Six ways to bring the destination into your hotel marketing. Hotel marketing tips.
By Kathleen Kubota
Senior Director of Integrated Marketing, Screenfire Media
Most hotel marketing ignores the destination or treats it as a nice aside. That’s a mistake.
Leisure travelers choose the destination first, then decide where to stay. That means your hotel is rarely creating demand. It’s competing to capture it.
Here are six low or no cost ways to bring the destination into your hotel marketing.
1. How can a hotel leverage its local Destination Marketing Organization (DMO)?
Most hotels underuse their local destination marketing organization, or DMO. Don’t just join. Use the resources.
Make sure your property is fully optimized on their listing, including images, descriptions, and links. Keep it up to date. Align your content with what the DMO is already promoting, such as events and seasonal campaigns. Let them know you are open to hosting media, influencers, and their team.
You want to be part of the destination story. The more you engage, the more relevant your property becomes.
2. How can hotels use proximity as a marketing feature?
Your proximity to local experiences is a huge selling point, so replace vague language like “centrally located” with specifics.
Share walk and drive times that matter. Highlight distance to shopping, attractions, and the airport. Call out location-driven amenities like beach access, galleries, parks, and hiking trails. Create a map.
Location is not a line in your footer. It’s a reason to book.
3. How can hotels build marketing partnerships that add value?
Partnerships help fill gaps where your hotel lacks amenities and are often a low-cost way to enhance the guest experience.
No restaurant? Partner with strong local options. No on-site gym? Have passes ready for one nearby. Think about the experiences your guests want, including food, wellness, shopping, and activities.
You do not need to offer everything. You need to have solutions for what you do not have.
4. Should hotels create neighborhood guides on their websites?
Yes, even though there may be plenty of other online guides to your destination, you should offer your own. It’s good for SEO, but it’s also good for creating a relationship with a potential guest.
Don’t just slap something together, though. Curate, do not just list.
Include staff picks, hidden gems, and practical local tips. Optimize for search with phrases like “best insider guide to [neighborhood].” Make it feel specific to your location, not interchangeable with any other destination.
Use the guide to build simple itineraries for different traveler types such as couples, families, and foodie guests.
5. How can you turn your hotel into a gateway, not just a stay?
This is where many hotels fall short.
Reflect the destination in your design, storytelling, and programming. Feature local artists and products. Host small events tied to the local scene such as tastings or live music. You want to feel like part of the scene.
Start small and pay attention to what resonates. Word of mouth matters. When locals engage, they bring future guests with them.
6. Can your hotel use guest-generated content to tell a deeper story?
Yes, the best social media is guest-generated social media. Guide what guests share, then put it to work.
Create an Instagram-ready location on your property, and promote it to guests.
Ask guests to capture their experience beyond the hotel. A simple in-room card or front desk mention can prompt the right behavior: “Exploring the neighborhood? Tag us in your favorite local moments.”
Reshare the best content across your channels to show future guests what the experience actually looks like.
Rethink your hotel marketing in parallel with your destination
Ignoring the destination in your marketing is not just a missed opportunity. It is a missed booking.
Need help? Contact Screenfire today for a free evaluation of your online presence, and talk to our hospitality marketing experts. Use the form to the right or email us at info@screenfiremedia.com.
All the best, Kathleen
About the author: Kathleen Kubota is a strategic leader with deep expertise in directing integrated marketing and digital ecosystems. Prior to joining Screenfire, Kathleen spent more than a decade with the San Diego Tourism Authority. She has also held senior marketing leadership roles at Town and Country Resort, the historic Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, and Miramonte Resort and Spa. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.
