If you’re a hotel marketer juggling multiple campaigns right now and haven’t started planning your festive communications yet, this is your wake-up call.
Because here’s the truth: the hotels that start early don’t just get booked, they get remembered.
Why planning festive early matters
The festive season is more than a high-demand period, it’s the most emotionally charged time of the year for guests. Families reconnect. Couples escape. Solo travelers seek transformation.
When you plan your festive strategy early, you:
- Secure more earned media and PR exposure (magazines and media plan 3–6 months ahead).
- Have time to build meaningful partnerships with local brands or influencers.
- Create space for creative storytelling, not just last-minute discounts.
For example, in the Maldives, we typically start festive planning at least 6 months in advance (and that’s often considered late).
Why? Because luxury travelers plan early.
And if you want their attention (and their booking), you need to be part of their inspiration phase, not the noise in December.
Here’s an example of a festive brochure which was launched in May 2025 targeting bookings for festive 2025/26
An “outside the box” real-life example
A few years ago, when I was working on a conversion project in Auckland city, we had a different approach to the typical “festive offer”.
The goals were simple:
A. Drive higher ADR
B. Drive media exposure
The solution:
We launched a fully festive-themed residence in partnership with a local interior design agency, allowing guests to escape into their own holiday wonderland.
We positioned the residence as the ultimate luxury festive experience, which included exclusive décor, in-room dining featuring a special 4-course set menu, and, of course, traditional Christmas cookies paired with a bottle of bubbles. This limited-time experience captured both the spirit of the season and the essence of exclusivity.
The results:
- Increased exposure across lifestyle and luxury publications
- Boosted suite occupancy and rate performance
- Strong brand association with celebration and exclusivity
That’s what happens when you blend storytelling, partnerships and commercial goals strategically and ahead of time.
Here you can read a media coverage with more details.
How to start planning your hotel’s Festive communications plan right now
If you haven’t started your festive marketing plan yet, here’s your 5-step fast-track:
- Define your festive narrative What emotion do you want to evoke? Think about reconnection, indulgence, joy, gratitude, or renewal
- Review your lead times this depends completely on your location but as a rule of thumb, luxury travellers plan 3–6 months out and so do top medias. Map backwards from your key festive dates.
- Design signature experiences Go beyond a gala dinner. Think sunrise rituals, champagne tastings, local craftsmanship, or wellness-focused celebrations.
- Collaborate intentionally Partner with local artisans, fashion, wellness or beverage brands, or influencers who align with your values.
- Activate your channels in layers, festive teasers are always a “must-have”
- Earned: press pitches, feature stories
- Owned: email campaigns, social teasers, landing pages, etc.
- Paid: retargeting festive audiences, video storytelling, social media ads, etc
REMEMBER: Festive magic doesn’t happen overnight, it’s built months in advance.
So ask yourself: Are you reacting to the festive season, or leading it with strategy and intention?
