New Website Helps Boost Worldhotels’ Reservations by 64%

Since introducing its new online strategy last year, Worldhotels has reported a strong increase in its direct online bookings.

Comparing January to April 2013 to the same months in 2012, the group is reporting an increase in reservations via its website by 64% and in revenue by 60%.

The performance increase kicked in immediately after the launch of the new website in July 2012 - room nights have overall increased by 40% since then.

“We are very pleased with how the site has been performing since the revamp,” said Roland Jegge, Worldhotels’ Executive Vice President Asia Pacific. “We are making great progress in strengthening direct booking channels and building a loyal customer base for our hotels especially amongst the Asia Pacific hotels.”

Paulo Salvador, Global Vice President Marketing & Sales added, “New technologies create new opportunities and we need to take advantage of them. Our new website is part of our strategy to capitalise on the changing market and is crucial to achieving the right balance between direct and third party bookings.”

The range of website enhancements designed to maximise business for Worldhotels and its affiliate hotels includes a full design and layout makeover as well as extended functionalities for consumers, travel agents and corporate clients.

To accommodate the increasing number of guests who plan their travel on the go, Worldhotels also optimised the site for mobile use and created its own mobile app.

The new website structure is much more user friendly than before: Guest reviews, hotel details, images and rates are all found on one page, minimising the time guests have to spend researching a hotel.

The website’s booking engine Resmaster was also updated last year with a variety of new functionalities in its latest version, Resmaster V3.