Every hotel experiences market fluctuations due to seasonal slumps and varying market conditions. The key to staying profitable and maintaining a steady flow of bookings during off-peak periods – is to take a long-term perspective. These slower seasons present valuable opportunities to explore new niche markets, analyze data to understand the patterns, develop strategies based on those findings. By refining product offerings and revamping marketing endeavors to better resonate with your target audience, you can strengthen market appeal of the product and maximize conversions even when demand is low.

Here are the recommendations to help you boost your occupancy rate during the low season:

Determine low season for your property

Use data to determine what time of year the low season takes place. An analysis that looks at the data points over a certain period-of-time, such as past booking patterns, occupancy rate, number of bookings, number of visitors, demand forecast report, and current & future trends – will help provide meaningful insights to strategize and create low-season marketing efforts to make the most of the season,

 Identify your ideal low-season guest

Look at past low-season bookings to understand who your guests were during the low season and define the demographics of guests who prefer off-season such as retirees, business entrepreneurs, groups, etc., how many rooms did they book, what was the source market, etc. Rely on data to know the target market and customers and to make your property appealing to these guests to capture bookings.

Create content & update your listings

Update your listings with new content to attract low-season guests. Promote the features that would appeal to your target customers. Create content to give them a feel and a glimpse of what it would be like to stay during the low season. Example: Outdoor images that show snow-laden pines, a light dusting of snow, and interiors that highlight a cozy log fireplace, selection of board games, coffee counter, season-specific activities that people can enjoy, and share the content on social media to attract customers. If you have a special offer, feature it on the website, booking channels, and social media. Also, mention local events taking place during these months near your property.

Try niche booking channels – Offline and online

The low season gives time to test new booking channels and expand the distribution network. Try out other channels, both offline and online, and tweak the distribution strategy to drive bookings during the low season. Utilize the not-so-busy season to expand your audience base, conduct surveys, and ask for reviews to improve products, services, and reputation.

Price realistically and increase value by creating packages and offers

Do your research well before reducing the rates as this won’t boost the low-season hotel occupancy rate for long and negatively impact the overall revenue and image. Analyze data to understand the demand and if your hotel is listed on Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb, etc. use the tools offered by these sites to understand the trends & get pricing suggestions. Also, consider how competitors are setting their low season prices. Another way to avoid lowering too much is to increase offerings at the same price. Create value-added deals such as free night offers, special weekday/ weekend offers, group discounts, free treatment at the wellness center, discounts on food and beverages, lowering or removing minimum stay restrictions, flexible booking terms, pet-friendly policies, etc. to boost queries and bookings.

Contact previous and potential guests

leads to whom In addition to new potential guests, reconnect with the previous guest by email, phone calls, etc. and share details of the special offer or information. Ask them for referrals and make it worthwhile for them by offering incentives in return for recommendations. Also, contact lost leads to who you had to decline in previous years around the same time of the year due to the non-availability of rooms.

Group bookings and MICE

Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) are a great way to increase and fill up rooms during the low season. Partner with events organizers and corporate travel agencies to maximize revenue and occupancy. Upsell services offer discounted spa packages, free access to the business center for organizers, local tour discounts for attendees, free shuttle services, etc. to make the deal appealing to them.

Local events / Contact organizers of local events

Collaborate and combine efforts with other businesses affected by seasonal slumps and organize events such as a food and wine festival, winter carnival, shopping festival, shows, etc. to draw visitors in the low season. List hotels in the promotional materials and offer exclusive offers just for the attendees, for example – discounts on food at a restaurant or bar, happy hours, etc. If there are any local events taking place, create a special package combining rooms and tickets to the event.

To summarize, successfully navigating low season requires a combination of data-driven decisions, strategic planning, efficient marketing efforts, and a strong commitment to providing exceptional guest experiences. By embracing these principles, you can minimize the impact of season slumps and maintain a steady flow of bookings and revenue throughout the year.