Hoteliers and their staff target guests based on the latest technology and marketing trends. Hotel marketing strategies must be adjusted to accommodate changing market conditions as traveler preferences change, social media platforms are introduced, and customers become more specific about their purchases.

This post explores the various trends that will impact the hospitality industry between 2023 and 2024. We explore the most lucrative and penetrating marketing trends for hotels, from digital content strategies that are trending to innovative and new hotel technologies.

Hotel marketing trends that every hotelier needs to know

Consider your marketing strategies as we explore the latest marketing trends and technologies that could help your hotel.

The cost of living continues to increase.

Event and venue costs are expected to rise into 2024. We will depend on partners such as hotels and destinations to create an unforgettable event experience. Cvent’s 2023 Planner Sourcer Survey for North America revealed that as price increases continue, 82% of event professionals expect their costs to rise in 2023. 48% of respondents said that cost-saving measures will be a priority in their planning in 2023 and 2024.

Event planners have to find creative partners in hospitality and lodging to bridge the budget gap. Venues that are able to increase the value of their event and enhance their experience without increasing budgets are sought after by planners.

Many properties are turning to Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) and Convention and Visitors Bureaus to find destinations that meet their requirements. 76% of planners plan to work with CVBs this year, an increase of nearly 10% from 2022.

Action item: Work with destination marketing managers to reach out more actively to sourcing planners in your area. Create affordable event packages without compromising on experience.

Marketing managers are under a lot of pressure

HubSpot surveyed more than 1,200 marketing professionals from the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) to determine industry trends for 2023 and their impact on the industry. The survey revealed that a large number of respondents were experiencing a heavy workload. Seventy percent of marketers surveyed confirmed that their workload is already rich, with an average marketing professional working on five campaigns at once.

Industry experts say that although the shortage of hospitality workers is improving, they do not expect a complete recovery in the next year. The lack of employees in the events and lodging industries has led to a disconnect among planners and suppliers. The success of all parties is dependent on these relationships, so re-establishing them should be a top priority for event and hotel professionals.

Rebuilding relationships is a priority for 33% of event professionals in 2024. Regularly review your marketing strategies to ensure your team is focused on proactive sales activities and that they are utilizing marketing resources effectively.

Action item: Be proactive in building and strengthening relationships with planners. To build stronger relationships and encourage repeat bookings, facilitate open communication, and a transparent atmosphere. Analyze each campaign to determine the booking tools and channels that produce the best results.

Automated sales technologies

Technology is no longer seen as a barrier to or hindrance in relationships. Technology can improve the customer experience by providing instant information. Automated technology is a solution to the growing demand for hotel rooms, event spaces, and staff, as well as increased workloads.

Event planners are more likely than not to choose a venue or hotel for a simple meeting if it offers online booking. Sales automation will help hotels and venues increase their sales conversions and improve the work experience of team members.

Action item: Allow planners to book simple, small meeting rooms and a limited amount of room nights without having to go through the RFP process. Cvent’s Instant Book improves transparency and saves time for both parties.

Implementation of generative AI

Hotels are not an exception. Many businesses have started implementing AI tools in order to improve their operations, streamline performance, and increase audience reach. Hotel chatbots, a type of generative AI tool, allow hotel staff to respond to multiple guests quickly. This can improve customer satisfaction scores and service scores.

AI is rapidly redefining the hospitality industry, including sales and operations. AI-powered recommendation and personalization engines can help create customized packages and sales pitches tailored to business travelers’ needs. AI allows sales managers to focus more on closing deals and building relationships with clients by automating repetitive tasks like data entry, lead generation, and follow-up. Hotels can use AI to create dynamic pricing based on occupancy, demand, and other factors. This will drive hotel revenue and offset low-demand periods.

Action item: Implement generative Intelligence tools to create SEO-rich content. This will help properties increase their online presence and their social media profiles. Explore all of the data that is available via CSN Business Intelligence. Compare your response rate, response times, advertising, and proposals to the competition.

Data-driven marketing campaigns

In order to ensure that their marketing efforts are maximizing their return on investment, hotels are using services such as Google Analytics 4. (GA4) in order to make better-informed, data-based strategic decisions. GA4 is a free tool that’s part of Google’s Marketing Platform. Upgrades are available depending on the needs of your hotel.

GA4 analyzes and tracks the journey of a customer using cookies. Marketers can utilize customer metrics from data-driven tools like Google Analytics to better understand their customers’ online behavior, the content that they interact with, and much more.

The data-rich tools such as GA4 allow hotels to access detailed analytics that measure guest retention rates, new guest acquisition levels, consumer engagement scores, and other valuable information. Your marketing team can then use this information to identify their current and target audiences.

Action item: Confirm the sources that your hotel uses for gathering guest demographics. Google Analytics is something you use? What other resources do you use, and what are they costing? If you are using Google or other free tools to help your marketing team allocate their resources more efficiently, consider whether they could be used more efficiently. Your sales team will be more successful if you provide them with the necessary information to maximize their ROI and attract new customers.