Today, hoteliers are facing a seemingly never-ending series of distribution and revenue management challenges; from understanding how AI search and booking functionality will impact their direct bookings, to shortening booking windows, there are A LOT of questions and not a lot of answers.
To help hoteliers better understand the impact of the current global shift toward shorter booking windows, I’ve compiled advice from some of Lobby’s hospitality industry experts on the strategic, actionable steps hoteliers should take today to remain competitive and profitable…
Bart-Jan Leyts – Otamiser
“This shift toward shorter booking windows reflects a broader change in traveler behavior: people are more spontaneous and expect flexibility, which means operational updates must happen in real-time, as market conditions change. Visibility, pricing, and content need to adapt in real-time to capture last-minute demand, and technology is crucial in facilitating the necessary dynamism in hotels’ operations. Hotels that rely on static strategies will simply miss the booking window, literally.”
Jose Carlos Vazquez Gutierrez – Short-Term Rental Optimisation Consultant
“For consumers, I think that the recent trend of shorter booking windows comes down to one simple fact: there are no real benefits to booking in advance, as consumers are now aware that inventory is perishable and that prices are likely to decrease as the arrival date approaches.
The best strategy to incentivize consumers to book their hotel earlier is to provide a real incentive to the guest for booking early and direct – be it a financial incentive (i.e., a discount that won’t be matched or beaten as the arrival date approaches) and/or a value add (i.e., free airport transport, complimentary breakfast, free parking, etc.).”
Martin P. Coghlan – Focus Revenue Management
“Don’t overlook the importance of guest experience and reputation management in generating repeat bookings. It takes time, effort, and is costly to source new business, so it is essential to ensure your guest experience is flawless from start to finish.
Always ask for guests’ contact info when they check in to enable post-stay marketing efforts to satisfied guests, as those who have a positive stay will be your best champions and a fantastic way to drive bookings in periods of softer demand.”
Sarah Stahl – Market Movers LLC
“Hotels need to stop chasing guests based on short-term consumer booking trends and start proactively shaping long-term demand through consistent, creator-driven marketing. When you partner with creators regularly — not just as one-off collaborations — you create a constant stream of authentic storytelling that compounds over time to generate predictable bookings and sustainable demand.
Actionable steps for hoteliers:
- Build a consistent creator program (monthly or biweekly) rather than one-off influencer stays.
- Automate a lead capture + incentive system to turn social traffic into direct conversions.
- Use time-limited offers to create urgency while nurturing long-term brand loyalty; for one of my clients, this strategy converted 34% of leads within 18 hours of receiving the code.
The result? After two years, more than 93% of all bookings were coming through direct channels, and many guests booked up to three months in advance.”
Matea Sragalj – Suite 707
“Social media is the new booking engine. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are where those impulse decisions happen. TikTok sparks wanderlust (“I wish I were there this weekend”), Instagram converts it with flash sales and Stories, and Facebook’s targeting helps fill those last empty rooms.
To keep up, hotels should…
- Segment by lead time and origin: Reward advance planners and charm last-minute locals.
- Treat unsold rooms like expiring inventory: Run flash deals and “tonight-only” offers.
- Optimise your website to prioritise mobile-first bookings: Most last-minute bookings are made on smartphones, so speed and the user experience really matter.
Ultimately, success comes down to agility. The hotels that react fast, post strategically, and make booking via mobile effortless will turn this last-minute trend into real revenue.”
Manuel Kuckenberger – Hotel Tech Fixer
“1. Do. Not. Slash. Rates.
Yes, you’ve heard this before. And no, hotels don’t always listen, especially not when the STLY panic sets in.
- Don’t let your RMS run wild in short windows.
Configure guardrails or take manual control of your pricing, as it’s about not doing long-term damage.
- Give your guests a third option (not just non-flexible or flexible rates)
Offer semi-flexible rates (i.e., 72h cancellation window) to drive early conversions, reduce cancellation regret and keep your operational team out of refund debates.
- Message them before they message you.
Guests who booked 14 days ago are probably checking back 7 days before arrival to see if they can get a better deal; after all, many of these last-minute deals are travellers rebooking after spotting a rate-slasher.
Use your guest messaging tools to reassure them that their rate remains the best, or offer them a last chance to switch to non-flexible payment terms. You’ll protect your booking curve, reduce rebook churn, and maybe even secure payment, without ever touching your rates.”
Stefanie Händel – Simple Hotel Strategy
“As someone focused on revenue management and data-driven decision-making, I’d like to share my “first-aid” tips for hotels that may not yet be very tech-savvy but still want to adapt to the rise of last-minute bookings…
- Review and adjust rates more often. Even without advanced software, checking nearby competitors’ prices daily or every few days and making minor adjustments keeps you competitive.
- Keep some rooms available for short-notice guests. Don’t sell out too far in advance – flexibility can pay off.
- Add simple last-minute offers. A complimentary breakfast or late checkout can motivate spontaneous travellers to book directly.
- Communicate directly. Use social media or a short newsletter to promote last-minute deals – guests value the personal touch.
- Track your own booking patterns. Even a simple spreadsheet helps you notice when bookings spike and plan smarter next time.
Small, consistent actions can make a big difference… no fancy tech required.”
Basile Jodeau – Operations & Revenue Management Consultant
“Here are actionable steps hoteliers can take to capture more last-minute reservations and drive direct revenue growth:
- Google My Business Setup & Optimisation:
- Create and fully optimise a Google My Business profile to boost local visibility and capture spontaneous search traffic.
- Use Google Posts and Q&A to share offers and highlight the benefits of direct booking.
- Connect Google Hotel Ads to enable real-time price comparison and frictionless booking.
- Enhance Content & SEO for International Reach:
- Use dynamic SEO and image alt-texts with location-based keywords to improve ranking for “near me” searches.
- Refine Pricing & Promotions Strategy:
- Simplify rate structures with both flexible and non-refundable options to appeal to last-minute travellers.
- Create exclusive packages (e.g., “weekend escape” or “local experience” bundles) unavailable on OTAs.
- Keep all pricing and booking conditions transparent to build trust and reduce hesitation.
- Offer travel insurance add-ons to reassure spontaneous bookers.
By combining visibility, trust, localisation, and automation, hotels can remain competitive despite the shorter booking window, and convert spontaneity into opportunity!”
Diogo Vaz Ferreira – Consultant in Digital Transformation & Commercial Performance
“Hoteliers need to consider two key points when establishing a strategy to accommodate this shift in consumer booking behaviour…
Ways to drive more early bookings:
- Email targeting campaigns focusing on segments or markets that tend to book earlier (i.e., group bookings or other corporate committed allotments)
- Calendar-driven campaigns with exclusive perks for specific periods well in advance
- More aggressive early-booking discount and regressive (30% more than 90 days, 20% more than 60 days, etc.).
- Best price guarantee if booked in advance
How to remain competitive & attract as many last-minute bookers as possible:
- Prioritise mobile-first website design, due to a higher share of mobile bookings done at the last minute
- Offer flash promotions and last-minute deals
- Retargeting campaigns to market to previous website visitors when approaching the travel booking window
- More active management on the RMS with alerts to reflect real-time demand
- Implement messaging to drive urgency (i.e., tags with the number of rooms left, etc.)
- Geotargeted marketing focusing on neighbouring regions and the domestic market, who are more likely to plan to travel at the last-minute
- Partner with local events that will drive last-minute sales”
By Benjamin Verot, Founder of HotelMinder & Lobby.
