Brand Awareness & Creativity Tips from Headline Sponsor Clockwork Marketing

Clockwork Marketing report that hotels, cottages and holiday parks across the country are having record months of revenue growth in June, thanks to, in part, the Government’s definitive advice for reopening on 4^th July*.  We’ve seen one holiday park, that started marketing at the beginning of June, take £230,000 so far this month in online bookings and a boutique hotel that also started marketing early take £36,000 online.

Those that have started marketing campaigns with flexible booking options and Covid-19 Secure guarantees are reaping the benefits. As more and more venues open on 4^th July, competition will be fierce and businesses need to stand out with innovative and visually striking campaigns.

Ideas to consider now include:

• July/August Staycation reopening deals
• Longer stay packages – as people won’t be holidaying abroad as much
• Outdoor activity packages – surfing, biking, walking holidays
• Isolation themed holidays – for those country hotels with lots of space or self-catering cottages
• Mindfulness and wellbeing breaks – focused on healthy getaways
• Family get togethers – for those who have been apart from their loved ones
• Wedding promotions – now up to 30 guests can be allowed to attend a wedding and for those engaged during this period

Clockwork can provide a range of marketing options tailored to your specific objectives. Check out our Road to Recovery marketing page for more details.

Additionally, ensuring your Covid-19 Secure protocols are easily accessed and available on your website will help boost guest confidence at this time, encouraging more people to book.

Reassuring guests

In all the announcements this week, the good news that the two metre distancing guidance has been reduced to one metre plus, will make a big difference for boutique and smaller venues, in terms of the capacity of guests they can now accommodate.

All venues will need to adhere to Covid-19 Secure health and safety cleaning protocols, reassuring staff and guests. For self-catering accommodation clear guidelines have been available from the Professional Association of Self Caterers and UK Hospitality has protocols available for its members that will be available to all soon here.

If hospitality businesses follow Government guidelines and complete necessary risk assessments, you can sign up to the Visit Britain “Good to Go”, the AA “Covid-Confident” and the Quality in Tourism certification schemes for added customer confidence, or confusion!

But spare a thought for those hotels or accommodation providers whose spas or swimming pools will remain closed after 4^th July, who are grappling with how to provide safe treatments for guests going forward as well. We understand that the Government’s concern is around communal changing areas/showers and hope to have this rectified in min July.

Creative ideas

Each week we have been updating the Creative Ideas page with design, campaigns and marketing we like or have provided for our clients. We will leave these ideas open and available on our website but going forward for future tailored creative marketing ideas, please contact us direct.

Do the Right Thing

While the coronavirus crisis has brought out the best in people, the one thing it has done has created more plastic waste in the form of PPE masks, gloves and gowns and in our sector, disposable menus and disposable cups, for example.

Coronavirus survives for longer on plastic than other materials. When we come to re-opening, it may be prudent as well as better for the environment to follow the example of Mandarin Hotel Group, that pushed on with its elimination of single-use plastics despite the pandemic.

For wider reading on the impact of the upturn in cheap single-use plastic click here.

*UK opening dates as follows: England – 4th July, Scotland – 15th July, Wales – 13th July, Northern Ireland – 3rd July