One of the most difficult things while traveling to a new location is locating a hotel. This might involve a significant investment of time and effort. In recent years, hotel booking apps have been specifically designed to make this process easier and more effective. These apps are accessible for both mobile and desktop platforms.
As per the report of Dataintelo, the global online hotel booking market was valued at USD 15.2 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 23.4 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2021 to 2028.
The Asia Pacific region is predicted to lead the worldwide online hotel booking industry in terms of revenue, with a CAGR of 7.8% from 2021 to 2028.
The above market scenario shows that there would be a lot of traffic on online hotel booking applications. Therefore, if you want to create a hotel booking app similar to those offered by Hotels.com, HotelTonight, Booking.com, OYO, Marriott Bonvoy, Airbnb, Priceline, or others, you are on the right path to making a sizable profit.
However, users now have a wide range of alternatives due to increased market competition. As a result, you must be familiar with hotel booking app development.
This will not only save money but will also inform you about the development process and what features your hotel booking application must have.
So, let’s begin the journey!
What are Hotel Booking Apps?
Hotel booking apps are useful tools that allow users to conveniently find, compare, and book lodgings for their travel requirements.
These applications include an easy-to-use interface that will enable passengers to search for hotels based on criteria such as location, price, facilities, and guest ratings.
With real-time availability and secure payment choices, these applications simplify the reservation process, guaranteeing a hassle-free experience for people looking for affordable housing during their vacations.
How Do Hotel Booking Apps Work?
Hotel booking applications allow consumers to search for hotels based on room details and images.
A hotel booking app may provide customers with payment choices such as credit card, debit card, in-app payment, internet banking, and even payment at check-in.
Types of Hotel Booking Apps
Before diving into the development process, you should be aware of your needs since there are different kinds of hotel booking applications to pick from. These are:
Hotel Chain Applications
These apps are designed exclusively for a single hotel or a chain of hotels. So, a user can only reserve a room inside that chain.
These categories include Hilton Honors, AccorHotels, Marriott Bonvoy, etc.
Hotel Aggregators
These applications aim to gather hotel data and make it available to people globally. TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Hotels.com, and others fall under this category.
Online Travel Apps
These applications provide online services with an emphasis on different booking options. Whether it’s hotels, rental vehicles, plane tickets, etc., these apps provide everything under one roof.
Trip.com, Hopper, KAYAK, etc., are well-known examples that fall under this category.
The Advantages of Building a Hotel Booking App
The best apps for hotel booking provide several advantages to both the client and the company.
For example, if you book using their booking app, some hotels offer early check-in and late check-out options, providing more flexibility.
Given below are some of the benefits of hotel booking apps:
Many people prefer booking hotel rooms through mobile apps because it is more convenient and comfortable. Apps with high ratings can also attract more guests to your hotel.
Booking a room through an app is much faster, which is advantageous for those who are in a hurry and need to get somewhere quickly.
Another great benefit of using a hotel booking app is the ability to make payments within the app, eliminating the need to use cash or cheque during check-out.
Hotel booking apps can also help build your brand and create customer loyalty by providing them with more information about your amenities and directions. By ensuring that your guests have the best possible experience, they are more likely to book through your hotel again in the future.
Benefits for Hoteliers
1. The hotel management has prior knowledge of the prices of all your inventory. This enables them to be aware of the profitability before incurring additional expenses.
2. With the availability of an online booking system, potential customers can easily book a property, avoiding any frustrating in-person encounters.
3. By reaching out to new guests, hotels can maintain a consistent brand awareness, even if the guests are not actively searching for a hotel.
4. Also, hotels can earn more rewards with loyalty points with every booking.
Benefits for Customers
1. People may search for hotels depending on their budget range, and acceptable selections will appear at the top of the page. It helps individuals discover a comfortable home without spending hours looking through listings as in the past.
2. The costs for hotels given by popular applications may be examined in advance, allowing you to book a hotel and choose whether it is within your budget.
3. Hotel operators may now display their products in more popular areas without incurring additional charges due to parking fees and other incidental expenses.
4. Hoteliers may now reach out to prospective new visitors who may not utilize existing booking apps or websites.
5. You get additional loyalty since using an app allows clients to accrue points (in addition to cash) with each booking.
Hotel Booking App Development: A step-by-step Process
Before you begin a hotel booking app development project, you need to understand every aspect to determine whether your firm is willing to take on this challenge.
Here are some of the steps involved in creating a hotel booking app:
Conduct a Market Analysis
Before diving into hotel booking app development, you must conduct a thorough market analysis.
This will provide you with an understanding of current market trends, what your target audience expects from your app, and what your rivals are up to.
Hire a Well-Known Hotel Booking App Development Company
After you have finished your study, you should search for skilled hotel booking app developers. It is preferable to contact a hotel booking app development company.
The organization will not only provide you with a competitive app but will also recommend adjustments that will help your app perform better.
Design and Wireframe
After the project has been thoroughly discussed, the agency will create a wireframe. Following the wireframe, designers will create mockups of your hotel booking platform.
They will use previous-stage wireframes, project specifications, and sophisticated UI/UX Design approaches to produce a high-tech prototype that meets your company’s needs.
App Development
This stage involves converting eye-catching mockups into functional hotel booking software. The developers will utilize their coding talents to create an app that is fast and provides a rich user experience.
Quality Assurance and Testing
No matter how knowledgeable a person is, there is always the risk of mistakes. This is where QA engineers step in.
They will run several tests to ensure the software is bug-free and meets international quality standards. They will authorize the program for final release when the testing is done.
Launching the Application
Once your hotel booking application has been polished, it will be launched in the target market for first feedback.
A dedicated staff will handle comments and make any required modifications to the app based on client input.
Maintenance and Post-Launch Support
The development process does not finish with the final launch. The hotel booking application requires constant upgrades and maintenance to overcome the competition and stay on top.
The Estimated Hotel Booking App Development Cost
Although creating a hotel app is a fantastic business concept, there are some upfront expenses.
A hotel booking application can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $500,000, or even more, depending on its complexity and quantity of features.
However, the cost of developing a hotel app is determined by various factors, including:
- The hotel booking app’s features and functionality
- The size of the hotel or hotel chain
- The location where the app will be utilized.
- The mobile technology that will be used to show information.
- Whether the program is web-based or natively installed.
To Sum Up
Due to the prevalence of mobile devices, hospitality businesses have ample opportunities to engage with and assist customers throughout their journey. You can expand your business and attract new clients by incorporating hotel booking applications. A professional app development company can assist you in achieving this goal.
Way Forward
If you’ve been searching for top-quality mobile app development services, look no further than Vrinsoft Technology Pvt. Ltd.
We collaborate with global brands to develop exceptional mobile apps that provide seamless user experiences across various platforms and devices.
Contact us to know more about our services.