbeds network. With access to a vast array of hotels, experiences, car rental, and transfer services, as well as the expertise of our local and global professionals, all conveniently available to you.What’s next?Well, now you have your portfolio of sustainable hotels, you can promote them in a way that suits your clients best.How? By personalising your own travel brochure.The Star Brochure is considered our flagship product, encompassing everything essential for travel providers: destination inspiration, trend-focused articles, extensive hotel and resort listings, instant booking capabilities, and customisable options for individual client needs.It's important to have a diverse portfolio of sustainable options for travellers, but it's equally important to present these travel options in a way that is both accessible and inspiring. The Star Brochure makes it simple for clients to make the right choice and say 'yes' to that perfect stay.With our customisable travel brochure you can: &nbsp;Choose to include existing content or create your own articles, welcome messages and moreAdd your own branding and logos to stand out from the crowdBook your clients’ dream trip right from the Star Brochure itself &nbsp;Share your travel brochure quickly and easily&nbsp;Furthermore, thanks to seamless integration with our travel booking platform, the Booking Engine, you have the opportunity to offer your clients additional trip-enhancing products such as experiences and mobility solutions. This not only enhances their travel experience but also increases your revenue potential.&nbsp;Additionally, the Star Brochure includes convenient 'Best For' categories that are strategically placed throughout the brochure, making it simple to find the ideal hotel for each client's unique needs.Hotel Comparison in the Booking EngineOnce you and your client have found suitable sustainable options for their needs, it might be tricky for them to narrow down their choices. &nbsp;Luckily, our Hotel Comparison Tool in the Booking Engine makes this simple.Simply select the sustainable hotel options that have caught your clients’ eye, and hit the ‘Compare’ button in our booking platform. It’s that easy. Our Booking Engine allows you to compare up to four hotels at the time of booking, offering a quick glance at each list of facilities to help your client make the decision.&nbsp;Our Exclusive CampaignsWe believe that offering timely, incentivising, and seasonal campaigns is a crucial aspect of being a good partner. Our mission is to provide the best travel products to our partners in a way that excites and delights their clients. Therefore, it is only natural that we run these types of campaigns to meet your needs. &nbsp;Our campaigns are not solely driven by trends, but also serve as a crucial platform to showcase valuable and sought-after products that keep you, as agents, ahead in the travel industry. &nbsp;This includes promoting sustainable options, exemplified in our recent Single-Use Plastic-Free campaign.This campaign was specifically designed to offer travel providers enhanced access to the sustainability certified hotels we previously mentioned. It features only the top recommended hotels and resorts from our Sustainable Hotels Programme.We’ve seen huge success with our sustainably focused campaigns and are dedicated to constantly improving our offering of eco-conscious options. Last year, our campaign with Accor increased the number of hotels and resorts registered as single-use plastic free from 500 to 5000.Read more about why travel providers should offer single-use plastic free hotels here.Of course, our campaigns are only available to our valued partners, so sign up today to begin benefitting from targeted and seasonal campaigns to help you uplift your bookings.&nbsp;So there you have it. While this is a few of the key ways that as a travel parter we make it easy for you to offer sustainable options to travellers, you’ll only be able to ascertain the true value of providing greener alternatives to your clients once you begin! &nbsp;Start catering to the demands of today’s traveller and focus on bringing sustainablility to the forefront of your promotion, and if you haven’t already, sign up to access a global portfolio of sustainable hotel options. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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How Hotelbeds Helps Travel Providers Promote Sustainable Travel

&nbsp;Sustainable travel has become the buzzword of the last few years in the travel industry, and while it’s important to keep pushing towards an industry where sustainability is at the core of all business models, it’s also just as important to aim for more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Single use plastic-free hotels and experiences are essential when we’re thinking about making tourism a force for good, which is a goal that lies near and dear to us at Hotelbeds as a TravelTech leader.&nbsp;Of course, sustainability, environmental concerns and the travel industry have long been connected within both positive and negative discourse. However, plastic pollution and the prevalence of single-use plastics is one of the main challenges facing the planet and the tourism industry, as plastic waste decreases the visual appeal of destinations, pollutes the natural environment, and can contribute to poor human and wildlife health.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tourism isn’t the only victim when it comes to single-use plastic waste, but the tourism industry itself is a large contributor to plastic pollution, and it’s time that the industry tackles this problem from the inside - just like our Sustainable Hotels Programme, which now offers around 40,000 sustainable hotels.&nbsp;Here are just a few reasons why travel providers should be offering sustainable, single-use plastic-free hotels to your clients.&nbsp;Meet The Demands of Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) TravellerWhile today’s traveller is increasingly sustainably minded, it’s the traveller of the future who will be next in line to take the industry even further and minimising the impact of tourism on the environment.&nbsp;&nbsp;So, who is it that you're are trying to attract with these sustainable travel offerings?&nbsp;&nbsp;Millennials, Gen Z, and the up-and-coming Gen Alpha (children of Millennial families) are the travellers of both today and tomorrow; these are the young people who you want to impress, attract, and retain as customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;These travellers are already purchasing more sustainable travel options than any other demographic whether that’s experiential travel, slow travel, or even domestic travel. It’s got to be sustainable.