Welcome to the Friday Freebie!

Each week, we share one impactful hotel marketing tactic that you can implement immediately to drive more conversions and more revenue.

This week’s Freebie: Don’t wait until guests press ‘Book Now’ in your booking engine to announce new charges. Present all costs, including resort fees, as soon as possible.

Nothing kills a customer’s trust and transaction faster than hidden costs.

By now, we all know that travelers are looking for a seamless purchase, as well as full transparency in their transactions. They want to know that by the time they pull out their credit card, they’re certain how much their room will be.

However, many resort marketers are still guilty of a grave mistake: Slipping in last-minute fees at the worst possible time – right before the customer books!

Customers will see it as sneaky and manipulative, and in return will be ruthless in abandoning any hotel that tries to spring on pesky last-minute fees. In fact, recent studies show that 64% of travelers would leave your booking engine when they find hidden charges.

The buyer’s journey is fragile enough.

Smart hotels do all they can to smooth out the path to purchase and eliminate potential roadblocks. So, showcase costs, such as a resort fee or parking fees, as early as possible. Or else, your price bait-and-switch will continue to drive customers away.