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Joining Hotelbeds means having the opportunity to access the best tools to increase your occupancy and revenue. &nbsp;
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In order to make it easier for you to know the variety of options aimed at properties like yours, we’ve put together this visual guide where you’ll find all the information you need to know about:&nbsp;
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	How Hotelbeds help hoteliers in their distribution efforts &nbsp;&nbsp;
	
	
	Our strategic partners&nbsp;
	
	
	Our all-in-one Partner Extranet&nbsp;
	
	
	What our global and regional campaigns are&nbsp;
	
	
	Our full range of hotel marketing solutions&nbsp;
	
	
	Our exclusive Strategic Partner Agreement programme &nbsp;
	
	
	How our powerful data plays a crucial role in our optimisation campaigns&nbsp;
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We’re glad to offer these products and services aimed exclusively at hotels, regardless of their type and size, to get the most out of your Hotelbeds contract. Get your copy for free below.


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[GUIDE] Hotelbeds' Best Products and Services for Hoteliers

What is luxury culinary tourism?&nbsp;World Food Travel Association defines food tourism, also referred to as gastrotourism, as travelling for a taste of place to get a sense of place. For luxury travellers, one of 2024’s top trends is luxury culinary tourism, for whom this type of travel experience is one of the key motivators behind exploring a destination, whether it's new or familiar.&nbsp;Cuisine is one of the best ways to truly be immersed in a culture, destination, or community, and given that there has been a notable shift towards experience-centric tourism for today's traveller, it comes as no surprise that food tourism is one of the most popular travel trends in 2024 and beyond.&nbsp;A growing market, luxury culinary tourism refers to experiencing local gastronomy through the lens of luxury travel. For travelers interested in this trend, gastronomy and tourism go hand in hand — food is often the key driver behind travel activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;Who are the luxury culinary travellers?and what activities do they want?&nbsp;Between 2024 and 2030, food tourism is expected to be the fastest-growing segment of luxury travel, increasing at a CAGR of 7.6%. Appealing to travellers of all generations, luxury culinary travel includes trying out unique foods, visiting Michelin-starred restaurants, and attending food-related events such as cooking classes and festivals.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to surveys by Hilton, American Express, and Visa, travelers are prioritising local experiences, both in food travel and in general. Here are some statistics that stand out:81% of travellers are most excited about trying local foods and cuisines.79% of travellers like trying completely new food options while traveling.In 2023, over half of world travellers said their favorite culinary travel activity was visiting local restaurants. The next most popular activities were food festivals (46%), local food tours (41%), and wine tastings (39%).&nbsp;In 2024, Gen Z and Millennials expressed interest in discovering the local bar scene.Compared to other generations, Gen Z and Baby Boomers were expected to budget the highest amount of money for culinary experiences and experience tourism.Chinese travellers are estimated to be the top spenders in the travel industry in 2025 with a travel spend of $255.4 billion, followed by American ($134.1 billion) and German ($96.7 billion) travellers.&nbsp;Top destinations for luxury culinary tourismFrom Michelin-starred restaurants, food festivals, to world-class wines, gastronomy experiences and more — these destinations have you covered when it comes to luxury food tourism.&nbsp;1. USA for high-end world cuisineIn the USA, large cities often have restaurants from all over the world. New York, in particular, is a favorite among luxury travellers. From Italian restaurants with regional pasta-tasting menus to Japanese omakase restaurants, the Big Apple is the place to be for high-end world cuisine. In 2023, the city received twelve new stars (8 One Stars, 2 Two Stars, and 2 Green Stars), diversifying its Michelin Guide selection. If your clients enjoy festivals, recommend the New York City Wine &amp; Food Festival, which includes chef-hosted dinners, cocktail-making master classes, and walk-around tastings.&nbsp;Another foodie hotspot is New Orleans, distinguished by its Cajun and Creole cuisine. The city has over 1,400 restaurants and a rich history, so consider booking a food tour or even a cocktail tour&nbsp;where your clients can discover the rich food culture and history of this diverse destination. It's worth noting that New Orleans has many family-owned restaurants, such as Antoine’s, operated by the fifth generation, and Café Du Monde, known for its New Orleans-style beignets.&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Mexico for authenticity and delicious cocktailsSince 2010, traditional Mexican cuisine has been a part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List. This is thanks to years of traditions related to farming, rituals, and culinary techniques. To start with Mexico’s fine dining scene, book a table at Pujol in Mexico City. At Pujol, chef Enrique Olvera aims to showcase Mexican gastronomy traditions with a modern twist, and has a signature dish called mole madre.&nbsp;For an unforgettable culinary travel experience why not offer an evening of entertainment with an equisite tasting at Bellini Revolving restaurant, boasting a 360 degree vista of the city, followed by a colourful and evocative garibaldi performance at&nbsp;Garibaldi Plaza, the Plaza of the Mariachis.&nbsp;Making up one of Mexico's local dishes, mole is a sauce that is thought to originate from either Puebla or Oaxaca, and both cities are worth a visit for their food scenes. In Puebla, your clients can try the special mole poblano and go on a local market tour. In Oaxaca, the food capital of Mexico, you can book a chocolate-making workshop, a visit to a mezcal distillery, or a private cooking class. If your clients prefer tequila to mezcal, suggest a trip to the town of Tequila in Jalisco. Here, in the very city tequila comes from, they can visit tequila distilleries to learn more about the iconic beverage.&nbsp;Access&nbsp;experiences like this and more with our expansive global portfolio of experiences.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sign up today to curate the perfect getaway for your luxury travellers.Log in today&nbsp;to curate the perfect getaway for luxury travellers.&nbsp;3. France for fine dining in the city and countrysideFrance is the country with the most Michelin-starred restaurants. As of 2023, there are 625 restaurants with one, two, or three stars. Your clients’ gourmet experience starts in Paris with a luxury food tour, discovering French wine, cheese, and macarons.&nbsp;For another taste of the unique, why not offer a gastronomic experience with a celestial twist with an sumptuous gourmet food tasting under the stars? Around 90 miles east of Paris is France’s Champagne region, protected by an AOC (controlled designation of origin) label. This means that champagne can only be produced in this region, making it ideal to book a champagne tour to visit local producers and taste this special sparkling wine.&nbsp;&nbsp;France’s second city Lyon is known as its gastronomic capital. &nbsp;Home to late chef Paul Bocuse’s primary restaurant, L’Auberge, the city also has a gourmet food market called Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse&nbsp;which is a must-visit for foodies. Wine tours and wine-tasting events are also all around France, with exceptional wine regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Beaujolais scattered all around the country. For a truly authentic fine-dining experience, head to the restaurants in the countryside, where it’s possible to find Michelin-starred lunch menus for less than €50.&nbsp;4. Italy for wine and luxury cooking classesIn a survey by World Population Review, Italian food was crowned as the best cuisine in the world. Recommend your clients a luxury cooking vacation, which is gaining popularity in the country. In these holidays, visitors experience Italian cuisine to its core, picking vegetables in the garden, having cooking classes with chefs, touring vineyards, and dining in Michelin-starred restaurants. And for travellers who enjoy a taste of authenticity, why not suggest they enjoy a four course meal cooked by local experts?&nbsp;Besides cooking vacations, check out wine-tasting tours in Tuscany, especially in the famous Chianti region. Not only does this region offer excellent vineyards and distilleries to visit, but your clients can also visit olive oil producers, and have Tuscan snacks in the region. All around Italy, you can find a wide range of pasta-making classes, usually including a complimentary drink, be it an Aperol Spritz or Italian wine.&nbsp;5. Japan for culinary variety&nbsp;Tokyo is a city with one of the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, with over 200 one-, two-, or three-starred restaurants, making it a perfect starting point when exploring Japan for food tourism enthusiasts. Book your clients a table at a Michelin-starred restaurant to do the city justice — Sushi Marufuku for example, has a unique way of preparing dry-aged sushi with vacuum technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Kyoto, book a tea ceremony to experience a 400-year-old tradition, one that is spiritual and awakening at the same time. Many of these ceremonies last for one to two hours, and which often have an English-speaking guide, allowing travellers to feel rejevenated by the selection of tradtional teas and snacks. There are also usually options to rent a kimono to take beautiful commemorative photos. Japan is not short of interesting foods to try — seafood lovers would enjoy Okinawa’s distinct cuisine featuring green caviar and tiger prawns. For those who enjoy the highest quality steak, there’s Kobe, the city of the world-famous Kobe beef.&nbsp;6. Singapore for hotels and innovative restaurantsIn Hilton’s 2024 survey, 82% of respondents said they wanted to have a good restaurant in their hotel. This puts the spotlight on Singapore’s high-quality hotel restaurants and daycation packages. For example, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay is a hotel that has both — it’s home to award-winning Chinese restaurant Peach Blossoms and 11-hour daycation packages offering access to restaurants along with other facilities for those who may not have itinerary space to stay overnight.&nbsp;Singapore’s food scene is influenced by Chinese, Malay, Indian, and European cuisines, making it a great destination to try out fusion restaurants. The country has a total of 55 Michelin-starred restaurants featuring 30 different cuisine types. All these restaurants stand out as innovative eateries, combining techniques from diverse world cuisines. For a night to remember, book a sky dining experience, a 90-minute dinner on the Singapore Flyer, overlooking the city’s skyline.&nbsp;So there you have it. Some incredible destinations offering up truly unforgettable food travel experiences for travellers with a keen preference for luxury culinary tourism. From cooking classes, to being immersed in local culture, to dining in the very best restaurants, luxury has come to mean so many different things to all travellers, so make sure to explore what luxury means to your clients, and curate a one of a kind experience perfectly tailored to their needs.&nbsp;Sign up with Hotelbeds today, to offer the best luxury food tourism experiences to your customers.Log in to your Hotelbeds account today,&nbsp;to offer the best luxury food tourism experiences to your customers.&nbsp;

