"Our hotel suits everyone." You read it on many websites. And it's the surest way to convince nobody. A family with two toddlers, a couple looking to relax and a technician on assignment want very different things. If you speak to everyone the same way, nobody feels truly welcome.
Choosing your hotel's main target audience doesn't mean turning others away. It means deciding who to speak to first, which services to look after most and where to invest marketing. Here's how to choose.
Start from data, not gut feeling
Look at the last 2–3 years:
- booking composition: adults, children, single rooms;
- days of the week and periods;
- average length of stay;
- extra spend (restaurant, bar, services);
- reviews: who's most satisfied? Who complains most?
- margin: which guest type leaves you more, for the same number of nights?
The data often reveals a "natural" target you're not making enough of.
The three targets compared
| Families | Couples | Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When | School holidays, weekends, long weekends | Weekends, long weekends, shoulder season | Monday to Thursday, all year |
| Length | Longer in summer | 1–3 nights, sometimes a week | 1–4 nights, recurring |
| What they want | Space, safety, kids' services, meal plans | Atmosphere, relaxation, food, privacy | Convenience, parking, Wi-Fi, early breakfast, invoice |
| Price sensitivity | High on the total | Medium, experiences matter | Low on promotions, high on convenience |
| Extra spend | Medium-high (meals) | High (dinners, spa, wine) | Low-medium |
| Channels | OTAs, website, word of mouth, newsletter | Social, Google, OTAs | Direct, companies, local Google |
How to choose
- What does the hotel already offer? Family rooms and a pool speak to families; small, quiet city-centre rooms speak to couples and business.
- Where are you? By the sea: families; in cities and near industrial areas: business; in the hills or a village: couples.
- When do you have empty rooms? If midweek is the problem, business is valuable. If it's shoulder season, couples and seniors.
- What do you enjoy? Handling families takes energy and organisation; couples need attention to detail; business needs precision.
Often the answer is one main target and one or two secondary targets for different periods.
Adapt communication and services
- website: homepage and photos designed for the main target; dedicated pages for the others;
- rooms: descriptions and names that speak to the target ("Family room with two areas", "Romantic double with bathtub");
- services: invest where your target feels the difference;
- pricing and rules: minimum stay, meal plans, child policies consistent with the target;
- channels and advertising: wherever your target is.
Beware of incompatible targets
Some targets don't mix well in the same periods: a hotel full of families with toddlers in August will hardly please a couple seeking silence. Better to be clear, partly to avoid negative reviews.
Frequently asked questions
If I choose a target, will I lose other guests?
No. They'll keep booking. But your marketing will be more effective with those who matter most, and the others will know what to expect.
Can I have different targets in different periods?
Yes, it's a common strategy: families in summer, couples in shoulder season, business midweek. Just communicate it with dedicated pages and offers.
How do I know which target is most profitable?
Compare average rate, length of stay, extra spend and costs (e.g. meals and cleaning) by guest type. See full hotel but low profits: which numbers to check.
Want to know who to target?
With our free marketing audit we analyse your guest data and help you choose the right targets, with the communication actions and services to focus on for each.
