Revenue Management Glossary

Market Segmentation

Definition

Market segmentation in hotel revenue management is the practice of splitting a hotel’s potential guests into distinct groups or “market segments” based on their specific characteristics, needs or behaviors. Each segment has different price sensitivities, booking behaviors and requirements and hotels can leverage this data to increase conversion rates, occupancy and overall profitability, while improving the guest stay experience. Common market segments used by hotels include (but are not limited to) business travellers, leisure travellers, group bookings, last-minute bookers, corporate bookings and long-term/extended stay travellers. For most hotels, these basic segments are a good start, as they will help hotels create an effective business mix that balances occupancy and pricing as supply and demand changes in the destination. For most hotels, these basic segments are a good start, as they will help hotels create an effective business mix that balances occupancy and pricing as supply and demand changes in the destination.

How to use it

Market segmentation enables hotels to more effectively develop pricing, marketing and ancillary revenue service offerings that appeal to different types of guests in order to maximize revenue opportunities across all segments. Segmentation is also useful is helping hoteliers boost bookings in time of low demand (by offering price sensitive customers lower rates) and maxmize revenue in times of high demand (by increasing rates accordingly).

Formula

N/A

Related Terms

Occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, Revenue Management, Revenue Manager, Customer segmentation, Market segments
Targeting specific segments of potential guests strategically helps hoteliers offer the right room to the right guest, at the right price, at the right time, which is important in maximizing revenue opportunities and maintaining long-term profitability.

José Miranda

Jose Miranda
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