In an era where guest expectations continue to evolve and hyper-segmentation is considered the norm, leveraging data effectively can help hotels provide personalized experiences, increase direct bookings, and drive guest loyalty. In a recent webinar hosted by the BC Hotel Association and Ascent360, speakers, Paul Hawes & Scott Buelter examine how hoteliers, from small independents to multi-property conglomerates, can make data-driven decisions that create meaningful guest experiences.
The Value of Guest Data
Hotels already have access to valuable guest data from sources such as property management systems (PMS), spa and golf bookings, and venue management systems. However, many properties are not effectively leveraging this data to enhance the guest experience. By integrating and analyzing this data, with the help of a Customer Data Platform, hotels can uncover behavioral patterns and preferences that drive personalized marketing and improve the guest experience.
Personalization is the Key to Improved Guest Engagement
Understanding guest history—such as past bookings, preferred room types, and spending habits—enables hoteliers to create targeted marketing campaigns that encourage repeat visits. In addition to these, segmenting guests based on factors like booking frequency, travel purpose (business vs. leisure), preferred amenities (spa, golf, dining), and family status (solo traveler vs. family stays) can further refine personalization efforts. Simple adjustments, like offering perks for direct bookings instead of OTA reservations, providing exclusive discounts to returning guests, or dynamically tailoring promotional content to match previous stay preferences and behaviors, will have a significant impact on results.
Remaining Budget-Conscious Without Sacrificing Quality
One of the biggest challenges small and mid-size properties face is competing with large hotel brands that have extensive marketing budgets. However, you don't need the budget of an enterprise hotel to implement the kind of marketing that delights and delivers. Small to mid-sized hotels can successfully adopt data-driven marketing by taking a step-by-step approach:
- Start with a simple pre-arrival email providing check-in details and local recommendations.
- Implement a post-departure survey to gather guest feedback and preferences.
- Gradually expand automated marketing campaigns based on guest behaviors and visit history.
It's less about the size of your budget and more about leveraging the guest data you already have to create truly unique, one-to-one campaigns, at scale.
From Data Silos to Data Synergy
Many hotels struggle with siloed, disparate data due to multiple data points. PMS, Spa, Golf, and Venue Management tools often operate entirely separate from one another, making it difficult to get a full picture of your guests. That's why finding a solution that integrates directly with all of your data sources is vital to more effective communication and tailored offerings.
Leveraging AI for Predictive Analytics
AI-driven analytics play a crucial role in identifying guest preferences and predicting behaviors. By using predictive modeling, hotels can:
- Identify high-value guests who are more likely to book direct.
- Offer personalized recommendations for future stays based on browsing and booking history.
- Automate content personalization, where different guests receive marketing messages tailored to their individual interests.
The use of AI in guest engagement is rapidly evolving, and in the near future, it could enable automated email campaigns to feature fully customized messaging unique to each recipient.
Data Protection and Privacy Compliance
With the increasing reliance on data, ensuring guest privacy is paramount. Hoteliers must adhere to data protection laws such as the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). To ensure you remain complaint, the following practices are key in protecting your guests and your brand:
- Collect explicit guest consent for marketing communications.
- Implement robust data security measures.
- Honor requests for data removal/unsubscribes and maintain transparency about data usage.
Maintaining trust through responsible data management not only ensures compliance but also strengthens guest loyalty.
Getting Started with Data Driven Marketing
For those looking to take the first steps toward data-driven marketing, here are some actionable steps to consider:
- Prioritize guest data collection: Ensure front desk teams gather essential guest details, including email addresses and phone numbers.
- Segment guests based on behaviors and spending patterns to tailor marketing campaigns effectively. Start small by identifying key segments such as repeat guests versus first-time visitors and offering each group relevant promotions.
- Utilize lookalike modeling to identify potential new guests based on the profiles of existing high-value customers.
- Leverage direct booking incentives to reduce reliance on OTAs and increase profitability. Simple, cost-effective perks such as complimentary late check-outs or room upgrades can make direct booking more appealing without requiring significant financial investment.
- Use automation to streamline processes: Implement a customer data and marketing automation tool that enables you to send pre-arrival and post-stay messages, allowing for consistent communication without requiring extensive manual effort.
The key is to start with small, manageable steps that build on each other. By focusing on guest data collection, segmentation, and low-cost personalization strategies, hotels and resorts, of any size, can implement data-driven marketing effectively.
Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid, NY, serves as a great example of how a family-run property can effectively use guest data to enhance engagement and revenue. Since implementing a data-driven marketing strategy, they have achieved 85% direct bookings, reducing dependency on OTAs and increasing profitability. Their success underscores the impact of personalized marketing and guest segmentation.
Conclusion
Data is one of the most powerful tools hoteliers have at their disposal, and when used correctly & responsibly, it can significantly enhance guest experiences and drive more direct revenue. As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, using data to delight your guests isn’t just an advantage—it’s a necessity. Request a custom demo of the Ascent360 Customer Data Platform to learn what's possible when you leverage your guest data.
