PR and Marketing Strategies for Hotel Growth

If I was put in charge of making your hotel outperform every competitor within a 20-mile radius, here’s exactly what I’d do. And no, I wouldn’t start with ads, discounts, or copying the hotel down the street. 1. I’d stop chasing everyone. The fastest way to lose is trying to be for everyone. I’d define who you are not for just as clearly as who you are for. One clear guest profile. One emotional promise. One reason someone chooses you even when you’re more expensive. If your team can’t say this in one sentence, you don’t have a marketing problem, you have an identity problem. 2. I’d audit the entire guest journey like a detective. Not like a marketer. From the moment someone Googles you to the moment they leave. Website. Booking flow. Confirmation emails. Pre-arrival communication. Check-in energy. Lobby smell. Lighting. Music. Staff body language. Room reveal. Breakfast flow. Checkout friction. Post-stay follow-up. Competitive advantage lives in the details everyone else ignores. 3. I’d turn your staff into the story. Most hotels treat their people like furniture. Big mistake. Guests don’t emotionally connect with buildings. They connect with humans. Faces. Voices. Accents. Personalities. Your people should be the most visible part of your brand. 4. I’d rebuild your content around memory creation. Less room shots. Less drone flexing. More moments. More behind-the-scenes. More real conversations. I want future guests to feel like they already know your hotel before they ever arrive. Familiarity drives bookings. 5. I’d market harder to past guests than future ones. Most hotels are sitting on gold and never mine it. Reviews. UGC. Email. DMs. Loyalty touchpoints that feel personal, not automated. Repeat guests are the real competitive moat. 6. I’d make your hotel impossible to confuse with anyone nearby. Same city doesn’t mean same story. Same beach doesn’t mean same emotion. Same star rating doesn’t mean same experience. If I swapped your logo with a competitor’s and no one noticed, you’re invisible. 7. I’d align sales, marketing, ops, and leadership around one truth. You don’t win by having the best department. You win by having the most aligned culture. Guests feel friction instantly, even if they can’t explain it. Outperforming competitors isn’t about being louder. It’s about being clearer, more human, and more intentional than everyone else around you. --- If you like the way I look at the world of hospitality, let’s chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com

Recently, Ferrari’s CEO stated that “Ferrari is not a car company. It’s a luxury brands that also sells cars”.  In the world of luxury, brands are not merely selling products; they are curating an experience, a dream, and a lifestyle. This is precisely why Ferrari is not just a car manufacturer; it is a luxury brand. The company’s dominance in the high-end automobile sector is not about selling vehicles; it’s about exclusivity, prestige, and emotion. What can hospitality learn from Ferrari? Quite a lot. 1. Scarcity and Exclusivity Create Desire Ferrari has mastered the art of scarcity. They limit production to ensure demand exceeds supply, reinforcing their brand’s exclusivity. This model keeps residual values high and maintains the aspirational allure of ownership. This can be applied in Hotels by: Creating exclusive, limited-edition experiences, such as chef’s table events, private villa buyouts, or members-only spa treatments. Implementing dynamic pricing and controlled availability, ensuring that premium services retain their desirability. 2. Elevating Experience Over Product Ferrari sells more than speed and engineering—it sells status, passion, and a legacy. Buyers don’t just purchase a car; they buy into a legend. Similarly, luxury hotels should not focus solely on rooms but on the emotions and experiences they evoke. For hospitality, this means: Focusing on storytelling in marketing—a stay at a hotel should feel like part of a greater journey, not just a transaction. Designing experiential packages—wellness retreats, cultural immersion programs, or bespoke adventures that make guests feel unique. Training staff to deliver personalized, emotionally engaging service, making every guest feel like a VIP. 3. Personalization and Brand Loyalty Ferrari’s customer base is incredibly loyal, with many buyers returning for multiple models. This loyalty is driven by deep personalization—custom paint jobs, interior configurations, and access to exclusive events. Hotels can emulate this by: Using guest data to anticipate preferences, from room temperature to favorite drinks and preferred pillow types. Offering bespoke services, such as a dedicated butler, private guided tours, or tailored wellness programs. Implementing loyalty programs that prioritize exclusivity over discounts—think private club access, members-only events, or early access to new offerings. 4. Ancillary Revenue: The Power of Prestige Pricing Ferrari makes significant profits through high-margin ancillary sales—branded merchandise, F1 experiences, and personalized add-ons. The hospitality sector can learn from this by boosting ancillary revenue through: Premium spa services (upselling signature treatments, wellness memberships). Exclusive dining experiences (chef’s tables, wine-pairing events, private cooking classes). High-end retail collaborations (curated boutique offerings, exclusive brand partnerships). Torres Hospitality Consulting Global Revenue Forum - Madrid Oaky

