9 Ideas to Make Your Hotel Staycation-Ready

Staycation has been around for quite some time and it’s indeed one of the most effective vacation models. From students to budget travellers to just someone looking for a vacation close to their home, everyone can reap its benefits.

Lately, staycations have become a well-liked travel trend. And to make the most out of it, hotels must consider stepping into this turf.

In this blog, we are going to look at all the ways hotels can prepare for staycations and boost business. But before that, let’s look at the changes that 2020 has brought in terms of travel behaviour.

2020 Has Changed Travel & Tourism

We all have seen it happen! The COVID-19 has disrupted our lives in ways that were unimaginable. It’s been more than a year now, and people are still worried about the fact the virus is out there.

When it comes to hotels, they are doing everything possible to recover from this crisis. But to get back on track, hotels must cultivate a sense of confidence in their guests, assure them they are going to experience a great level of hospitality that aligns with all the safety measures.

Whereas, travelers will take on the role of concerned citizens and travel responsibly. Their preferences have changed because of both internal motivations and external enforced measures.

They are now not only concerned about hotel and flight rates, but also health and safety precautions, and that influences the type of places they are willing to travel to. 

All this chaos will inevitably come to an end, but till then, travellers are less likely to take long trips. The road to complete revival for travel & tourism is slightly bumpy. When people will get comfortable travelling domestic, they are more likely to go farther and farther away from home.

What is Staycation?

The word “staycation” was originally coined by Canadian comedian Brent Butt in 2005. And since then, it has become really popular in the travel & tourism sector.

If we go by the literal meaning, a staycation is a stay-at-home vacation. However, over the years, it has become more about a holiday or vacation one spends in a nearby destination and doesn’t involve much travel.

Or, you can also call it local/domestic tourism that involves activities for travellers not far from home. 

Now when we say tourist-based activities, what does it exactly mean?

It could be attending an event or visiting a local nature spot or hike the hill next to your town or maybe a hotel where you just want to relax and enjoy all the amenities.

But why are staycations becoming so well-liked this year? Let us now dig into that aspect.

Why are Staycations Becoming Popular These Days?

Staycations tend to go in and out of trend. But this year, there is a surge in staycations. Both travellers and hotels are understanding why a staycation is important. And there are several reasons for it.

• Keeping safe from COVID: As we have already mentioned above, people are still worried about getting infected by the ill-famed coronavirus. So, they would rather prefer to spend a vacation in a place which doesn’t involve a lot of travel and is safe.  
• External circumstances: Many countries are still rolling out the patchwork of restrictions on social distancing. Meaning, many places are still not open to tourists. 
• Not everyone’s cup of tea anymore: Planning a holiday turns out to be a difficult thing at times. Looking at all the expenditure and all the things to consider, people tend to get overwhelmed. On top of that, there are chances that things can go wrong on any occasion.
• Financial crunch: Many have gone through a major financial crunch in 2020. So, people are now looking to save, rather than spend. Even if they plan to travel, it would be to a place nearby where they can relax and spend quality time with their loved ones.

This is where staycation comes into the picture. It not only saves a lot of money on travel and stay but also helps you achieve that pocket-friendly vacation.

Hotels Must Bet High on Staycations 

Hotels are experiencing a business crunch amid the pandemic. As people are also avoiding far destination travels and corporate travel has been limited by many companies, focusing on domestic (or even micro-domestic) leisure markets will be a key to recovery for hotels.

Elizabeth Monahan, spokesperson for Tripadvisor.com said:

“Tourism recovery typically begins locally. Travelers tend to first venture out closer to home, and visit their local eateries, stay local for a weekend getaway or travel domestically before a robust demand for international travel returns.”

Nick Wyatt, Head of R&A, Travel & Tourism at GlobalData said: 

“People will still want to go on holiday – they do not want to give up their holidays altogether. However, they are going to start to revert to ‘safety first’. They’re going to say ‘where am I comfortable taking my family? Where do I feel it is safe?’ There is a very good chance that they might actually land in their own country as the answer to that question.”

If your hotel has also experienced a downturn and is trying to recover, then you might want to do some tweaks and adjustments at your property. Shifting your focus from foreign tourists and travellers to welcoming local tourists and preparing your hotel for staycation could be a great idea.

Simply put, hotels must understand why staycation is important at this point in time.

What to Consider Before Promoting Your Staycation?

