How can hotels and hospitality businesses use their past guest email lists as a marketing channel? And why is this so underutilized?
By Kathleen Kubota, Director of Screenfire Hospitality Group
Many hotels are sitting on an email marketing goldmine — their past guest email lists — and ignoring it.
Every past guest in your database has already chosen your property, experienced your brand, and paid to stay with you. And yet, some never hear from you again. That is not a marketing problem. That is a revenue leak.
Email Isn’t Just Marketing. It’s Part of the Guest Experience.
The best hotel emails don’t feel like marketing. They feel like part of the experience. At their core, every email should do at least one of three things: educate, entertain, or reward. The strongest ones do all three. Great emails give guests a reason to open, a reason to engage, and a reason to come back.
Think of your emails as a continuation of the relationship, not a generic blast. Your email needs to have the same tone as your front desk. The same personality as your brand. The same sense of place as your property.
Because the goal is not opens, it’s return visits.
Your Biggest Opportunity: Turning OTA Guests Into Direct Bookers
Email is your best opportunity to reduce OTA dependency.
Start simple. Make sure your front desk captures an email for every guest at check-in if it is not already on file. A guest who booked through an OTA once does not have to do it again. With the right follow-up, you stay top of mind, create a reason to return, and give them a reason to book direct next time.
Even a small shift here can meaningfully improve margin. Here’s what actually works.
1. Don’t Be Perfect—Be Consistent
One email a month is enough if you actually do it. Consistency builds familiarity, trust, and bookings.
2. Keep Segmentation Simple
You do not need complexity. Start with leisure and group. Add more segments only when it makes sense like dining, spa, golf, and entertainment. Relevance drives results.
3. Give People a Reason to Come Back
Every email should answer: Why now? This could be something new, something local, or something exclusive. And, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a discount. Added value can move the needle. Put the value in the subject line to provide a reason to open.
Examples:
- “One hour late checkout for past guests”
- “First option to book the Wine Tasting Weekend, limited seats”
4. Write Like a Human
The best emails sound like they’re from a friend, not a brand. Share what is new. Mention what is happening locally. Keep it conversational.
5. Sell the Destination
Guests choose a location first. Remind them why they love yours. Specific dates and events drive decisions.
6. Be Mindful of Design
Your email should feel like your property. Clean, on-brand, easy to read, with a clear call to action.
7. Create Urgency
Give people a reason to act now. No urgency equals no action.
8. Never Ignore Replies
A simple response can turn into a booking faster than any campaign.
Hotels spend so much time chasing new guests and overlook the ones who already chose them. Email is your lowest-cost path to repeat revenue and one of the few channels you truly own. Most hotels underuse it. The smart ones build around it.
Need help? Screenfire is here. If you’re unsure where to begin with email marketing for your hotel, we’re here to walk you through it. Contact us now using the form to the right or at info@screenfiremedia.com.
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.
