Hoteliers are constantly looking for ways to set their properties apart from their competitors to attract more guests, but it can be difficult to find a true differentiator. The good news? Travel assistance insurance is poised to enhance direct channel conversion rates significantly. When communicated effectively on your hotel’s website, this game-changing tactic captures the attention of online visitors and guarantees a substantial upswing in revenue.
THN’s travel assistance insurance service, SafeDirect, offers comprehensive coverage for any medical contingencies that may arise during a guest’s hotel stay. This added benefit is an exclusive perk available for all customers booking directly through a hotel’s website, providing peace of mind as well as a unique and compelling reason to choose that property for their upcoming trip. With the insurance conveniently integrated into the booking process, guests can confidently book their stay, knowing that their needs are fully taken care of. Make your hotel the clear choice by offering this extra value to your guests, ultimately boosting your direct channel conversion.
To gauge the impact of SafeDirect, the hotel’s web traffic was split into two groups: Group A and the control group. Group A was exposed to SafeDirect product messages, while nothing additional was shown to the control group. THN tested the real impact SafeDirect has on overall web conversion and analyzed its impact on different segments. The study included an A/B test conducted on a hotel chain in the Canary Islands to evaluate three aspects: effect on overall web conversion, impact on families, and effect on international traffic.
The Experience of a Canary Island Hotel Chain
Visitors navigating the hotel’s website from Group A were shown a Layer highlighting the unique advantage of booking directly with the hotel: a travel assistance insurance policy that is already included in their stay, and encouraged them to advance to the booking engine.
Layer displayed on the hotel’s homepage
The messaging displayed to Group A provided details on the insurance coverage, including a compelling call-to-action that highlighted the full offer and directed users further through the booking process.
Layer displayed in the booking engine
As another part of the test, to attract the user’s attention and highlight the enticing benefit of travel assistance insurance, a Smart Note was placed within the booking engine. This message was optimized for all search devices and reinforced to website visitors that the hotel was the right choice for their upcoming trip.
Smart Note displayed in the booking engine
The trial results were analyzed to understand travel assistance insurance’s impact on three different groups. In addition to total conversion, family traffic was examined from the overall trial by looking at travellers searching for stays for one or more adults and one or more children. The results were also analyzed to determine how persuasive travel assistance insurance is on international traffic.
After conducting the A/B test over the course of one month, SafeDirect proved to increase web conversion in all traveller segments, especially in the international market and for families. By offering travel assistance insurance, the Canary Island hotel chain increased direct sales by 20% from their international travellers and 22% from those searching for hotel stays for the whole family.
Ready to increase your hotel’s direct channel conversion while adding value and protecting your customers? Read the complete case study to discover the full power of SafeDirect.