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2024 Travel Trends: Luxury Culinary Tourism

The travel industry is one of the most competitive out there. Therefore, it can sometimes be challenging to know how to stand out from the competition, especially when it comes to marketing for hoteliers.
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In response to the question ‘how do hotels promote themselves?’, hotel owners have many options for hotel marketing, each with its own advantages.&nbsp;
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But focusing on the right approaches for your business not only saves time, but ensures you’re reaching the right audience at the right time. This is a critical factor in any marketing strategy, but especially in the fast-paced travel marketing industry.
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In this article, we explore the best hotel marketing solutions available depending on your type of business that can make a big difference to your property. Take note of them as you read on!
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Partner With a Global Distribution Company

Working with a global distribution specialist is one of the most effective ways to enhance exposure to your end customers, increasing occupancy rates, and improving competitiveness.
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At Hotelbeds, we specialise in facilitating connections, linking travel buyers and sellers in the marketplace. As a global distribution company, we empower businesses in an ever-changing industry to drive growth in a way that may not be possible for them to do on their own.&nbsp;
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Partnering with a specialist in hotel distribution like Hotelbeds provides:
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	Access to&nbsp;66,000+ travel distributors, including travel agencies, wholesalers, tour operators, airlines, affiliates, among other relevant partners to efficiently promote your hotel, or hotel chain.
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	Higher exposure in hard-to-reach, high-value, and in-market segments without competing with your direct or brand.com strategy.
	
	In fact, around 60% of bookings from our network at Hotelbeds are from non-domestic source markets, as a result of our ability to connect travel buyers and hoteliers on a global scale.
	



Register your property today to connect with global travel buyers and boost occupancy rates.

Log into the Hotel Extranet to make the most out of your partnership with us.&nbsp;
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Among our hotelier offering, we have the following hotel marketing products aimed at increasing your visibility.

Star Collection Programme

Divided into 4 sponsorship levels, the Star Collection Programme provides individual hotels, regardless of their size, with access to different channels, materials and markets. This will give your property maximum exposure in the highly competitive B2B market.
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Depending on your sponsorship level, these are some of the benefits you could expect:
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	Hotel visibility boost: you’ll be placed higher on the booking platform ranking (meaning our clients will find your property easier), and will also have the opportunity to feature in a dedicated hotel placement on Hotelbeds’ and Bedsonline’s login and home pages. There is also the opportunity to feature in banners across our booking engines, among other benefits.
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	Hotel exposure: you’ll be listed on the Star Collection Microsite, which is available in 7 local languages and in all 12 flagship markets. This website is seen by thousands of travel agents and travel bookers daily.
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	Training &amp; Intelligence: you’ll have access to emerging markets training. You'll also receive HBX updates and the Star Collection Programme report each month.
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Star Brochure

Every year, there’s a new digital travel brochure available. This brochure showcases properties with dynamic content, allowing travel agents to create their own marketing materials based on the property portfolio. Additionally, it also offers a direct sales channel to our portfolio to seamlessly drive more bookings.&nbsp;
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With the Star Brochure, you get:
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	More exposure: you'll provide your hotel's information to travel agents so they can create their own customised brochures including your property. These brochures will be shared with end customers.
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	Advertising spaces: Depending on your needs, circumstances and budget, a variety of available advertising spaces may be available. Select from dynamic, engaging content formats such as images, videos, articles or advertorials, to name a few examples.
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	Easy bookings: direct booking buttons are available, which streamline the booking process and significantly boost your ability to gain occupancy. &nbsp;&nbsp;
	


New Hotel Pack

This is a digital marketing programme designed exclusively for hotels opening for the first time, re-opening after major refurbishment or new to the Hotelbeds portfolio, on a tight budget.
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The ‘New Hotels’ section is promoted across all digital platforms: login banners, banners on the booking engine homepage, banners on the public website, social media posts, banners in our monthly client newsletters and direct emails to our sales community.
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Besides, your property will be promoted in exclusive spaces for up to 3 months.

A la Carte

A la Carte is a hotel marketing product designed exclusively for hotel chains and clusters - with any type of budget.&nbsp;
It offers a pick &amp; mix selection of the best marketing suite products. You’ll be able to create a personalised package of marketing products that best suits your needs.&nbsp;
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With A la Carte, you can combine different marketing products including Star Brochure, Star Collection Programme, New Hotel Pack, Booster Packs (which are pre-made, ready-to-go packs with a selection of our best exposure spots) and other visibility add-ons.
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Interested in learning more about each hotel marketing programme? Visit our Hotel Marketing Suite page for further information.&nbsp;
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Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Search Engine Optimisation is the specific process of optimising numerous user-experience and technical attributes of a hotel’s website to improve the position, or ranking, of the website on search engine results pages, like Google’s results page.&nbsp;
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Hotel digital marketing solutions such as SEO are highly beneficial and one of the most crucial because not only do they drive organic traffic to your website, but they can also reduce customer acquisition costs.&nbsp;
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Some of the main considerations to consider when undertaking search engine optimisation as part of your hotel marketing strategy are:
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	Build domain authority:&nbsp;this is a major ranking factor for search engines like Google. It's crucial to create valuable content that’s link-worthy, gain high-quality referring links from other websites, and perform regular technical audits.&nbsp;
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	Target long-tail keywords: if your hotel’s website has lower domain authority, let large-scale brands compete for those generic search terms, and target longer, more niche keywords that are easier to rank more highly for.
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	Create valuable content for your blog: one of the most important factors of SEO is content. Not only does having engaging, up-to-date content on your hotel’s website improve the chance of being discovered online, but it adds value for your customers and increases the likelihood of conversion.
	





