St Michaels revenue boosted by 50% rise in direct bookings

Luxury Falmouth resort, St Michaels, has seen a boost in its revenue after experiencing a 50% increase in the business’ direct bookings. In addition, the resort’s move to offering specific packages for the first time now reportedly sees 42% of its bookings consist of packages, which has enhanced the venue’s revenues further still. This comes as St Michaels “revolutionised” its direct bookings by implementing a new booking engine that is also said to have “streamlined the booking process”, as well as make it easier for the hotel staff to offer packages, a previously untapped aspect for the resort. The venue’s booking engine is Profitroom’s Booking Engine 360, which it opted for after hearing about other hotels in the area installing and benefiting from its features. Tim Fryer, commercial director at St Michaels Resort, said: “What we wanted above all else was to make it as easy as possible for guests to book. Put simply, we wanted to offer a simple, engaging, intuitive and inclusive booking experience that encouraged guests to go ahead. “Having implemented the booking engine, conversion has improved significantly, with the new process far sleeker and involving fewer steps, something that makes the whole thing much more user-friendly and more likely to generate direct bookings that bypass OTA fees.” He added: “Our previous booking engine only allowed for static room rates, but the new engine allows us to dynamically package to bring all elements of our resort into one such as the spa, dinner in the brasserie, an overnight stay and so on. The facility to easily package has made a huge difference for us.” Samantha Williams, commercial director at Profitroom, said: “It’s fantastic to hear such a positive experience of our services from St Michaels Resort. It basically encapsulates that we’re trying to make more money for hotels and resorts, whilst also making the whole process more enjoyable for guests and reducing the burden on staff. “We see time and time again the difference that offering packages can make to the bottom line, so it’s something our technology focuses on, with our development team constantly looking at ways to enhance and improve. And St Michaels Resort is now reaping the rewards from incorporating it.”