Online reservations might have lead to massive headaches in the past, but with today’s technology tools, nothing should be holding you back. If you are on the fence about accepting online reservations, give us a chance to address both the pros and cons of why your RV park or campground needs an online reservation system.
Cons:
No-shows or cancellations at the last minute could lead to a loss of revenue. To help prevent this, most online booking engines like Bonfire, allow you to accept non-refundable deposits and set limits for cancellations.
You don’t know your guest. If you are one of the many campgrounds with restrictions (like age, affiliation, RV make & model, etc.), you can actually place these rules easily within any online booking platform.
Tip: For first-time guests, make check-in or check-out during business hours so you can confirm their identity in person.
You need reliable internet. This is not something that is flexible. Online reservations will not work well for your business if you do not have reliable internet.
Pros:
There were over 1 trillion travel bookings made online in 2018 in the United States for hotels and Airbnb. Why wouldn’t your reservations would go up if your RV Park or campground had an online booking system?
30% of millennials worry that costs will rise if they wait too long to book their trips. Yet, 19% of consumers as a whole book their travel a week or less before their departure. This tells us that you can offer the same rate to those who book last minute. Ever get that itch that tells you to discount your price last minute to entice a guest to stay with you? Don’t fall for it. Hold strong to your pricing and get an online reservation software.
78% of people plan in advance for traveling during big days such as Labor Day, Memorial Day and July The 4th. If you have a great website featuring amenities such as free wifi, fireworks, and rentals, online reservations make this an easy decision for a holiday weekend stay.
Most platforms, like Bonfire, not only allow you to accept online reservations and payments but also allow you to manage all reservations within one portal. The software automates the whole process. This will save you time and cut down on paperwork.
RV park and campground reservation systems are a must for this day in age. Luckily, sites like Bonfire make it easy. People are used to having everything at their fingertips. With online booking software like Bonfire, your guests will have all the information they need to make an intelligent decision about their camping accommodations.
