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Journey Hospitality Adds New Payment Functionality to Its Hotel Ecommerce Platform to Increase Online Bookings and Overall Revenue

Submitted announcement.

UK hotel technology company Journey Hospitality , a hotel technology business revolutionizing ecommerce for the hospitality industry, has added Apple Pay and Google Pay to onejourney® hotel ecommerce platform to better facilitate the online booking and payment experience for hotel guests.

In response to the data gathered in its first year of operations, the onejourney® team is enabling hotels to tap into the growing mobile-using society by providing digital wallets. Across onejourney®’s portfolio of over 100 luxury hotel clients, mobile traffic dominates with 77% of users* browsing hotel sites via their smartphones (21% desktop and 2% tablet) – with iPhones overwhelmingly popular (66% of mobile traffic).

Almost 9 in 10 British people feel “there’ll come a point soon when neither cards or cash is used, and people will pay for everything with their mobile phone.” The same report by Samsung found 24 percent of Brits believe mobile payments are more secure than card or cash.

Combined with predictions that 72% of today’s digital population will solely use smartphones to access the internet by 2025, the need for hotels to provide an intuitive, easy-to-use payment system for digital bookings was clear.

“Mobile is not a trend, it’s the norm – hotels not optimized for mobile bookings are ignoring a huge revenue stream,” said Simon Bulilngham, founder and CEO of Journey Hospitality. “We see one in five hotel bookings made with mobile wallets – and it continues to grow. Hoteliers pride themselves on delivering the art of hospitality; this must include a smooth payment experience for digital-savvy guests, with digital wallets the cornerstone. If you’re not making it easy for your customers to spend their money, they’ll go elsewhere.”

In addition to the new digital wallets, the onejourney® platform also allows hoteliers to set payment parameters that best suit their guests and their business model with Buy Now Pay Later. Hotel guests can pay-in-full or stagger payments such as deposits or deferred payments.

A revolutionary all-in-one ecommerce platform, onejourney® services over 120 luxury hotels and resorts worldwide, facilitating multi-product shopping baskets, and driving sales of non-accommodation facilities and services, and ancillary revenue streams.

“Better conversion and increased revenue comes from making it easy to purchase. Innovative hoteliers who are starting to think like ecommerce retailers are the ones that will thrive in today’s digital-first society,” said Bullingham. “Digital wallets provide benefits to hoteliers as well as their guests. It’s a win/win.”

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Blog. Spotlight on: Journey Hospitality

June 12, 2023 | Author: Giuliana Vittiglio

Simon Bullingham, CEO and Founder at Journey Hospitality , reveals why he chose to support Hospitality Action, and what the future holds for the hotel ecommerce technology company. 

What is Journey Hospitality? 

We are a hotel ecommerce and technology business, helping luxury hotels and resorts achieve their commercial objectives. Our technology includes onejourney ® , an all-in-one ecommerce platform; Premier Software , global spa technology and Gifted , the UK’s leading gift voucher platform. We also have digital agency services and a strategic Consultancy division. We partner with over 650 properties such as Claridge’s and Beaverbrook in the UK, Soneva in the Maldives, as well as groups like Harbour Hotels. 

Why did you choose to work with Hospitality Action? 

We’re privileged in our day-to-day jobs to work alongside people who are on the frontline of the hospitality industry. This sector attracts wonderful people, and sometimes those wonderful people need a helping hand. 

The cost of living crisis is hitting hard - we know Hospitality Action has had a 12% increase in applications for help compared to 2022 - and wanted to do something to help give back to the industry that we care so much about. Hospitality Action’s long tradition of assisting people whether they’re on the brink of poverty, having mental health challenges, or just burnt out and wanting someone to talk with, is to be commended. 

As well as our sponsorship of the upcoming South West Polo Day, we also donate 50p from every restaurant booking on our onejourney® ecommerce platform to help fundraise for Hospitality Action. 

Tell us about your involvement with the upcoming Hospitality Action South West Polo Day.