Email Marketing for Hotels&nbsp;

As one of the most direct and cost-effective methods of marketing your hotel, email marketing strategies can help you boost direct traffic and increase sales by reaching guests directly.
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Email marketing is one of the best ways to market hotels and hotel chains because it has one of the highest returns on investment. Prior to implementing email marketing in your hotel marketing plan, you should:&nbsp;
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	Build your email database: gain quality potential leads by using sign-up forms on your website, providing gated content, requesting guests to opt-in to email marketing and getting sign-ups from social media campaigns.
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	Analyse current email performance: consider key metrics like open rates, click through rates and conversion and unsubscribe rates. This lets you see what kind of email communications are the most valuable and converting - and which aren’t.
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	Segment your email audiences: sending the right email at the right time, to the right audience, is essential.
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	Optimise your content: carrying out A/B tests helps you determine what content drives the most valuable reactions.
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	Create email flows to follow up: focusing on Customer Lifetime Value and retaining existing customers can significantly lower acquisition&nbsp;costs.
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	Keep tracking!&nbsp;
	



Luckily, our hotel marketing specialists at Hotelbeds are on hand to provide dedicated solutions. Through bespoke email campaigns, we showcase our partner hotels to thousands of key travel buyers in our network, significantly increasing their visibility on a scale that is otherwise expensive and hard to manage.
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Having a travel partner, like us at Hotelbeds, who offers comprehensive channel management and a variety of hotel marketing strategies, can be of significant benefit to your business.&nbsp;

Register your property today to scale your reach!&nbsp;
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Social Media Marketing for Hotels&nbsp;

Advertising and being active on social media is an excellent opportunity for hotels to grow as a brand, gain visibility and ultimately, reach potential guests.
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In fact, Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, Facebook almost 3 billion, and WeChat (the China exclusive social media platform) has 1.2 billion!
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‘Influencing’ your ideal customers’ decisions on social media is the name of the game, especially when social media and online hotel marketing continue to have a significant impact on travel decision-making, from destination assessments, hotel-booking intent, to in-destination activities.
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Here are some things to consider if you think you need to refresh your social media as part of your wider hotel digital marketing strategy:&nbsp;
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	What are your goals with your social media presence? Maybe you’re looking to enhance your visibility, create a community, establish authority and gain recognition within your sector…
	
	There are many different goals you can set for your social media presence, and it’s important to have them clear to implement one strategy or another.


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	Which social media platforms are most appropriate for your property? Depending on the target audience you have, you might be more interested in having a stronger presence on TikTok (for instance) than on Facebook.
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	Do you understand your target audience's needs and know your competitors? It’s crucial to be aware of how your social profiles are performing (in case you already have a track record), who your audience is, what similar properties are doing, what topics they commonly share, and which posts perform best for them.
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	Having an editorial calendar established is key to effective time management and planning. Have you already created one?
	
	Social media content is not only about beautiful pictures and memes. There are different types of content depending on your goals: educational content, engagement content, inspirational content, sales content... Got any ideas?
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	Finally, what about the various initiatives and growth tactics to amplify your visibility, apart from content creation?&nbsp;
	



These are the main aspects to consider when creating a strong social media strategy for hotels. Whether you are unfamiliar with some of the points mentioned above or would like to delve deeper into some of them, we have good news for you.
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As part of our mission to help hotel owners increase occupancy rates, we have created a free, comprehensive guide to leveraging social media for hotels.&nbsp;In this guide, we’ve covered each of the points mentioned and provided useful tips so you can take action easily. Where can you find it? You can download your copy at the end of this article!

Choosing the Right Hospitality Marketing Solutions

There are many aspects to how to market a hotel. Each aspect provides differently weighted benefits for each hotel, depending on whether you’re a boutique hotel, or a large chain.&nbsp;
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Besides the options mentioned above, consider implementing other equally successful hotel marketing strategies such as hotel reputation management, offer loyalty programmes, develop upselling techniques, among many other marketing strategies.
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These initiatives, combined with your in-house hotel marketing, will significantly improve your hotel's exposure to travel buyers and their end customers - which means higher occupancy rates for you!&nbsp;

Register your property today to access our portfolio of over 66,000 travel distributors.

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Log into the Hotel Extranet to manage your rooms, add appealing content and benefit from our promotions!


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7 Proven Hotel Marketing Strategies to Increase Bookings in 2024

Classic city sightseeing tours might be excellent ways to orient visitors to your city during a routine flop and drop getaway, but an increasing number of travellers are seeking more during their stays. Travellers crave connection and understanding, which is fuelling the fast-growing experiential tourism sector.
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And what's experiential travel? This is an increasingly popular way of travelling in which travellers desire a bespoke, customisable, and personalised trip. The goal is to create a deeper connection between travellers and locals and greater understanding of the local culture.
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From adventurous activities to cooking classes to attending local events, here are seven simple and inexpensive ways hoteliers can adapt their offerings to capitalise on the experiential travel trend.
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Good Examples of Experiential Tourism

Gap year and college students have long been engaged in experiential travel through study abroad programmes, cultural exchanges and homestays, and language immersion programmes. However, families, middle-age travellers, and retirees are increasingly demanding experiential travel that promotes learning and self-discovery.&nbsp;
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Leverage your location, property, and resources to efficiently and effectively deliver experiential trips of a lifetime. It's important that these initiatives are genuine, creative, sustainable, and supportive to your community. Get inspired by these seven examples of experience tourism sure to impress even the most seasoned travellers.
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Luxury experience travel

The key to creating captivating experiential travel experiences is authenticity. Luxury is not just about price point; it's a mindset. Offering exclusive, limited, one-of-a-kind experiences is the key to attracting the attention of luxury travellers.&nbsp;
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Many luxury travellers like to revisit their favourite cities and surrounding areas to indulge in more cultural experiences. Whether it's guests' first or fifth trip to your city, here's how you can cater to the luxury experience travel trend:
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	Arrange private dining experiences with local chefs on-site.
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	Arrange private spirits and wine tasting experiences with local mixologists and sommeliers.
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	Create bespoke daily itineraries catered to guests' preferences, including dining, entertainment, shopping, sightseeing, and spa.
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	Host one-on-one or small group cultural classes with local artisans on-site.
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	Offer private tours with local experts, instructors, and university professors to points of interest.
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	Work with local businesses, museums, and others to create one-of-a-kind opportunities for guests to explore these places just like a local, museum curator, or expert.
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Interested in more ideas to cater to luxury travellers? Get some inspiration in our article on best hotel amenities. &nbsp;
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With Hotelbeds, you get the chance to access hard-to-reach and valuable segments like luxury travellers easily. Register your property here and start your journey with us!

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Already joined Hotelbeds? Then log in to our Partner Extranet instead.
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Culinary experience travel

Sure, visitors can check off Michelin-starred restaurants and try snacks from famous street vendors, but culinary experiential travel is all about learning, seeing, and doing. Instead of just eating a menu of local signature dishes, travellers also want to hear about the origins and significance of these foods, learn how to make them, interact with the purveyors, and sample these local delicacies.
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Culinary experiences you can incorporate at your property include:
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	Arrange guided visits to local markets.
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	Arrange visits to local farms, distilleries, and vineyards.
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	Host cooking classes with local chefs on-site.
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	Host mixology classes with local bartenders on-site.
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	Include local treats for welcome refreshments and nightly turndown service.
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	Lead foraging adventures on-site or off-site and produce picking at local farms.
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	Localise bar and restaurant menus.
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	Offer picnic baskets and snack boxes with local eats and treats.
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Cultural experience travel

Nobody knows a location better than the locals, and, for many travellers, it's simple to identify the places of significance by consulting a guidebook or having a chat with your concierge. Cultural experiential travel takes cultural experience travel further, informing beyond surface level and photo ops.&nbsp;
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Collaborating beyond your property with destination management companies, experiential travel companies, local artisans, and organisations is essential for curating compelling cultural experience travel.&nbsp;
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Examples of cultural experience travel include:
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	Arrange guided tours of artists' studios and villages and strolls through handicraft markets.
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	Arrange visits to indigenous communities.
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	Host cultural classes (e.g. cooking, dance, language and customs, martial arts, and music) on-site or off-site.
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	Host hands-on art classes (e.g. glassblowing, painting, pottery) on-site or locally.
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	Host performances by local dancers, musicians, and singers on-site.
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	Organise tours led by local experts to off-the-beaten path points of interest, restaurants, and shops.
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	Organise 'behind the scenes'&nbsp;and after-hour private tours of top sightseeing destinations.
	


