In today’s competitive landscape, optimizing the guest experience from the first click on the website to the final checkout is more important than ever. Juanjo Rodriguez, founder of The Hotels Network (THN), has been at the forefront of revolutionizing the hospitality industry’s approach to direct bookings and guest personalization. On Hotel Tech Insider, a podcast by Hotel Tech Report about the future of hotels and the technologies shaping the industry, Juanjo shared his insights with Jordan Hollander on how personalization and data-driven strategies can improve hotel performances.

The Goal of Improving Digital Marketing for Hotels

Juanjo’s passion for hospitality began with his family’s deep ties to Spain’s tourism industry, particularly in the Canary Islands. However, it was at a hotelier conference that he first recognized the vast, untapped potential for digital marketing solutions in the hospitality sector.

"Talking to hoteliers, I realized that there was a significant need to help them be more efficient in their direct business," says Juanjo. From that realization, THN was born with a simple idea: enhance conversion rates on hotel websites through innovative digital tools. Since its founding in 2015, THN and its products have continuously evolved to support hoteliers. As Juanjo explains, “We are guided by a vision of what’s possible, even if no one is asking for it yet. By starting with this vision and adjusting it to what the market needs, we create new and different products that stand out.”

Putting Conversion and Personalization First

When THN launched, it was best known as a price comparison tool, helping hotels showcase direct booking rates alongside OTA prices. Juanjo explains how dynamic notifications—like urgency messaging used by major OTAs—also became a cornerstone of their initial offering. “We replicated that for hotels with the ability not only to create urgency but also to deliver any type of messaging,” he noted. 

He also emphasizes the current focus on personalization — making every guest's booking journey unique and tailored to their needs. “When you are able to convey a different message or story to each guest, the chances they’ll choose your hotel are much higher. That’s where personalization comes in,” Juanjo explains. This dual focus on price comparison and interaction transformed hotel websites into more effective sales tools, significantly boosting conversion rates. 

Understanding Performance with Benchmarking

According to Juanjo, conversion rate has always been a key metric for THN. However, THN has grown far beyond being solely a conversion tool. Today, the focus is on delivering actionable insights early in the guest’s booking journey, enabling hotels to personalize experiences that strengthen their direct channel strategies and create a unique pre-stay experience. THN’s distinctive benchmarking tool, BenchDirect, offers hoteliers valuable insights by comparing their performance with the wider market. "You need to know what good looks like," Juanjo says. "Analytics alone make you smarter, but they don’t necessarily help you make more money," he emphasizes. 

His message is clear: understanding data is one thing, but taking action on it is what leads to real success. That’s why THN’s platform combines benchmarking with personalization, empowering hoteliers not only to identify opportunities but also to respond to them effectively. “You learn through benchmarking to see where the opportunities are, and you act on those insights through personalization,” he says. This data-driven approach helps hotels optimize their websites and ensure a seamless booking experience for their guests.

What’s Next for Hotel Technology

When asked about the future of hotel tech, Juanjo shares his thoughts on the growing role of AI. "In the short term, AI is just another tool, but in the long term, it’s going to change everything," he says. He explains that THN has already been using AI and machine learning for years, from predicting guest behavior to optimizing messaging on hotel websites.

He also introduces THN’s latest innovation—a voice guest service agent called KITT, which acts as an AI-powered receptionist. “The bot can take reservations, provide hotel information, and speak multiple languages. No one at reception can remember every price or detail, but the bot can,” Juanjo remarks. However, he points out that human interaction will always be important in hospitality. “AI can handle routine queries, but hospitality is about more than that—it’s about treating guests well, and that still needs a human touch.”

His advice to hoteliers? Keep experimenting and learning. “Without A/B testing, it’s impossible to find the right strategy. No one gets it right on the first attempt,” Juanjo notes. 

Curious to learn more? Listen to Juanjo Rodriguez as he dives into personalization strategies and benchmarking tips to boost your hotel brand’s direct channel growth. Tune into the podcast for some great insights and the latest updates in hotel tech!