Fuel Interactive (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) Reports Higher Than Expected Use of Its Exclusive Guestdesk Mobile Booking Application
Hundreds of Consumers Now Using Mobile Phones to Book Hotel Rooms in Myrtle Beach
Breakers Resort debuted the mobile booking feature in mid-January on its mobile website and reported a 500 percent increase in sales via the new portal by February 1. Since then, Brittain Resort Management has reported more than $100,000 in new bookings from consumers using the mobile booking software. Additionally, while consumers are booking the day of a visit, or within 10 days of a stay, the majority of bookings are for long-range visits booked weeks in advance.
“The Guestdesk mobile booking feature is another way we are making the booking process for hotels and golf in Myrtle Beach convenient and guest-friendly,” said Stuart Butler, chief operating officer at Fuel Interactive. “Our research shows that more and more people are depending on their handheld devices for all streams of information. Our clients realize that mobile booking is an effective way to increase sales and affect their bottom line.”
Nearly 20 Myrtle Beach area properties have launched the new Guestdesk mobile booking capabilities by the end of February including: Caribbean Resort; Long Bay Resort; Ocean Reef Resort; Bay View Resort; Compass Cove; Island Vista; Dunes Village; North Beach Rentals; Litchfield Beach; Myrtlewood Villas; Pawleys Plantation; Atlantica Resort; Driftwood Lodge; Paradise Resort; Monterey Bay Suites; and Palmetto Shores.
When a consumer uses their mobile phone to book a room at a participating Myrtle Beach hotel, the Guestdesk booking engine automatically recognizes the request and redirects them to a mobile version of the property website. For example, the Breakers Resort mobile booking system can be found at Breakers.com/mobile. Or, visiting Breakers.comon any mobile phone will automatically redirect the customer to the hotel’s mobile booking system.
The booking engine is branded to match the look and feel of a property’s website, so the consumer will feel confident to book with the selected property. The Guestdesk mobile technology allows for booking in real time via a secure server.
The mobile booking feature provides the same information found on a website with access to current rates, promotions, restrictions, photos, interactive mapping with directions and additional services.
For hotel operators, the technology gathers information on consumer habits such as whether someone booked via a search engine, a CVB website, or by another online portal. It can also identify where online problems may exist related to potential customers abandoning a website prior to booking and allow properties to better understand customer habits, most popular specials and download conversion statistics.
For more information on Fuel Interactive, visit www.FuelInteractive.com, or www.Facebook.com/FuelInteractive.
About Fuel Interactive
Fuel Interactive is an Internet marketing company that empowers destinations, hotels, resorts and golf courses to drive measurable results through various online channels. Fuel is well-known for its commitment to driving quantifiable online revenue through interactive marketing programs that include: search engine optimization; paid search; social media; Web site design; analytics; customer relationship management (CRM) solutions via email and short messaging service (SMS); and online reservation services through its proprietary Guestdesk solution.
Through a varied portfolio of dynamic, one-of-a-kind services, Fuel provides numerous hotels, resorts and golf courses throughout the U.S. and Caribbean with a focused plan on generating healthy revenue and quantifiable booking results. A proven innovator, Fuel strives daily to develop the latest technology and software applications in the travel and golf marketplaces.
Fuel’s highly effective online tools and services include: the Guestdesk reservation system, which is a custom, proprietary software solution for the travel industry; the T-links golf booking interface, the preeminent customer facing golf package Internet booking engine in the world; search engine optimization (SEO); performance-based marketing; comprehensive turn-key or self-serve email marketing; data mining; Web site design, development and maintenance; cutting-edge metrics reporting and performance analysis; CRM; targeted online media campaigns; and online media planning.
Fuel Interactive has offices located at 1705 Oak Street Plaza, Suite 6, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and in Charleston, S.C. at 51 Broad Street. For more information, visit www.FuelInteractive.com, or www.Facebook.com/FuelInteractive, or call (843) 839-1456.