Music tourism travel

Sometimes, it's the event and not the destination that motivates travel. Music lovers willing to travel far and wide to see their favourite bands and musicians can be music to your ears and bottom line. Check to see which music festivals, concerts, and performances are happening this year and plan promotions that target fans.
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Maximise music travel:
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	Create music-related packages, including bundling brunch or dinner, post-concert midnight snacks, and/or room decor with the room rate.
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	Host music classes, jam sessions, and dance parties on-site.
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	Offer special/lower rates on the very best rooms around the time of a concert to encourage upselling.
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	Offer incentives and promotions for multi-day stays. Rather than offering a one-night deal on the day of the performance, consider offering two-, three-, or four-night deals that allow ticket holders to arrive the day before the concert and take an extra day to explore your city.
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	Offer staycation packages for local ticket holders that include transportation to and from the performance venue.
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	Partner with performance producers to create one-of-a-kind experiences available to hotel guests only. These fan-favourite experiences could include performer meet-and-greets, VIP lounges, and souvenir bags with exclusive merchandise.
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	Partner with tourism groups to arrange tours of local musical locations of significance like museums, performance halls, and famous musical venues.
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Adventure experience travel

Many travellers now want to take the road less travelled, fuelling adventure experiential travel. Indulge their desires:
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	Create personalised itineraries that incorporate physical activities like cycling, safaris, hiking, photography, and wellness-focused activities.
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	Incorporate local cuisines and beverages on menus.
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	Host classes and lectures on local customs and traditions.
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	Host cultural exchanges and opportunities to explore the city with locals.
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	Offer excursions to lesser-known destinations.
	


Volunteer experience travel

Travelling can be life changing for travellers and impactful on the communities they visited. One of the most powerful ways to learn about a place is for visitors to share their time and talent with the local community.&nbsp;
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	Create connections between your guests and your community with volunteer opportunities that can last from a few hours to a day or more. From beach clean-ups to home building to tutoring, you can facilitate a positive impact one guest at a time.
	
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	Educational experience travel supports that belief that we’re all lifelong learners. Creating opportunities for your guests to partake in unique activities, learn new skills, or try new things helps them on their journey of self-discovery and exploration.&nbsp;
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Finding ways to incorporate local arts and crafts, culinary, dance, fitness, language, and music classes on-site is an easy way to elevate each guest's stay, localise your offerings, and encourage return stays.&nbsp;
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Another relevant travel experience that is becoming more popular is film tourism. Learn more about this travel trend and how to capitalise on screen tourism as a Destination Marketing tool.&nbsp;

Which of these experiential travel trends could you focus on?

Start with micro goals to inspire your team to drive occupancy, upselling, and revenue. Pick one experiential travel trend and see it through from conception to execution this year.&nbsp;
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Hotelbeds can help you gain exposure to travel distributors and attract high-value clients. Among many other benefits, you will:&nbsp;
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	Access to the travel ecosystem, putting your property in front of 66,000+ distributors, including travel agents, airlines, tour operators, and more.
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	Be included in relevant, timely campaigns throughout the year.
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	Access to the Partner Extranet to conveniently manage inventory, upload new photos, add or remove room types, adjust rates, and manage availability calendar.
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You’re just a few clicks away to start benefiting from this wide range of advantages. Register your property here today!&nbsp;
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Have you already joined Hotelbeds? In this case, log in to the Partner Extranet and ensure your property details and rates are up-to-date to welcome more travellers seeking new experiences.&nbsp;
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Finally, don’t forget to download our free report on the major travel trends for 2024. Discover more about the trends that will shape our industry this year. Get it below.&nbsp;
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Experiential Travel: 7 Ways Hotels Can Capitalise on This Trend

It's our goal to help you better understand the benefits that our powerful extranet can have for your property.
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That's why, throughout this article, we'll take you through the main features (and advantages) of our renowned tool, as well as how it integrates with partners like channel managers.&nbsp;
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Additionally, we offer access to our recently created Help Centre, where you'll find everything you need to know to leverage your experience with the Partner Extranet.&nbsp;
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Interested in finding out what it has to offer? Read on!&nbsp;
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What’s the Partner Extranet?

Once you join Hotelbeds, your journey to boost bookings and maximise revenue will begin. This means you’ll gain access to a wide range of tools that will make your daily tasks easier.&nbsp;
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One of the first platforms you’ll be able to leverage from the beginning will be the&nbsp;Partner Extranet, formerly known as MaxiRoom.
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The Partner Extranet is a free platform designed to simplify property management. Every hotel with a contract with Hotelbeds has access to our all-in-one tool. As soon as you receive your Hotelbeds login credentials, you'll be able to log in for the first time and explore its interface.&nbsp;

Want to start your onboarding process with us and get access to it? Register your property now.&nbsp;
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How Can Our Partner Extranet Help You?

Our extranet has been specifically designed to help hoteliers like you with daily operations and booking management. This is why we offer a variety of features to assist you:
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	Update your hotel profile easily at any time. You’ll be able to include a wide range of facilities, entertainment options, meals and other services; upload at least 12 pictures showing your property (be sure choose the best photo as the lead image); and add engaging descriptions about your property’s unique selling points.&nbsp;
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	Manage your inventory, rates, availability and prices, and set up different types of offers, such as last-minute bookings, early bookings and long stays, among others.&nbsp;
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	Manage your bookings independently and make any changes you need. You'll be able to view bookings with check-out dates up to one year in the past.
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	Easily monitor your connectivity with your channel manager, as well as manage its registration, cancellation or modification.&nbsp;
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	Check out today's arrivals, bookings, and cancellations, as well as competitor comparisons.
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	See financial information and payment methods such as Virtual Credit Card (VCC) or Wire Transfers, and edit as necessary.
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	Contact us via the webform located in the menu. With our webform, you can identify the category you need help with in just a few clicks.
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	Take advantage of three promotions each month, only available on the Partner Extranet's platform. The promotions are designed according to customer behaviour and needs, taking into account a variety of variables, like popular dates in the main markets, and offers that perform well at different times of the year (such as early bookings and long-stays). All Partner Extranet members are eligible for these monthly promotions, which will be announced within 15 days of each month's offering.
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	All the information can be viewed in 15 different languages, such as Spanish, German, Thai, Japanese and Chinese.
	


How Does Our Partner Extranet Complement a Channel Manager?&nbsp;

Are you currently using a channel manager, or are you interested in incorporating one into your distribution operations?&nbsp;A channel manager is a key partner to streamline your daily work and increase revenue. At times,&nbsp;it can be difficult to understand how an extranet and a channel manager can work together. However, which may seem complex at first glance, is much simpler in reality.
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Our Partner Extranet is a complementary tool to the channel manager. In some cases, channel managers lack the capabilities to automate some processes when integrating with Hotelbeds. Our Partner Extranet can help to simplify the process.
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To map with the channel manager, a hotel that can't create new contracts through the channel manager platform must modify the rates in the Partner Extranet. The extranet must be used to add new rooms if they are unable to do so with the channel manager.&nbsp;
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As for as hotel content&nbsp;(such as descriptions, images and facilities), all hoteliers must enter this information via the Partner Extranet. &nbsp;
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As mentioned above, there’s a section on the Partner Extranet where you’ll be able to consult all your connectivity data, and manage channel managers' cancellation, registration, among others.&nbsp;
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If you’re interested in learning more about how channel managers and Hotelbeds work together, check out our article on hotel channel managers.
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Hotelbeds Extranet

