Pointing to surroundings encourages return visits and builds customer loyalty
In the past few years, we’ve seen the rise of destination marketing in the hospitality industry, particularly in the hotel sector. Destination marketing involves pointing to your property (or business’) surroundings. If you are indeed running a hotel, your location serves as a central base for a guest’s trip to your area.
With destination marketing, you’re acknowledging that there are plenty of activities for your guests to enjoy in your area and in turn, can convert into more visits. Whether you point to restaurants, golf courses, spas, or shopping centers in your area, this could all play a factor in whether a guest chooses to stay at your property. So if your hotel is in fact in a convenient location, make sure to highlight that in your marketing initiatives.
Aspire has a strong footing in the hospitality sector and our hospitality professionals have all professed the value of destination marketing for any business that has an element of hospitality to it, not just limited to hotels.
Here are some snippets of what our Aspire hospitality experts have to share on destination marketing.
InnQuest Software
InnQuest provides hotel pms solutions for the industry. They highlight the importance of providing modern travelers with experiences, not just giving them a place to sleep and eat. Here’s what they wrote on what travelers crave and how marketing to your location helps.
“The modern traveler wants experiences. A room, breakfast and a drink at the lobby bar aren’t enough anymore. Today’s traveler yearns for adventure, even on business trips, so guests are enhancing their stays with activities and experiences that will create lasting memories. Plus, if you’re an independent hotelier, then you have the perfect opportunity to capitalize on this thirst for adventure with a form of marketing that is entering the mainstream – and fast.”
InnQuest EMEA
Their team of hotel industry experts has recently expanded into the EMEA region, providing a strong footing in multiple markets. Much like North America, any hotel with a strong location has many benefits they can highlight in convincing guests to book. Recently, InnQuest’s UK team shared what hoteliers in the UK can do to reach more guests, particularly with the rise of ‘staycations’ in 2020.
“While hotels in the country may not be hosting many guests from abroad for the foreseeable future, it doesn’t mean that all other marketing efforts are in vain; it just makes it important to emphasise that your hotel is the gateway to an amazing destination. Implementing some effort into destination promotion can help your hotel in a big way, as guests will be more inclined to flock to your hotel if you’ve made the effort into helping guests fill out their trip. Not only that, but if guests enjoy your suggestions, they’ll be more likely to become return guests… By going the extra mile in helping guests learn more about your hotel’s area, they’ll feel more comfortable in staying at your hotel.”
CMS Hospitality
CMS Hospitality, a leading hospitality software provider, also recently shared their thoughts on destination promotion and how hotels benefit when they tout their surrounding area. While we’ve touched on how destination marketing enhances your guest experience, there are plenty of other benefits. That includes hoteliers discovering new partnerships with other businesses in their area.
“One of the best things about destination marketing is that it provides loads of opportunities for new partnerships. For instance, if you decide to write a blog post about the best golf courses in the area, why not try and partner with a couple of them? In doing so, you can join up your marketing efforts and advertise exclusive offers for joint customers.
When it comes to destination marketing, it really is a collaborative affair. In fact, you may find that lots of potential partners in your area are already investing time in destination marketing, and they can probably provide plenty of inspiration for you to get started and to get in touch with them.”
Wrapping Up
In such a competitive industry, it’s important to always look for new ways to reach potential guests and offer them what other hotels may be overlooking. Pointing to your hotel’s area may just provide the boost you need to turn onlookers into guests.
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