Understand why Black Friday is the perfect time for hoteliers to stop slashing rates and start building guest relationships that last
Every Black Friday, the pressure to compete with OTAs and rivals pushes hotels into the same trap: deep discounts that fill rooms but drain margins. It attracts deal-hunters who never return, devalues your pricing strategy, and floods your CRM with low-value leads.
But what if you turned the tables?
This article challenges the outdated “discount-first” mindset and offers a smarter approach. Instead of a race to the bottom, see Black Friday as a high-intent traffic surge, a golden opportunity to collect first-party data, build a qualified guest database, and create long-term revenue through loyalty and personalization.
Let’s explore how you can turn Black Friday at your hotel into one of the most strategic marketing plays of the year.
3 Black Friday strategies to use offers & data to build long-term guests at your hotel
It’s easy to see why discounting feels like the default Black Friday move. The hospitality industry expects it, OTAs push it, and the booking spike is hard to resist. But for hoteliers focused on sustainable growth, deep discounts might be a bad strategy.
To intelligently generate Black Friday revenue and attract the right audience, check out 3 ways to capture strategic traveler data that go beyond aggressive discounts, building a solid path to loyalty and acquiring habitual guests.
1. Tailor you offer to build a first-party database
Instead of showing your Black Friday deal publicly on your homepage or social media, ask travelers to submit their WhatsApp opt-in to access the offer. This not only builds exclusivity but also ensures you’re collecting first-party data in a transparent, compliant way.
Under GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), hotels must obtain clear and informed consent before collecting personal information. Gated offers provide a perfect framework for this, as long as:
- The traveler knows what they’re signing up for (e.g., to receive exclusive deals or unlock a special rate),
- You clearly state how their data will be used,
- And you give them the option to unsubscribe later.
Example:
“Join our Insider Travel Club to unlock exclusive Black Friday rates. You’ll also receive member-only perks year-round.”
Once travelers sign up, they receive a promo code or booking link via email or WhatsApp. This simple tactic has powerful results:
- Captures high-intent leads genuinely interested in your offer.
- Builds a GDPR-compliant, first-party database you own.
- Enables personalized retargeting for future offers via segmented lists like “BF_Leads_2025.”
- Reduces dependency on OTAs by growing your direct audience.
Pro tip: Travelers perceive members-only deals as more exclusive and premium, increasing their likelihood of conversion and enhancing brand perception.
Hospitality-specific automation platforms can automate sending promotional codes. Depending on the chosen platform, it is possible to personalize the message with the traveler’s name, dates of interest, number of guests, and other relevant information, further strengthening the initial contact.
In addition to saving your team time, as they will no longer need to send messages one by one, you improve the customer experience as they receive the right message at the right time. You also establish direct contact with the traveler via WhatsApp, the most widely used communication channel in the world. When there are no intermediaries between the hotel and the traveler, interactions are more personalized, and negotiations can be faster.
2. Swap margin-killing discounts for high-value experiences
The most effective Black Friday offers aren’t always the cheapest, they’re the most compelling.
Rather than undercutting your rates, create value-added packages that appeal to emotion, relaxation, and exclusivity. You protect your margins while delivering an experience that sets your hotel apart.
Examples:
- 🎁 Black Friday Exclusive – A Gift for Food Lovers
Book your stay this Black Friday and enjoy a complimentary dinner for two at our signature restaurant. Only available for reservations made during this week. Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer! 🍽️✨
- 🚪 Free Room Upgrade for Black Friday Guests
As a thank-you for booking with us during Black Friday, we’re offering an automatic room upgrade, no extra cost, no fine print. Secure your preferred dates now and enjoy even more comfort during your stay!
- 💆 Your Choice: Spa Credit or Late Check-Out
Make your Black Friday reservation and choose your bonus: Get €25 spa credit or enjoy a free late check-out to extend your stay. Let us know your preference when you book, we’ll handle the rest!
These upgrades resonate with travelers seeking a complete travel experience, not just the cheapest bed. And because they’re positioned as rewards for direct booking, they create anticipation and enhance satisfaction upon arrival.
Remember: your Black Friday traveler is arriving with elevated expectations. Make sure the experience matches the promise to increase your chances of converting a one-time buyer into a repeat customer.
3. Use the sale to fuel an “exclusive bounce-back offer”
Most hoteliers treat a Black Friday booking as a win. But the real victory is turning that booking into the second one.
Once the stay is complete or even immediately after booking, use the data collected to deliver a loyalty-triggering follow-up.
Example:
Hi John! 👋
As a thank you for staying with us and enjoying our exclusive Black Friday promo, Hotel Asksuite is welcoming you into our Insider Travel Club. Here’s the first member benefit: 15% off in the next 2025 stay, just for you.
No blackout dates. No minimum nights. Just a little something to say thank you. 💛
When you’re ready to book, just reply to the message and we’ll take care of the rest.
This strategy accomplishes three key things:
- Builds brand loyalty through personalized recognition.
- Drives a second conversion, increasing guest lifetime value.
- Reinforces exclusivity, since the offer is only available to guests who booked during your Black Friday campaign.
You can segment this audience with tags like “BF_Bookers_2025” and create a campaign via WhatsApp, reinforcing the idea that Black Friday wasn’t a one-off, it was the entry point to becoming a VIP.
Black Friday shouldn’t cost you more than it brings in
One common peak-period approach is the clearance sale: deep discounts that sacrifice margins and attract travelers who’ll never return. But the most strategic hoteliers are rethinking this playbook.
They’re using members-only pricing to build GDPR-compliant databases of high-intent leads. They’re protecting their offers by bundling meaningful experiences instead of undercutting room rates. And they’re treating every booking as the start of a loyalty loop, not a one-time transaction.
Black Friday can be much more than a short-term sales spike. It’s a powerful moment to attract high-value travelers, strengthen your brand, and turn a seasonal campaign into year-round growth.
Want to see how top-performing hotels are leveraging this event to avoid losing money? Check out 5 strategies hotels use to drive sustainable revenue at this time of year.
