The hospitality industry is marked by its seasonality, which has a direct link to customer behavior. For hotels, seasons are always heavy on expectations and demand.
Keeping revenue flowing during off seasons or having to work extra to handle peak seasons are challenges hoteliers know all too well.
Peak seasons, attract more travelers than at any other times of the year. And that is why it’s so important that hotel owners and managers understand how seasonality works in their area so that they can plan accordingly.
For that, we bring you 6 ways to help you tackle seasonality and keep a steady occupancy rate all year round.
Want to keep bookings up for all seasons? This ebook explains how hotel marketing channels can help you boost direct reservations with resources already available to you. Download now, it’s free!
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1. Update your email database periodically
Email marketing is one of the best options when bookings are low. And if your database is up-to-date, you know which travelers are interested in getting news and updates from you.
It turns out, emails are not only great for engaging with travelers who don’t know about your hotel, but they also remind travelers in your lead base that you are an option in both peak or low season.
Simple ways to organize a solid database for email strategies include:
- Invite people to join your email list and ask for their consent.
- Add a subscription form to your hotel website, pop up windows, sidebars, footer, and of course, social media.
- Be transparent about automatically adding contacts to your database once they fill out these forms, and make sure they can cancel anytime.
Ready to get started on email marketing? With Asksuite’s new Omnichannel Email Integration, hotels can send and manage emails at the speed of light! Learn more by watching the replay of the launching webinar below:
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2. Put a content strategy in place during low seasons
No matter the time people choose to travel, they dream about their next vacation all year long. For this reason, you should post content related to amenities and activities available in your area for on and off seasons. Here is how:
- Create a list with activities people may enjoy doing, including information to eliminate hesitations or objections travelers might have—but don’t forget to always highlight their positive aspects.
- Optimize blog posts for search results related to these activities and ensure your website gets maximum exposure as far as organic traffic is concerned. People search for everything they need on Google, make sure they can find you.
- Provide pictures and videos showcasing the best of the area during low season. This way, people can get a real sense of what it looks like at different times of the year.
- Share blog posts on social media, WhatsApp, and via email marketing. This is a great practice to do also during peak season so that it slowly builds up for the moment low season arrives.
And remember, while investing in social media, like Instagram or TikTok, can be a perfect way to share a lifestyle, there are other strategies hotels can use to keep occupancy going during low seasons. For example, you can compensate with corporate events. Having event and convention rooms available is an intelligent way to attract bleisure travelers.
Take the first step by crafting spectacular copy that puts a spell on your site visitors and gets them to book now! In the following quick guide to hotel website copywriting, you’ll learn how to do just that.
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3. Spark travelers’ interest with alluring details about your hotel
Offer something special to your recurring guests, as they usually stay with you all seasons.
Post weekly on social media,schedule segmented email marketing, and offer discounts for early bookings before the low season starts.
Show travelers why low seasons are great times to stay at your hotel. Flaunt hidden gems in the city and unmissable aspects of your hotel. Invest in that first impression, starting with your hotel website.
Speaking of websites, Episode #24 of Hotel Cast features industry specialist Harry Fielder, where he shared valuable insights about the Core Principles of Hotel Website Success. Hit play!
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4. Make the most out of the touristic events in your area
Touristic events are great ways to make up for the seasonality’s drawbacks like the weather, random transportation hours, empty streets, early closings, among others. There are many ways hotels can boost demand by endorsing a visit to a concert, a fair, sport-related events, and more.
Some things to keep in mind:
- Use the events’ official #hashtag in your social media posts. This will help organizers share your location to their audience too.
- Promote touristic events via email marketing, as this can give travelers a reason to visit, look up the destination, and stay at your hotel.
- Create an event package on your website, offering deals including breakfast, parking, and tickets to the event in question. This is a great way to develop an on-target marketing strategy for all seasons.
These tips will ensure your hotel is associated with the big events going on in your area, increasing your chances of direct bookings during such periods.
What impression does your hotel have on your guests based solely on what they see online? In this incredible webinar, Sarah Dandashy discussed the importance of a good social media experience for travelers and how it reflects on your brand!
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5. Come up with low-season promotional packages
A great way to attract more people to your area is to create a promotional package and highlight it on your website. For example, you could feature special deals for reservations made for a minimum number of days during low seasons.
Another way to attract travelers is to create a buzz about holiday packages. People get excited about breaking the mold, or even just resting for a while. If your target is leisure travelers, this is a wonderful strategy to increase revenue, even during low season.
But take note, such packages can’t be hidden or shouldn’t be hard to find on your page.
Related: Generate compelling offers to meet specific needs of your hotel’s target audience and nudge travelers toward faster decision-making.
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6. Invest in influencer marketing
You can also look for potential partners to help spread the word. Influencer marketing can help you gather a higher number of followers. Invite an influencer whose profile matches your target audience to spend a few days with you, so they can promote your brand.
When working with influencers, make sure to write a contract that specifies the number of posts, pictures, videos, and stories they will share on their social media. It’s also important to guarantee that they will tag your hotel and add your hotel’s location to their posts.
Many hotels overlook the importance of having a contract in hand when using Influencer Marketing, which can be a big mistake.
Those are the 6 ways hotels can beat seasonal fluctuations in tourism. If you have used another method that worked very well for your business, please share with us in the comments below!