Hospitality is such an important industry in this country, and Hospitality Action does a wonderful job of supporting the most vital ingredient to a successful business - its people. The South West Polo Day was always a highlight of the calendar, so when the opportunity arose to sponsor the event - the first since 2019 - we jumped at it. 

This year’s event will bring together some amazing chefs from across the region for a three-course menu and cream tea, all while raising important awareness and funds for the great work Hospitality Action does. Whether you appreciate good food, love horses, or just want a fun day out, we hope you can join us in September as it’s such a great cause. 

How else is Journey involved with the hospitality industry?

We see ourselves as part of the hospitality industry; our products and solutions are designed especially for hospitality businesses and our people largely have in-house experience before moving to work with us. We are an extension of our clients’ business. As such, it’s important, not only to me but to our team, that we are active in the wider community, understanding what’s happening ‘on the ground’ in hotels and supporting the industry where we can. 

We are members of HOSPA, European Spa Association, HSMAI and Institute of Hospitality. You’ll often catch one of our team at hospitality charity and fundraising events, as well as key industry conferences and tradeshows. 

What other CSR initiatives is Journey involved with?

This year, we have a team taking part in the Fit for Hospitality on Bournemouth Beach in September, running 5 and 10 kms. That will be a great time to connect with all our customers based in South England.

We also partner with Made For Life organics to provide our Premier Software users with a 20% discount on the Cancer Touch Therapy training programme. 

Our staff are keen fundraisers and I am proud that we support a range of charities. Personally I am very keen on bringing up talent so I love that our business invests in work experience placements to help young people gain real world experience.

What does the future hold for Journey?

Our core belief is helping hospitality businesses find digital success, by bringing the guest and hotelier closer together through technology. Since launching onejourney® , our hotel partners are seeing increased revenues of 40-60%, and around 30% of orders featuring multiple products - combinations of hotel room, spa treatment, restaurant bookings, and retail offerings. 

We’re continually improving - the recent acquisition of Premier Software and incorporation of digital payment wallets help us provide a more holistic ecommerce experience, and we’re already working on future developments to improve the guest’s digital journey even further whilst simultaneously helping hoteliers operationally and commercially.

For more information, visit www.journey.travel  

Journey Hospitality

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The all-in-one ecommerce platform for hotels

Journey Hospitality powers the onejourney, the all-in-one eCommerce platform for hotels.

A platform for hotels to sell everything online. Guests can book rooms, spa, dining, and more in one seamless transaction. We are revolutionising online booking for hotels to increase direct revenue and maximise transaction value.

Ready to connect with Journey Hospitality?

MEET JOURNEY HOSPITALITY

Gary Levine

Gary lives and is based in Mt Pleasant South Carolina and is able to service clients globally. He has over 35 years hotel, restaurant, club and resort experience. He has been in many leadership positions as general manager, vice president food and beverage, board chairman and consultant. He has had many years in operations and strategic management. He has served in an executive committee level in some of the world’s largest and most prestigious hospitality brands and dynamic management companies including Hilton, Hyatt, Sheraton, Pyramid, Pebble Beach, General Cigar and Mirage properties.

Gary has operated hotels across multiple sectors including luxury, boutique, mid-scale and resort, with a proven track record of maximizing GOP. He is known for strategically positioning hotels to perform across major key indicators. Gary was raised and educated in New England and enjoys an active lifestyle. He prefers to play tennis, is an avid auto enthusiast and spending time with his family.

Call Gary with any questions

[email protected]

602.885.8851

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Suzy levine.

Suzy lives and is based in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina, and is able to service clients globally. She has over 25 years of hotel and restaurant experience. She has been in human resources for most of her career.  Her positions ranged from human resources generalist, recruiting, and benefits manager to director and regional director. She has served on executive committees for Radisson, Hilton, Preferred Hotels, and Independent properties. Suzy has been on opening and task force teams in luxury, historic and mid-scale properties.

She has a proven track record of developing successful cultures, high morale, higher productivity, low turnover, and succession planning. She is talented at creating training programs for hospitality associates along with train the trainer sessions. Suzy was raised in Arizona, she enjoys an active lifestyle and is fluent in Spanish. Her passions are Pilates, everything to do with animals, travel, and family.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT DEVELOPMENT

Ward childs.

