The New-Age Hotel Booking App Development Guide

When the whole world is turning digital, hotel booking is not left behind. According to Criteo, by the end of 2025, more than 70% of worldwide sales for travel and tourism would be online transactions. Even further, the year 2023 is likely to mark a whopping USD 800+ million market for online travel booking.

Why should you consider online hotel booking app development?

Online hotel booking apps such as Airbnb, Hooper, Booking.com, and Expedia have revolutionized the travel and tourism industry and as a result, more and more enterprises are now looking forward to online hotel booking app development to expand their business or venture into this new giant niche.

The rapid development of the hotel booking segment indicates that it is high time that young entrepreneurs should venture into the online hotel booking app market and leverage this lucrative hospitality business for quick ROI and sure-shot revenue. According to Statista, there has been a whopping growth in the revenue of booking holdings worldwide between 2007 to 2019. The last two bars are the adverse effects of the corona pandemic; nevertheless, the online hotel booking business has been getting on track as seen in 2021.

Other figures for online tour and travel booking are also impressive as more than half of mobile app users prefer booking their hotels and touring options through apps they have; furthermore, the industry is likely to report a growth of CAGR 13.6% by the end of this year and probably continue at an even higher pace in the coming decade.

Why are hotel booking app benefits making a win-win deal for all?

The revenue generated through the hotel segment has grown manifold in the last few years especially after the lockdown due to the unprecedented pandemic, people from all around the world wanted to quench their thirst for touring and traveling getaways.

Source: Statista

The share of online hotel booking has significantly increased and it is likely to continue in coming years, according to Statista.

The best part of the mobile app for online hotel booking is the win-win deal it offers to all users and stakeholders. Here are the benefits segregated for each user –

Benefits for customers or visitors

The biggest beneficiary of online hotel booking apps is the users. The latest trend and habits of users to get everything on their mobile phones have made them feel that all services and products they want should be done through the tips of their fingers, and they are right! They are provided with almost everything they want through mobile applications, hotel booking being one of them. The advantages include –

• All hotels are available within one mobile application
• They aren’t aiming in the dark about booking hotels online – they have pictures, locations, videos, and many more factors to decide or choose between many options
• Check-in and check-out timings are available for better tour planning (arrivals and departures)
• Comparison of hotel booking prices is possible giving further advantage to users to choose the best hotel booking at competitive prices
• Hotel room photos and videos help them choose a specific room so to avoid last-minute ugly surprises
• The list of hotel amenities is available to go through before making an online hotel booking
• The online payment gateway for hotel booking adds ease to paying in advance so users can enjoy their stay without any worry

Benefits for hoteliers

The win-win deal also includes hoteliers’ advantages through online booking for hotels. This makes better sense even to those hotel owners whose business is absolutely fine on the ground but still, suffer from some slack seasons. The advantage of online hotel booking app development is that hoteliers can expand their business beyond geographical boundaries and can take bookings from all over the world that generally does not happen as offline hotel bookings are highly dependent on visitors and footfalls to the hotels.

• Hoteliers can have a 24/7 online hotel booking app that removes the tedious job to keep their hotel reception open all time to assist visitors and tourists
• Automated hotel booking accounts and cost management takes off the big headache of deploying a special staff to manage everything. The hotel booking online application can manage bookings, payments, and other financial transactions (even restaurant bills of the hotel) in one go
• Through online hotel booking app development, the hoteliers can ask mobile app developers to include several third-party application integrations or can initiate some tie-ups with other tours and travel companies to expand their business further. For instance, a taxi-booking company (Uber) for sightseeing or traveling can add value to their hotel booking online application
• The slack season for any hotel booking is a nightmare for hotel owners. Through an online mobile app for hotel booking, the slack slots can be filled somewhat as the visibility of the hotel is now beyond brick-and-mortar business.
• Availability of the rooms can be made online for hotel booking apps and, therefore, there is no hassle of handling patrons’ choices

Benefits for admins or app owners

It is not always that hoteliers initiate hotel booking app development. Since it is a promising business, many enterprises and big-shot companies have started investing in the online hotel booking app business. These buyers own the app, and not the hotel. Still, they are a great advantage.

• Uber does not own a car; Amazon doesn’t manufacture any product, and likewise, Airbnb does not own a hotel. You can enjoy an easy flow of revenue through the online hotel booking mobile application without owning a hotel
• You can manage hotel owners, users, and other stakeholders’ accounts from a single mobile app
• Business tie-ups and contracts with other associated businesses and companies are possible -this assures additional revenues through referral programs
• Ratings and reviews of users and hotels make your online hotel booking app more reliable as such a system would help choose your customers the best place in the area
• You can apply several online hotel booking revenue models as per your business strategies to have multiple sources of steady incomes

So now that you are thorough with the online hotel booking software system and its benefits, it is the types of hotel booking mobile apps that would give you a better insight into the business.

