How do you fill a hotel that sits off the tourist route? Build demand from two sides: tour companies that choose stops, and guests who come on purpose, such as wedding families. At Hotel Lumberjack, occupancy rose from 71% to 81%.
Two boutique hotels sat off the main tourist route. Travelers and tour companies drove past, on their way to Yosemite, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Sacramento.
Occupancy at Hotel Lumberjack rose from 71% to 81%, above the 79% budget. Revenue grew 13.9%.
Two kinds of demand. A hotel off the route can’t wait for people to pass by. So I built demand from two sides.
Travelers on their way somewhere else. Tour companies choose their stops. I gave them a reason to choose ours: competitive group rates, and a small Gold Rush town worth a night. I built partnerships with tour companies that bring European guests, and with the local tourism bureau.
Guests who come on purpose. Wedding venues around the hotel needed places for families and friends to stay. I built a referral route with them, and gave them exposure on the hotel’s web and social media. I also created a program in the hotel with the local arts chamber.
Both sides ran as one commercial system. I managed it every day, from Bali, with the team on site.
Also managed
- All major OTAs and the OTA and direct mix
- Email marketing and CRM with Revinate
- Social media and digital campaigns
- FIT, group and event sales
- Pricing and performance reporting
- New affiliate channels
- The Sonora Inn renovation project, which I was responsible for
The same problem, in other businesses. A villa off the beach road. A restaurant off the main street. A professional whose clients only come by referral. When people pass by instead of stopping, the answer is the same: give them a reason to come on purpose.
Result
Occupancy at Hotel Lumberjack rose from 71% to 81%, above the 79% budget. Revenue grew 13.9%.
