Traveling can be one of the more rewarding experiences life has to offer. The process of seeing different places and experience new things can certainly be rewarding and inspiring. While some people find themselves traveling for work and others get to hit the road for pure enjoyment, one common factor unites every type of traveler—the need to find affordable accommodations. The search for cheap hotel deals is a task that sometimes feels like it has no end in sight, but finding a great rate at a quality hotel has really never been easier thanks to mobile apps, social media, online travel agencies, and travel search engines.
Mobile Apps
The arrival of the smartphone has ushered in a new era of deal seeking, and the hotel industry has seen a fair amount of mobile apps dedicated to saving travelers money spring up. According to the U.S. News, in 2012 18-percent of leisure travelers used social media or a mobile device to book a hotel stay, and that trend is likely to increase as the technology grows. Specialized deal seeking apps that cater to finding a cheap room for the current night and even name-your-price apps are growing in popularity. Since these applications allow users to snag a great deal on a four or five star hotel, they are becoming extremely popular with users across the country.
Social Media
Social media platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and more, are starting to penetrate the hotel world because of their usefulness in locating customers. By simply searching a category or hashtag, travelers can uncover some great deals on boutique hotels or large chains. Hotels use social marketing to get exposure, because getting people into the rooms to produce revenue is the name of the game. Therefore, following different hotels, chains, and travel pages on social sites can reveal a few deals that are not available to the general public.
Online Travel Agencies
Online travel agencies, or OTAs, are not new to the world of travel. Sites like Expedia, Orbitz, and more offer travelers of every segment the ability to plan an entire trip at a low package rate. We talked with TripBase about this subject who added, “While bundling airfare, hotel stays, and rental cars might not be something that appeals to everyone taking a trip, booking just a hotel can often result in substantial savings. In short, checking into a destination returns of number of detailed hotel results, which helps travelers evaluate the amenities to decide which facility offers the best features and price.”
Travel Search Engines
Travel search engines can be extremely handy for anyone taking a vacation, business trip, or just a weekend jaunt. According to the Los Angeles Times, these valuable websites or apps scour a specific region to find the best discounts available. Sites like Kayak, Yelp, and more even offer reviews to help users make informed decisions about which property might be the best for them. Plus, favorite searches can be saved, which means anyone planning a trip can be alerted when a price is available inside their target range.
In the end, making reservations directly with a hotel has fallen by the wayside as savvy travelers are exploiting the number of discounts available from travel search engines, online travel agencies, social media, and mobile apps. Hotels have realized that technology has made saving money on lodging costs a simple task and have begun to embrace the trends. Using the various tools available to score the cheapest deal on any type of stay requires a bit of research and some homework, but travelers that do are rewarded with a great hotel at an even better price.
