Are you thinking about developing and launching the next viral travel app like booking.com? Are you unsure about how to create reservation software that looks appealing with numerous functions loaded inside?

Then you are in the right place. This article will explain precisely the requirements needed to make that catch hotel booking site like Booking.com. This information will help you kick start your travel booking app development journey.

Nowadays, most travellers and hotels rely on online travel agents or businesses to get their reservations. Additionally, hotel owners want to increase online bookings and traffic from Online Travel Agencies to hotel booking websites.

Statista, a leading market and consumer data site, estimates the worldwide market volume for online hotel bookings will exceed 174 million USD in 2022. This exceptional growth makes it the perfect time to develop an app and make a name in the industry.

Overview of a hotel booking system

Booking.com is a typical site that uses a hotel booking system. It is a convenient tool for travellers to research, find and book their vacations. In addition to bookings, the user can go through travel websites to find hotels, guided tours, car rentals, attractions, flights, etc.

The online booking engine makes it easy for a traveller or a first-time customer to make a reservation and organize their vacation in a single sitting. Thus, the hotel booking system streamlines the process for the user and generates revenue for the vendor. These apps help increase exposure and will help generate more bookings in the long run.

One helpful feature of a hotel booking app is it will display hotel rates and availability in real-time. This feature significantly helps users select their dates and finalize their bookings. Other essential features include real-time data travel spend, enforce business policy and track journeys through GPS.

Travellers use different hotel booking apps throughout their journey. However, a booking app is where just the start of a user’s journey as pre-trip activities include searching for flights and accommodation for a stay.

These apps will provide plenty of choices to guide you in the right way.

The importance of a hotel booking script

A site like Booking.com can help a hotel owner control all services and available slots booked by the guests. More and more travellers primarily rely on online reservations to book their stay. This facility is essential to a hotel, and without it, the hotel stands to lose a significant amount of business. Approximately sixty-nine per cent of travellers read hotel reviews on tourism sites before planning their holiday.

In addition to getting business, these apps provide other benefits worth considering.

Competitive Edge– Most small hotels do not have a hotel booking system in place. A hotel owner with an online reservation app can take advantage of this gap and use it to increase their brand recognition. The app can help the hotel owner get a competitive edge.

Improve a business’ efficiency– The hotel booking app eliminates the risk of overbooking a room. A traveller can use the app to book a room, and the app will notify the hotel about the booking, thus improving efficiency.

A new marketing approach– These apps come with maps and timetables to improve visibility to the users. A hotel booking script also provides a dynamic and modern region to meet the travellers’ needs.

Revenue increase– Travel booking apps enable the hotel owner or business to create a new sales channel. This channel is where they can create promotional offers, attract more customers and ultimately increase their profit.

The reasons mentioned above are clear to any hotel owner that they should get a hotel booking app. The question is, how do prospective businesses set up an online booking system that helps their business scale up in the future?

The essential features to developing this app boil down to three steps:

• Research and evaluation
• Selection
• Booking/ paying/ cancelling

Must-have features for your travel app like booking.com

Registration and login

Every guest should register on the app before making a reservation. Every hotel booking app must have a simple registration process for users and have a login feature afterwards. Additionally, a social media login feature can help smooth the process.

Search box

A hotel booking app provides an extensive list of flights, hotels, and other accommodations to the user. The user will view this large inventory and consider four parameters first before proceeding.

• The destination they are going to
• The vacation date and time
• Number of people involved in the holiday
• Number of rooms to book for the group

Some users will search for hotels within their locality. In this case, having a ‘find hotels near me’ button combined with GPS navigation can make the search process smooth and efficient. Keep in mind that a mobile-friendly online booking app will entice the user to keep coming back.

Results

The user inputs their requirements in the search box, and the required results appear. There are a few add-ons to the result section that is also important to have. For example, filters can help narrow down the search for the user and reduce their time. The best filters in a hotel booking app are price range, user rating, and kind of room.

Additionally, you can include a sorting option for the user to view the cheapest options first. The user can also use the sorting option to get the hotels with the highest ratings.

View booking

The user selects their desired room and can take a closer look at it. The result provides a nice hotel with affordable prices. Now the guest can learn more about the room before making their booking.

In this section, there are a few points the user expects to see

•       An overview of the hotel, providing the basic information like address, check-in time and check-out time
•       Photo gallery packed with various high-quality pictures
•       Other amenities the room offers like a snack bar, AC, Wi-Fi
•       Ratings from users who previously stayed in that room
•       A map with the hotel’s location and the buildings surrounding it
•       Other options if the current room does not suit the needs and requirements
•       A way to share the booking with friends on social media platforms

Booking the room

Finally, you should provide the customer with a fast and secure payment gateway. Following the payment, the customer should get printable booking information, including payment details, total sum and pay by the day.

Final thoughts

Today, giving customers convenient and efficient hotel booking software is the best way to gain revenue and increase a hotel’s reputation. In today’s world, a simple reservation system is essential for a consumer or traveller. A hotel booking engine can help customers find what they want at the best price.

If you are thinking about investing in a travel app like Booking.com, you are in the right place. Our company specializes in creating customizable and scalable apps to suit your needs and requirements. Contact us today and start developing your app right away.