Since we want you to be able to work independently and confidently with our tool from the get-go, we’ve put together several articles, how-to videos and useful information exclusively designed for extranet users. This way, we’ll accompany you on your journey to explore and discover all that the Partner Extranet has to offer.&nbsp;
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Throughout the years, we’ve detected the main doubts regarding our platform, and have responded to these frequently asked questions in our&nbsp;Help Centre. There, you’ll find the solutions to queries such as:
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	How to update your availability and rate plans, how to create a new plan, how to add rooms to your rate plans, and so forth.
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	How to get your content and images ready to attract guests.
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	How to manage your bookings, including providing the Hotel Confirmation Number (HCN), and searching for a booking.
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	How to charge your VCC or financial info, how to invoice your bookings, how to update your bank details, among others.
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	Discover video tutorials tackling relevant topics for your day-to-day operations.
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These are just a few of the topics covered in our resources hub. This space will be constantly updated, so you'll always have access to the most updated information and help.&nbsp;Visit our Help Centre now and get answers to your most frequently asked questions!
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Finally, the Partner Extranet is just one of the fantastic advantages you’ll enjoy when joining Hotelbeds. Put your property on the radar of 66,000+ travel distributors worldwide, and increase high-value bookings. Register your property now and start your onboarding process with us.&nbsp;

And if you’re already part of Hotelbeds, log into your Partner Extranet profile and make the most of it. Don’t forget to visit our Help Centre and/or contact us if you need assistance!
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Hotelbeds Partner Extranet: Discover Its Main Benefits for Hoteliers

The word retailtainment combines two words: retail and entertainment. From visiting VR exhibits in Asian tech hubs to touring 19th-century shopping centres in France, many world destinations are embracing this trend.

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Why is retail tourism important?

According to 2019 data, retail tourism accounted for 6% of Travel &amp; Tourism's GDP. This is true post-pandemic as well. “Retail tourism is no longer just about buying souvenirs; it's a driving force behind the recovery of the Travel &amp; Tourism sector,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC CEO and president.&nbsp;

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To curate retail experiences intertwined with the local culture, check out our Booking Engine with 16,000+ experiences — choose between Dubai’s luxury malls, Seoul’s beauty haven, New York’s iconic Fifth Avenue, and more. With the right destination, you can offer:

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	Enhanced shopping experiences: From visits to shopping streets to personal stylist appointments, shopping can be the highlight of the trip.
	Cultural immersion: In many destinations, travellers can learn about the local culture through shopping. For example, visiting a beauty bar in South Korea can help understand the country’s beauty traditions.
	More travel activities: From shopping festivals to creative workshops, retail tourism unlocks new travel activities.


Top destinations for retail tourism

Here are the 7 best destinations for shopping, all presenting their own unique retail experiences.&nbsp;

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1. For beauty and skincare: Seoul, South Korea

With the rise of K-beauty and K-dramas, South Korea’s beauty industry is under the spotlight. Olive Young, known as the Korean Sephora, has over 1,000 stores in the country. Its Myeongdong Flagship Store in particular is set to be a part of tourists’ Seoul itinerary. In 2023, the store reported an 840% growth in non-Korean customer sales and expanded its online store to shoppers from 150 different countries. Visitors enjoy the variety of products, the store’s layout and design, and foreign language options — the staff speaks English, Japanese, and Chinese, besides Korean.

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A beauty hack used by Korean politicians and CEOs, Personal Colour Analysis is gaining popularity among tourists. This trend includes working with a consultant to find out about the right colours that fit a person’s facial features and skin tone. Consider booking a Personal Colour Analysis for your clients first, so they know what colours to look for in beauty stores.

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2. For luxury shopping: Dubai, United Arab Emirates&nbsp;

From rooftop bars to opera centres, luxury brands to in-mall chauffeur services, Dubai’s malls are where luxury shopping and entertainment meet. With over 90 malls all with their own charm, the city’s options seem endless.&nbsp;

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Dubai Shopping Festival takes place every year between December and January. In 2023, the festival hosted 45 live concerts from celebrities like Sting and Sean Paul. Visitors got a sneak peek of upcoming launches by worldwide brands, including Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, which offered product testers. With entertainment came deals, discounts, and prizes, exclusive to participants. The Dubai Shopping Festival will start on 13 December this year, and continue until 19 January, just in time for a New Year’s Eve holiday.

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3. For Instagrammable malls: Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is picturesque all around — street markets for the outdoors, Instagrammable malls for the indoors. In Terminal 21 Mall, there is inspiration from eight destinations: the Caribbean, Rome, Paris, Tokyo, London, Istanbul, San Francisco, and Hollywood. On each of its floors, you’ll find decorations from one of these places.

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The Ratchaprasong area is where art, shopping, and panoramic views meet. Gaysorn Village, a mall in the area, features Thai designer brands and curated art shows. One minute from Gaysorn Village is the famous pedestrian bridge, Ratchaprasong SkyWalk. Crossing the bridge exposes elevated Bangkok views, another Instagram-worthy scene. It also connects to other shopping centres, CentralWorld and Erawan Bangkok.

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Culture-lovers will also appreciate the sights and sounds of Bangkok's Damnoen Saduak&nbsp;Floating Markets, for a quieter but no-less Instagrammable experience of some of the best local produce and an intimate look at every day life - bookable through our Booking Engine!

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4. For the best flagship stores: New York City, United States

Stretching 10 km from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, Fifth Avenue is one of the most iconic shopping streets in New York City.

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Book a table at The Blue Box Café by Daniel Boulud, located inside The Landmark, Tiffany’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue. Boulud is a Michelin-starred chef originally from France, now residing in New York. He has won many awards, including the “World's Best Restaurateur.” Besides the classic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” he also offers Afternoon Tea, an à la carte selection, and dining options at The Blue Box Café.&nbsp;

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Nike’s House of Innovation provides some of the best brand experiences, including showrooms, customised trainers, and in-house experts giving style advice. Macy's Herald Square is another NYC classic with a world-class customer experience. You can book Macy’s history tours, &nbsp;enjoy fine dining in the store, or get advice from a personal stylist for free.

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5. For art and fashion: Paris

With its glass Coupole rising 43 metres high up, Galeries Lafayette is an iconic Art-Nouveau building as well as a historic shopping centre in Paris. Today, it hosts well-known French brands including Chanel, Christian Dior, Guerlain, and more.&nbsp;

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Visitors can learn more about the 19th-century building by booking a guided heritage tour. To make the experience even more unforgettable, book the Parisian Shopping Experience, in which Galeries Lafayette experts take visitors shopping and give fashion advice. Alternatively, there is the Macaron Bakery Class, a group bakery class to learn how to make macarons. To end the day, go up to the 8th floor of Galeries Lafayette — the terrace overlooks the whole city of Paris, with views of Opéra Garnier, the Eiffel Tower, Sacré Cœur, and Notre Dame.

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The Golden Triangle between Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Avenue Montaigne, and Avenue George V is a shopping classic for high-end brands like Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent. For concept stores, suggest Le Marais neighbourhood, which is home to Merci and other department stores. End the day in one of Merci’s cafés, Le Used Book Café or Le Café de Non Merci, and people-watch like a true Parisian.

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6. For a hint of Hollywood glamour: Los Angeles

Jewellery, local boutiques, and world-famous brands: welcome to the Hollywood glamour of Los Angeles.&nbsp;

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Check out the Beverly Wilshire Hotel’s Pretty Woman for a Day Package — it’s the very hotel in the 1991 film “Pretty Woman.” With this package, your clients will get a VIP shopping experience. It includes a round trip with a Mercedes Sedan, visits to the backstages of Rodeo Drive boutiques, and fashion advice from a personal stylist.&nbsp;

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To complete the Pretty Woman experience, check out Jewelry District, home to some of the best jewellery in the world. Consider booking a luxury tour — Jewelry District tours include visiting showrooms, meeting designers, and going to private exhibitions.

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7. For high-tech meets kawaii: Tokyo

In Japan, there is one vending machine per 30 people, selling everything from ramen to burgers. The Japanese capital Tokyo appeals to many kinds of shoppers, including budget travellers, tech enthusiasts, and Japanese culture lovers.