Ward is based in Dennis, Massachusetts with 30+ years of Hospitality leadership experience for corporate, luxury-lifestyle, independent and global hotel brands including Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Sheraton, Morgan’s Hotel Group, Key Hospitality, Colwen Hotels and Selina.   Ward has delivered record levels of performance as a general manager, vice president and chief operating officer.  Ward’s specialties include operations, development, strategic planning, sales & revenue, renovations and repositioning.  Technology innovation experience includes; G-Suite Enterprise and mobile App integration of Opera, HotSOS/REX, StayNTouch, Quore, Kipsu, Alice, Zingle, Canary and WhatsApp.

Ward is known for being a collaborative leader coordinating communication with property teams, ownership, outside consultants, designers, brands and corporate offices to maximize results.   Ward was raised in New England and earned his Bachelor’s degree at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.  He enjoys an active lifestyle swimming, cycling, and organic gardening with his family.

617.680.4137

• [email protected]

ASSISTANT MANAGER

Daniel romero.

Romero was previously General Manager at the Park James Hotel after being promoted from Assistant Manager.  In this capacity, he was instrumental in the hotel’s daily operations and management.

Romero brings 14 years of hospitality experience to Journey Hospitality Group. Prior to joining the Park James Hotel, he was Director of Rooms at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz, CA where he oversaw all guest services including guest services and housekeeping, while ensuring guests received a quality hotel experience. Previous hotel positions include Director of Lasting Impressions for the Camby Hotel in Phoenix, AZ and ten years at the Radisson Suites in Tucson as Director of Operations and Revenue Manager.

“I am honored to join the incredible Journey Hospitality Group team and look forward to many successful years ahead,” said Daniel Romero. “It’s an exciting time working side by side with Journey Hotels to make us a leading management company for the future.”

• Hospitality Industry

Creating memorable guest experiences: Personalization with storytelling

May 08, 2024 •

6 min reading

In the world of hospitality, experiences play a crucial role in creating lasting memories for guests. While everyone may talk about the ideal guest experience, it's essential to recognize that not all experiences are created equal. What truly sets a guest experience apart and makes it unforgettable? Personalization is obviously key. Tailoring each interaction to the individual guest's preferences and needs can elevate a stay from ordinary to extraordinary and as a result, be highly memorable. But there is more than just understanding preferences and meeting needs...

This article helps hoteliers to understand how brands can create meaningful connections with guests and enhance the guest experience through personalization and the use of storytelling that creates a positive lasting impression.

What do we mean by guest experience?

Guest experience encompasses the overall satisfaction a guest encounters throughout their journey with the brand. It starts even before booking and extends beyond departure. It includes the emotions triggered and feelings that result from the interaction with people (i.e., employees), the physical environment – the ambience and multi-sensory elements; as well as the tangible and intangible aspects.

Factors include cleanliness and quality, courteousness and personalized attention, emotional engagement and empathy, efficient and relevant service that reflects context and demonstrates cultural sensitivity, as well as relevant communication, use of memorabilia and appropriate follow-up after a guest’s visit or stay. Specifically, the guest experience is about creating individual experiences.

The importance of guest experience management

Brands aim to exceed expectations. Managing guest experiences is a key part of this. It helps build a positive reputation, foster brand loyalty, gain a competitive edge, and drive sustained success. Positive encounters with the brand enhance brand image, increase satisfaction and WOM (Word Of Mouth), and encourage repeat business. Whilst the guest experience has always been relevant, particularly in the context of luxury, it has become increasingly so today and with the younger – Millennial/Gen Y and Gen Z – generations.

It is therefore crucial for hospitality brands to prioritize and manage guest experiences – and to view them as an investment rather than a cost. This involves knowing your client or guest, understanding their needs and preferences and effectively using this knowledge and data, as well as client/guest feedback, to tailor experiences and enhance service offerings.

Whilst today everyone talks about experiences, what makes an experience unique and memorable, particularly in the context of hospitality?

