As we enter slower travel months, it can be tempting to kick back for the off-season. However, there are plentiful opportunities to optimize on both the off-season and shoulder seasons, just by adding a few extra things to your everyday operations. 

From extra offerings to communicating throughout the guest’s stay via guest messaging, you can impress travelers who are already out, and entice those who were going to stay home to take a trip or two.

Enticing offerings and pricing

During the offseason, often referred to as after the winter holidays and before spring, travelers usually stay home to recuperate. Whether it’s chilly weather, post-holiday fatigue, or working a job that’s busy during this season (think accountants doing taxes), winter and early spring are the slowest both in the U.S. and abroad. 

That doesn't mean people aren’t traveling at all though, or that they couldn’t be convinced to take a short getaway! Plus, business travel is year-round and an opportunity to “wow” unexpecting guests. 

One way to make your property stand out during this time is to offer a little bit extra for each guest’s stay—think coupons for local shows and activities, vouchers for food and drink in the area or at the hotel, or even deals on nightly stays.

Another option is to offer competitive pricing during this time. Taking a look at competitors, demand, and historical trends can help hotels decide what to charge to offer guests a deal or get travelers in the door.

Everyone loves a deal, so no matter the guest, adding offerings to your property will bring guests and impress the ones already there. Hospitality texting is a great way to make sure everyone is aware of the offerings and has a great time.

Go the extra mile 

Making guests’ stay memorable with the little touches is sure to impress. Whether traveling for business or leisure, everyone likes a bit of special treatment and to feel taken care of. Try leaving out treats in the lobby, leaving a welcome note or text message, or decorating the room for a special occasion. 

Guests that have memorable experiences are more likely to spread the word about their stay, become brand loyalists, and leave good reviews—all of which can drive direct bookings no matter the season. 

Communicating through hospitality messaging is one way to add that extra flair and make guests feel right at home. By using personalized messaging on their preferred channels, such as texting, social media messengers, or WhatsApp, guests can make requests and see fast results from hotel teams.

Provide that standout experience 

The complete guest journey starts before they even check-in: From the moment they book their stay, til after they check out and fill out the post-stay survey, teams should aim to impress. 

Educate guests on the special offerings you’re providing, whether it’s a two-for-one stay or vouchers for local experiences, by utilizing the group message feature on top hotel text messaging platforms. Make each and every guest feel special and are engaging with hotel teams through digital messaging, mid-stay check-ins, and information on hotel websites. Go above and beyond by fulfilling requests and checking in on guests using hospitality messaging—on average, hotels that use guest messaging have shown on average a 15% increase in TripAdvisor scores

These aren’t just best practices; they’ll help your hotel make the best impression possible and continue booking throughout the slow season. Learn more about hotel texting, hospitality trends, and more on the Kipsu blog.