As the manager of an outdoor property, you know that your business’s revenue and success are both highly dependent on bookings. That’s why it’s important to make them a top priority and ensure you’re taking all of the necessary steps to maximize your reservations. 

With the right reservation and property management system in place, you can connect your system with multiple online travel agency (OTA) platforms to reach a larger audience and get a higher volume of bookings. 

Below, we’ll walk through the importance of reservation management system integrations with OTAs and some considerations to make before listing your property.

What Are the Benefits of Integrating With OTAs?

Maximize Your Bookings

OTAs provide you access to a high volume of potential guests, which can be difficult to reach with your own marketing efforts. 

Many travelers spend time comparing prices across platforms, rather than going directly to the property’s website. And, in some cases — such as being offered a discount code — travelers prefer to book using OTAs. This means that even if you offer direct booking on your website, you have a better chance of reaching a larger audience by listing your property on multiple travel platforms.

Get Visibility for Your Website

In addition to maximizing your bookings, being listed on OTA platforms can bring more traffic to your property’s website and help you get more exposure. 

This can help create the billboard effect, which is the phenomenon of when properties see an increase in direct bookings on their site after listing their property on an OTA. Just by sharing your listing on an OTA website, you may see an overall increase in bookings.

Build Reviews

In order to build a positive digital presence for your property, you need to obtain, manage, and utilize feedback from your guests. Within OTA platforms, you have the ability to manage reviews of your outdoor property. For example, Airbnb provides insight on how to best handle negative reviews, and turn them into a positive for your brand. 

According to PowerReviews, “98% of consumers feel that reviews are an essential resource when making purchase decisions, up from 89% in 2018.” This data shows us that it’s crucial to manage online reviews on your website and on any OTAs you use.

Access Insights

By integrating with an OTA, you can get insights on the latest trends and traveler preferences to help you better understand your guests. For example, you can gain access to reports on camper preferences, glamping, new camping trends, the differences between generational camping trends, and more that are gathered by the OTA. 

By accessing market data and analytics, you can make data-driven decisions that help you stay on top of trends in the camping industry.

Low Risk and Great Reward

You are only charged by the OTA when a reservation is made through their platform. 

For example, Booking.com charges an average of 15% and Expedia is estimated to charge between 15-30%. However, for the exposure you get for your property, the reward is often greater than the risk.

What Should You Consider Before Listing My Property on OTAs?

Before you integrate your reservation management system with OTAs and create your property’s listing, there are a few things you should consider: 

• Including high-quality images of your campground/RV park or marina. Showcase the best features of your property in incredible images that make campers and boaters excited to book a stay with you! 
  
  
• Listing all of your amenities. While this looks different for every outdoor property, you might want to list any available showers, equipment rentals, fire pits, grills, and more. 
  
  

• Including current and competitive prices. With up-to-date, competitive pricing on any OTA platform, you can entice your audience all year round. When you’re connected to OTAs through RMS, you can seamlessly update your pricing across platforms, saving you and your team time and ensuring your property’s profitability. 

On the flip side, you’ll want to ensure that the reservation management system you have in place integrates with a number of OTAs to give you the best chances at increasing your profitability through bookings. For example, the RMS reservation software integrates with several OTAs, including: 

• Airbnb
• Expedia
• Booking.com
• Agoda
• Trip.com
• Orbitz

Take Advantage of Your Reservation Management System’s Features

Your reservation management system is a powerful tool that can lead your outdoor property to success. From OTA integrations to robust reporting, it’s important to take advantage of all the features that can help you maximize your bookings and improve your property. 

But finding the right reservation management system can be a challenge. In order to maintain a competitive edge, continuing to attract new guests, and encouraging repeat visits from loyal campers, you need a system that can help you stay one step ahead. 

Discover how the right reservation and property management system can change your business for the better. Download our free guide, Choosing a Reservation & Property Management System: A Complete Guide to Help You Make the Right Selection, today!