Tips to Create a Stronger Hotel & Travel Advisor Relationship

 

Synergy between hotel staff and travel advisors is crucial to ensuring guests have a seamless, enjoyable experience every step of the way – and your property continues to grow business. We're sharing some simple ways to strengthen your partnership.

✅ Offer exceptional guest experiences

The guest is always king. Constantly evaluate ways to offer greater value and increase your competitiveness. For example, are you staying up to date with the latest trends and preferences, as well as the tools and technology to meet them? Share this knowledge with travel advisors, helping them understand changing guest demands and tailor their recommendations accordingly.

✅ Help advisors sell

Make sure travel advisors have detailed information about your hotel's amenities, services, room types, rates, and special promotions – particularly what makes your property stand out amongst others. Don't just rely on your website; personalize communications and give them access to up-to-date brochures, photos, and virtual tours that can easily be shared with their clients. You can even host educational sessions, inviting hundreds of advisors to learn about your property. The easier you make it for them to sell your property, the more likely they are to put you at the top of their recommendation list.

✅ Partner up on marketing

Collaborate with travel advisors on marketing initiatives by providing them with high-quality content, such as articles, blog posts, or social media assets, that they can use to promote your hotel. Offer co-branded marketing materials and assistance with tailored campaigns.

✅ Make bookings easy

Simplify the booking process for travel advisors by providing an easy-to-use portal. Ensure that the portal offers real-time availability, instant confirmations, and commission tracking to save time and effort.

✅ Offer competitive commissions and perks

Incentivize travel advisors by offering competitive commissions and additional perks for bookings made through them. This could include exclusive discounts, complimentary upgrades, or special amenities for their clients.

✅ Celebrate your partnership

Encourage guests to mention the travel advisor who referred them to your property, and recognize and appreciate travel advisors who consistently bring you business.

✅ Make time for relationship-building

The day-to-day grind can make this easy to deprioritize, but building and maintaining relationships is important to understanding each other's needs and roadblocks so you can effectively collaborate. Offering incentives, attending industry events, and even making connections on LinkedIn can keep you in touch and learning alongside your counterparts.

✅ Communicate effectively

Maintain open lines of communication with travel advisors by promptly responding to their inquiries, requests, and feedback. Provide them with a dedicated point of contact within your hotel who can assist them with any queries or issues that may arise.

✅ Ask for feedback

Seek feedback from travel advisors regarding their experiences working with your hotel. Actively listen to their suggestions and make necessary improvements to enhance the partnership and address any concerns or challenges they may have. They can give you helpful insight on your guests' experiences, too.

Easy enough, right? By implementing these few simple strategies, hoteliers can foster strong relationships with travel advisors, streamline processes, and ultimately increase bookings and revenue.