To remain competitive, relying solely on the quality of reception, decor, and room services will no longer suffice in retaining or attracting new guests. People want to fully experience something new during their stay and have unique, shared moments.
How can you make their stay memorable with imaginative activities? Here are some ideas to implement quickly: - Hold a conference or exhibit: Introduce art or culture into your establishment! Host an art exhibit with a local artist to make a statement and showcase paintings or sculptures at your hotel's reception area or a room close to the restaurant or bar to encourage guests to dine in.
- In the mountains during winter, for instance, arrange for an ice sculptor to perform near your terrace to pique curiosity and attract guests from the entire resort. Art is a permanent resident in some hotels, which you can highlight on your website and social media to reach customers who are interested in culture. Contemporary art and local artists always catch the attention of foreign tourists. Turn your hotel into a gallery, especially if you're located in rural areas where artistic events may be limited.
- Host a bar event: You can go for a safe option with karaoke, choosing themes such as "French Songs", "80s", "Rock n' Roll" to appeal to a wide range of audiences. This is a great activity to also attract non-staying customers, especially if your hotel is located in an area with few bars. You can establish regular appointments and promote them on social media. Some hotels even offer an evening slot: Karaoke and room happy hour. Make sure to have a private room available for groups or families with a capacity of 6 to 30 people if possible.
Did you know? The average cost for an hour of karaoke is around 14 euros. Expand to a weekday to break away from the weekend crowd and competition with bars. For instance, Monday is a day off for many social venues, take advantage of this opportunity to attract customers to your hotel! The bar is also the perfect place to host a cocktail tasting workshop, mixology class, or food and drink pairing event, especially if you have a bartender who is skilled in performing.
After exploring, your customers will also have the option to place an order if you make a QR code menu readily available to them! This way, the time or resources used can be greatly offset.
- Capitalize on the growth of remote work and freelancing by offering coworking spaces to attract non-guests. Utilize underutilized spaces or rooms in your establishment during the day or evening. Offer hourly or monthly coworking options to bring in employees, but ensure there's a chance for socializing with a mid-afternoon snack and beverage break. This is also a great opportunity for clients to network and connect. Your hotel can serve as a professional and business hub, with an all-inclusive membership that includes WiFi access, a dedicated open bar, or a snack menu.
- Having a designated children's area in your hotel is also a deciding factor for many families. Having a well-planned "kids corner" has several advantages: Firstly, it prevents noise in rooms during early mornings and evenings, which sometimes annoys other hotel guests. A well-thought-out space helps to retain families, and children will become ambassadors for the hotel. They also drive consumption on-site during the day, particularly at snack time with fruit juice drinks.
Non-guests may also be interested in the offerings, allowing you to attract potential customers who will come to discover your hotel.
Here are a few tips to explore and communicate in real-time to your customers to make your hotel appealing and perceived as a place of sharing.
In a few words, to succeed: Be creative, stand out! Poll your customers for feedback on the activities offered Regularly measure the attendance of non-guest customers at your hotel for the various activities offered Communicate on social media in advance of each event to create a buzz Implement a Digital Room Directory so that every customer can discover all the services and dining options at your hotel to increase revenues. These additional sales can finance all your new animation ideas.