How to Outsmart the Self-Catering Competition [Part 1]

UK self-catering prices are up by 41% compared to 2019. Fact is, it’s now more expensive to stay in a caravan park in the middle of nowhere than it is to stay in a 5-star luxury hotel in London. This opens up huge opportunities for hotels to promote their rooms, knowing that they might be significantly cheaper than their nearby self-catering competition.

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What’s more, hotels come with one big benefit which is worth pointing out. Staying in a hotel is all about being taken care of whilst enjoying additional amenities, which guests won’t necessarily get in a self-catering place. 

We’ve gathered some tips hoteliers should leverage right now to outsmart their self-catering competition.

How to draw in customers

You have to show up where your potential guests are. Most of them will check out several hotel options on multiple websites and channels before making a decision. They might start with a simple Google search before looking for reviews and browsing on your website and socials. They will also look for offers on booking or e-commerce sites. Some might even compare both hotel and self-catering options to start off with. 

So how do you outperform not only your direct hotel competitors but also holiday rental properties?

If your business appears on as many of those potential customer touchpoints as possible, the likelihood that they decide to book with you increases. 

Think about how your customer journey prior to booking might look like, mapping it out is a good starting point. Then make sure that you’ve got all the potential gaps covered and keep them well maintained and updated all the time. 

Communicate health and safety measures

Health and safety are still ranked as one of the most important factors for customers when deciding where to stay. This is the reason why many opt for self-catering as it feels safer for them. 

You have to reassure your customers about how you deal with this. Make sure you communicate your safety measures on your website, socials, Tripadvisor and any other platforms you’re on. And don’t forget to update them on a regular basis.  

In addition, send out an email prior to arrival mentioning once again how you make sure that everything is safe and cleaned before and during their stay.

Bonus tip: have a look at some of our blog articles on how to further elevate your Tripadvisor profile by engaging more with it:

• How to update your Tripadvisor with safety measures
• How to tackle Tripadvisor’s latest booking challenge

Head to Part 2 of this article. All about how to get your marketing message right to promote your rooms and venues and to get ahead of the self-catering competition.

Want some help reaching out to your guests via email or SMS marketing? Get in touch with one of our team. We’re happy to help.