Seasonal marketing campaigns for hospitality businesses: stay booked all year-round

Introduction to seasonal marketing for hospitality businesses

If you work in tourism or hospitality, you’ll know just how much the seasons can make or break your bookings. When demand naturally fluctuates, so too does your revenue – and for many venues, that means the quieter months can feel like a real challenge.

Thankfully, a well-planned, year-round strategy helps you anticipate demand, fill off-season gaps, and maintain brand visibility no matter the weather. The trick is to work smarter so your hotel, resort, or attraction stays booked throughout the year.

Why seasonal marketing matters

Travel habits are shifting fast. With the rise of flexible working, more people are taking short breaks outside of traditional “peak” months. At the same time, your competitors are becoming more strategic – creating targeted campaigns around seasonal moments, events, and experiences.

If you’re not planning ahead, you risk being left behind. Seasonal marketing helps your brand stay relevant all year long, capturing audiences when they’re ready to book and keeping your brand front of mind between trips.

The challenge of seasonality in tourism and hospitality

Timing is everything in hospitality. Seasonal campaigns often come with tight deadlines and short windows for delivery, meaning reactive marketing often doesn’t cut it. Without proper planning, teams end up scrambling to create last-minute offers or missing opportunities altogether.

Taking a proactive approach – like planning your campaigns 3–6 months in advance – means your content, creative, and digital channels are all ready to go when the season hits.

Benefits of proactive seasonal campaigns

As well as smoothing out peaks and troughs, proactive seasonal marketing sets your business up for sustained growth. Some of the biggest benefits include –

• Higher occupancy and bookings – Targeted offers and timely campaigns help fill rooms and seats during slower periods.

• Consistent revenue – Reduces reliance on high-season income and keeps cash flow steady year-round.

• Stronger brand awareness – Staying visible throughout the year helps your audience remember you when they’re ready to book.

At Ultimate, we’ve worked with hospitality brands across the UK to create thoughtful, strategic campaigns that drive results – even when the crowds aren’t queuing at the door.

Seasonal marketing strategies for hospitality businesses

Off-season promotions

The quiet months don’t have to be so quiet. Offer discounted packages, bundled experiences, or loyalty deals to encourage bookings during off-peak times.

Examples might include –

• Stay three nights, get your fourth free

• Complimentary dinner, spa treatment, or excursion with your stay

• Exclusive loyalty offers for returning guests

Simple incentives can go a long way to maintaining steady bookings and building long-term customer relationships.

Holiday & event tie-ins

Major holidays and local events are a golden opportunity for hospitality marketing campaigns. Aligning your offers with these moments makes your venue part of the conversation.

Think festive getaways at Christmas, romantic escapes for Valentine’s Day, or summer packages tied to music festivals or regional food events. Partnering with local organisations or attractions can also help expand your reach.

*Psst* – you might like our blog, How to create a truly integrated marketing campaign.

Local & regional targeting

You don’t always need to attract travellers from afar. Domestic tourism continues to grow, and regional targeting can deliver quick wins for hotels and attractions alike.

Use geo-targeted ads on social media and Google to reach people within driving distance – especially for last-minute breaks or short stays. Highlight the ease and value of a local getaway to boost conversions.

Content & storytelling

Content plays a huge role in tourism marketing strategies. Seasonal blogs, guides, and videos inspire visitors to start planning. Think “The cosiest Lake District winter retreats” or “Don’t miss these summer experiences in Manchester.”

You can also tap into user-generated content: guests love to share photos of their stays, meals, or experiences. Encouraging and resharing this builds social proof and creates a bank of authentic marketing assets.

For ideas on writing standout campaign content, check out 5 tips for writing the perfect creative campaign brief.

Seasonal website & branding updates

Your website should evolve with the seasons. Update homepage imagery, banners, and calls-to-action to reflect your latest packages or events.

For example –

• Highlight festive menus in winter

• Showcase outdoor experiences in summer

• Refresh photography and colours to match the season’s mood

As well as keeping your website looking fresh, seasonal branding shows your audience that you’re active, relevant, and engaged.

Examples of seasonal marketing campaigns

We’ve delivered creative and strategic campaigns for some of the UK’s most exciting hospitality and tourism brands, from James’ Places to Darwin Escapes. For heritage destinations like Bamburgh Castle, we’ve helped clients plan, promote, and measure successful seasonal activity.

Each campaign was tailored to its unique audience – combining digital ads, social storytelling, and creative visuals to boost engagement during both peak and off-peak periods.

You can explore more of our work in creative campaigns here.

5 tips for year-round consistency

1. Plan ahead – Build your campaign calendar at least 3–6 months in advance.

2. Balance promotions with storytelling – Don’t rely solely on discounts – focus on experiences and emotional appeal.

3. Invest in SEO – Target seasonal keywords. E.g, “best winter spa breaks” or “family-friendly summer holidays.”

4. Stay top-of-mind – Use email marketing and retargeting to re-engage past visitors.

5. Work with experts – A digital agency (like Ultimate!) can help you connect every channel – from brand to booking – for consistent success.

What’s next? Get your seasonal marketing plan on track

Ready to beat the off-season blues? Start by auditing your current marketing efforts to identify peaks and dips in performance. Assess where you have the skills to deliver campaigns in-house – and where you could use agency support.

From there, create a 12-month calendar that maps out key seasons, holidays, and local events. Once you’ve got your plan, stick to it – and adapt as insights roll in.

At Ultimate, we help hospitality businesses turn quiet periods into opportunities with strategic, creative, and integrated campaigns. Get in touch to get cracking.