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Located in the shopping district of Harajuku, Galaxy Harajuku hosts Samsung Galaxy’s brand exhibitions. By showing their Samsung smartphones, visitors can access virtual reality exhibitions, photo booths, and lounges with the latest Galaxy technologies. The district has all types of malls, from the mirror glass-covered kaleidoscopic entrance of Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku Shopping Mall to the cute shops in Laforet Mall. A short walk away from the mall is Takeshita Street, full of brightly-coloured shops, offering photo and shopping opportunities in Japanese kawaii fashion.

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Let your clients know of the Japan Shopping Festival, where over 500 participating brands give out exclusive promotions and discounts. There are also cultural activities as a part of the festival, such as rice ball making classes or earring and piercing workshops.

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Have you seen somewhere travellers would like? Register with&nbsp;Hotelbeds today&nbsp;to offer travellers different types of retailtainment experiences, no matter if they're a luxury shopper, culture-lovers or deal-seekers.

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Have you seen somewhere travellers would like?&nbsp;Log in to your&nbsp;Hotelbeds account&nbsp;now&nbsp;to offer travellers different types of retailtainment experiences, no matter if they're a luxury shopper, culture-lovers or deal-seekers.


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Travel Trends 2024: What Travel Providers Need To Know About 'Retailtainment'

Are you currently using a channel manager, or are you interested in incorporating one into your distribution operations? Would you like to know how a channel manager could complement your partnership with us and take your hotel further? We've got you covered!&nbsp;
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In this article, you'll find the main benefits of partnering with a channel manager if you work with Hotelbeds, as well as how channel managers complement our powerful Partner Extranet, among other frequently asked questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Read on and discover all the information you need to know about channel managers for hotels.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What is a channel manager?&nbsp;

Before we move forward, first things first: what exactly is a channel manager, and what does a channel manager do?&nbsp;
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Nowadays, hotels can't just rely on telephone or face-to-face bookings to guarantee a high occupancy rate for their rooms.
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Hoteliers need to use more than one sales channel to get the most out of their offering and achieve maximum profits — but it can be challenging to manage several channels at once. This is where the channel manager comes in.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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A channel manager is an online platform for hotels. It allows you to constantly update the advertisement of your rooms across the several channels or booking sites that you’re connected to. Similarly, the channel manager system updates your availability automatically and in real-time across all channels. Whenever you receive a booking, remove a room, or make general changes to your inventory, it will automatically update.&nbsp;
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The channel manager can increase a hotel's ability to attract bookings and maximise profits. Channel managers are a fundamental part of a hotel's online distribution strategy. At Hotelbeds, we consider the channel manager to be a valuable addition to our partnership offering: by allowing you to connect the contracts that you hold with us to the tool, you can rest assured that the agreement is being efficiently and effectively optimised.&nbsp;
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Advantages of working with hotel channel managers&nbsp;

Certainly, relying on channel managers is an effective strategy to facilitate inventory management, among other many advantages:&nbsp;
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	Channel managers show real-time rates and availability on all channels at the same time, and these are updated automatically. As a result, bookings can be accepted more easily. &nbsp;
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	You can ensure best control in inventory management. By splitting inventory between different channels, there's a risk of double bookings or not reaching full occupancy. When using a channel manager, inventory will be pooled and availability and rates will be automatically updated, so only available rooms will be bookable. &nbsp;
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	Channel managers enable you to get to know each distinct channel better, including how they work, your best performing rooms, and so forth. You'll have access to reports, analytics and booking trends. Besides, it will help you analyse the best performing channels and how to optimise connections to generate more revenue for the hotel. &nbsp;
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	You can integrate with a variety of channels, including OTAs (Online Travel Agency), metasearch engines (such as Google), your own website, and Hotelbeds as an example of the B2B channel, to name a few.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Hotelbeds and channel managers: what makes us a good team?&nbsp;

After all these years as leaders in the TravelTech sector, we've corroborated the importance of having a channel manager for hotels as a partner to streamline your daily work and increase your revenue. If you still have doubts about investing in one, here are a few reasons why we highly recommend a channel manager as an excellent complement to Hotelbeds.&nbsp;
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	Currently, we're working hard to improve and create certain functionalities for channel managers to incorporate into their platforms. In this way, among other advantages, hoteliers like you will be able to create contracts with Hotelbeds through the channel manager platform itself. &nbsp;
	
	This means you won't have to sign more contracts with a Contract Manager from our team and then wait for us to upload them to the system.&nbsp;With this new functionality, you'll be able to create contracts directly through the channel manager, and they will be reflected directly in our system. This will allow you to sell more rates with us more easily.&nbsp;
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	Besides, you’ll have the option to create new rooms through the channel manager platform. You won't have to contact our team first, which will reduce the time to market considerably. &nbsp;
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	As an additional benefit, if you’re a hotelier interested in working with us, and you already have a channel manager, Hotelbeds has partnered with a few of them and will bring you the opportunity to register and create an agreement with us through their system. &nbsp;
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However, not all the channel managers we work with have these functionalities. Hotelbeds offer the opportunity to develop them; but it’s the channel manager's team who is responsible for implementing them. Yet, channel managers are increasingly asking for the possibility of developing this tool. &nbsp;

In short, investing in a channel manager while working with Hotelbeds reduces manual bookings. As a hotelier, you can control availability better, as well as make sales forecasts. Automatic updates allow you to see what you have and don’t have available for the following months. In this manner, you can determine whether to lower the prices of certain rooms to increase your revenue.&nbsp;

Interested in working with two major players in the travel industry? Register your property now and gain access to many opportunities to increase bookings and revenue.&nbsp;
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It’s a match: our Partner Extranet + channel managers&nbsp;&nbsp;

One of the main questions hoteliers ask when they join Hotelbeds — and already work with a channel manager — is the following: how does the channel manager work together with our Partner Extranet? However, which may seem complex at first glance is, in reality, much simpler.&nbsp;
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Our Partner Extranet is a complementary tool to the channel manager. On the one hand, and as mentioned above, there are some channel managers which lack the functionalities to automate some processes when integrating with Hotelbeds.&nbsp;
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This is where our Partner Extranet comes into play to make the work easier. For example, a hotel that can't create new contracts through the channel manager platform needs to modify the rates in the Partner Extranet to start mapping with the channel manager. If they can't create new rooms with the channel manager either, they must use the extranet to add them and then update the channel manager.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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On the other hand, regarding hotel content, such as descriptions, images and facilities, all hoteliers must use the Partner Extranet to enter this information.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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How does the integration with Hotelbeds work?&nbsp;

To begin with, we have our own team responsible for the new integrations with channel managers. While it's the channel manager who develops these functionalities with the Hotelbeds APIs on their respective platforms, our team tests to make sure everything works correctly.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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If you don't have a channel manager yet to help you manage your distribution channels, we recommend comparing channel managers to see which one might be the right fit for you. When choosing your best channel manager, we recommend you consider factors such as your number of available rooms, the diverse types of rooms you have, the audience you want to reach, your budget, and other variables.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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The good news is that, nowadays, almost any channel manager can integrate with us. In fact, we have partnerships with 200+ hotel channel managers, both the top ones and the regional ones in specific countries.&nbsp;
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Finally, we will also help you with the integration process. Some channel managers handle hotel integrations directly. In other cases, you'll have to follow a series of steps, and this information will be provided to you by our Contracting team.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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We hope we've clarified the main questions you had about working with a channel manager and Hotelbeds at the same time. We assure you it's a winning formula and could exponentially increase your bookings, improve your revenue, and help you have better control of all your inventory and rates. That's why we encourage you to start working with a channel manager software to make your daily tasks easier.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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And if you haven't joined Hotelbeds yet, we can help you increase your property's visibility to over 66,000 travel distributors, including 60,000+ travel agencies. Hotelbeds gives you access to a worldwide portfolio of B2B partners. Don’t miss your opportunity to appear in front of this valuable client base – register now!&nbsp;&nbsp;


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The Perfect Duo: Hotel Channel Managers and Hotelbeds, a Winning Combination 

Valentine's Day might just be one day on the calendar, but it's a lucrative holiday. Consumers hit by Cupid's arrow spent $23.9 billion USD on this day in 2022, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights &amp; Analytics.