Preparing hotels for the staycation season isn’t really a tough task. However, promoting it is quite different because people are not only looking for a stay but also looking for things to do, places to visit, and other amenities.

This is what you should consider or assess before you prepare your hotel for staycation:

1. What all services/amenities do you provide?
2. What other services/amenities can you add?
3. Does your hotel have any tourist attractions nearby?
4. Is your hotel easily accessible?
5. Do you have a transport facility?
6. What kind of activities can you provide at your hotel?

Evaluate each and every aspect in-depth and if it requires some inclusion, go ahead and do that. Make sure you have your list checked to make your hotel staycation-ready.

How to Prepare Your Hotel for the Staycation Rush?

Now that you understand the current trend and are all set to offer staycations at your hotel, there are a few things you must do.

Let us show you how to do it right and make the most of this popular trend. 

Evaluate your target audience

It is really important to know your audience, guests, potential guests, etc. if you want to get more business for your staycation. When you evaluate your target audience, it will be easy for you to figure out your market tactics and get an edge on the competition.

One of the best ways is to create guest personas. When you have robust guest personas, you will be able to carry out targeted marketing rather than generalized marketing.

Competitor analysis

There’s no doubt, the hotel industry is highly competitive. And hotels carry out competitor analysis to understand how they can stay ahead.

The same thing also applies to staycation hotels! When you prepare your hotel for staycation, try to do some research on other players in your area — evaluate their services and products, strengths and weaknesses, etc. 

Competitor analysis is one of the overlooked tools in the hospitality business. But, if done right, it can be a secret weapon.

Display your health and social distancing guidelines

Amid this COVID-19 pandemic, dream destinations of people have changed. Now, people are looking for places where they feel safe, where they can relax without having to worry about the pandemic.

And that’s why you must let people know that your hotel is taking all the necessary safety measures through your website and social media pages.

Build partnerships and promote local tourism

Building local partnerships and promoting local tourism is one of the most effective strategies when you prepare your hotel for a staycation.

No to mention, there’s even a term called partnership marketing that has become significantly popular among hotels.

Forming partnerships will help you offer additional experiences to your guests. Not to mention, it shows that your hotel is not just about business, but is also committed to supporting the local community.

And guess what?  You can also reap the benefits of co-marketing. You introduce your guests to other local businesses and they introduce your hotel to their customers.

It’s a win-win!

Events and packages

Events are a great way to attract more and more staycationers to your property. You can also create packages around event tickets and stay. Try to be as innovative as possible.

Who wouldn’t want to come to your hotel when you give them 2 free tickets for the musical event when they book with you?

#ProTip: Complimentary drinks would do wonders.

You can also create packages when there are no events happening. 

People are opting for staycations to get rid of planning, so why don’t you do that for them? Curate different packages for different groups such as families, single travellers, couples, etc.

Offer a flexible cancellation policy

Canceled bookings hurt! But sometimes you have to make things easier for your guests to gain their trust. And offering a flexible cancellation policy can help you with that.

#ProTip: You can always ask your guests to postpone their trip to a different date. Work with them as a consultant. It’s a tricky task, but if done right, it’s nothing less than magic.

Leverage social media

Social media is where you must invest a significant amount of time and effort when you prepare your hotel for a staycation. People are constantly sharing experiences of their recent staycation. And you must make the most out of it.

Spread the word about your staycation through normal posts as well as paid ads. 

#ProTip: Social media ads are more likely to bring in guests as you can target your audience the way you want.

Also, there are several other tactics that you can use:

• Hashtag marketing
• Influencer marketing
• Online contests
• Giveaways

Word to the wise: Social media seems like an easy thing, but that’s not the case. So, make sure you take time to evaluate your social media strategy and ensure the posts are going in the right places.

Localized marketing

Localized marketing or you can say traditional marketing, is still not out. You can always use hoardings and banners to advertise in nearby cities and attract people to your property.

For example: Your property is somewhere in the outskirts of the city, by the lake or hill. And people would like staycations there. So, you can put up banners and hoarding in different corners of the nearby city.

Promote business facilities

People are working from home and there are times when they want to change their place. They might want to visit a nearby hotel to work peacefully and relax. This an opportunity you cannot miss out on.

Have all sorts of business facilities for your guests — be it high-speed internet or work desk or anything related to businesses.

That’s not all, you can also offer packages specifically for this group of staycationers.

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