Google has shared how Meliá Hotels International multiplied its mobile transactions after launching a website optimised for mobile devices.

Published: 10 Oct 2011

Google has shared how Meliá Hotels International multiplied its mobile transactions after launching a website optimised for mobile devices.

After the launch of its site, the hotel chain, which is the first Spanish hotel chain to offer this service, observed that the type of customer reserving hotel rooms from mobile devices has a clear business profile. This customer looks for city-based hotels at mid-to-high prices, with reservations often being made at the very last minute, on the same day. In addition, reservations at city-based establishments through mobile devices are usually made very close to the hotel and when the traveller has already arrived at his/her destination. These hotel bookings currently account for 70 percent of reservations on mobile corresponding to 60 percent of revenue.

To ensure that users found their mobile site, Meliá implemented AdWords campaigns specifically targeting mobile devices. In August alone, AdWords drove 27 percent of their mobile traffic. They have in fact seen traffic from mobile devices increase by six in comparison to 2010 and the number of transactions have multiplied by 12, shared Frank Albert Coates, Product Marketing Manager, Mobile Ads, Google.

Coates added, “Meliá Hotels International predicts that in the mid-term the use of tablet devices will result in a significant rise in holiday hotel reservations. Due to the large screen-size and interactive features it becomes much easier for customers to make decisions when booking their holidays.”

Mobile as a sales channel

Daniel García Langa, Online Sales & Marketing Director of Meliá Hotels International, explains the company’s main mobile platform goals; “We have made a decision to invest in this technology because it is important for us to respond to the requirements of our customers who want to access information wherever they happen to be; and this is perfectly suited to mobile technology.”

“Mobile technology allows our customers to share their real-life experiences in real time, without the need to return home and connect through their computer. We took note of the capability of mobile technology to create useful content that can later be used on our websites. This content is created by our own customers, enabling them to share their photos, videos and experiences with friends and family, directly from their mobile devices; a feature which is highly appreciated by our customers.”

“Naturally enough, we also invest in mobile technology as a sales channel in order to take advantage of the benefits and advantages of having been involved in this technology right from the beginning. Our intention is to position ourselves as the market leader, so that when a customer thinks of reserving a hotel room using their mobile, they think of Meliá Hotels International.”

Langa calculates that on the mid-term, the use of tablet devices will result in a significant rise in holiday hotel reservations. Due to the larger tablet screen size and the features that these devices afford (touch screens, image rotation, etc), they are able to act as a real product catalogue, containing very attractive and useful information in the form of for instance videos and photos. It is therefore much easier for customers to make decisions when booking their holidays; a decision often taken as a group within a domestic environment and which usually requires a greater financial outlay.

Google AdWords driving mobile traffic

Right from the start, Meliá Hotels International decided to attract mobile Internet traffic using Google AdWords campaigns specifically targeted to mobile devices, these being quite distinct from the standard advertising campaigns aimed at desktop computers. In August of 2011, AdWords drove 27 percent of their mobile traffic.

During 2011, the number of visits from mobile devices in Spain increased six-fold in comparison to the previous year, with the number of transactions having multiplied by 12. Meliá Hotels International hopes to get 2.5 million worldwide mobile visits during 2011 and, most importantly, increase sales by up to 300 percent.

Next steps in the mobile strategy – apps

Meliá will launch new applications in 2011 for Android, iPad, iPhone and Blackberry mobile systems, as well as a new version of its mobile web application which will incorporate better design, improved usability and other additional features.

Meliá is also developing additional applications for specific hotels, helping customers to get acquainted with their surroundings during their stay by finding and reserving tables at restaurants, for example, or finding partners for sporting activities such as tennis.