Holiday Park Apps
Although superior guest service will always involve attentive face-to-face interactions, holiday park apps present a new way to engage with guests. Holiday parks that implement a mobile-first digital approach can truly excel at providing instant access to information and self- service options that guests now crave.
Many parks are now opting for app-based technology, which guests can easily download to their mobile phone, to help them increase their brand awareness, market to their customers and define the guest experience.
Meeting park guests’ digital demands
Guest expectations and demands have undergone radical changes over the last few years. Covid-19 was a key driver in the push towards more contactless connections in our daily lives and that trend continued as we came out of lockdown.
Holiday park customers today expect personalisation – on-tap wi-fi, speedy check-in and more. It’s not just a matter of meeting expectations. Parks now need to exceed those expectations. The bar has been raised thanks to technology, sharing experiences on social media and familiarity with streamlined services throughout all areas of an individual’s life.
Communication between staff and customers has also never been so important and should be a key part in a holiday park’s strategy to improve guest satisfaction.
The hospitality sector is always looking at new ways to deliver the best guest experience. Parks can engage with guests digitally in different ways, such as through well-designed responsive websites, email marketing or on-park signage.
However, there is now an opportunity for holiday parks to engage with guests throughout the whole customer journey using one device.
More parks are seeing the advantages of having a digital app in comparison to a website. A park can establish a direct connection with guests by literally having their brand in their guest’s pocket.
Holiday park apps give guests 24/7 access
Mobile apps have become an integral part of daily life and fundamentally transformed the way people travel.
Today’s travellers expect immediate access to information and staff to quickly respond to requests on a 24/7 basis. A holiday park guest app can provide personalised, real-time content, increase customer satisfaction and build a stronger bond, as well as cultivate loyal customers.
The growing millennial population and youngsters also seemingly want to avoid unnecessary personal interaction with businesses unless absolutely necessary. They want to make service requests using digital mediums to avoid miscommunication and misunderstanding.
The app simplifies the travel planning process, allows for the most frictionless experience before and during your stay and gets smarter the more you interact with it.
Sarah Searls
Senior Vice-President Digital, Marriott International
Benefits for holiday park owners
When holiday park guest spending is at a premium and staff shortages in the hospitality sector are at an all-time high, it is time to look at new ways of working.
Rolling out a holiday park app not only enables parks to provide a personalised guest experience, it gives the opportunity to:
- achieve greater brand visibility on a guest’s phone as the app becomes the key tool for their stay
- earn more from every booking by upselling services or promoting products or services from local partners
- create new revenue streams by promoting special offers, caravan sales and late-season deals with push notifications
- save staff time and reduce costs by providing all the key information and messaging that a guest needs via a branded app unique to the park
- provide an extension of the reception and concierge staff, booking staff and housekeeping, as well as food and beverage teams
- deliver a consistent, on-brand response and engage with guests exactly how and when they want to be served.
Implementing an app for a holiday park
There are several things to consider when thinking of an app for a holiday park, such as should the park:
- build their own or use an existing app solution?
- develop a native app or go for a web app?
- build for both Android and iOS?
It helps to think of an app in a similar way to a park booking system – parks can build their own or buy into a software solution from one of the main providers.
The cost of creating an app will depend on multiple factors – the type of app being built, the features being implemented and the development method will have the most significant impact on the price.
A bespoke app could cost upwards of £15K-£20K and the cost will rise significantly as features continue to be added along with functionality and complexity. Therefore, it is often more cost-effective to buy into an app solution that already exists.
Members also need to think about whether they implement a native app or a simpler web app.
The final question to think about is whether to build for Android or for iOS? The quick answer is that it is better to build for both platforms. Creating an app for one and not the other risks neglecting a significant group of guests, so its best to cover all customer types.
Want to find out more?
Request your demo
Complete the form and one of our team will be in contact to discuss your requirements and arrange a demo.
"*" indicates required fields