&nbsp;Gen Z is a demographic which wants to travel sustainably and, according to some reports, are three times as likely to get involved with volunteering or regenerative travel projects when visiting another country.&nbsp;&nbsp;Similarly, Millennials suggest they want trips that have minimal impact on the environment. Millennials also represent the largest generation to date, with a massive $200 billion in spending power - so if anything, that’s a huge financial reason to pay attention to the needs of this travel segment.&nbsp;&nbsp;And with the global sustainable tourism industry valued at 181 billion USD and growing all the time, there is significant uplift available for companies, organisations and providers who implement successful sustainable tourism opportunities and who actively partner with those in the travel industry with sustainability at the forefront of their business model.&nbsp;Accor Hotels: A Successful Case Study In Going Single-Use Plastic FreeIn fact, major hotel chains have already made a step forward in order to tackle this issue. One good example is&nbsp;Accor Hotels, which joined the&nbsp;Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)&nbsp;in 2022 and has since announced two global partnerships with&nbsp;Green Key and Green Globe certifications.&nbsp;&nbsp;Going single-use plastic-free can be a challenging task for any business in the travel industry, but here's proof that such an aim is not only attainable, but significantly rewarding for businesses that do.&nbsp;In the following video,&nbsp;Jordane de Villaret Bentinck, VP of Sustainability Communications &amp; Change at Accor, explains the actions the chain has implemented so far and how they have been received by customers.&nbsp;Our Sustainable Hotels ProgrammeThis rising demand for sustainable hotels and experiences is also something we’ve clearly seen at Hotelbeds in the last few years.&nbsp;Our Sustainable Hotels Programme started in 2020 and offered 15,000 properties to travel sellers, and the end, eco-conscious traveller. Since then, it has grown to around 40,000 hotels with a huge increase of 84% over 2022 compared to the prior 12 months.&nbsp;&nbsp;What’s more, the programme saw a 30% growth in the number of travellers booking sustainable and single-use plastic-free hotels on our platform between 2022 and 2023, and interest shows no signs of slowing down.&nbsp;Sustainable hotels can be found with a filter in our online Booking Engine, which refines searches to highlight hotels who have signed up to our Sustainable Hotels Programme and earned the relevant certification, such as the Hotel Sustainability Basics certificate by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the GSTC Industry Criteria offered by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).&nbsp;This combined with the powerful, data-driven and user-friendly nature of our Booking Engine, which helps streamline daily tasks for travel providers, means it is easier than ever for travel providers to find the most relevant properties for eco-conscious travellers in just a few clicks.&nbsp;Sign up today to access our growing portfolio of sustainable hotels and begin broadening your offerings to the most vital segment out there right now - young, sustainable travellers.Log in today to access our growing portfolio of sustainable hotels and begin broadening your offerings to the most vital segment out there right now - young, sustainable travellers.&nbsp;Avoid Losing Business As Travel Goes SustainableAs more and more travellers are putting their money where their beliefs are, there is the potential risk that current hotspot destinations which are producing plastic waste will be left behind by an increasingly eco-conscious market.&nbsp;&nbsp;And for the communities which are so dependent on the revenue generated by tourism, as well as the travel providers, like you, who are dependent on securing bookings from travellers themselves, keeping up with client demand is key.&nbsp;For example, a study in Mallorca suggests that catering for sustainable travellers is not only feasible in built-up, popular locations, but necessary to maintain business and meet traveller needs.&nbsp;&nbsp;This study was carried out to determine the feasibility and impact of plastic-free zones where single-use plastics (SUPs) were drastically reduced. Hotels in the area were found to produce 7,720 tonnes of plastic waste every year, harming the natural environments which are so popular with visitors. Of the travellers that took part in the study, 84% suggested they would pay more for a single-use plastic free experience - which is a number that cannot be ignored.&nbsp;Evidently, if popular locations do not begin to implement green initiatives, and if travel providers do not promote sustainable hotels and experiences in these regions, the risk of suffering a drop in business as customers choose sustainable alternatives becomes very real.&nbsp;And with 13 million tonnes of plastic entering the waterways around the world every year, reducing the impact of single-use plastic pollution as a result of tourism has never been more important, especially in coastal and island destinations. As our head of Environmental, Social and Governance Carlota Galvan suggests:Considering that around 90% of the plastic in the oceans comes from land-based sources and that the annual damage of plastics in marine ecosystems amounts to 13 billion dollars a year, it is essential to be proactive on the issue.&nbsp;So, the motivation is two-fold for travel sellers to offer and promote single-use plastic free and sustainable alternatives to travellers at the very beginning of their travel plans; not only to help fight the destructive impact of plastic waste, but to continually meet the needs of todays’ traveller, without compromising the traveller of tomorrow.&nbsp;&nbsp;What’s the first step?&nbsp;Accessing a portfolio of thousands of sustainable hotels to offer your clients! And with around 40,000 hotels participating in our Sustainable Hotels Programme, we at Hotelbeds are in a prime position to offer exactly what your customers are after.&nbsp;Sign up to become one of our valuable partners today to begin optimising your offerings with sustainable properties and access high-value clients all over the world, even in hard-to-reach segments.&nbsp;Become Part of a Forward-Thinking Industry&nbsp;Single-use plastic free. Carbon Neutral. Climate Positive.