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How reducing preventable hotel relocations can improve your visibility

Unexpected relocations can leave guests frustrated with your property. Discover ways to reduce disruptions and improve your guest experience.

December 5, 2024

 

On average, hotel guests spend over a month thinking about their trip and planning it.* And for some, this could be the trip of a lifetime. Having to relocate after travel plans are already locked in can understandably be a frustrating experience. And when expectations are not met, guests may be left unsatisfied and unhappy.

 

Relocations should be a last-resort option and something we work together to avoid and prevent when possible. Read on to learn more about preventable relocations and steps you can take to reduce last-minute changes that disrupt travel and lead to negative experiences for guests.

What are preventable relocations?

Guest expectations are set during booking, and relocations happen when that expected experience can’t be delivered, negatively impacting guests. Preventable relocations are caused by reasons such as overbooking or double-booking, seasonal closures, and incorrect or insufficient listing details or rates. These are all events that are within a property’s control, unlike unforeseeable events that can lead to unexpected disruptions during a traveler’s stay.

The impact of relocations on your guest experience score

Your guest experience score informs your success in our marketplace, influencing your visibility and placement in search results. The better guest experience you provide, the happier your guests are, and the better your visibility is in our marketplace. While this score is based on many factors, preventable relocations is the most important.

How we calculate preventable relocations rate

The preventable relocations rate, which factors into your guest experience score, looks at how often your guests were moved from their original booked room for preventable reasons. It is calculated based on your total number of preventable relocations divided by your total number of bookings.

Partners with a preventable relocation rate above 0.1% have a guest experience score nearly 25% lower than their competitive set.**

Previously, all relocations were weighted equally in the guest experience score calculation, but we’ve adjusted to prioritize the overall traveler experience. Now, the closer the relocation is to the check-in date, the more impact it will have on your score. For example, relocations happening within seven days of check-in have a high impact, while those that happen the day of check-in have the highest impact.

Tips to prevent guest relocations

You can help prevent relocations by maintaining accurate rates and availability and regularly confirming all bookings. Our data shows a spike in seasonal relocations in late summer in the Northern Hemisphere and in November and December during key holiday travel seasons and periods of increased demand.  During these peak travel periods, it’s even more important to proactively minimize relocations and communicate with travelers early if they will be relocated.

 

Our guest experience score historical trend view shows you when relocations have materially impacted your guest experience score, so you can quickly identify periods with several high-impact relocations and see exactly which bookings were impacted. With this information, you can investigate the underlying causes and take steps to reduce preventable relocations in the future.  

Track avoidable relocations and improve guest experience scores with Partner Central's historical trend view.

Best practices to avoid relocations and prevent bookings you can’t accommodate:

 

  1. Sync your availability with our platform and across other booking channels.
  2. Update your property’s status in the renovations and closures page in Partner Central.
  3. Communicate changes to guests as early as possible.

Possible alternatives to consider before pursuing a relocation

Update room type

Offer another room type or upgrade guests at no charge.

Open availability

Move blocks of rooms to open availability.

Mid-stay room change

Offer a room change mid-stay to avoid a complete relocation.

Alternative accommodations

Secure and pay for comparable alternative accommodations.

Together, we can ensure a smooth and positive experience for your guests by avoiding disruptive changes. Review your relocations in Partner Central and avoid future preventable relocations to improve your guest experience score and marketplace performance.

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Review the impact of your relocations and better understand why they’re happening to reduce traveler friction.
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