Without a doubt, this is a prime period for booking and an ideal time for your property to show off its amenities, creativity, and hospitality. For this reason, here are 14 Valentine's Day hotel ideas to increase occupancy with minimal lead time, ensuring your guests fall truly, madly, deeply in love with you.
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1. Increase bookings with special rates

While it may seem counterintuitive to offer a reduced rate during a holiday, offer promotional rates for higher category rooms to entice travellers to pick a higher category room because they perceive it's a great value. This tactic may also boost average daily rates because travellers are booking higher category rooms and taking advantage of holiday add-ons and upselling.

2. Encourage longer stays

Offer incentives and promotions for multi-day stays. Rather than offering a one-night deal, consider offering three, four, or five-night deals that combine the midweek Valentine's Day holiday with a weekend getaway. Offer your most loyal guests an added discount this Valentine's Day to boost bookings.


Consider extending Valentine’s hotel packages because many people like to avoid the crowds, while others may not be able to take off on the actual day and would rather celebrate the weekend before or after.

3. Leverage Galentine's Day to increase opportunity

We have U.S. television series Parks and Recreation to thank for an extra day to celebrate love. Observed on 13 February, Galentine's Day is a day devoted to celebrating the women in your life. What started as a fictional holiday has become an additional revenue opportunity.&nbsp;


Create Galentine girlfriend getaway packages to encourage friends to celebrate together and extend their stays to observe V-Day with their significant others. From decorating your dining venues to offering a pink-hued afternoon tea to seasonal spa and salon specials to get glam, create Instagram-worthy memories for every Galentine.
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4. Increase occupancy with inclusivity

Not everyone is a couple or in love on Valentine's Day, but that doesn't mean they don't want to celebrate the occasion. Recognise that romance comes in all forms by creating inclusive experiences for a diverse range of travellers:
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	Couples
	
	
	Newlyweds
	
	
	LGBTQ
	
	
	Bromance
	
	
	Girlfriends
	
	
	Pet-friendly travel
	
	
	Singles / Solo travellers
	
	
	Family travel
	


5. Leverage your property's unique selling proposition

What makes your property unique? Is it the location or nearby points of interest? Is it the building itself? How about the amenities? Play to your strengths and what differentiates you in the marketplace. Then, educate would-be guests with enticing and entertaining social media and advertising campaigns that convey your USPs.

6. Get more guests by going local

Holidays are a timely motivation to look beyond your property and partner with local restaurants, bars, and shops doing innovative things. Perhaps it's candle making or pottery making with local artists, or unique fitness classes like stand-up paddleboard yoga or bungee fitness that you can bring on property for your guests to enjoy. Visitors and residents alike love enjoying unique and exclusive experiences and then sharing them on social media.

7. Earn guest loyalty with Valentine's surprises

Spoil your most loyal guests with complimentary perks like extra loyalty points, early or late checkout, or complimentary refreshments like champagne or chocolate-covered strawberries. These low-cost gestures that delight and surprise can translate into more on-property spend, continued loyalty, and word-of-mouth referrals.

8. Increase revenue with alluring add-ons

Set the mood and offer a variety of themed options. These can include classics like strawberries and champagne, interactive services like butler drawn baths and in-room massages, and unique and only-at-your-property activities. Here are some examples:
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	Room decor: balloons, fresh flowers, and rose petals
	
	
	Dining: breakfast in bed and in-room candlelit dinner
	
	
	Entertainment: board games and film rentals
	
	
	Mood setters: sheet masks and nail polishes for girlfriend getaways, candles and massage oil for couples, and bath bombs and face masks for solo travellers
	
	
	Treats: candy, chocolates, champagne, and fruit
	
	
	Classes: Chef-led cooking class, mixologist-led cocktail class, sommelier-led wine tasting
	
	
	Unique activities: Tandem bicycle tour, couples yoga class or massage class, sunset helicopter ride, personal serenade, and private dining
	
	
	Valentine's Day gifts from local artisans and jewellers
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Stand out from the competition by providing amenities that are customisable, personalised, and add value.




9. Create package deals

When consumers can clearly see the value add or the exclusive offerings and savings that come from a Valentine's Day hotel package deal, they will be more likely to book a stay at your property.

Package bookings tend to be longer stays than standalone bookings. Studies show travellers who buy a package are less likely to cancel, particularly if flights are included.

Package ideas may include bundling breakfast or dinner, spa treatments and/or room decor with the room rate.

10. Make the stay memorable

Whether your guests choose to celebrate on Valentine's Day or in the days surrounding it, make the experience one-of-a-kind. Offer intimate alternatives to on-property dining like cooking classes, picnic baskets, and private dining. Focus on small details and gestures like providing guests with heart-shaped candy along with their welcome drink or a Valentine's Day card during turndown service.&nbsp;

11. Spread the word with compelling storytelling

Show, don't tell, your loyal guests, potential customers, and the world why your hotel is the best on Valentine's Day and any day. Create specific seasonal campaigns for each segment of your potential client base, including previous, most loyal, and potential guests.

Once you know your target audiences, create customised and personalised campaigns that include:

•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Branded online content
•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Digital and print advertising
•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Emails
•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Local outreach and partnerships (e.g. airlines, travel agencies, tourism bureaus, etc.)
•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Media coverage
•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Newsletters
•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Online content, including blogs, media mentions, and influencer partnerships
•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Social media, including organic and paid content
•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Your website
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Create engaging content like offering limited-time promo codes found exclusively on social media, Valentine-decorated room or restaurant tour videos, and contests or giveaways. Log into Hotelbeds Partner Extranet to increase your exposure and maximise your revenue.

12. Tailor pricing, experiences, and advertising to each audience segment

No matter which promotions you offer, customise offers based on your target travellers, which include:
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	Most loyal customers
	
	
	Guests who stayed last 14th February, or over the Valentine’s period
	
	
	‘Gone-sumers’ who booked but cancelled their Valentine's Day reservations last year
	
	
	Potential local, domestic, and international guests.
	


13. Promote Your Property as the Present

Not everyone will be able to take off mid-week to celebrate Valentine's Day, so promote hotel gift cards or vouchers as the Valentine's Day present to increase occupancy post-Valentine's Day. Adding a promotional price or free offering like complimentary breakfast or a resort credit can help sweeten the deal.

14. Build lasting relationships by creating memorable moments

Sometimes, it's the smallest gestures or meaningful moments that can have the most impact. Find ways to personalise each guest's stay. Here are some examples:
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	Greet guests by name
	
	
	Give a handwritten note with recommendations for their stay
	
	
	Offer heart-shaped treats with the guest's name at check-in and/or turndown
	
	
	Stock the minibar with your guests' favourite refreshments
	
	
	Provide festive hampers
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Fall in Love with Hotelbeds

Hotelbeds can help you gain exposure to travel distributors and attract high-value clients this Valentine's Day and beyond. Register your property by simply filling out this form. This way, you'll benefit from:&nbsp;


	
	Seamless access to the travel ecosystem, putting your property in front of 66,000+ partners, including travel agents, airlines, online travel agencies, and more.
	
	
	Eligibility for inclusion in relevant, timely campaigns throughout the year.
	



If you have already joined Hotelbeds, don't forget to access our Partner Extranet to conveniently manage inventory, upload new photos, add or remove room types, adjust rates, and manage availability calendar.
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Valentine's Day might just be one day on the calendar, but it's a lucrative holiday. Consumers hit by Cupid's arrow spent $23.9 billion USD on this day in 2022, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights &amp; Analytics.


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14 Valentine's Day Hotel Ideas to Boost Occupancy

Wondering how to put your hotel on the map in 2024? We've compiled a list of key dates and events in the 2024 calendar to help inspire your travel marketing efforts, and to attract a wealth of travellers in the era of 'revenge travel'. Save this page as a bookmark to use as a reference over the next 12 months.