&nbsp;When you think of these terms, you think of the future. You think of the shape of the travel industry as it is in the minds of those that want to change the industry for good; you think of the next wave of generations who are the most vocal and outspoken about climate change and all the ways that individuals, industries and businesses need to offset the impact on the environment as a matter of urgency.&nbsp;&nbsp;Global and institutional incentives are also a great way to actively combat plastic waste and join forces with brands and organisations taking it upon themselves to make travel a positive force.&nbsp;As an example, the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI), which is co-led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), requires national and local governments, companies, and supporting organisations in the tourism sector to actively commit to reducing plastic pollution and shift towards plastic circularity (reusing and upcycling products rather than disposing of them) by 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;While the ‘Future of Tourism’ coalition includes six NGOs who are encouraging key industry names to uphold 13 regenerative principles, such as circular economy, and including sustainable local supply chains in the definition of economic success, rather than just relying on GDP.&nbsp;&nbsp;These are critical developments from the industry itself, meeting the rising demand for something more than just sustainable travel.&nbsp;&nbsp;Plus, incentives like this are a practical way to support travel providers like you, as you reduce plastic waste in the daily practices and partnerships that you have, while still maintaining health and quality protocols for the end traveller.&nbsp;Already, many of the world’s best travel providers and institutions are taking action to reduce their plastic use and carbon emissions! For example:&nbsp;Beyond tours, Cunard and P&amp;O had all removed single-use plastics from their ships by the end of 2022.Alaska Airlines has remained the leading US airline on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the last three years running.&nbsp;Leading slow travel tour operator Byway is launching flight-free planning services for international events to minimise carbon emissions.Adventure travel specialist Explore announced one of the most comprehensive carbon measurement projects in the industry, allowing travellers even greater transparency on their environmental impact.Marriott International had converted to shampoo dispenser bottles by 2020, eliminating 10.4 million mini bottles.&nbsp;&nbsp;Being a part of the movement is only going to bring positive responses from the high-value sustainable traveller and boost your success as a leader of the sustainable charge.&nbsp;What’s more, according to our platforms, tour operators and travel wholesalers are paving the way when it comes to booking sustainable hotels and experiences in some of our most popular destinations around the world. Which means, when it comes to influencing travellers to make sustainable choices, travel providers are essential!&nbsp;Promoting single-use plastic free hotels is just the first step of many; but it’s certainly a start.Plus, ensuring that more sustainable hotels and travel opportunities are front and centre for travellers at the beginning of their booking journey, encourages and enables more sustainable choices – allowing the industry to work together to transform the ‘traditional’ traveller into a sustainable traveller.&nbsp;Sign up today to access a growing portfolio of single-use plastic free hotels and begin to expand your offerings to attract the increasingly eco-conscious traveller of today, with around 40,000 hotels as part of our Sustainable Hotels Programme.Log in to your account now and begin promoting sustainable alternatives from around 40,000 hotels as part of our Sustainable Hotels Programme.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Why Travel Providers Should Offer Single-Use Plastic Free Hotels

&nbsp;The trend towards booking travel through a comprehensive travel provider is growing, as travelers seek authentic experiences. This increasing demand highlights the need for the expertise and connected services that travel providers can offer.&nbsp;For travel providers, staying abreast of consumer behaviour changes, receiving real-time recommendations based on historical data, and capitalising on growth opportunities is essential for staying ahead of competitors, regardless of where travellers are in their journey with you.&nbsp;Not only does this enhance the services you're able to provide to travellers, but these key 'insights' allow you to remain relevant and valuable in the fast-paced travel industry, certainly when it comes to the needs of the end traveller.&nbsp;Are you maximising this opportunity, or still spending countless hours conducting research and making searches in order to close deals, all while staying informed about the latest industry developments?&nbsp;Do you have access to exclusive global connections in key destinations all in one place?&nbsp;You get all this, and much, much more, with Insights.&nbsp;Let's explore how.&nbsp;What Is Insights?Powered by intelligent algorithms and marketing technology, Insights is a search and recommendation platform for travel agents with unbeatable personalised recommendations&nbsp;and customisable marketing materials available at the touch of a button.&nbsp;Insights is equipped with intuitive features aimed at enhancing your travel marketing efforts, addressing present and future travel trends, and maximising your achievements. With our platform, you can effortlessly provide top-notch travel experiences, leading to increased bookings and loyal customers over time.&nbsp;Plus, as more travellers entrust their travel plans to interconnected travel providers, and with other providers at every level racing to fulfil this demand, having a leg up on the competition is essential.&nbsp;So, what does Insights actually offer?&nbsp;Trend Forecasting with Real-Time Global DataYou’ll never miss out on a destination trend again with Insights.&nbsp;&nbsp;Using in-market global data and real-time insights, it allows you to keep track of, and capitalise on, destination trends that are most relevant to your source market.&nbsp;Insights is powered by:•&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Historic travel search data•&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Real-time market data•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;An awareness of seasonality•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Historic booking and itinerary dataAll this ensures that our information is valuable, relevant, and influenced by real bookings, to offer you opportunities that closely match the current and upcoming preferences of your market.