Recovering from COVID-19

In our Covid-19 Toolbox we are collecting practical information on useful functions and resources to manage business disruptions such as:

  • Cancellations
  • Getting ready for recovery
  • Adjusting to changed demand

Handle cancellations

Waiving cancellation fees and refunds may be expected by most customers. Before you agree you can try to offer vouchers instead of refunds.

Tip: In Beds24 you can create one-time vouchers with a fixed value, you can for example use the original booking number as the voucher code for easy reference. 

Adjust terms and conditions

  • Cancellation policy : Many guests are worried about booking at the moment. If you normally restrict cancellations consider adding an additional cancellable offer. 
  • Last minute bookings: There is always a need for immediate short notice travel.
  • Mid- and long term bookings: Booking trends show that the average stay has increased. You can attract guests looking for longer stays with attractive incentives.
  • Bookings for next year: While many trips had to be cancelled this year, many guests are looking to book for next year. Check that you have prices for at least 16 months ahead so you are bookable.

Offer your guests refund protection

If you offer non-refundable bookings you can let guests add a refund protection through Refund Protect which protects them from losing their prepayments in case they can not travel.

Optimize communication

Keep your guests informed on the situation in your region and the measures you are taking in terms of hygiene, safety and operations.

Tip: In Beds24 you can create a set of templates which you can set to send Emails automatically based on preset triggers or send manually.

Update your descriptions

Check that your website and your listings cater to the changed market for travel. Many OTAs provide practical advice on how you can improve your ranking.

Approach new and previous guests

  • Domestic, regional travel and business travel will recover first. Make sure your offer is attractive to these guests.
  • Offer extras or packages for direct bookings with services or items guests are currently looking for.
  • Try out new sales channels or Google Hotel Ads. Google changed their commission policies so you can now bid lower and will only pay commission when the guest actually stays.
  • Generate a report on previous guests and evaluate who might want to come again.

Tip: Beds24 integrates with Mailchimp which makes it easy to keep your mailing list updated. If you don’t use Mailchimp you can download your bookings and import them into any other system.

Try out new sales channel or Google Hotel Ads. Google changed their commission policies so you can now bid lower and will only pay commission when the guest actually stayed.

Our Covid-19 – Toolbox has more tips and is constantly updated.