The lead time for accommodation bookings has increased 13% year-on-year to an average of 83 days for the coming London Marathon weekend.
The lead time for the upcoming weekend is also up 46% from the weekend immediately prior, when it averaged 53 days.
According to SiteMinder’s vice president of ecosystem and strategic partnerships, James Bishop, the rise in lead time reflects grown confidence and increasingly-proactive planning by ever-savvier travellers, which offers strategic opportunities for the capital’s hoteliers.
“While the increase in booking lead times reflects the real buzz around the Marathon that we’re seeing in all areas of London life, it’s also a boon for the city’s accommodation businesses. Early bookings allow for better preparedness, meaning London hotels can leave their guests delighted with a tailored offering,” Bishop comments.
The longer lead time prior to this year’s London Marathon, up 10 days from 73 days in 2023, is not an isolated case. According to SiteMinder’s Hotel Booking Trends, the average lead time for UK hotel bookings grew by 7% in 2023, when compared to 2022, and by 12% when compared to 2019. While this was in part due to increased international arrivals, which grew by 17% as a proportion of all UK check-ins, Bishop believes this also reflects a change in guest behaviour.
“Undoubtedly, more travellers than ever before are framing their trips around major events, and hotels are adapting to keep pace. As travellers book further in advance, hoteliers are in a stronger position to forecast occupancy and optimise their revenue management, allowing them to fully leverage events like the London Marathon,” concludes Bishop.
In addition to longer lead times, the figures from SiteMinder show that London’s hotel bookings are up by 2% compared to last year’s Marathon weekend, while length of stay remains stable at approximately two days. London’s average daily rates have decreased slightly by 6.5%, suggesting the capital’s hotels may be adopting more competitive pricing strategies compared to last year, to entice marathon runners and spectators.