Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 249 –  Generating Demand with Niche Targeting

Good day fellow hoteliers and welcome to episode 249 of the Hotel Marketing Podcast,  Today we have an interesting question, “Is catering to a small niche market a secret to success for a hotel?” Well, we’re about to answer that right now

This is going to be a fun episode today and we couldn’t have fun without Alyssa Foriska, Jeremy Razook, and Olivia Clifton.

Attracting Avid Guests With Targeted Niches

Article Link: https://www.costar.com/article/2128574949/hotels-drive-demand-by-marketing-to-social-niche-groups

Group travel has bounced back post-COVID. The article reinforces this notion, noting that bachelor and bachelorette parties, seniors, couples, destination weddings, and family reunions — groups that may not have seen each other during the worst days of the pandemic — want to reconnect in a big way. 

Couple this with the growing trend of experiential travel, and niche marketing emerges.

Defining niche marketing: niche marketing is defined as channeling all marketing efforts towards one well-defined segment of the population. 

While niche marketing isn’t necessarily a new concept, marketers have traditionally gone after volume versus catering to this underserved population. 

The article mentions tailoring online advertising and social media campaigns to reach specific demographics.

If you build it, they will come. If you’re struggling, lean into a new effort and get creative.

Some questions to ask yourself: 

1. What does your property have to offer or what can you do to cater to a specific audience?
2. What does your typical guest look like? What does your area have to offer? What demographic or group type can you realistically generate demand for?
3. How do you make the experience memorable, fun and/or funny, romantic, immersive, and unique?

Disney has been doing this for years with Art of Animation, All-Star Movies, All-Star Sports, Fort Wilderness, and Animal Kingdom Lodge — these themed resorts are micro-vacations by themselves.

They have mastered the art of experience.

Niche Targeting Done Right: Examples

Jeremy

• Great Wolf Lodge (multiple locations) > Themed suites that appeal to families traveling with young kids.
• The Curtis in Denver > “Hyper themed rooms” that take inspiration from pop culture (Ghostbusters, video games, Star Trek), era aesthetics (70s disco), and more (Knock Knock Jokes).

Olivia: 

• Roxbury Motel in the Catskills > movie and TV-themed rooms, suites, and cottages. “Samantha’s Cloud” suite modeled after Bewitched scenes where Samantha met w/ her mom in the clouds; black and white theme with Tiffany blue accents for Golightly-a-go-go/Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Fred’s Suite/Flintstone theme
• Wes Anderson-inspired apartment on AirBnb > in Portland because where else? Whimsical decor and craftsmanship that calls to the feel of a Wes Anderson film (notably Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Royal Tenenbaums) 

Pete:

• https://www.lighthouseresort.net/ has an indoor six-court pickleball complex that is designed to attract avid players to visit as well as create a sporting hub for the entire area.
• https://thehotelchalet.com/ at https://www.choochoo.com/ 

Alyssa:

• The Red Caboose Motel > Accommodations inside old rail cars.
• Cartoon Network Hotel > A hotel entirely themed around Cartoon Network + its most popular television shows 

TravelBoom News:

2023 Leisure Travel Trends Study

Get the 2023 Leisure Travel Trends Study at https://travelboommarketing.com/study. 

2023/24 Hotelier Sentiment Study

We need your help! Building on what we learned in the 2023 Leisure Travel Study, we want to know what hoteliers are thinking about. Take five minutes to participate in this survey. Your anonymous responses will be compiled with other hoteliers to create a clear picture of the needs of today’s hoteliers. https://www.travelboommarketing.com/hotelsurvey

Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to @_travelboom or info@travelboommarketing.com.