Did you know that Coachella 2023 lured over half a million music fans into the California desert? And, earlier this year, SXSW drew nearly 350,000 participants to Lone Star’s capital city? The thought of all those room nights is a hotelier’s dream come true. But, even if your property isn’t located in Indio or Austin, there are festivals and events taking place all across the map (some near you!) – and all throughout the year – that attract enthusiastic fans in need of overnight accommodations. So we’re unpacking 5 winning ways to get their heads in your beds.
Friends In High Places
Let’s start right at the top. You should already have close working relationships with your state and local Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) or Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVBs). These are the tourism authorities that partner with and promote happenings in the region. For smaller festivals, the DMO or CVB is typically also the resource event organizers point attendees to for arranging their own accommodations. At a bare minimum, you should ensure your property is listed on their official websites. Better yet, make friends with someone on the inside and engage in regular conversations about upcoming events and how your hotel or resort can play a part.
Sliding further down the funnel, you’ll also want to build bonds with nearby host venues, area colleges and universities (think of all the multi-day visitors for residence hall move-ins, parents’ weekends and graduations!) and, of course, the event organizers themselves. Being named a preferred vendor for overnight accommodations can really boost your bottom line.
Search Me
Now let’s check in with the eventgoers themselves. They’ve gone to the official event website to plan their trip but haven’t found overnight accommodations there or on tourism sites where it’s being held. Left to their own (digital) devices, they begin an internet search to find the perfect place to stay. Savvy properties will have anticipated this move and already created an optimized landing page to capture this search – and lock down their reservations.
Package Deals
OK, now that your optimized landing page drew them in – it’s time to sweeten the deal by offering packages customized to the particular event. Along with an overnight (or longer) stay, these packages offer perks that tie into the interests being embraced by these event-goers. Ideally, you offer multiple packages – and those with more inclusions or upgraded accommodations fetch higher room rates.
Fish Where The Fish Are
Coachella and SXSW did not get to the massive attendance numbers they currently enjoy through simple word-of-mouth. There are some mega marketing budgets behind these household names. But smaller-scale events are definitely out there advertising – and you should be too. A full-service agency has the media know-how to get you into the same vehicles, plus the creative talent to write and design the executions that will inspire these event-goers to take action (AKA book a room with you).
Host An Event
This can be a wholly-owned property initiative, like the Lansdowne Celebrates America July 4th Weekend event and Thanksgiving festivities at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Or it can be a joint effort, like Earl Klugh’s Weekend of Jazz at The Broadmoor. While these events require more resources on your part, they directly equate to more heads in your beds.
Event-goers are ready to open their wallets in the name of pursuing their passions. If you’d like to get a piece of that lucrative pie, contact Lynn Kaniper at 609.466.9187 ext. 117 or lkaniper@danacommunications.com for expert guidance.
