How To Prepare Your Hotel for Reopening After COVID-19

These 9 steps will guide you toward a seamless rebound when reopening your hotel after the coronavirus pandemic.

The hardest part about the COVID-19 global pandemic — for everyone, regardless of industry — is the unknown. Despite the overused cliché of it all, this is an unprecedented scenario, and one that we’ve had to whip up crisis management protocol for with serious speed. So how to plan for your hotel’s corona rebound strategy?

While closing your hotel down was hard, unlocking your doors is bound to be even trickier. Even with the 4 Phase Theory on The Return of Travel, the “new normal” of social distancing and extraordinary hygiene is something none of us have dealt with before. Despite that, there are some things you can do to prepare your hotel for reopening after COVID-19.

1 – Communicate your safety measures.

What does the new normal really mean? According to Amadeus IT Group, it’s Generation Clean, a new cross-generational segment of travellers who will prioritize health and hygiene when hotel shopping after COVID-19. 

For many folks in the post-pandemic arena, travelling will be an anxiety-inducing affair. That’s why it’s up to you to be clear, communicative, and transparent about everything you’re doing to keep your hotel safe and disinfected.

This includes for example social distancing protocols, cleaning procedures, and 72-hour buffers between room occupancies.

Share this in a central spot on your website so no one can miss it. Also add it to your OTA listings and inform your offline partners (like corporate accounts, government, and travel agents).

TIP: Create and post videos about your safety precautions on your social media accounts to increase engagement.

2 – Keep cancellation policies flexible.

If people are going to book a stay at your hotel, they’re going to want some security on their purchase in the event that things take a turn for the worse once more. This is simply the result of no one knowing how this novel virus will pan out in the long run.

Both your cancellation policy and your pricing strategy should be flexible. Change your prices based on the demand. Allow people to cancel without penalty closer to the check-in date than normal. Strongly consider offering rebooking opportunities if travel restrictions or extenuating circumstances arise.

3 – Be creative (and courteous) with your offers.

There will be over-supply, so be creative, courteous, and — of course — competitive with your offers. Here are a few ideas for your corona recovery strategy, but don’t let these limit you:

• Consider implementing steeper discounts for longer stays. You can also add in bonuses like spa credits or food and beverage rewards.
• In response to the pandemic, switch out buffet breakfast for room service breakfast. Set up office spaces in rooms for those that can’t work at the office or at home.
• Provide sanitized dumbbells in rooms so people can work out without going in public.
• Refresh linen daily instead of once every three days, or however often you performed cleaning in the past.

4 – Analyse — and reanalyse — your target audience for each phase of reopening.  

For each phase of economic recovery of the covid-19 pandemic, think about which traveller segment you’re targeting and what their objectives are.

If you’re targeting people travelling locally for leisure, they might be doing so for a staycation, road trip, small family gathering, or couple’s retreat.

If you’re targeting people travelling locally for business, they might be doing so for executive meetings, travel for healthcare or another essential industry, team building, or other rescheduled workshops.

Answer the following question to guide you in your recovery strategy: 

• How has market demand changed? What does it look like in each phase of the recovery? Think events, meetings, and search volumes.
• Which feeder markets can you target? Which markets are already open and which countries will lift restrictions next? 
• Are there any new businesses to target? How about existing businesses? 

5 – Target your domestic market.

We’re still seeing border closures, quarantine-on-arrival requirements, limited flights, and a general hesitation to travel abroad. This means domestic travellers should be on your docket. Keep in mind that most of them will be in the last-minute window for booking.

Consider the 4 Phase Theory on The Return of Travel, which outlines why you’ll want to put an emphasis on the domestic market first and foremost.

6 – Look ahead with early bird offers for overseas travellers.

Although the last-minute booking window is great to fill up rooms in the short term, don’t forget to look ahead and have early bird deals available for overseas travellers in future phases. People are already dreaming about their next vacation abroad. 

Setting early-bird deals up as pre-paid is a great way to generate cash flow, but always keep the cancellation policy flexible with no additional charge. More than ever before your cancellation policy could be more of a deal-breaker than the rate.

7 – Make direct bookings a priority.

Direct bookings should always be on your radar but even more they should take a prominent place in your covid-19 recovery strategy. This is especially true in today’s altered market. Keep these three things in mind:

• Make sure you’re being flexible.
• Make sure your rates are the best in the market (or at least match the rates of OTAs and Meta Search sites such as Google hotel finder).
• Leverage on digital marketing.

8 – Now’s the time to leverage your digital marketing.

Don’t let an economic demand shock slow down your marketing efforts, especially when everyone is home and online. 

Be active on social media while being sensitive to current events. Interact with travellers who are dreaming of their next trip. Promote your offers through social media ads. 

Now is also the time to optimise your website and update key information on other online channels. And how about cleaning up your email database?

And while you’re at it, plan out your content for the next few months. This includes social media, blogs, and email direct marketing (EDM). 

Whatever you do, always make decisions based on your target markets. Target markets that are ready to travel (check back to that 4 Phase Theory on the Return of Travel) will continue to change. With this in mind, ask yourself: is it possible to increase your share of voice? How are competitors with similar audiences marketing themselves?

9 – Check in with your hotel partners.

Check in with your partners’ updates on a regular basis. At the same time, share insights and review industry trends. Here are a few steps to get you moving:

• Call your OTA market managers. They have great insights in the latest search queries and travel demand and can help you point you into the right direction for a successful corona rebound plan.
• Contact your corporate bookers and ask them about their plans through the end of the year. Are they planning on allowing travel again, or do they require their staff to work from home? 
• Contact your government bookers and ask about prospective government meetings. Will they need meeting spaces? When do they expect to be booking conferences again? 

Rebound your hotel, the right way

If you’re dreaming of a time when we can gather and thrive, you’re not alone. But reopening too hastily can be traumatic for your guests and your hospitality business alike. 

Unlock your doors with caution, diligence, and an awareness of your market. At the end of this all, whenever that will be, you’ll only come out better and stronger for it.