How to Sell an Experience Rather Than a Room

To catch travelers early on in the travel planning process, it’s all about selling an experience rather than a room. When travelers look for inspiration of where to go and where to stay for their next vacation, they aren’t focused on simply finding a room, they are more interested in booking an experience that aligns with their personal interests.

According to Think with Google, when leisure travelers start to think about a trip 78% haven’t decided what airline they will travel with and 82% haven’t chosen the accommodation provider they will book with. 

To further the idea that travelers aren’t looking for a specific destination or brand with their initial search, TripAdvisor’s 2018 Path to Purchase survey showed that 73% of all first searches are generic. Clearly, there are great brand opportunities early on in the trip planning process.

For properties to appeal to the modern traveler at the beginning of the trip planning process it is important to stand out from other properties that offer similar amenities and features.  You can do that by selling your experience, not just a room.

So, exactly how to do you sell your property’s experience? Here are several areas in which you can promote the experience rather than a room:

5 ways to sell an experience rather than a room

Blogs and travel guides

Create your own content through a blog and travel guides that sell the destination and your property. Write blog posts that highlight major events, attractions, and landmarks. Offer downloadable travel guides about the area as a way for travelers to learn why you offer the best experience. Leverage your local expertise to custom-build local travel itineraries based on guest interests and preferences. By sharing informative and valuable destination content your potential guests will come to trust you and feel more confident that their experience with you will be positive.

Share past guests’ experience

Good reviews speak for themselves and when past guests share their positive experiences about your property be sure to communicate those accolades to others. Actively engage with guests who post about their stay by liking and commenting on their posts, then sharing them with others across your social media channels. Remember the key here is to keep it conversational and avoid formulated responses.

Use video to sell your experience

Use video to capture your property’s experience in a more authentic way. Photos are great, and necessary, but certain types of video can help tell a story you simply can’t in a single image. Start to incorporate visuals like videos on your website and use them on your social media platforms to help showcase your property’s story.

Empower your staff

Train your staff, particularly the front desk staff, to be familiar with local unique experiences. Start by coming up with a small list of commonly asked questions your guests ask and make sure your staff is well-equipped to answer these questions.

Experiential packages

Make yourself stand out by offering unique experiential packages. From travel itinerary packages to exclusive packages with local area attractions or businesses, this is a great way to differentiate yourself from the competition while offering the traveler an incentive to book with you.

Selling an experience and not just a room is an important factor to inspire decision-making early in the trip-planning process. To learn more about how you can implement some of these strategies in your marketing efforts, contact the marketing department of rezStream at sales@rezStream.com