&nbsp;By enhancing the quality of the products you offer your customers, you also increase your value as a travel provider. This positions you as the top source for the most sought-after destinations and comprehensive travel recommendations tailored to their needs.&nbsp;&nbsp;As a result, you gain a competitive edge and improve the chances of customers choosing your services repeatedly in the future.&nbsp;Tool That Learns From YouWhat makes Insights even better? It’s intuitive, driven by technology that actively learns from your behaviour when using the tool.&nbsp;Why? Because you can’t offer bespoke experiences to travellers without a tool that provides a personal experience for you, as their trusted travel provider.&nbsp;When you access Insights, you will see Destination&nbsp;cards, which are recommendations based on their opportunity value. These are the destinations that offer the best growth for you based on your current market, customer booking behaviours and competitor activity.&nbsp;So, once you know your most valuable destination opportunities, how you interact with them tailors your further recommendations.•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Anchor a destination to keep it at the top of your recommendation list regardless of its ranking.•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Save it for later to remove a destination for a period of time, and create a reminder for it.•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Discard a destination to tell Insights you’re not interested.You can anticipate receiving data on demand fluctuations, price decreases in your market, new additions to the hotel industry, and the most popular month to book suggested destinations. Rest assured that all recommendations will be customised to suit your specific needs and operational style.&nbsp;Get started today! Sign up today to access Insights, or log into your Hotelbeds account.&nbsp;Filter Options To Better Cater To CustomersA key question that arises as a traveler provider, is: how can you guarantee that you are providing your customers with the most sought-after destinations, all while accommodating the increasing demand for travel in a manner that is both meaningful and personalised?&nbsp;With Insights, of course.&nbsp;&nbsp;You get access to a portfolio of globally sourced, exclusive destinations and hotels, but they are presented in an intuitive way with comprehensive filter options so you can quickly refine your searches based on customer preferences.&nbsp;You can cater to a wide range of factors, such as: international or domestic locations, destination theme, traveller type, regions, star ratings and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;By utilising this tool, you can simplify the booking process and provide customized travel options right from the start. Insights is consistently updated, with clear week-on-week trends visible, allowing you to optimize booking rates effectively.&nbsp;In-Platform Personalised Marketing&nbsp;It goes without saying that the consultation stage before your customer books is one of the most critical, and how you communicate with your customer is vital.&nbsp;So, the ability to create personalised marketing materials in Insights is a pivotal benefit to travel agents.&nbsp;After identifying the most appealing destinations and hotels for your customer through the filter options, the next step is to utilize the Custom Flyer tool to present the top choices. Further customisation can be done by refining these selections based on star rating, traveler type, and TripAdvisor rating for a more tailored experience.&nbsp;What’s more, you can personalise all marketing materials with your own branding, removing the costly and time-consuming process of creating marketing content from scratch – a huge benefit for independent or home-based agents in particular.&nbsp;99% of marketers recommend that personalization helps to "advance customer relationships" and has an "extremely strong" impact on whether that customer books or not. With feedback like that, it's clear that is forming relationships on a personal level is critical.&nbsp;Cross-sell With Experiences&nbsp;Enhancing your customers’ trips and earning more has never been easier with Insights.&nbsp;&nbsp;With the ‘Experiences’ tab, you’re able to review popular experiences in each destination you’re researching, ranked by the opportunity value for you, with key information about the experience which you can use to excite and incentivise your clients!&nbsp;By utilizing the interactive features available, you can manage these experiences just like you would your recommended destinations. Whether you choose to anchor, save for later, or discard the displayed options, Insights will consistently recommend the most valuable choices for both you and your clients.&nbsp;&nbsp;Embracing cross-selling can significantly increase your earnings per consultation, making this integrated feature your greatest asset while utilising Insights.&nbsp;&nbsp;So why not try out Insights for yourself, and sign up today, or access Insights by logging in to your Hotelbeds account.&nbsp;

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A Quick Guide To Insights for Travel Providers

Overtourism is when a destination receives too many visitors. According to McKinsey, 80% of travellers visit just 10% of the world’s tourist destinations. Such imbalanced numbers cause infrastructure problems, harm natural and cultural sites, and frustrate locals.&nbsp;A small town in Austria, Hallstatt is an example of a destination experiencing overtourism. Despite its population of 800, the town receives around 10,000 visitors per day in peak season. This caused the town’s locals to protest against overtourism, while holding signs saying “tourism yes, mass tourism no.”&nbsp;Similarly, around 250,000 people live in Venice, yet, the Italian city accommodates 20 million tourists per year. In 2024, Venice introduced a €5 fee for visitors who would like to access the city centre between 8:30am and 4pm during peak travel season. The main reason behind it was to reduce the congestion in the city, especially due to day-trippers who are exempt from the overnight tourist tax.&nbsp;Like Venice, other popular destinations implemented regulations in 2023 and 2024. Athens capped Acropolis visitors at 20,000 per day. Bali implemented a tourist tax of IDR 150,000 (around €9). And Amsterdam banned the construction of new hotels, to name a few.