Why hospitality is ignoring the Pareto Principle? The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, suggests that approximately 80% of outcomes or results come from about 20% of the causes or inputs, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the vital few to achieve significant results. Translated in hospitality-speak, The Pareto Principle means that hotels get 80% of their business from a handful of feeder markets. Quite often I hear OTA proponents claiming that “The OTAs can take your hotel's name to every corner of the world.” The question is: how many hotels need their name being taken to every corner of the world? Most hotels rely for their occupancies on a handful of feeder markets, not on random travelers from the other side of the world. This is the Pareto Principle at its best! Hoteliers have a great advantage over the OTAs: They know their property’s product and services much better than the OTAs. They know their guests and their preferences much better than the OTAs. Hoteliers know their local neighborhoods and immediate destinations far better than the “far and away”-based OTAs. Using the Pareto Principle, hoteliers can focus on their feeder markets and customer segments that generate 80% of their business thus being much more efficient than the OTAs. Here is how hoteliers can take advantage of the Pareto Principle: 1. Invest all of the property’s sales and marketing efforts in the feeder markets that generate 80% of the property business and do not allow the OTAs to encroach in these markets. The remaining 20% of the markets that generate only occasional bookings? Leave them to the OTAs. 2. Launch Google Ads (GA) campaign for your branded keyword terms to capture all friends and family referrals, repeat guests, etc. The goal is to “own” 100% SOV (share of voice) i.e. if there are 1000 searches for your property’s brand name, you should budget enough your GA listing to be served 100% of the time. You will be surprised how inexpensive these search campaigns are! 3. Launch Google Ads campaigns targeting your top feeder markets. Google allows your ads to be served only in your preferred geographical locations. Focus on long tail keyword terms that best describe your hotel location and hotel product Ex. Boutique hotel near Central Park NYC, hotel with rooftop bar midtown Manhattan, 4 star hotel near Central Park Manhattan, etc. Best practices: Aim at owning at least 50% of SOV. 4. Invest in Google Display Network (GDN) campaigns in your main feeder markets. The average CPM (cost per mille, or cost per 1,000 impressions) typically ranges from $3 to $5. 5. Invest in content marketing - the cheapest marketing format of them all. 6. Establish solid social media presence with original posts and useful content. 7. Take advantage of all the freebies out there: free Google Business Profile, free booking links on Google Hotel Ads, free listings in your feeder markets: business directories, CVB and Chamber of Commerce listings, etc.

What Capella Hotels and Resorts teaches about building a luxury brand that grows through word of mouth Context if you’re new to the brand: Capella is a design-led luxury group, named Travel + Leisure’s Best Hotel Brand for multiple consecutive years, with several Forbes 5-Star properties and entries in the World’s 50 Best Hotels. I’ve been studying how Capella built its reputation, and there are some very smart things they do that any hotel can learn from: 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 “𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿,” 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. Their Culturist program, the way they curate experiences, that Living Room concept. These aren’t just marketing lines. They’re moments that stick with guests and get retold at dinner. Every hotel should have at least one signature thing only they do. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. It’s easy to put values on a website, but Capella weaves theirs into everything. How staff greet guests, how rooms are set up, the food they serve. If your brand pillars don’t change how you operate day to day, they’re just decoration. 𝗚𝗼 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽. They have fewer rooms but a stronger sense of place. Not every hotel can shrink its footprint, but you can always get more specific about your location. Lean into local design, partner with neighborhood spots, tell stories that only make sense where you are. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 (𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆). They’re good at spotting strong user-generated content and asking permission to use it. Treat those guest posts and stories like valuable assets. Organize them and repurpose them in your advertising and sales materials. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.When your team sticks around and genuinely cares, service becomes consistent. And consistency is what makes people recommend you without thinking twice. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀. Those “World’s Best” awards and magazine features create social proof people want to share. Sometimes being exclusive and newsworthy works better than a traditional rewards program. I’ve been thinking about putting together a deeper analysis of their approach. Maybe some templates and practical examples for hotels that want to try similar strategies. If that sounds useful, let me know and I’ll work on it.

