Five Smart Strategies to Future-Proof Your Hotel Against Shrinking Booking Windows | By Nicola Graham

The world economy continues to serve up dishes we would all prefer to send back. Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano told Skift recently that booking windows are now typically “sub-three weeks,” meaning under 21 days. This reflects the ongoing popularity of last-minute bookings and may indicate an even tighter window than that experienced during the post-pandemic period.

Forty percent of hotel reservations are now made within 30 days of arrival, underscoring a significant shift in traveler behavior towards shorter booking lead times. Spontaneity, mobile-first decisions, and digital expectations are fueling this trend. This shift requires hoteliers to adapt by implementing real-time inventory management and dynamic pricing strategies (among other things) to effectively capture last-minute demand and maximize revenue.

What steps should you and your team take to adapt and reduce the risk of lost revenue?

Here are five strategies to ensure your property achieves profitability, regardless of the challenges you face.

1. Reach more travelers with smarter digital advertising

What to do: Use paid search, metasearch, and Google Performance Max for Travel Goals (PMTG) to capture demand in real time, especially from last-minute bookers or travelers searching on mobile.

Example: A boutique hotel in Paris used Google PMTG to push targeted ads to users searching for “last-minute weekend stay Paris” and achieved a 34x return on ad spend (ROAS) in under 30 days.

Pro tip: Set up dynamic remarketing to retarget users who visited your site but didn’t book—especially useful for shoulder seasons.

2. Make sure your website is built to convert

What to do: Optimize your site for mobile, reduce load times, and add booking triggers like “Only 1 room left!” or “Free cancellation before arrival.”

Example: Relais Christine redesigned their site with Cendyn’s creative web services. By combining speed, personalized banners, and real-time pricing, they reduced OTA bookings by 63% in favor of direct reservations.

Pro tip: Run A/B tests on call-to-action buttons (e.g., “Book Now” vs. “Check Availability”) to see what drives more clicks and conversions.

3. Simplify channel management and inventory control

What to do: Use a centralized reservation system (CRS) to sync availability, pricing, and policies across all distribution channels in real time.

Example: A city-center hotel struggling with overbookings during event periods switched to a unified CRS and eliminated inventory mismatches, leading to a 15% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) during high-demand weeks.

Pro tip: Connect your CRS to your CRM to offer loyal guests first access to discounted rates or early check-ins.

4. Use data to drive smarter pricing decisions

What to do: Take ownership of your rate strategy by analyzing booking windows, search trends, and competitor pricing. Adjust pricing dynamically to capture high-value bookings.

Example: A resort noticed that mid-week bookings were rising for families booking 2+ rooms. They created a “weekday escape package” with bundled perks and increased mid-week occupancy by 22% over the previous quarter.

Pro tip: Use CRM and CDP data to segment offers (e.g., business travelers vs. families) and push custom rates via email or metasearch.

5. Think holistically about profit, not just occupancy

What to do: Focus not just on filling rooms but on attracting the right guest mix, those who spend more on F&B, spa, or return visits.

Example: A mountain lodge added upsell offers post-booking, like gear rentals and private guides, which generated 20% more ancillary revenue per booking.

Pro tip: Get highly segmented with your targeted campaigns; focus on audiences with a higher propensity to spend. Pair this with automated post-booking emails that promote upgrades or pre-arrival services. Together, these tactics help drive stronger profitability and better guest value.

Cendyn has spent more than 30 years developing solutions to assist our hospitality partners in creating successful programs. Our expert teams are committed to equipping hoteliers with forward-looking solutions to navigate the ever-evolving travel landscape. To discover more about how your hotel staff can foster relationships, enhance loyalty, and boost profitability, reach out to us today.