&nbsp;What are the risks of overtourism?&nbsp;Overtourism poses risks to destinations and locals, while changing the travel experience for tourists and the booking experience for travel agents.&nbsp;Here is what happens:For destinations&nbsp;In 2023, the Canary Islands welcomed 14.1 million foreign visitors, which locals found unsustainable given the islands’ limited resources and increasing prices. In a 2024 protest in Tenerife, a local said their rent was €800 while they earned a salary of €900. Another activist complained about short-term booking websites, saying they increased housing prices for locals, who now have to sleep in cars and caves.&nbsp;Besides increasing the prices for locals, overtourism may also damage the monuments and wildlife. The 20,000 visitor per day cap in Acropolis was put in for this exact reason, as the authorities wanted to protect the UNESCO World Heritage site.&nbsp;For the environmentIn 2023, Peru announced it would suspend visits to Machu Picchu as overtourism caused erosion on some stone structures. Millions of people visit the ancient citadel every year, which is not sustainable in the long run. Later that year, Peru reopened Machu Picchu, but put visitor caps to protect it.&nbsp;The influx of too many tourists also means more pollution. Although Italy’s tourism industry was hard hit during the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, locals in Venice reported cleaner waters and better air quality, as there were no visitors.For travellersWhen travellers stand in long queues, experience visitor caps, and pay tourist taxes, they may get frustrated with the destination. This also reduces the authenticity of the travel experience, which is increasingly important for tourists. In a recent report, 47% of survey respondents said they’d like to connect with locals in less-travelled areas, and 56% said they wanted to explore off the beaten path.&nbsp;&nbsp;For travel providersDestinations suffering from overtourism may disappoint your clients because of long queues and crowds. This can lead to negative reviews and dissatisfaction, damaging your reputation.&nbsp;In the eyes of some clients, recommending over-crowded destinations during peak season may appear inconsiderate, given the rise of sustainable tourism. According to recent studies, 43% of travellers feel guilty when they make less sustainable travel choices. Nearly half of survey respondents also believe travel service providers are responsible for addressing environmental factors, which include sustainable travel options.&nbsp;Want to know more about how we as a travel ecosystem player can take your business further?&nbsp;&nbsp;Read more about how to offer comprehensive travel services with Hotelbeds here.&nbsp;Why should travel providers consider overtourism when promoting destinations?Did you know that 44% of travellers have said they were interested in visiting less-touristy spots? As the Vayable CEO Jamie Wong said, “People want to reclaim what’s real. Mass tourism is no longer sufficient.”&nbsp;Experiential travel is on the rise. Travellers are looking for experiences rather than just visiting hotspots. American Express’ Global Travel Trends Report found that 77% of travellers prioritise having the right travel experience over the cost of the trip. And for travel agents, it’s more difficult to hit the right spot with over-crowded destinations. With more off-the-beaten-path destinations, local activities, authentic experiences, and sustainable choices are more likely to happen.&nbsp;Tourism accounts for 8% of carbon emissions globally, and is set to recover from the pandemic. In Q1 2024, international travel reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels. Given that most people visit the same tourist destinations, the environment is at risk. To help clients make more responsible travel choices, educate them on the risks of overtourism.&nbsp;For example, Thailand’s Maya Bay, featured in Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2000 film The Beach, used to receive thousands of tourist boats every day. In 2018, it closed to tourists as the boats destroyed the area’s coral reefs. When it shut down, only 8% of its coral reefs were alive. The conservation efforts started paying off over the years, and in 2023, biologists reported that the coral reef population grew to 20-30%. Marine biologists estimate that it will take another 20 years for the coral reefs to become the way they were 50 years ago.&nbsp;These examples aren’t meant to put people off from travelling. Instead, they are meant to promote less-touristy beaches, eco-friendly hotels, and ethical tours that make tourism beneficial for everyone.How can travel providers find alternative destinations to better accommodate sustainable tourism?Work with HotelbedsTravel providers can use tools and analytics to learn more about emerging destinations that are gaining popularity but are not yet overcrowded.&nbsp;&nbsp;For example, our Hotelbeds Booking Engine lets you discover hotels, vacation rentals, transfers, tickets, and experiences. Our expansive portfolio provides options from over 170 countries around the world, making it possible to book holidays in alternative destinations.&nbsp;With Hotelbeds, you’ll also get access to Insights, a search and recommendation tool. It gives personalised recommendations on trending destinations, the most popular activities, and alternatives depending on your clients’ needs. This empowers travel providers with bespoke recommendations, improved growth opportunities and a way to keep an eye on the competition.&nbsp;Plus, Insights highlights the destinations that offer the best growth opportunity for travel providers in your specific market, which provides a framework of consideration for your destination marketing strategy; including where you want to subvert these typical expectations within your audience, and offer closely-mirrored alternatives to delight, surprise and cater for travellers looking for hidden gems.&nbsp;We have an expansive portfolio, within our Booking Engine, of 200,000+ hotels, 18,000 experiences for all sorts of travellers and destinations — including the lesser-known ones. Not only this, but you'll join a connected network of 66,000 travel distributors, all benefiting from our end to end services as a ecosystem player in the travel industry.&nbsp;Understand Traveller NeedsFor travel providers liaising directly with the end customers, or with channels of communication that reaches this audience, it's worth thinking about what recommendations will speak to travellers in different regions, countries, demographics and your bespoke targeting segments.