Smart luxury hotels are playing a short & long term game with their new marketing strategies. While most travel brands obsess over immediate ROI, luxury properties like Rosewood Mayakoba are hosting content-worthy, elaborate dinner experiences that cost thousands to produce but generate minimal short-term revenue. This defies every digital marketing principle we've been taught, but it’s great. Here's what's brilliant about this strategy: These hotels are building emotional equity with guests who spend thousands per stay and return year after year, whilst banking world-class experiential content that fuels future performance marketing. A guest who spends $2,000 per night and returns annually for a decade represents $20,000+ in revenue. That's worth investing in for the long term. Skift recently covered how this strategy is from an age old playbook that completely flips the traditional travel marketing playbook. Instead of broad reach, they're going deep with their highest-value customers. The brands playing the long game… investing in memorable, relationship-building experiences rather than conversion optimization will own the luxury traveler's loyalty AND attract new customers with great, content-driven marketing.

Most hotels are missing a huge revenue channel by ignoring email marketing. Here's what we've learned building email strategies for hotels 👇🏻 While I've spent the last year showing you how to leverage social media, email marketing remains criminally underutilized in hospitality. Unlike social media followers, your email list is something you actually own. Email gives you direct access to potential guests, allowing you to: ✔️ Send targeted campaigns based on location ✔️ Retarget previous guests ✔️ Personalize messages ✔️ Drive bookings without constant ad spend But for hotels, email marketing has been a black box... Most industries have countless resources for email strategy. For hospitality? Almost non-existent. Even big brands are just running basic discount campaigns and bland promotional emails. Here's what's working in our email strategy: ✅ Building Our List There are two main drivers - previous guests and website sign-ups. For website sign-ups, we skipped the typical discount pop-ups that would cheapen our brand. We focused on value-driven offers like free stay giveaways to build our list while maintaining luxury positioning. ✅ Weekly Content Strategy Weekly emails strike the perfect balance–keeping guests engaged without overwhelming them. Unlike retail where customers buy monthly, hotel guests book a few times a year. We don’t need to flood guests with emails–we're playing the long game. Mix local activities, events, and property highlights. ✅ Personalization That Converts Targeted messaging helped our email strategy standout. We created campaigns for: ✔️ Local guests seeking quick getaways ✔️ Past guests reminiscing about their stays ✔️ Engaged subscribers ready to book All without paid ad costs. ✅ Email Flows That Drive Revenue This is where email marketing became a game-changer. We created automated sequences to: ✔️ Welcome new subscribers with our story ✔️ Re-engage guests who haven't booked in 9-12 months ✔️ Keep inactive subscribers engaged Here's exactly how to get started: 1. Choose Your Platform Klaviyo is our go-to. While there are many options, we've found it works best for hospitality and is easiest to use. 2. Build Your Foundation Start by compiling past guest emails from your PMS. Then create compelling sign-up offers and popup forms for new subscribers. 3. Set Up Your Flows Top priority: a welcome flow introducing your property's unique experience & story.  Then add: - Flows targeting previous guests - Re-engagement campaigns for inactive subs 4. Plan Weekly Content Map out a calendar mixing: - Local events and activity guides - Behind-the-scenes content - Strategic promotions (but keep them minimal) 5. Design Your Template Create a consistent look: - Clean header with logo and booking links - Mobile-optimized layout - Strategic CTA placement Every property's email list is unique. Test different approaches, analyze what resonates, and find what works best for your property.

