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Summer Hotel Marketing Strategies to Increase Hotel Occupancy
When the temperature goes up, the arrival of summer marks the most active season of the year for hotels around the world.
As travelers are exploring new destinations, this is the best time for hoteliers to have effective marketing strategies to fill their rooms and boost their revenues.
In this comprehensive guide, we will outline the 10 best summer hotel marketing strategies to attract more guests and be successful at the end of the summer season.
But before here comes the question in everyone's mind,
During the summer many people either take vacations or short trips. Families, individuals, and couples venture out of their comfort zones to enjoy new destinations.
Consequently, hotels become occupied as more individuals are searching for accommodation.
In summer, many cool outdoor events occur, for example, music festivals and beach parties. Nearby hotels can get a lot of customers because people want to stay where the action is.
Schools don’t run during the summer vacation, so families take trips to create lifelong memories.
Households with activities for families are getting more preference as parents try to make their children happy and occupied.
Summer isn't just about fun trips, there are lots of companies that also hold meetings and conferences during this time.
Hotels can hold these events and in turn, also attract business travelers.
From the beautiful sea shores to the scenic mountain ranges, or the vibrant cities, summer often shines in most places.
Hotels close to these attractions will bring more people who are very interested in doing so many exciting things nearby.
Now, we have discussed why the summer season is important. Let's come up to the main point.
Create eye-catching summer deals to draw visitors during the warm weather.
Come up with packages that combine room stays with complimentary spa treatments or dining vouchers.
Exhibit the savings guests get when booking directly through your website with exclusive discounts.
Example: Experience our "Savor the Summer" Deal!
It comes with a two-night stay in a deluxe room, free breakfast with a view of a garden, and a relaxing spa session.
Book now and enjoy a 20% discount on dining during your visit.
Summer means outdoor fun! If your hotel is situated near the beaches or hiking trails, don't miss bragging about it.
Write and share posts on your website and social media about the nearby attractions.
Display with amazing photos and captivating descriptions. Cooperate with local tours to offer your guests exclusive discounts on activities.
Make the summer of your hotel the most attractive!
Example: -Don't miss our "Explore the Great Outdoors" Guide. Immerse yourself in nature's beauty near our hotel during the summer season with our highlighted list of summer adventures.
Whether insane water sports at XYZ Beach are your thing, or you prefer wonderful picnics in the nearby national park, there is something for everyone.
Be sure to consult our concierge for personalized suggestions and insider tips in advance to create the best possible outdoor excursion for yourself!
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are the main marketing channels for the hotels.
Apply them to promote your hotel, amazing scenery, and special deals for summer. Share compelling photos and posts to attract prospective guests.
They enable you to connect with more people and market your hotel properly.
Example: Develop attractive posts showcasing your poolside lounges, outdoor dining experience, or summer packages with beautiful images.
Encourage guests to share their experiences by using branded hashtags that will broaden your hotel's online presence.
Create excitement with summer contests on social media and your site. People get their thrill when they have the chance to win such cool prizes. That's how to engage other people and to be noticed by people who might be the guests.
Just make some enjoyable contests that are simple to enter like photo contests displaying summer photos, or quizzes about the most visited summer places.
Provide prizes that resonate with the current time, e.g. free stays, meal vouchers, or special experiences. They just have lots of fun and bring buyers to your hotel after talking about the hotel.
Example: Host the "Best Summer Vacation Photo" photo contest where users will share their best summer getaways by tagging your hotel and using a specified hashtag.
Provide prizes such as free stays, spa vouchers, or dining coupons to motivate attendance.
Among the most powerful tools aimed at attracting guests is providing joint ventures with local entertainment.
Whether it's the nearby theme park, museums, or outdoor adventures, the attractions can be of tremendous help to the guests' experience if you partner with them.
Consider the option of selling tickets for a lower price or special offers that comprise both tickets for the lodging and the attraction.