&nbsp;Ask yourself these questions:What type of experience are they looking for? - Are they looking for a vibrant culinary travel or ecotourism experience? Or are they in the mood for a city-scape?Where have they enjoyed staying before - and are they looking for something similar?What were they unsatisfied with in their last destination? - Understanding any unsatsifactory aspects of their trip, and how overtourism may have played into this, will help you provide a more satsifactory recommendation&nbsp;When formulating a destination marketing strategy, consider promoting alternative destinations to those firm favourites, for a better experience for travellers, and increased booking opportunities. Gone are the days when travellers were happy to settle for a superficial look at their destination of choice, 2024's travel trends (and beyond) suggest that today's (and tomorrow's) traveller wants to get under the skin of wherever they go, to understand the culture, the environment, and the people there.&nbsp;Instead of the usual Paris city center stay for a romantic getaway, why not consider suggesting Reims? Situated in the renowned Champagne region of Paris and just a short day-trip away from the city, this charming town provides a romantic ambiance featuring breathtaking Champagne houses and Gothic architecture.&nbsp;For urban enthusiasts who have been eyeing vibrant metropolises such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, or Seoul, Taipei stands out as a compelling alternative in Asia. The city boasts a rich cultural heritage, bustling night markets, and breathtaking scenic spots like Beitou and Maokong.&nbsp;For travelers looking for an adventurous yet sustainable experience, Costa Rica's cloud forests offer a life-changing and eco-friendly option. With three protected nature reserves - Monteverde, Santa Elena, and Bosque Eterno de los Niños - that showcase a wide variety of wildlife, extensive hiking trails, and rich biodiversity, this destination is a wonderful place to explore Costa Rica's ecosystems while supporting their sustainable initiatives.&nbsp;By booking these alternative destinations, you’re more likely to offer authentic experiences and sustainable options, away from the crowds of destinations experiencing overtourism. Everyone benefits from the experience — you offer an unforgettable travel experience, travellers have an amazing trip, less densely visited areas get an economic boost, and the popular destinations experience a reduction in the strain caused by mass tourism.&nbsp;Sign up today or log in to your Hotelbeds account to get the latest offers and stay up-to-date with travel trends.&nbsp;

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hotelbeds overtourism sustainable travel tips

2024 Travel Trends: 'Overtourism: The Importance of Promoting Sustainable Tourism'

Participating in travel trade fairs and conferences is one of the most effective ways to make your brand known in this industry. &nbsp;&nbsp;Our sector has many events organised annually and all over the world, so it can be complex to decide where to allocate time and resources to attend, or even exhibit. &nbsp;&nbsp;In this article, we have compiled the most notable travel events to attend to showcase your hotel, or network with the best distributors on the planet. Which one would you attend?&nbsp;&nbsp;1.Business Travel Show (BTS) EuropeWhen? 19th - 20th June 2024Where? London, United KingdomLooking for a place to meet the travel industry's greatest visionaries, disruptors, and innovators? The annual Business Travel Show Europe conference brings together some of the world's leading travel and tourism professionals to share insights through engaging keynote speeches on topics such as sustainable travel, diversity, traveller management, and much more.&nbsp;Taking place at ExCeL London, this three-day trade show combines education, supplier meetings, and networking to bring together the largest gathering of corporate travel managers in Europe. &nbsp;&nbsp;Some usual speakers and attendees include representatives from BTN Group, Virgin Atlantic, Capgemini, Leonardo UK, EY, and Siemens, to name but a few.&nbsp;&nbsp;2. MarketHub Europe by HBX GroupWhen? 25th - 28th June 2024Where? Istanbul, TurkeyOur list would not be complete without mentioning the events organised by HBX Group. This June, save the date for the European edition of the MarketHub, which will take place in Istanbul, Turkey. This new edition will explore New Frontiers in the travel industry and beyond. &nbsp;As usual in our events, for this MarketHub we’ve gone the extra mile to ensure that the attendees’ time in-destination is as enjoyable as can be. Outside of keynotes and panels featuring subject-matter experts from the travel industry and beyond, we’ve also prepared a range of activities and dinners to connect you to the city’s revered culture. &nbsp;&nbsp;With 8 years behind it and more than 350 participants every year, MarketHub Europe is a must-attend event for the B2B sector of the travel industry. The event attracts decision-makers from all areas of the travel ecosystem from 16 source markets, including key distributors from around the world. &nbsp;&nbsp;It goes without saying, but we cannot wait to see you in Istanbul. Visit our European MarketHub website for more information!&nbsp;&nbsp;3. International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia PacificWhen? 1st – 4th July 2024Where? Marina Bay Sands, SingaporeHosted at the luxurious Marina Bay Sands Hotel, 2024’s ILTM Asia Pacific conference will connect luxury travel brands from across the region. More than a travel trade show, this will be an unforgettable event filled with pre-scheduled meetings, educational sessions, and parties. &nbsp;&nbsp;Spanning 4 days, the expo will boast nearly 500 brands in attendance, as well as 500 travel advisors, and 90 editors all face-to-face sharing invaluable insights. The ILTM Asia Pacific conference is the perfect platform for building new partnerships, reconnecting with old contacts, or simply staying on top of what's happening in the sector. &nbsp;&nbsp;4. ITB Asia 2024When? 23rd – 25th October 2024Where? Marina Bay Sands, SingaporeAnother event that shouldn't be missed is ITB Asia, Asia's Leading Travel Trade Show. This B2B trade show and convention for the travel industry is annually held and features thousands of exhibiting companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. &nbsp;&nbsp;Today, ITB Asia is Asia’s largest travel trade show, bringing more than 13,000 show attendees from the MICE, Corporate, and Leisure sectors. With more than 1,300 exhibitors at past shows, ITB Asia is a pure B2B show with 100% pre-scheduled appointments and 132 countries and territories represented. &nbsp;&nbsp;5. WTM London 2024When? 5th – 7th November 2024Where? ExCeL, London, United Kingdom &nbsp;With over 40,000 professionals from 184 countries attending the 2023 edition, the World Travel Market London will return in November to bring together the international leisure travel community. The WTM London conference is the world's largest gathering of international travel media in 2023, with more than 29,000 pre-scheduled meetings held in 2023. &nbsp;&nbsp;Exhibitors at WTM London provide the most comprehensive gathering of organisations wishing to do business in B2B travel and tourism, from destinations to experiences to transportation to accommodation to technology solutions.