Hicham Benyebdri is using digital marketing technology to help hotels reduce their dependence on third-party booking platforms and regain control over online sales.
The Moroccan entrepreneur co-founded Userguest in 2018 alongside Ahmed Chami and Assil Bernossi.
The startup focuses on helping hotels increase direct bookings through their own websites instead of relying heavily on online travel agencies and booking platforms.
Userguest developed a platform designed to solve two major problems faced by hotels: attracting travellers who are ready to book and converting website visitors into paying customers.
One part of the company’s solution involves managing digital advertising campaigns for hotels. Userguest creates, launches, and optimises campaigns across several online platforms to help hotels reach travellers more likely to make direct reservations through official hotel websites.
The second part of the platform focuses on improving the experience of visitors once they arrive on hotel websites.
Using personalised digital messaging, Userguest can display targeted offers and booking prompts based on visitor behaviour and preferences. For example, the platform may encourage travellers to complete a booking immediately or highlight deals that match their interests.
The aim is to help hotels increase direct revenue while lowering commission costs paid to external booking services.
Before launching Userguest, Hicham Benyebdri had already built experience in hospitality marketing and travel technology.
In 2015, he co-founded Swell Hotel Marketing, a digital marketing agency focused entirely on the hotel industry. He served as the company’s chief executive officer until 2019.
Benyebdri studied commerce and administration at Université du Québec à Montréal, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2007.
He later earned a master’s degree in international marketing from London South Bank University in 2010.
His early career included working as a paid media analyst at Greenlight, a company later acquired by Brave Bison.
Between 2012 and 2015, he also worked as partner marketing manager at Expedia, where he gained experience in online travel and digital booking systems.
As competition in the hospitality industry grows, technology platforms like Userguest are becoming increasingly important for hotels looking to strengthen direct customer relationships and improve profit margins in the digital travel market.