What are the types of hotel booking apps?

Broadly, online hotel booking apps are categorized into three types. Here is a quick look at both types –

• Marketplace hotel app: The marketplace is an online platform that brings all the hoteliers in one place and allows them to list their properties with details such as locations, prices, and amenities. The admin can have control over such profiles.
• Hotel chain application: As the term suggests, the hotel chain app includes all the properties under one company. The hotel booking app for chains of hotels allows users to select properties at a particular location and offer room reservations at various price bases.
• Last-minute hotel booking app: This type of hotel app could be included as a feature of the super app for any hotel booking. Nevertheless, you may also build a last-minute hotel booking app as a niche.

What are the business models for hotel booking?

In the era of super apps, all software applications have extended features beyond a particular industry or niche. Online hotel booking apps, too, have many revenue models and types; alternatively, everything can be included in one super app or you can call a master hotel booking app. Nevertheless, if we are to tell the basic business model types of hotel booking apps, then there are three.

Hotel reservation app

In this type of revenue model, the online hotel reservation app development should include adding features for booking and canceling hotels through software apps. It is a general mobile application that benefits everyone i.e., tourists, hoteliers, admins, or app owners. It is aimed to target general users and generate decent revenues.

The revenue from hotel retail apps

The new-age online hotel booking app development could include features of a larger scale to cater to the needs of the present market demand. Almost all industries have revenue models as additional perks to attract or allure consumers and customers. The travel mobile application can smartly rely on coupons, discounts, and various offers as its business model. The mobile app for hotel retail booking includes irresistible offers that users cannot simply overlook. Such apps only work as mediators and assure businesses to hotels and hence earn decent without getting much into hotel management.

Hotel consolidator or aggregator

Hotel consolidator or aggregator revenue model is built on the largest scale, the enterprise-level app. Large-sized businesses or corporate houses book hotel rooms and cottages in bulk and they reserve them for a specific purpose such as providing these rooms as guest houses to their elite clients visiting from other cities or countries.

Alternatively, multinational companies, too, have such bookings for their employees in case they are outlanders and are likely to take some time (buffer period) to find their own accommodation. Large corporate groups have permanent hotel bookings year-round irrespective of the visits or no visits by their clients.

What are the essential features of the hotel booking mobile app?

Features are the foundations of any software application. The most important functions of a hotel booking app would help your business succeed to achieve its goal and vision. There is no upper limit to the number of features that you can wish to have in your hotel booking app but staying rooted by having a list of must-have features in the app will make it easier for you to be realistic and make the best decisions. While it is up to you to include as many features as possible during online hotel booking app development, here is a list of some basic ones you should not miss.

Hotel booking

Basic as it sounds, the hotel booking app should have the feature of hotel booking! It allows users to search the hotels and also rooms instantly through details (such as location, photos, check-in and check-out time, whether pets are allowed, or any such information)

Search/filter

Users are quite specific about their choices and they do not want to waste time looking for features that they do not intend to. Search bars and filters for online hotel booking applications would work as a sure-shot strategy to provide users (here tourists or visitors with more specific choices!) with exactly what they want. For instance, filtering for the price range and start ratings would delist many hotels and show users the places of their choice saving a lot of time browsing through hundreds of results otherwise.

Payment gateway

Offering a secure payment gateway is one of the most essential mobile app features for any business. You should mind it further that your hotel booking app payment should allow multiple APIs or third-party integrations such as PayPal, credit or debit card, net banking, or even e-wallets because today all such payments are used by almost all users.

Advanced features for hotel booking application

To make your online hotel booking mobile app more prestigious and unique, you may think of adding some advanced features that would help you put your software platform at the top of the list in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.

Virtual tours

With the help of Augmented Reality, you can add virtual tours of hotels, rooms, and even premises to give a fairer idea to users. The visitors or tourists are quite concerned about their stay away from home because they are mostly there for their leisure time. Showing 360-degree video tours and photographs would make your product stand out from the other online hotel booking apps in the market.

Restaurant and table reservation

The fine dining experience is one of the reasons for staying at a good place for many tourists and visitors. While your product may offer an online hotel booking facility, you can go a step forward to offering restaurant and table reservations to show exclusivity to your guests. That way, they would get the table without any waiting even on busy days such as weekends.

Chatbots and AI assistance

The latest features of online hotel booking apps may include providing ultimate support to users through chatbots and artificial intelligent assistants. Not only do such components help plan their trips, but also literally interact and solve their other problems related to hotel booking, sightseeing, and other transportation concerns. Virtual assistance can be made available 24/7 and hence you can cover almost all time zones around the globe; in other words, you do not miss even a single client/customer from any corner of the world.