Personalization plays a large part and always has done

It elevates an experience and makes it special. With digital and developments in technology, “personalizing” is easier than it has ever been. But it’s not without its drawbacks. Technology brings anonymity and dehumanization, but the “human touch” – particularly in luxury – brings a relevant dimension of the experience. It’s also about knowing the purpose of it: Why are you personalizing? What do you want to achieve by it? It goes beyond a simple automated or automatic response.

In luxury specifically, personalization needs to carry meaning. It provides an opportunity to engage at a deeper, more human level that triggers emotion; as well as being more genuine and authentic.

Storytelling is one way to personalize

We know that stories are a powerful way to communicate. Using narrative transportation, they draw you in and take you on a journey... Inspire the imagination and initiate a process of self-discovery. Stories create interest and more easily engages its audience. They affect us in some way, eliciting emotions and defining feelings that drive action. Brand storytelling brings an occasion – the experience – to life and makes it more memorable.

Specifically, this requires:

Knowing the brand

The brand's history, heritage and origins, the creator or founder, as well as famous people associated with the brand – past and present clients or guests; employees and their stories. Knowing about its products – where and how they are made, by whom, the materials that are used and where and how they are sourced. As well as knowing how the brand reflects the facets and characteristics of luxury – the quality, its rarity and extra-ordinariness, its aesthetics and polysensuality; in ways that are relevant, builds the brand’s luxury credentials, the myth and “the dream”; and the brand’s purpose.

It is also about knowing the brand’s narrative – the brand’s story – that provides a framework for storytelling. Then, identifying and defining stories that can be crafted around the brand that builds on the brand’s over-arching story. For example, aspects of the property, a particular room, the gardens; as well as the Chef and food (e.g., menu, dishes, recipes and ingredients etc.), the Sommelier and beverages (e.g., wine, whisky, cocktails and the inspiration behind them). There is also an opportunity to convey more contemporary messages relevant to the brand – for example, around sustainability, art and cultural associations, philanthropy, societal and community activities.

Knowing the client or guest

Who are your clients or guests? What are their interests and passions? But, also their history and heritage – their journey with your brand; as well as their reasons for staying and/or dining with you and the context: who they are with, and more. Knowing this creates opportunities to deliver stories that are meaningful to them personally; are contextually, but also culturally, relevant.

Being able to tell stories

Stories need to be told with meaning and passion. They need to be natural and relevant to the situation. There is an art to storytelling, which requires training . And, all front-line staff need to have the ability to tell stories, to know when it’s appropriate to tell a story and what story to tell. They need to be knowledgeable and informed of the “facts and figures” as the basis for crafting or retelling a story; and, be empowered to do so.

Creating opportunities for story-living

Storytelling includes story-living. Immersing the client or guest in the brand and the brand experience. Letting them personally live the brand. It may be instructive – creating an opportunity to learn something about the brand; ideological – linked to a community effort, charity or cause that encourages participation; or social – within an enjoyable social context that creates opportunities for personal interactions and further building the relationship.

Example of storytelling in hospitality:

Stories from the pig at harlyn bay in cornwall, england.

Brand storytelling at The Pig at Harlyn Bay made a memorable evening with my parents even more memorable. The opening of this Pig was particularly special to them as they have lived in the neighbourhood for years and knew the property when it was simply a country house. Stories told that evening revolved around the renovation of the property and surprise finds in the process; the menu, dishes, as well as particular ingredients and where in the local community they had been sourced from. Not forgetting the story behind an exceptional wine the sommelier recommended to us that came from a small estate in Uruguay.

Through storytelling we were more engaged with the staff – from the front of house to the waiting staff and sommelier. We learnt something new and interesting about the brand and its purpose, what we were eating and drinking. We left with a stronger connection with the brand and its people; with stories to remember but importantly also, stories to tell.

So, what is your brand narrative? Where and how can you tell stories about the brand that will enhance engagement? How can you bring your story to life in ways that are relevant to the brand, as well as to the client or guest? How can you create brand experiences around stories and story-living that will create emotions and memories that are also worth sharing?

Independent brand and marketing consultant

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