Smart tips and ideas to help you increase your Hotel Revenue through special services related to the travellers’ self-care and well-being needs during their holidays.
Holidays are directly associated with travellers’ relaxation and well-being. This is also the ideal period when someone can take care of themselves and enjoy rejuvenation to a maximum degree. Besides, it is not incidental that the global trend of Wellness travel, which is no longer linked only with SPA facilities but with the travellers’ overall rejuvenation and well-being experience, is growing rapidly.
However, in the context of their overall wellness experience, the self-care and rejuvenation services of a hotel are key-points for travellers who want to undergo a radical renewal during their holidays, that will last for the rest of the year. The Hotels clearly play a major role in this, since they become the travellers’ “temporary residences” during their holidays and the point of reference for this special experience.
In this article, we will focus on the opportunities that hotels have for providing an upgraded holistic wellness experience through beauty services and wellbeing. We will examine also the ways in which these services can enhance travellers’ satisfaction. Finally, we will analyze the potentials of increasing a hotel’s revenue not only through the Spa facilities, but also in other areas such as rooms, in-hotel stores, and beauty facilities.
Special Beauty Packages and Hotel Beauty Catalogues with carefully selected products, placed within the hotel rooms
According to recent studies, travellers use a variety of beauty and self-care products during their holidays, several of which they buy at the destination, because they have run out of their own products, they forgot to bring them to their trip, or because of a new need that has come up. Especially in countries with increased sunshine, travellers, and, more particularly, female travellers, invest not only in sun protection but also in after-sun care products, both for skin and hair.
The positioning of in-room personal care products is a truly upgraded service since it can fulfil special guest needs that may arise. At the same time, it presents a great opportunity for additional hotel sales, even of products with significant profit margins. In addition to the most specific and upgraded products that would attract the travellers’ attention, more mainstream products such as sunscreens, styling products and even cosmetics could also present an important opportunity. These products could be available through an on-demand service or a specially designed “Hotel Beauty Catalogue” placed within the room.
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The “beauty packages” must be placed in a prominent position inside the room, in order to attract the travellers’ attention, while the included products should be carefully selected, in order to ensure their high-quality. In addition, it is important to offer products in travel-size packages that travellers can carry on their next flight.
Develop special Beauty and Wellness facilities and organize Beauty Events in collaboration with local experts
In addition to the hotel Spa, another important section that concerns the travellers’ well-being are the various beauty facilities such as hair salons, nail bars etc. During their holidays, travellers are always eager to have the best possible look, for which they have more time to spare. Apart from the hair salon, which provides an important service especially for the female audience, a new trend in the market is the development of spaces that provide more specialized services such as slimming sessions, anti-ageing treatments etc. Many hotels have evolved this new trend even more, approaching the concept of Medical Tourism, since they provide more upgraded facilities.
Finally, even in the case of the absence of such facilities, hotels can still approach the beauty segment through special events in collaboration with beauty experts, providing their guests with an exciting and interesting activity, that it is possible to bring significant revenue, and give to your property a more modern character.
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As hair care and makeup are extremely important for women travellers, and the relevant processes inside the room can be inconvenient due to limited space and facilities, you can create an original “self-service” Beauty Room, which will be available to the travellers any time they wish.
This original area can generate significant revenue from the sales of hair products, but also the various “on-demand” hair salon services. In addition to the above, it can also be a great spot for socializing among your guests, and, with a clever and eye-catching design, a fantastic “Instagram spot” for your property and a point of reference for your reviews.
Promote your available Beauty Services through your hotel’s in-hotel communication channels
In addition to the facilities you provide to your audience, you can also upgrade your services and increase your additional sales by taking advantage of your in-hotel communication channels. Based on your core audiences, use your in-hotel channels to run targeted campaigns regarding the beauty services and the treatments you offer.
It all begins with the right and carefully specified signage on high-traffic spots, that can easily attract the travellers’ attention. Digital signage through screens in common spaces can prove to be particularly effective, as they can help you instantly pass the message you want in a modern and interesting visual way. Especially when we are referring to beauty services, high-quality photo material will surely spark the customers’ interest. Another efficient technique could also be the creation of product directories, magazines or catalogues that can be placed next to the beds and will describe your hotel’s beauty services and facilities in a more “lifestyle” approach. Moreover, these catalogues can be accompanied by discount coupons and special offers. Travellers usually want to have something to read when they wake up or right before falling asleep, therefore this type of promotion can easily become the channel that will inform your guests about the services you provide and remind them of a need they may have – or even create a new one based on the coupons and the special offers. Finally, other dynamic communication channels could be the custom messages through your Wi-Fi network, the digital or static signage within the hotel elevators, and, of course, the in-room TVs that can present even more personalized messages.
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If your hotel features a hair salon, you can broadcast on the room TVs a picture of a lady with damaged hair after the sea, along with a message about your salon’s hair revitalization and shining services. This creative TV message should be ideally shown in the afternoon when travellers return to their rooms from the beach or the pool. This is the ideal timing to create a new need for your female guests who will likely want to arrange an appointment at your hair salon to take care of their hair.
Men’s care and kids’ protection special in-hotel campaigns
When it comes to beauty and wellness services, it is common to target the female audience and neglect male travellers who also seem to have an important potential, especially if they are approached cleverly and directly. The same happens with kids, that require special sun protection, especially in areas with intense sunshine. However, before taking any relevant actions, you must first study the needs of each audience, set-up the corresponding services, and select the most appropriate products.
The wellness part of the male audience concerns both spa and hair salons as well as in-room services that can meet a man’s modern needs. With the proper promotional material addressed exclusively to men (using targeted messages and relevant photo material), your male guests can feel more comfortable in using your property’s available beauty services and facilities.
Regarding kids, you have to pay attention to sun protection, something that parents are already quite aware of and really concerned about. Hoteliers can ensure that they provide direct and smart solutions that fulfil the kids’ needs in the best way, always in collaboration with qualified experts.
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Create an exclusive in-room kit labelled "For Men Only". Inside this kit, you can include a catalogue promoting your hotel's dedicated beauty services for men, as well as travel-size hair styling products, beard care oils, face creams, and after-shave products. As men have more time to take care of themselves during their holidays, it is more likely to buy some of the products they will find inside these kits, but also book an appointment for your available beauty services.
Conclusion!
When talking about methods and strategies for increasing a hotel’s revenue, we must always focus on finding ways to fulfil our guests’ actual needs, and not try to create new ones that will put the travellers in an uncomfortable situation. The same happens with beauty and wellness services. Hoteliers should focus on covering their guests’ existing needs related to beauty and wellbeing, but also find ways to increase their wish and desire for additional services that would further enhance their experience. In this way, the growth of sales – and thus revenue – is achieved effortlessly, increasing, at the same time, the customers’ satisfaction.
* Article published in Hotelier Academy.
Nikos S.Morantis one of the two Co-Founders of Hotelier Academy and great admirer oh the hospitality industry. He specializes in Hotel Strategy, Digital Marketing and Hotel Concept Making and writes some of the most inspiring articles in Hotelier Academy.
