April is usually a busy month for accommodation properties with Easter and the upcoming school holidays. We all are seeking to enjoy that last of the warm weather before the colder months kick in. As always, we love to find ways to help your business flourish, this month we are sharing:
Ways to Drive Direct Bookings in 2024
The Latest ResBook Community news - GST "App Tax" & Airbnb
Customer Spotlight: The Rise Ben Ohau
Most Popular Knowledge Base Articles in March
Our Latest Business Intelligence Data
Ways to Drive Direct Bookings in 2024
Attracting commission-free direct bookings to your business is not a one-off task. It's a strategy that requires ongoing attention and considered planning every season to target and capture your audience effectively. In 2024, your focus at every touchpoint can include personalising your guest journey using technology to assist with making this more effective and efficient. Learn 6 ways to increase your bookings in our latest article.
From 1 April global online accommodation websites like Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia are now required by the New Zealand government to pay GST for bookings. Our understanding is that this will have an impact for both GST registered and non-registered accommodation providers as follows:
GST registered providers will have to code any revenue from these agents as zero-rated for accounting/GST purposes because the OTA will begin collecting the GST for these bookings
Providers who aren't GST registered (under $60,000 in revenue pa.) will receive a flat rate credit from the online agent of 8.5% of the booking value, so you may want to review the rates you send to channel partners
Each OTA has been contacting their providers to find out their GST status and advising how they will deal with GST, we recommend you work with them directly to understand how these changes will affect you
ResBook supports both GST inclusive and exclusive rates so you can continue to manage bookings from your OTAs
We recommend you contact your accountant for professional advice on any accounting and GST related questions
Listen to the Radio New Zealand interview about the "App Tax" with Bed & Breakfast Association NZ President Ann-Marie Johnson
Airbnb Updates Cancellation Policy for "Unforeseen Events"
Airbnb have announced that from June 2024 onwards they will implement a new "Major Disruptive Events Policy" which allows for the cancellation of bookings, by either the traveller or the host. It covers unforeseen events like government travel restrictions, public health emergencies, military actions, natural disasters & so on. Bookings in these cases will be fully refunded and no fees or penalties will apply to either the guest or the host.
Robyn & Dan are hosts of The Rise Ben Ohau, a luxury cabin nestled beneath the stunning Ben Ohau range in the Mackenzie region of Canterbury. Guests experience incredible vistas combined with luxurious comfort expressed with interior design that encompasses natural materials and earthy tones to 'bring the outside in'.
We are proud to have partnered with The Rise Ben Ohau to deliver some integral tools to drive bookings to their business, find out more below!
The Rise Ben Ohau Website
Prior to the launch of their new website in late March the online presence of The Rise Ben Ohau was restricted to listings on Booking.com & Airbnb.
They now have a beautifully designed website to showcase their exquisite property and earn commission-free direct bookings, a massive win for their business model!
They chose our 'Inspire' website theme which we customised for their branding and content to make it their own.
ResBook Bundle Plan - Boosted Bookings & Efficiency
The Rise Ben Ohau decided on our bundled plan to take advantage of our PMS for managing all bookings, ResChannel for channel management with their OTA's, and The Booking Engine to offer a modern online booking experience for guests that integrates seamlessly with their website, creating amazing first impressions!
Managing all of their bookings in one system is a considerable efficiency improvement and they no longer have to worry about double bookings from OTA's, another huge win!
More Digital Marketing to Come for The Rise!
We will continue to partner with The Rise Ben Ohau to add a gift voucher module to their website with online sales, and an SEO package to ensure their new website achieves the search engine exposure and website traffic it deserves.
Get Your Business in the Spotlight! 🔦
Get in touch if you'd like to share your pearls of wisdom and experience with like-minded accommodation hosts & on our website!
Can't find something in the Knowledge Base? Get in touch with Client Services, we'd be happy to help 👍🏼
With the first quarter and first peak period of 2024 now complete we can see how bookings have performed so far:
Looking at the graph below, first quarter booking volumes were on par wth 2023, with 2024 being just slightly ahead. It is also the best performing first quarter from 2020 onwards.
Both booking volumes & revenues for March were slightly ahead of February.
Compared to March 2023, March 2024 booking volumes were up slightly by 1%, however revenues were down 17.5%, showing the continuing trend of lower average booking spend.
Forward bookings revenue for April is currently sitting at 66% of 2023's April total (& at 70% of booking volumes). This is positive given the upcoming school holiday period should continue to bring in more bookings to boost the totals for the month.
Contacting ResBook for Support Issues
If you need support help with ResBook you'll find answers for most questions in the Knowledge Base. Helpful articles with screenshots and videos can assist with resolving the most common issues, however if you still can't find your answer please refer to the following Support Guidelines for next steps. These guidelines also cover what to do for urgent issues.😊
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