Additional values

Super apps rule today’s market, and you can make your hotel booking app a super hotel booking app by adding value through various third-party app integrations and company tie-ups. For instance, you can have a deal with sightseeing tour operators and include their software into your product to offer a seamless experience to your users. Furthermore, you can also include a few more advanced features to make your app a holistic place to find everything for visitors –

• car rentals
• GPS-enabled services such as Google Maps navigation
• flight bookings
• local merchandise purchases
• local events and entertainment place ticket booking
• laundry services
• vacation rentals
• short-stay or long-stay options and price benefits
• last-minute hotel room booking at additional costs
• homestay or room-sharing options
• local food ordering apps such as Doordash, Grubhub

Such advanced options can add value, not to your apps, but also to the travel and tourism business.

A brief case studies

MakeMyTrip

It sets the epitome of a hybrid hotel booking app with its simplicity. A flexible filter system and detailed description of hotels are the two pillars that make the app successful in the hotel booking market. This application has significantly changed itself to a super app where lots of services are offered to users.

Booking.com

On the other hand, Booking.com focuses more on providing additional value to hotel booking. For instance, it provides all facilities including flight booking and other tour/travel associated services. Furthermore, within the app, the tourist can find sightseeing places along with transportation for the same.

Airbnb

Probably the most famous app for hotel booking, Airbnb includes all sorts of dwellings for vacation rentals a business trips to places for leisure activities. A perfect win-win situation for house/hotel owners and visitors makes this app the best like no other.

What are the techno-business steps for hotel booking app development?

How to develop a hotel booking app? Now, before you jump into the bandwagon of the tours, travel, and hospitality industry, it is important that you have your homework done. Well begun is half done -this age-old adage goes true even for on-demand hotel booking app development. Here are the step-by-step processes for you to have a fair approach for both technology and business to make your app successful.

Hotel booking market analysis

Whether you hire a firm or work yourself – market research about hotel booking apps and the current demand and industry requirements is a prerequisite for your digital product. You may take the help of online research such as Statista and other online hotel industry statistics portals to know more about the niche.

Finalize the market, targeted customers, and end users

Depending on what type of mobile app for hotel booking you are making, you can segregate the marketplaces, targeted customers, or end users for your product. For instance, if you want to focus on tourist places, then the segmentation and strategies are completely different as compared to hotel booking for business trips.

Define MVP and your business objectives

To save money and time required for online hotel booking app development, the minimal viable product concept is the approach. Defining the primary features and goals for your digital product would be minimal to start with.

Special focus on UI/UX

Millions of dollars are spent by companies on UI/UX research. Especially hotel booking applications should have an appealing user interface yet easy navigation to provide the best user experience to visitors.

Choose the best hotel booking app development company

Whether you take the help of an online software development company directory or search yourself, getting renowned hotel booking app development companies for hotel booking makes utter sense in terms of long-term business deals and relations. You can hire dedicated app developers through different hiring models such as fixed, time & materials, and dedicated to getting optimum benefits while outsourcing hotel booking mobile app development.

Select the technology stack

Through market research and jotting down your business objectives, you are already on the verge of deciding on the technologies you require to build a hotel booking online app. You can always refer mobile app technology stack guide to learn more about it. Ranging from various cloud storage platforms such as AWS and Azure to mobile app platforms (iOS, Android, or cross-platform), and other backend and frontend software tools are to be decided before the project is kick started.

Questions to help you select the right App Development Company

Fixing the cost

Depending on your project’s complexity and budget, the cost to develop a hotel booking app varies, and therefore, you need to select the best mobile app development company that is affordable yet provides a quality product. Choose the best hiring model to get the value for each penny spent.

Project development

When the project kick starts, make sure that you get regular updates and that the milestones are released as per the timeline. Many offshore software development companies provide a software tool to their buyers where the latter can check the progress of their project and track the milestones live.

Deployment and maintenance

The entire project development cycle relies on a foolproof deployment on the app market or a particular system network and its maintenance to assure that the product is up and running smoothly. For this, the front-end and back-end processes are expected to work flawlessly. Proper deployment and maintenance (after-sales support) of the hotel online booking app would promise that the app finds its permanent place on users’ mobile phones.

How much does it cost to develop an online hotel booking app?

The number and complexity of applications’ functions and features remain the core of total app cost. Also, the development company’s region plays a crucial role to define your budget. Nevertheless, the cost of hotel app development starts at USD 10000 and can go up to USD 100000.

Entrepreneurs’ guide to mobile app development cost

Final few words

So, are you ready to take up the challenge to build an online hotel booking app? Do you want to establish a groundbreaking online hotel booking startup such as Airbnb or Hotels.com? Look no further and start searching for the best service provider. If you need any help with find the best service provider to develop your hotel booking app, send your project requirements and we can help you find and hire the best developers based on your business requirements.

TopDevelopers.co
  |  Dec 7, 2022

TopDevelopers.co is a platform which brings to you a listing of all the competent web &mobile app development companies across the world focusing on the combination of traditional IT research offerings and the latest methods that have come up to provide more competent results.