THE CHALLENGE
Backpacker hostels in New Zealand are regarded as the best in the world. Last year Youth Hostel travellers seeking an affordably priced, friendly and 'green' experience booked around 600,000 bed nights. Yet huge competition for the accommodation dollar is a significant challenge affecting the entire backpacker accommodation sector. YHA New Zealand has put in place a Strategic Plan - "Creating the Future" - to place emphasis on knowing and growing their market. A revitalized and totally redeveloped website is one of the key drivers in increasing marketing and membership opportunities to establish a 'point of difference' for YHA.
Having launched Guest-Centrix, a customised electronic hostel reservation system in 2004, YHA wanted this 'one stop shop' booking system to be extended into an online real-time reservation service via the web.
In other words, using the web to book a bed ahead.
A Before and After View
"Our existing web site was extremely static, new content took time to post and we had little flexibility to include third party interaction from tourism providers. We wanted to add more value in terms of what we could offer YHA members to enhance their NZ experience, starting with the knowledge that they could obtain a bed in their Youth Hostel of choice instantly." Svetlana Ilyukhina, Website Co-ordinator, YHA New Zealand.
With over 100 booking requests a night, there was a clear need for a real-time bookings process that could take place instantly over a coffee in an internet café, before heading for a jet boat ride.
The new website will enable YHA to have beds available for booking throughout their network, taking pressure off their Customer Services Centre. At the same time, members will view more exciting content, special offers, travel packages and have access to YHA travel shop merchandise.
"Clearer, more exciting and more consistent content management is a big outcome for us. It is flexible and easy to maintain. The website can be utilised by Marketing and Customer Services, with a consistent authoring process in place. We can post pre-written content for publishing on future dates, and use the site as a stronger marketing tool to attract membership." Svetlana Ilyukhina.
Addressing falling membership is a key concern of YHA's "Creating the Future" strategy. The website offers on-line membership joining, renewal, member detail updating, and a further YHA initiative is to introduce an itinerary booking service in the future.
THE BUSINESS DIFFERENCE
"This is not only a content management site, it has got a lot of smarts to it. We've turned a static site into a richer experience, more in tune with the 'instant' got to go, got to do it needs of today's travellers. A lot of good features such as structured editing and authoring, template centered content management, a simple wizard based hostel booking process, real time payment processing, and automated emails will give YHA all the control they need." Tim Mole, Intergen.
www.yha.co.nz