While the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is a boon these days for the hospitality industry, that spike traditionally dies down as the holidays pass and demand lags through the remaining winter months.
But hoteliers who are active about finding local demand for both stays and food-and-beverage outlets have a leg up in getting through the leaner period.
"Shoulder-season programming targeting local guests is an effective way to drive local demand as long as it is executed and marketed appropriately," said Andrea Grigg, global head of hotel asset management at CBRE. "Pop-up shops, creative collaborations and other programming are proving to be innovative ways to create buzz, interest and a reason for locals to experience a hotel."
You can accomplish this effective marketing by analyzing the competitive environment, eyeing the local market and conducting market research, Grigg added.
It's key to examine what your competitors are doing during the shoulder season, Grigg said. Develop special promotions and packages, with add-ons designed to target local guests. Incorporate unique concepts and experiences by partnering with local business, such as chefs, mixologists, artists or professional athletes, depending upon your property's niche.
Izzy Kharasch, a Chicago-based hospitality and restaurant consultant, it's important for hotels to make their food-and-beverage offerings work during the quieter winter months. Taking pictures and videos of new menu items, cocktails and wine tastings and posting them on social media can help keep hotel restaurants in the public eye in their local market. Another way to speak to locals is by being a good neighbor.
"Restaurants in hotels can be known for supporting the local pantry, participating in fundraising, and donating to charities who utilize silent auctions as fundraising," Kharasch said.
The Wayfarer Downtown LA, Tapestry Collection by Hilton in Los Angeles partners with social engagement apps such as Bumble and Yelp to help attract locals to its food-and-beverage outlets. The hotel started doing this in 2023, and plans to continue doing so at least quarterly into 2024, which can help keep business more robust, said General Manager Kenneth Clark.
"A lot of locals in the immediate area are not familiar with the property, so these are great opportunities to expose them to the property that are more than just open-house style events with a limited cache," Clark said. "We place a high emphasis on our social media engagement, specifically through Instagram, by keeping our content fresh and relevant, and we want our potential guests to always see and feel what is happening at the property — rather than just using stock imagery."
Allison Handy, senior vice president of sales at Aimbridge Hospitality, said her company's hotels also market to locals via social media.
"During a time when it was necessary to communicate timely messages to local audiences, our property social followings grew as people who are essentially our neighbors sought information about our restaurants and service offerings," she said. "Just as we were able to use social media to connect with these local audiences, those same people found that they could turn to us as the go-to resources for information in the community; now, we’re connecting with locals more than ever before."
Paul Coury, CEO of Coury Hospitality, said this can be key demand for hotels at this point on the calendar.
"After the holiday season concludes, hotels frequently witness a substantial decline in reservations as the flow of visitors from out-of-town diminishes," he said. "To sustain their momentum, hotels should lean into the successes they've enjoyed during the holiday season to keep guests captivated throughout the year."
These include initiatives such as pop-ups, seasonal menus and limited-time entertainment offerings. By going the extra mile year-round, hotels can maintain a consistent flow to engage both out-of-towners and locals throughout the entire year.
For instance, seasonal menus with innovative dishes can help bring in a surge of locals. In Coury Hospitality's case, as much as 70% of diners in its portfolio this time of year are locals rather than hotel guests, Coury said.
Another effective way to attract local business following the holiday rush is by geographical-based targeting through cellular devices, said Nick Falcone, founder and chief executive officer of Rentyl Resorts.
"Through phone Bluetooth and other technology options, businesses can obtain data on a customer that will allow tracking on their location, so that if they come within proximity of your business it can trigger automatic and personalized messages from the business," he said.
Another effective way to attract local business following the holiday rush is partnering with key local brands during the holidays and continuing that relationship after the busy season, said Christine Devers, general manager of the W Times Square in New York City.
For instance, the W Times Square partnered with FANG, a gender-expansive fashion line, for a retail pop-up to launch mid-holiday season and last through the end of the first quarter of 2024.
"We can draw momentum during peak season and drive that popularity forward through January, February, and March," Devers said. “Doing something that nobody else is doing anywhere is key to creating moments that bring in visitation from locals and travelers alike."
The Ben West Palm, Autograph Collection by Marriott captures local business by getting involved in community events, said General Manager Bernardo Neto.
"By staying current with the goals and developments in each local company and nurturing the relationships with their leadership by attending local events, we are able to be the first to gather local event leads," Neto said.