Hi, I'm Gonzalo 👋
In this edition I share a new feature you'll want to know about, I make two readings on how travelers are changing and we look at the story of a resort that transformed its operation. Let's get started.
🌐 New: WeSpeak Translation, serve guests in any language
Inquiries from international guests have been rising significantly, and replying in another language used to mean external translators, delays and errors.
That's why we added WeSpeak Translation, translation built directly into the chat screen, in both directions:
- You read in your language. The guest's messages are automatically translated into your panel's language.
- You reply in your language. You write naturally and the message is sent in the guest's language.
The guest never notices there was a translation: for them, the conversation always flows in their own language. It works with the main languages of international tourism: English, Portuguese, French, German, Italian and many more.
If you'd like to see it working on your hotel's specific case, book a demo and we'll show you how it would apply to your operation.
🌍 I translate the trend: travelers stopped booking at the last minute
For years, booking close to the date was the norm. This year's tourism reports show the opposite: the lead time for hotel bookings has grown, going from about 20 to about 25 days before arrival, and flights are booked around 40 days in advance. In some markets, the average lead time for accommodation bookings reaches 68 days.
What does it mean for your hotel? That the guest's decision window is opening up, and a good share of demand is defined weeks before the stay. The hotel that only competes for the last-minute booking is arriving late to a conversation that starts much earlier.
It's worth checking whether your availability and rates are visible far enough in advance, and whether you have an offer designed for the traveler who plans ahead. The advance booking stopped being the exception; today it's a central part of the business.
📊 The data point: guests are no longer settling for the basics
A data point that invites reflection: according to the Changing Traveller Report 2026, 58% of guests today choose a superior or luxury room over the standard one, four points more than the year before.
The reading is interesting. We tend to assume the guest always looks for the lowest price, but the evidence points in another direction: they're willing to pay more for a better experience, if we know how to show it to them. When by default we only offer the cheapest option, we're probably leaving value on the table and underestimating what the guest really wants.
It's not about raising prices, but about properly showcasing your best rooms and what makes them special. Very often, the difference between a standard booking and a superior one is, simply, that someone presents it clearly.
⭐ How Termas Villa Elisa organized guest service for more than 160 units
I want to close with a case that illustrates very well a challenge every hotelier knows. Termas Villa Elisa, one of the most important hot-springs resorts in Argentina, manages more than 160 units across lodging, bungalows, modules and camping. At that volume, guest service had become hard to sustain.
Fernando Graciani, its Commercial Manager, describes the previous scenario: a team of up to 12 people answering WhatsApp, calls, emails, Google and Instagram, with delays of several hours, frustrated guests, lost bookings and a high level of operational stress in high season.
Today the situation is different. With their virtual assistant «Elisa», they automated guest service 24/7, started replying instantly, added automatic follow-ups that recover potential customers and centralized all their channels in one place, without losing the warmth in the interaction.
Beyond this particular case, the lesson transfers to any property with a high volume of inquiries: technology doesn't replace the team, it gives them back the time to focus on what really matters. Fernando tells it firsthand in this interview.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW
What did you think of this edition?
If you think it could help someone else, share it with them. And if you have doubts, suggestions or a question for me, I'd love to hear from you.
See you in the next edition!
Gonzalo.
