Before 2020, the hospitality industry was booming with over 700,000 hotels and resorts worldwide, worth over $570 billion. However, we’ve seen a steep drop in revenue thanks to COVID-19 and the resulting bans on travel. Although many hotels have been able to wait out the pandemic by hiring ghost kitchens and switching to delivery, it still hasn’t been the same.

Learn how to do more with limited staff

As the world begins to reopen, the hospitality industry looks forward to the outpouring of future business. People are chomping at the bit to travel and reenter the world, meaning 2022 will be a golden year for hotels and resorts.

So, what are the top hotel marketing strategies for operators to use to sell more rooms and bring revenue back up to pre-pandemic levels?

1. Renovate your hotel space to allow for increased capacity

As foot traffic beings to ramp up, it’s time to upgrade your hotel. Like the famed Javits Center, many spaces are building new wings to hold increased capacity or upgrading their rooms. Usually, this opportunity is hampered by business-as-usual foot traffic. But, if you have the funds to increase capacity, an upgrade like this is one of your top strategies to increase hotel revenue.

If a complete renovation is not the full scope, minor touch-ups are well worth the cost. New carpets, curtains, and kitchen gear can add a new layer of sheen and luxury to the guest experience. This will renew your hotel’s longevity while increasing guest reviews and satisfaction. Like restaurants, 77% of consumers prefer peer reviews versus critic reviews.

You’ll not only attract more business, but you’ll also create demand with momentum.

2. Take advantage of new tech

Here’s a restaurant fact for all you hoteliers: 68% of customers agree that the use of server tablets improves the restaurant experience. The hospitality industry can learn a lot from restaurants, especially when it comes to popular hospitality technology. The guest experience always comes first, and tech takes ordering and guest services to the next level.

With the promised increase in hotel guests now that the world is opening back up, tech makes things easy on the guest ordering poolside, but your staff will also be less overwhelmed. The ability to contain ordering, guest communication, and feedback in one place is paramount to staying organized. 

Online ordering

Digital order and pay has been a massive support for the post-COVID hospitality industry and a huge asset for those facing staffing shortage.

Online ordering tools like Chowly enable you to aggregate online orders from anywhere (third-party apps, phone calls, etc.) into a single POS for easy management. Then, collect and save customer data into individual guest profiles with OpenTable.

Guest communication

Operators have a lot on their plate, so social and email marketing can often fall by the wayside. Thankfully, there’s tools for merchants looking for automated solutions to quickly communicate with guests and turn one-time patrons into brand ambassadors.

Quickly schedule and publish posts, send emails, and more with Targetable, the ultimate virtual ad agency. Automate your loyalty and rewards programs with RepeatReturns, bringing in more loyal customers and revenue.

Guest feedback

60% of potential diners read reviews before going out for a meal, making receiving guest feedback and reviews more important than ever.

Guest feedback systems like Ovation and Yumpingo empower customers to leave reviews, creating a feedback loop that builds a better online presence for you and a superior experience for your patrons.

3. Double down on marketing tactics

Discounts and sales are the names of the game, and the internet is about to be crawling with vaccinated and eager potential customers looking for the best deal on a nice hotel. Add “giving your customers the perfect deal” to the top of your hotel marketing strategies list to skyrocket your hotel sales.

Use discounts and promotions to create FOMO

Creating FOMO is a necessary tool in today’s marketing, and who can better exemplify the phenomenon than a hotel? Creating a discount or promotion capitalizes on a scarcity model due to capacity. Including a countdown clock or room availability countdown, you’ll sell this discount fast and generate buzz.

Become the number one spot to host an event

If you have an event space like a ballroom, conference center, or even a pool, entice more guests to patronize your hotel by advertising these spaces as available for rent. Trade shows and expos are beginning to make their return in-person — reach out to show organizers to strike a deal on hosting the trade show at your hotel.

Another way to advertise your event space and boost hotel sales is to host an event of your own. Pick a week of celebration, whether it’s for a holiday or simply saying goodbye to the pandemic, and broadcast those dates everywhere you can. Shout it from the rooftops, and watch those reservations come pouring in.

2022 promises to be the best year for hotels yet

Global revenue for travel and tourism was estimated to decrease by 34.7% to an estimated $447.4 billion. The original 2020 forecast was $712 billion in revenue. Everyone is feeling burned by these numbers, but all isn't lost! 2021 already saw an increase in revenue that surpassed 2019.

Prepping for the promised outpouring of revenue may feel like a shot in the dark, but when the lights turn on, every hotel owner will find it’s going to be nearly impossible to miss the target for boosting hotel sales through 2022 and beyond.