&nbsp;The WTM has been held for over four decades, and it’s considered by its partners one of the most reliable sources of new business contacts in the travel industry. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Travel &amp; Adventure ShowWhen? From January to March 2025With over 20 years of experience and 125+ produced events, Travel &amp; Adventure Shows connect over 150,000 travel enthusiasts, agents, and media with the top travel destinations and suppliers worldwide.&nbsp;It entails nine different events strategically placed in nine of the United States’ top gateway markets. These include New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas, Denver and Washington DC. &nbsp;&nbsp;During this event, attendees will discover the hottest holiday destinations, speak with leading tour operators and global travel providers, and receive the best travel advice available. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hotels and travel agencies highly value these events as a way to connect directly with travellers. The new edition of the series will begin in January 2025 and run until the end of March.&nbsp;7. Fitur 2025When? 22nd – 26th January 2025Where? Madrid, SpainHeld annually in Madrid, Fitur is the leading trade show for inbound and outbound markets in Latin America, discussing topics such as the future of technology in tourism and destination management, cruises, LGBT+ tourism, and the promotion of female tourism professionals. This year’s key talking points will centre on what's next for sustainable travel and will be directed primarily at hotel chains, travel agents, tour operators, and tech companies. &nbsp;&nbsp;It lasts 5 days and welcomes tourism professionals with high decision-making authority at IFEMA Madrid, a venue of 69,000+ m2. &nbsp;&nbsp;9,000+ exhibitors, a total attendance of 250,000 visitors (including 153,000 trade participants and 97,000 general public), and 152 countries are just some of the outstanding figures for the 2024 edition, consolidating Fitur as one of the major events in the travel industry each year. &nbsp;&nbsp;8. ITB Berlin 2025When? 4th – 6th March 2025Where? Berlin, GermanyEvery year in March, the world of international tourism gathers at one of the largest travel trade shows: ITB Berlin. &nbsp;&nbsp;Bringing together key players from the world travel industry, ITB Berlin 2025 promises to connect attendees with countless exhibitors, speakers, and industry leaders. This three-day event boasts several segments, including business travel, adventure travel, destination showcases, hospitality, luxury travel, medical tourism, travel technology, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you’re looking for networking opportunities or simply the chance to learn from some of the sector's top thought leaders, you don't want to miss out on this event.&nbsp;&nbsp;9. WTM Africa 2025When? 9th – 11th April 2025Where? Cape Town, South AfricaThose looking to break into the travel industry in Africa should attend WTM without a doubt. This event affords attendees the opportunity to generate new leads, launch products, enter new markets, raise brand awareness, and more. &nbsp;&nbsp;WTM Africa was first held in 2014 to bring the benefits and opportunities of our global industry expertise to travel professionals in this region. It’s the leading and only B2B exhibition for both the inbound and outbound African travel and tourism markets. &nbsp;&nbsp;WTM Africa embarks on a journey to showcase its untapped potential, celebrate its heritage, and pave the way for sustainable growth in both inbound and outbound tourism. &nbsp;&nbsp;Over 6,000 travel industry professionals attend this show each year, helping travel businesses in Africa drive commercial success, accelerate growth, and expand their network.&nbsp;10. WTM Latin America 2025When? 14th – 16th April 2025Where? São Paulo, BrazilJust like in Africa, Latin America also has an unmissable event: the WTM Latin America. &nbsp;&nbsp;In 2025, travel and tourism professionals will be heading again to the colourful and lively city of São Paulo, home of this year's event. &nbsp;&nbsp;With a very successful 2024 edition with an attendance of 29,000+ travel and tourism professionals and almost 800 exhibitors, WTM Latin America is positioned as the place to be to meet tour operators, travel agencies, travel technology companies, hotels, airlines and much more.&nbsp;11. ATM Arabian Travel Market 2025When? 28th – 1st May 2025Where? DWTC Dubai, UAEFor over 30 years, the Arabian Travel Market has become a leading global event for the inbound and outbound travel industry in the Middle East. &nbsp;&nbsp;The main theme for 2025 will be ‘Empowering Innovation - Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’, with attendees exploring how innovative sustainable travel trends will evolve and identifying key vertical growth strategies. &nbsp;&nbsp;The show grows fast, generating $2.5 billion in deals. If you’re trying to unlock travel and tourism business potential in the Middle East, then ATM is an event you can’t miss. The biggest names in accommodation, hospitality, destination management, attractions, and more will be in attendance, sharing their unique insights into the region’s tourism industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;By participating in one or several of these events, you will increase your property's visibility and gain invaluable insight into the travel industry. The combination of these events and Hotelbeds' exposure to 66,000+ travel distributors is a winning formula to reach a global audience. &nbsp;&nbsp;Not registered with Hotelbeds yet? Here you can list your property and benefit from a range of products and services, as you'll find in the free guide below. Get it now and discover why becoming a Hotelbeds partner is what your business needs.

