Hotel revenue management forecasting accuracy: the hidden impact of booking windows

Purpose The pace of booking is a critical element in the accuracy of revenue management (RM) systems. Anecdotal evidence suggests that booking windows exhibit persistent shifts due to a variety of macro and micro factors. The article outlines several causes and tests the impact of the shifts on forecasting accuracy. Design/methodology/approach A novel methodological approach is utilized to empirically shift hotel reservation windows into smaller increments. Forecasts are then estimated and tested on the incremental shifts with popular RM techniques characteristic of advance booking data. A random effects model assesses the impact of the shifts on forecast accuracy. Findings The results show that shifts in booking behavior can cause the accuracy of forecasting models to deteriorate. The findings stress the importance of considering these shifts in model estimation and evaluation. Practical implications The results demonstrate that changes in booking behavior can be detrimental to the accuracy of RM forecasting algorithms. It is recommended that revenue managers monitor booking window shifts when forecasting with advanced booking data. Originality/value This study is the first to systematically assess the impact of booking window shifts on forecasting accuracy. The demonstrated approach can be implemented in future research to assess model accuracy as booking behavior changes.