How to Succeed When Your Hotel Is in the Wrong Location Location is often seen as one of the most critical factors for a hotel’s success. But what if your property is far from tourist attractions or business centers? We turned a struggling hotel in a remote area outside Lagos into a hidden gem — and here’s how: The Challenge: The hotel was located far from major attractions and business hubs, leading to: Low foot traffic and occupancy Negative feedback about inconvenience Struggles with guest retention Our Solution: Step 1: Emphasizing Unique Features ✅ Highlighted the hotel’s peaceful and serene surroundings as an escape from the hustle of city life ✅ Branded the property as a boutique retreat blending luxury and tranquility Step 2: Enhancing Accessibility ✅ Partnered with local transport providers for free/discounted shuttle services ✅ Created detailed guides with maps and itineraries to help guests navigate nearby attractions Step 3: Creating On-Site Attractions ✅ Built amenities like a spa, outdoor pool, and fine-dining restaurant to encourage guests to stay on-site ✅ Hosted yoga retreats, weekend getaways, and cultural nights to attract both locals and travelers Step 4: Leveraging Marketing and Partnerships ✅ Partnered with travel agencies and influencers to position the hotel as a “hidden gem” ✅ Offered exclusive packages like all-inclusive stays to boost direct bookings The Results? 🌟 Occupancy increased by 40% in just six months 📈 Positive reviews called the hotel a “hidden oasis,” boosting its online reputation 💰 Revenue grew by 30% as guests embraced the property’s unique appeal 💡 Lesson Learned: A challenging location doesn’t have to define your hotel’s success. When you focus on your strengths and design memorable experiences, even a perceived weakness can become your biggest advantage. Quick Tip: Is your hotel surrounded by nature? Is it quiet? Near hidden attractions? Use these traits to craft your marketing message and reposition your brand. Before: Poor Location After: Hidden Oasis +40% Occupancy Struggling with a tough location? Let’s create a custom strategy that turns your hotel into a destination. Message me to get started. If you prefer posts that cover practical cases in the hospitality field, follow me and wait for my posts every day at 1:30 PM.

The Future of Search Isn’t About Clicks, It’s About Signals We’re witnessing a fundamental shift in how travelers discover, evaluate, and trust brands online. Here are five powerful truths shaping today’s search landscape and what hotel marketers must do to stay ahead: 1. Search is no longer about driving traffic, it’s about being discovered AI tools, voice assistants, and social platforms now answer traveler questions directly, often before they ever visit your site. ➡️ What to do: Focus on visibility across multiple platforms. Your website is just one touchpoint, build a presence on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and review sites where AI and travelers look first. 2. Trust is built through digital signals, not just rankings AI prioritizes brands it sees consistently engaged across channels with useful, credible content. ➡️ What to do: Publish short-form videos showcasing your property, respond to traveler reviews, share local tips on LinkedIn, and post behind-the-scenes content. Show you’re active, authentic, and guest-focused. 3. Social platforms are now search engines Travelers are skipping Google and searching TikTok or Instagram for real experiences, quick insights, and visual storytelling. ➡️ What to do: Make your hotel discoverable with visually compelling, searchable posts. Use hashtags strategically, answer common questions in video format, and turn guest experiences into content. 4. AI rewards brands with original thinking Unique insights, coined terms, and frameworks stand out in a sea of generic content. ➡️ What to do: Define your brand’s unique angle, whether it’s “eco-luxury near the city” or “quiet retreats for remote workers.” Create content that positions your hotel as a thought leader in your niche. 5. Local presence is critical in AI-driven recommendations AI relies on signals like Google Business listings, local content, and customer reviews to recommend nearby options. ➡️ What to do: Optimize your GMB profile. Post updates, answer FAQs, upload videos, and actively request and respond to reviews. Build content around nearby attractions and seasonal events. Hotel marketers: the era of clicks is over. You win today by showing up where travelers search, even if they never land on your site. Own your niche. Be present across platforms. Make your brand impossible to overlook. If you’re not sure how to position your hotel in this next era of discovery, I’m here to help, whether as an advisor during your pivot or to instill the AI mindset across your entire team. Let’s make sure you’re not just keeping up but setting the pace.

