Marketing Campaigns to Increase Revenue During Winter Holidays [Free Templates]

With the holiday season fast approaching, a significant pick-up in hotel industry activity appears on the horizon. December offers hotels an exceptional opportunity to increase their turnover by attracting new guests or offering additional services to their existing ones. The key is to have the right marketing campaigns in place to fully take advantage of the potential of the festive season.

What hotel marketing strategies should you use in your hotel during the holiday season? We’ve put together 5 marketing campaign ideas that will help you maximise your revenue this season. 

1. Marketing campaign to boost your direct bookings

The holiday season is often synonymous with an increase in bookings, as many people choose to travel over the festive period. However, high demand also creates increased competition between hotels, highlighting the importance of having effective marketing campaigns in place to stand out. Rather than sending out the traditional newsletter, which risks being drowned in the inbox of your former guests, a more modern and effective option is to use a hotel chatbot. 

The use of a chatbot allows you to target your website visitors and in doing so, directly impact travellers interested in your hotel. In fact, a recent study conducted by PwC on the outlook for the holidays in 2023 shows that more than 60% of travellers are open to the help of a chatbot. To maximise impact, the chatbot can take the form of a notification that automatically appears, starting a conversation with users exploring your hotel’s site for an interactive experience. 

But how can you best leverage a chatbot in your marketing campaigns to boost your direct bookings during the holiday season? You can set it up to offer a special Christmas offer in the form of a notification. This approach allows you to engage travellers who visit your hotel’s website while improving their experience. 

Example of a marketing campaign to increase your direct bookings during the holidays: 

Christmas Special!🎅🏼🌲 Book now and enjoy the magic of the holidays with us! 

Are you looking for the perfect place to spend an unforgettable holiday during the festive season? Book your stay now with our exclusive Christmas offer and benefit from:

✨ 15% discount on your Christmas holiday booking.

✨ Free breakfast for the duration of your stay.

✨ A warm welcome with Christmas treats in your room.

Book now and let us make your Christmas even more magical!

Book now

2. Marketing campaign at the guest arrival

As your customers walk through the doors of your hotel, a well-orchestrated marketing campaign can make all the difference. Rather than letting this opportunity go unnoticed, capitalise on the excitement of your newly arrived guests by putting together a welcome message with a targeted Christmas offer.

Imagine the scene: your guests have just settled into their room, eager to start their stay. It’s the perfect time to give them a personalised welcome, whether it’s via text message or a messaging app like WhatsApp. By using a chatbot powered by conversational AI, you can automate the sending of these messages, ensuring that your Christmas offer arrives at the right time and doesn’t go unnoticed. A concrete example of the success of this approach is that of the French hotel group USSIM Vacances, which reports an opening rate of more than 90% on its automated WhatsApp campaigns. This demonstrates the effectiveness of a targeted and automated marketing campaign at the right time.

This warm gesture not only boosts the satisfaction of your guests, it also allows you to increase your turnover by offering them other services. 

Example of a WhatsApp marketing campaign with a Christmas offer:

Hello Marie Dupont,

Happy Holidays and welcome to Hotel Central! We are delighted to welcome you during this festive period. To make your stay even more special, take advantage of our exclusive Christmas offer: book a dinner at the restaurant during your stay and receive a free yule log for dessert! 😋🎄

The entire Hotel Central team is at your disposal to make your stay unforgettable. May these holidays be filled with joy and memorable moments!

See you soon

The Hotel Central Team

3. Marketing campaign to boost upselling and cross-selling during the holidays

Upselling and cross-selling are powerful techniques to enrich a guest’s experience and increase your hotel’s revenue. The holiday season offers a wealth of opportunities to make the most of them. There are several marketing campaigns that can be implemented during this festive season to encourage your guests to opt for room amenities or additional services. Thanks to the implementation of automated marketing campaigns, you have the opportunity to respond in a personalised way to the needs of your guests whilst creating unforgettable moments during this festive period.

Explore the possibilities by designing exclusive seasonal offers, such as taking part in festive activities like Christmas-themed cooking classes, trips to the local Christmas market, or even illuminated horse-drawn carriage rides to discover the city’s fairytale scenery. These exclusive offers add significant value to the guest experience whilst increasing your hotel’s revenue.

Don’t forget the importance of carefully customising your upselling and cross-selling marketing campaigns. For example, a family with children might be particularly inclined to choose to upgrade their room in exchange for a visit to the Christmas market with a special meeting with Santa Claus (with a free photo opportunity), while a solo traveller might favour a blind-date style Christmas dinner to bond with other guests. To do this, leverage technology, including hotel management systems (PMS), to identify and implement personalised upselling and cross-selling opportunities, providing a tailored experience for your guests.

Example of an upselling marketing campaign during the holidays:

Dear Arnaud, 

As the holiday season approaches, the Hotel Central team wants to make your stay even more special. By opting for a superior room now, enjoy as a gift an unforgettable “Illuminated Carriage Ride” through the festive streets of the city, plunging into the magic of Christmas ✨

Book before December 20 to take advantage of this exclusive offer and make your stay even more memorable.

We look forward to providing you with a unique and warm experience!

Happy holidays 🎄🎅🏼

The Hotel Central Team

4. Christmas marketing campaign at check-out 

The check-out time is a strategic opportunity to increase guest engagement and encourage future bookings. By capitalising on well-planned marketing campaigns adapted to the festive period, your hotel can not only thank your guests for their stay but also keep them coming back. 

Example of a Christmas marketing campaign at check-out:

Ho, ho, ho! 🎅🏼

Thank you for choosing to celebrate the holidays with us. Your presence has been the greatest gift of all.

As a thank you, we are pleased to offer you a surprise for your future getaways. Get an exclusive 20% discount on your next stay by simply using the promo code “FESTIVEMAGIC23” when booking.

We hope your stay was as magical as it was to receive you, and we look forward to welcoming you back. 

Happy holidays and best wishes,

The Hotel Central Team ✨ 

5. Christmas marketing campaign to increase customer reviews 

Guest reviews play a vital role in the decision-making of future travellers. According to Partoo’s study on the French and online reviews, published in May 2023, 79% of respondents believe that they will not visit a hotel that has a rating of less than 3.5/5 and more than half (51%) of them consult reviews at least once a month before visiting a hotel. According to the same study, the hotel industry is the third sector where reviews matter the most. Setting up marketing campaigns to collect more guest reviews is a great way to significantly influence the choices of potential travellers, encouraging them to choose your hotel over another.

Example of a customer review marketing campaign during the holiday season:

Dear Alice,

As Christmas approaches, we dream of the best gift of all: your opinion on your stay at Hotel Central. Share your experience and help us create magical memories for all our future guests.

As a thank you, each review counts as an entry into our special Christmas prize draw, with the chance to win a free night and other delightful surprises!

Click here to share your experience and give us the best Christmas gift 🎁❤️

Happy holidays and best wishes,

The Hotel Central Team ✨ 

The holiday season is of paramount importance for the hospitality industry, providing a prime opportunity to generate additional revenue. Whether you opt for marketing campaigns before, during, or after booking a stay, implementing effective automated campaigns is a surefire way to increase your revenue, while ensuring your guests have an unforgettable experience!