Win Over Millennial Travellers with These Useful Hotel Marketing Tips

Posted on Feb 26th 2020 in Hotel Marketing

Millennials, accepted as those born in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, have defined a new way of living; shaping trends, interests and consumer products for peers, brands and Generation Z while existing at the forefront of a fast-paced digital age led by the internet’s most significant attribute: social media.

For businesses in the tourism and travel sector, the millennial audience is huge and, in fact, encompasses modern-day travellers in general as the idea of the perfect holiday shifts towards hunting new and unique experiences as opposed to all-out extravagance.

In our second blog for February, here’s our useful guide on how you can entice millennial holidaymakers to your hotel.

Sell Experiences

Millennials are all about experiences - they value adventure, culture, self-discovery and uniqueness above all else when it comes to booking their escapes. Knowing this going forward, all you have to do is sell the best aspects of your local area and add a few simple features to your hotel that millennials will love.

Tweak Your Hotel’s Features

Millennials appreciate personal touches and aesthetically pleasing qualities. Think outside the box here - for millennials, it’s not just about your 5-star hotel rating, but the character and mood your hotel rooms inspire.

More often than not, a scenic window view will tempt a millennial more than having the latest Netflix-ready 4K TV. Your rooms don’t have to be ultra-modern, but unique in decor and presentation, where simple additions such as plants, artwork, ornaments - even a quirky welcome gift - will go a long way.

It’s also worth thinking about your hotel itself. Millennials are more environmentally conscious than older generations, so making your hotel or resort eco-friendly might be your next biggest selling point. And if you have an onsite café or bar, bring it up to date for your millennial audience with vegan dishes and local craft beers they’ll be itching to try.

Promote Your Location

Does your neighbourhood have a trendy local tavern? Let the world know - including historical sites of interest, hidden boutique shops, artisan markets and the best local breakfast cafés - as these are the “Instagrammable” experiences millennials look for when picking their next destination.

Your location is sure to have one or more of the above, and you can use these to your advantage by promoting them to your online audience via blogs or social media posts. Even better, get a partnership going with a local business, so millennial travellers will have more incentive to book at your hotel.

Adapt for the Digital Generation

Appease millennials with hotel features such as WiFi, self-service check-in - even USB sockets or a live customer service app for tech-savvy travellers in general. It’s also crucial, now more than ever, to be present on social media and to make your online booking system a quick and straightforward experience to keep up with competitors.

Liven Up Your Social Media Pages

It’s no secret that millennials live for social media, and this is where you can target Generation Y travellers by simply getting your social media pages up to speed.

Both Facebook and Instagram are powerful online platforms for cost-free self-advertisement and marketing campaigns, where displaying eye-catching shots of your hotel, promoting deals/local attractions and actively engaging with followers is a surefire way to get noticed by millennials and social media users altogether.

Make Online Bookings a Breeze

Loyal to the internet, mobile devices and the convenience both of these offer, you can be sure millennials will always book online. While some will favour OTAs, this doesn’t mean you can’t steer them towards booking directly through your website with a little persuasion.

Something you can offer that OTAs can’t is personalised freebies and special offers, together with a more tailored, intuitive online booking system that utilises responsive website design. If your online booking system works like a breeze across all the latest mobile devices, it’s a route your next millennial guest might take!

How millennial-friendly is your hotel? Let us know in the comments below!