This will not only make your hotel the only destination for guests but also encourage them to consider extending their stay to explore the region further.
Example: Think of a seaside hotel offering lower rates for surfing classes or passes for the amusement park at no charge.
Such collaboration increases the number of your hotel's positive reviews and provides truly exceptional service;
Therefore, tourists are going to recommend your hotel to their friends and relatives, which in turn will influence your reputation and the your hotel occupancy.
Ensure that booking even a small hotel seems very comfortable and includes all smartphones.
One simple mobile booking site is user-friendly enough to make people see a room, check if it's available, and they can have it booked quickly from anywhere.
This also implies that the best offer can be given to mobile device users that would make them book directly from your app or site.
The truth is that you avoid third-party sites, therefore you get more money.
Example: Consider the addition of a chatbot into your app to help your guests instantly with the issues they can have.
This customized process, in addition to being a great user experience, helps create trust and loyalty among guests, thus increasing their propensity to choose your hotel in the future.
Travelers are more concerned with cleanliness and safety than anything else. Sustaining absolute cleanliness and security is not only important, but it's also a wise hotel marketing strategy.
Ensure you highlight your hygiene and sanitation standards in all your marketing materials.
Besides that, it calms the tourists, and they may ultimately choose your hotel as their accommodation.
Example:
Highlight photos of the members of your crew in PPE (e.g. masks and gloves) while they hard-surface clean rooms, and frequently sanitize common areas.
Invest in high-quality cleaning products and ways to guarantee achieving a germ-free hotel.
The guests will feel at ease knowing they are in accommodation, where there is transport and cleanliness, hence will lead to good reviews and even better referrals.
Continuously update your audience and provide exciting information about the upcoming summer to keep them connected.
Offer some discounts and sales sometimes. Utilize email, social media platforms, and your hotel's website to provide opportunities for summer-themed offers, events, and activities.
Example:
Going by the summer theme events like pool parties, BBQ nights, and movie screenings under open skies would attract people who are going for a fun getaway.
Spread pictures and short videos about these events on social media to attract interest and draw in more people. Design special summer packages which consist of staying in hotels and touring nearby attractions.
It could be a discounted ticket for nearby theme parks or free beach gear rentals, both guests can extend their stay for longer.
In the summer, you must make your hotel attractive to business travelers.
Provide free fast Wi-Fi, allow them to check out and check in at flexible times, and have comfortable workspaces with good chairs as well as other useful things for them. Moreover, we can partner with other businesses nearby so that they can assist with printing and package sending.
This means that people who are always on the go with very little time can stay and work at your hotel with convenience.
Example: The Renaissance Hotel located in downtown Chicago experienced a 20% growth in the number of business-oriented traveler bookings after installing free Wi-Fi as well as some dedicated working areas in its rooms.
Using influencers is a good product endorsement especially when you want to let more people know about your hotel, especially in summer.
First, target influencers who have follower similarities to the ones you intend to reach. Invite them to stay at your hotel and to praise it online too.
Furthermore, that will make the visitors share their experiences online as well. Being generous to your influencers with discounts will make them stay longer in your business.
These measures will lead to more numerous customers, hence more guests and therefore increased revenue.
Example: The partnership between the Four Seasons Resort in Maui and travel influencers was designed to highlight the resort's exclusive amenities and show its beautiful scenery.
This connection alone brought a 30% increase in summer bookings compared to the same period last year.
Adopting these specific summer hotel marketing strategies, you'll be able to get your hotel fully occupied and have a very successful summer!
Suggest attractive offers, discuss with your friends the things to do outside, use social media, and join forces with local attractions.
Hence, you will be giving guests opportunities to have incredible experiences that will make them return often.
Therefore, start to think of new ideas, and make this hotel summer the most exciting one so far!
Hotel occupancy is the percentage of rooms filled or a hotel on a specific night. It is an integral measurement for hotel owners, informing how efficiently they are using their space and earning revenue.