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Hotels are missing out on F&B sales by not offering customers an incentive at the time of booking, according to research by CGA and Zonal Retail Data Systems’ GO Technology report.
The report, which polled 5,000 adults in the UK, found 54% of leisure customers and 45% of business users cite price as a barrier to dine at a hotel’s on-site restaurant.
However, 50% and 43% respectively would consider making a reservation if they were offered an incentive at the time of booking.
A further 45% of 18 to 34 year olds would also be more likely to order room service from the restaurant if they could use their smartphone, with the figure rising to 62% for those who want to have lunch on-site.
This echoes a growing trend in the general hospitality sector, where 67% of consumers have said they would spend more and buy more drinks if they could order from a mobile device.
Rhys Swinburn, managing director of hotel management system, High Level Software, part of the Zonal Group, said: “Our research indicates that consumers prefer a more personal approach when it comes choosing where to stay, giving hoteliers a real opportunity to capitalise on this captive market.
“Hoteliers need to think how they can pitch themselves against high street operations and incentivise guests to stay for lunch, dinner or even enjoy a drink before heading out.”
He added: “Giving guests the chance to reserve a table, coupled with an offer at the point of booking their stay is likely to have a positive impact on trade.”