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Key Dates and Events for Hoteliers in 2024

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Paris, Venice, and New York City often come to mind when talking about Valentine’s Day trip ideas. But what if your clients are expecting you to propose some more creative destinations this year? From African safari holidays to lantern-lit boat rides in Asia, we picked six romantic destinations across four continents that are beyond the tourist hot spots.

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For more insight into some of the global events and key dates shaping travel demand in 2024, why not read our 2024 key events calendar for travel providers?

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Don't forget, you can take advantage of&nbsp; our global portfolio, including over 200,000 hotels in 170+ trending destinations worldwide. Not to mention 16,000+ experiences to enrich your clients' time in their destination of choice, to easily make their trip extra special.

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Sign up now&nbsp;to access our global portfolio and delight travellers no matter their preferences.

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Log in to your Hotelbeds account&nbsp;to access our global portfolio and delight travellers no matter their preferences.

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But for now, let's take a look at some of the best Valentine's Day destinations...

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Hoi An, Vietnam

Vietnam experiences its dry season from December to May, so in February, you’re in for a sunny Valentine’s Day.&nbsp;

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To make the most of the beautiful weather, book the half-day Hoi An Vespa tour. From meeting local farmers in rural Vietnam to seeing rice wine breweries, this tour unlocks an authentic experience. Back in the city, the UNESCO-preserved Hoi An Ancient Town has Chinese, Japanese, and European influences. The Japanese Covered Bridge, the Cantonese Assembly Hall, and the colonial building of Hoi An Museum of History and Culture are great examples of each style of architecture.

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Hoi An truly shines at night, with thousands of lanterns lighting up the streets and the river. With an evening boat ride, visitors can experience this romantic atmosphere with their other half. Through this unique experience, they can ride boats, take colourful photos, and release lanterns into the water as a part of the monthly Hoi An Lantern Festival.

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Anthony Bourdain once described Hoi An’s bánh mì as a “symphony in a sandwich.” If food is your clients’ love language, tell them they’re in the right city, and suggest a cooking class or a half-day street food tour.&nbsp;

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Santa Fe, USA

For a refreshing wellness retreat, look no further than Santa Fe, New Mexico. The city’s spiritual atmosphere combined with Native American wellness techniques will take couples on a relaxing journey.&nbsp;

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Many premium spas, including Ojo Spa Resorts, Nidah Spa, or Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado offer couples packages including a romantic room, private hot tubs, wine, and chocolate - all of which can be booked in our Booking Engine! For the ultimate experience, book a couples massage and let your clients relax with the diverse massage techniques, essential oils, and Himalayan salt stones.

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While wellness is a major highlight, Santa Fe’s art and restaurant scenes are very much alive in February. As the first UNESCO Creative City in the US, Santa Fe hosts the Art + Sol Winter Festival in February, where visitors enjoy ballets, operas, and art galleries. Right after Valentine’s Day, the 19th of February marks the start of Santa Fe Restaurant Week, celebrating the city’s extensive dining options.&nbsp;

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Rovaniemi, Finland

According to experts, 2024 may be one of the best years to see the Northern Lights as the sun will reach the “solar maximum.” They are best seen in winter months, so the odds are in your clients' favour to see the Northern Lights in Finland this Valentine’s Day.

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In Rovaniemi, the capital of the Lapland region in Finland, the Northern Lights are visible 150 nights a year until March. The best part? Couples can spot them from the comfort of a cosy glass igloo. Inside, guests get a 360-degree view of the sky, showcasing twinkling stars and the Northern Lights as they appear in green, purple, and pink hues.&nbsp;

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Glass igloos are comfortable and warm but they won’t be enough for adventurous travellers. With the Arctic Circle – Northern Lights Hunting by Minibus or Aurora Borealis, Snowmobile Safari, and BBQ tours, crown the romantic moments in the igloo with exciting memories outside.&nbsp;

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Besides the Northern Lights, Finland is also known for its traditional sauna experience with special rituals, which has been a part of UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage List since 2020. Book a sauna day for your clients to discover if this is the secret of the world’s happiest country.

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Dolomites, Italy

The Dolomites boost a rich wine scene, delicious food, and romantic experiences like other Italian destinations, minus the tourist crowds.&nbsp;

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Start the trip with Bolzano, the capital city of the South Tyrol region. Overlooking the majestic Alpine landscapes, this charming city blends Italian and Austrian cultures. Your clients will see it first-hand in the Bolzano Private Walking Tour as they visit landmarks like Piazza Walther and the Dome of Bolzano.&nbsp;

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Less than an hour away from Bolzano, there are 49 Michelin-recommended restaurants for couples to have a romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day. Besides regional cuisine, you can find a wide range of Alpine restaurants, seafood places, and contemporary eateries.&nbsp;

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For the next few days, we recommend renting a car and heading north toward Brunico, while making some stops along the way. A visit to the Neustift Abbey is a must — active since 1142, this place hosts one of the oldest wineries in the world. After tasting the historical wines of the region, suggest Chiusa for a blend of art and nature, and end the trip at a ski resort at Brunico.

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Okinawa, Japan

Winter months are considered off-season in Okinawa but the beautiful archipelago is still worth a visit, especially for its romantic sunsets, beautiful nature, and laid-back atmosphere.

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Cherry blossoms start in early February, adding a pink touch to historical sites such as Nakijin Castle Ruins. Although an off-season for tourism, February is the peak season for an experience like no other: whale watching. Book a boat trip to Kerama Islands where your clients will see humpback whales jumping high up the water.&nbsp;

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Okinawa has picture-perfect sunsets, no matter what season it may be. Consider organising a romantic sunset tour for your clients to take in the beautiful atmosphere. Over the next few days, book a cooking class or a food tour to uncover Okinawa’s traditional food. Dating back to the Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawan cuisine has Japanese, Chinese, and Southeast Asian influences, different from what you would have in mainland Japan. &nbsp;

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Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Safari in the Serengeti National Park is on the bucket list of many travellers. For Valentine’s Day, couples can make this dream come true and treat themselves with the park’s luxury accommodation options.

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Between January and February, visitors get to see the Great Migration and calving, which makes the safari even more special. For accommodation, consider a luxury safari lodge, overlooking the vast landscape of Serengeti. On some days, your clients might be able to spot the Big 5 (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and African buffalos) roaming right outside their lodge!

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Alternatively, booking a campsite or a tent offers a true connection with nature, as couples sleep underneath the twinkling stars. Besides the Big 5, there’s a high chance of seeing zebras, birds, and wildebeest during the safari. Remind your clients to pack their cameras, as they’re about to make some of the most special memories of their lives. &nbsp;

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The pristine beaches of Zanzibar are only a short flight away from Kilimanjaro International Airport near Serengeti. Let your clients know that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to end after the safari, and offer to book some flights.

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Have you seen somewhere your clients would like?

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Sign up to become one of Hotelbeds' valuable partners, and offer them the best Valentine’s Day yet.

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Log in to your Hotelbeds account now to offer them&nbsp;them the best Valentine’s Day yet.

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Paris, Venice, and New York City often come to mind when talking about Valentine’s Day trip ideas. But what if your clients are expecting you to propose some more creative destinations this year? From African safari holidays to lantern-lit boat rides in Asia, we picked six romantic destinations across four continents that are beyond the tourist hot spots.


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The Best Destinations For Valentine's Day

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Key 2024 Events Calendar For Travel Providers

After 2023 being pivotal in the travel industry’s recovery, 2024 is set to bring accelerated changes in many aspects of the travel and hospitality sphere. &nbsp;
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To ensure that your strategies align with the latest trends, it’s imperative to stay informed about what’s currently happening in the sector. &nbsp;
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With this report, you’ll gain an overview of the key travel trends impacting guests behaviours, innovative hospitality services and emerging technologies in 2024. In addition, we'll provide you with some tips to cater to the different trends. &nbsp;
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Ready to discover the main travel trends and what’s in store for hotels in 2024? Download your free copy now!&nbsp;


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