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hbx new frontiers markethub

11 Best Travel Trade Shows to Attend for Hoteliers 

Today, more and more travellers are consciously choosing their hotels and accommodation based on their green and social commitments. &nbsp;&nbsp;As explained in our Travel Trends Guide for 2024, sustainable travel is a major area of focus for our industry, and for Hotelbeds, impacting directly on our daily operations and how we generate tourism. &nbsp;&nbsp;The process of becoming an eco-friendly hotel is easier than you might think at first glance. Check out our guide to hotel sustainability and our 6 tips to avoid using single-use plastics in hotels. &nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, it's important to let potential guests know that you support these initiatives, and a certification is one of the best ways to do so. &nbsp;&nbsp;Throughout this article, we’ll provide you with relevant information about getting certified with two of the major certifications for hotels. We’ll also explain how to leverage Hotelbeds’ benefits by becoming a sustainable partner. Keep reading!&nbsp;&nbsp;How Hotelbeds helps with ESG strategy &nbsp;Hotelbeds, as part of the HBX Group, takes its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) responsibilities seriously. We’re committed to ensuring our planet's sustainability. As a result, we have established 10 core commitments related to the Sustainable Development Goals, including: &nbsp;&nbsp;We continue to promote sustainable and conscious travel to minimise environmental impact and improve the community with our technological capabilities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We highlight to our partners and stakeholders the benefits of introducing sustainable practices into their business models and complying with regulations, legal requirements and qualifying for certifications that make a difference. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;We work to enhance visibility and promote sustainable products, services, and destinations through the creation of sustainability performance levels.&nbsp;&nbsp;What’s the Sustainable Hotels Programme?As part of our ESG efforts, we highlight the Sustainable Hotels Programme, formerly known as the Green Hotel Programme. What is the purpose of this initiative? &nbsp;&nbsp;In recent studies, the World Travel &amp; Tourism Council (WTTC) observed that 74% of travellers want hotels to provide more sustainable choices. 65% of respondents said that they would feel better about paying for accommodation with a sustainable certification or label. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Since hoteliers are key players in the tourism industry – one of the sectors with the most impact on the environment, society and economy – it’s essential to consider implementing a sustainable perspective in the properties. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Therefore, the Sustainable Hotels Programme was created to encourage properties regardless of their size to become a force for good, and help them to communicate their sustainable practices. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Hotels participating in the programme benefit from more visibility in our system. If you’re a member of the programme, you'll appear in the booking engine under the filter 'Sustainable Hotels'.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;We'll also include your property in sustainability-focused marketing actions, promoting it across channels such as email communications, banners, and landing pages on bedsonline.com and hotelbeds.com. &nbsp;&nbsp;Also, we run campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of the use of single-use plastic, and other eco-friendly and social initiatives. Last year's campaign with Accor increased the number of properties free of single-use plastic from 500 to 5,000. Stay tuned in the coming months as we'll be launching a new series of campaigns. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As a group, HBX Group has observed a growing interest and bookings from hotels that adopt sustainable practices. Currently, we have 40,000+ properties certified as sustainable in our portfolio - between 2022 and 2023, we reported an 30% increase in bookings for sustainable hotels within 12 months. Additionally, our Sustainable Hotels landing page has been the most viewed this year so far, proving again the growing interest in this category of properties and the changing traveller's intent.&nbsp;One effective way to communicate your sustainable initiatives to the world and access our Sustainable Hotels Programme is to become certified with eco certifications. At Hotelbeds, we suggest two in particular. Read on to learn about some of the best certifications in the industry and how to obtain them.&nbsp;Your Guide to Hotel Certification &nbsp;WTTC Hotel Sustainability BasicsThe first certificate we encourage you to get is Hotel Sustainability Basics by the WTTC. This is the global authority on travel and tourism's economic and social contribution, working with governments and international institutions. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In four simple steps, you can get this certification regardless of the size of your property. &nbsp;&nbsp;Fill in the registration form to receive the toolkit with all the information about joining the programme. Visit wttc.org to do so.&nbsp;&nbsp;You’ll receive confirmation from WTTC, explaining the verification partners available in your region. After choosing one, WTTC will tell you how to verify the certification criteria you must follow. &nbsp;&nbsp;Next step will be to implement the 12 basics of sustainability defined by WTTC over the next three years. These basics include Measure &amp; Reduce Energy Use, Measure &amp; Reduce Water List, No SUP water bottles, Bulk amenity dispensers or Community Benefit, among others. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Once the criteria have been completed, you’ll need to send evidence to your verification partner. Once verified, you'll get a badge showing that your property complies with the Basic Hotel Sustainability standard. &nbsp;&nbsp;GSTC Industry CriteriaThe second certification we recommend you get is provided by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This organisation establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria. They are arranged on four pillars: (A) Sustainable management; (B) Socioeconomic impacts; (C) Cultural impacts; and (D) Environmental impacts. &nbsp;&nbsp;These criteria are used by businesses of all sizes to become more sustainable and as a basis for certification. To measure compliance with GSTC Criteria, some performance indicators are available. All of these criteria can be found here.&nbsp;&nbsp;Businesses certified by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body, meeting all the GSTC Criteria, have a high level of assurance and credibility. Being certified by an Accredited Certification Body means that your property complies with the highest social and environmental standards on the market. &nbsp;&nbsp;This is how GSTC certification works: &nbsp;&nbsp;Choose a Certification Body (organisations that have been accredited based on the quality of their certification process) from this list. Some of these GSTC Accredited Certification Bodies include Bureau Veritas, Control Union and RoyalCert. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After working with a Certification Body towards achieving full GSTC requirements compliance, your operation will receive its Certification from an Accredited Certification Body.&nbsp;Introducing Our New Sustainability Hub &nbsp;Aside from these certifications, we also strive to provide you with the tools to become more sustainable and implement initiatives that will benefit you. &nbsp;&nbsp;As part of our ESG strategy, we’re glad to announce the launch of the Sustainability Hub, an online site aiming to collaborate with stakeholders to improve sustainability, generate networking and share ESG projects and actions. We’ll support small and medium hotels and clients on their sustainability journey. &nbsp;&nbsp;In this hub, you’ll find relevant content on sustainability and hotels, as well as sustainability mentoring programmes to help you obtain these certifications (WTTC &amp; GSTC). Some of the areas we’ll cover include: &nbsp;&nbsp;Mentoring on how to start with Basic from WTTC and expand with GSTC standards at different levels. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Support with activities to share best practices, webinars, mentoring programmes, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;Launch specific campaigns on topics like plastic-free, waste, energy, universal accessibility, among others. &nbsp;&nbsp;ESG advice for customers and suppliers. &nbsp;&nbsp;We hope that this article will encourage you to go further in your efforts to make your property more environmentally friendly. Be sure to stay tuned for all the sustainable initiatives that we’ll be launching in the coming months. &nbsp;&nbsp;Haven’t joined Hotelbeds yet? Start benefiting from a wide range of products and services at your disposal, as well as from 66,000+ travel distributors ready to book your rooms. Register your property today!

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