Want Your Hotel to Be Seen as the Next 'White Lotus' Destination? The White Lotus didn’t just sell drama—it sold destinations. From Maui to Sicily to Koh Samui, Four Seasons properties became bucket-list stays overnight, proving that storytelling is the most powerful marketing tool in hospitality. The question is: How can hotels and luxury brands tap into this phenomenon? Here are four key strategies that hotel owners and operators should adopt: 1. Invest in Cinematic Storytelling. Luxury travelers don’t just want great service—they want an immersive narrative. - Develop a strong brand story that blends heritage, exclusivity, and emotion. - Lean into cinematic visuals—showcase your property as an aspirational setting. - Collaborate with filmmakers, influencers, and travel storytellers to bring your destination to life. Example: The San Domenico Palace in Sicily didn't need to market itself—White Lotus did it for them. But, the hotel's brand storytelling on social media kept the momentum going. 2️. Position Your Hotel as a Pop Culture Destination Not every hotel will land a TV series, but you can still make your property feel like it belongs in one. - Create experiences that feel exclusive and made for storytelling. - Align your brand with lifestyle and cultural trends—think fashion weeks, film festivals, and elite gatherings. - Encourage user-generated content that reinforces an aspirational narrative. Example: Hotels like Aman and Six Senses thrive on exclusivity and storytelling—guests feel like they’ve stepped into a curated, high-society experience. 3. Curate Experiences That Go Beyond the Stay It’s no longer just about rooms and suites—it’s about crafting a cinematic escape. - Offer unique, high-end experiences (think private island dinners, exclusive cultural excursions, secret speakeasies). - Partner with luxury brands to create limited-time, immersive stays. - Build a loyalty program that rewards experience-seekers, not just frequent travelers. Example: The Four Seasons’ new Mallorca property is integrating a vineyard and high-end culinary experiences—tapping into the romance of Mediterranean life. 4️. Embrace Set-Jetting & Destination Marketing People travel to places they’ve seen on-screen—use this to your advantage. - Collaborate with film and TV productions to feature your location. - Work with tourism boards to position your hotel as part of a broader cultural movement. - Launch travel packages inspired by popular films & series. Example: After Emily in Paris, Parisian hotels leaned into curated “Emily-style” itineraries. Why not craft a White Lotus-inspired luxury escape? The Takeaway: The White Lotus Effect proves that hotels aren’t just places to stay—they’re places to be experienced. The brands that master cinematic storytelling, pop culture positioning, and immersive experiences will win in the next era of luxury travel. What’s your take—how can more hotels capitalize on this trend? Let’s discuss.

Low ADR isn’t the disease—it’s a symptom. And too many hoteliers keep treating it like the actual problem. Push harder on sales... Tweak dynamic pricing... Add a clever campaign or some fancy new tech... Sure, these might help in the short term. But they’re band-aids. Not a cure. It’s like taking ibuprofen for heart failure. It might dull the discomfort… But it won’t fix the blockage. If your brand is forgettable, your story unclear, and your guest experience uninspired—no pricing tool will save you. And chasing higher ADR by sacrificing occupancy? That’s a race to the bottom, too. Want to treat the cause, not just the symptoms? Try this... 1. Design for Desire, Not Demographics Don’t target “millennials” or “business travelers.” Design for feelings: escape, nostalgia, connection, adventure. People pay more when they *feel* more. 2. Curate Hyper-Specific Experiences Generic doesn’t sell. Unique does. If it’s rare, it’s valuable. 3. Elevate In-Room Merch & Upsells Create immersive, brand-aligned moments. Amenities that create stories. 4. Make the Lobby a Destination Lobbies shouldn’t be dimly lit ghost towns. Make it buzz: coffee, cocktails, culture, art. A vibrant lobby gives you permission to charge more upstairs. 5. Lead with Your "Onlyness" If you’re not different, you’re forgettable. Boldly claim what makes you the only—and price accordingly and confidently. 6. Design Outdoor Spaces That Linger Fire pits, hammock groves, garden paths. Landscape is experience. The longer they linger outside, the more they’ll pay to stay inside. Invest outside, returns inside. 7. Nail the F&B It doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. It just has to be on brand. A killer breakfast sandwich or signature cocktail can elevate the whole stay. Remember.... You don’t fix ADR with discounts. You fix it by becoming irresistible. Tell a better story. Build a better experience. And watch the numbers follow. #hospitalitybranding #ADRstrategy #boutiquehotels #guestexperience #hotelmanagement #hospitalitydesign #storydrivenbrands #experientialhospitality