As 2025 approaches, many travelers will be looking for last-minute stays for the holiday season. Hotels must prepare to adjust their budgets as demand peaks for each holiday. In this blog, we’ll cover how marketers can effectively capture holiday opportunities, remain flexible to maximize peak end of year demand, stay attuned to consumer behavior, and maximize their visibility on metasearch platforms for each holiday. These strategies ensure that as last-minute travelers turn to sites for quick booking decisions during high-traffic periods, particularly on mobile devices, hotel marketers can maximize their conversions. 

 

Thanksgiving: Remain Flexible to Maximize Demand 

Demand Overview 

Marketing teams who can adjust quickly to demand fluctuations will be able to capture and convert last-minute bookings. We’ve observed the following trends that hotel marketers should be mindful of when allocating budgets for the remainder of November:

• Demand for check-ins during the week of Thanksgiving increased by 30%
• Bookings increased by 63%
• Hotel demand ahead of Thanksgiving 2023 surged by 255% 2 weeks prior to Thanksgiving Day
• Air travel specifically began to peak on the Sunday before. 

Takeaway:

As we get closer to the holiday, make sure you have enough budget to support your campaigns through next week.

 

YoY Forecasted Demand Increase for Thanksgiving

 

Christmas and New Years: Maximize Visibility

Demand Overview 

The search for Christmas and New Years travel plans are rising day after day. Typically, users begin searching for Christmas check-in dates around the beginning of November, but demand really picks up after Thanksgiving, peaking right before Christmas day. There is normally a small lull on Christmas and then demand picks back up as users book stays for New Year’s Eve.

Takeaways:

• Budget Appropriately: Demand for Christmas and NYE bookings will steadily increase throughout the month. While there will be a slight dip on Christmas, demand will rise for NYE, so ensure you budget your campaigns accordingly to accommodate for volume during the last week of the month. 
• Be Loud about Special Offers and Packages: Call out packages that include perks like breakfast, late checkout, or holiday-themed events to entice guests.
• Increase Your Footprint across Booking Channels: Maximize direct bookings and lean into online travel agencies (OTAs) if needed to maximize visibility, specifically targeting these holiday travelers.
• Work with Koddi to Review Historical Performance Metrics: Analyze your historical data from previous holiday seasons to predict demand. Higher demand periods might warrant higher rates. Examine the lead time for bookings during the holiday season to understand how early guests typically book to optimize pricing strategies.

 

 

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YoY Forecasted Demand for Christmas and New Years 

 

2025: Staying Ahead of Trends and Planning 

While marketers remain focused on December bookings, this is also an opportunity to target travelers planning for 2025. Launching ads promoting popular destinations with sponsored placements can help hotels remain visible to early planners who are already thinking ahead. These targeted strategies not only position hotels for the post-holiday rush but also set marketers up for success in the coming year.
 

Putting It In Action

The holiday and post-holiday period offers a valuable opportunity for last minute revenue growth, but only for hotels that can adapt quickly. By staying flexible with budgeting, optimizing for search dynamics, and planning ahead for 2025, hotels can capture demand and start the new year strong. Koddi’s automated solutions will help ensure visibility during peak periods. Contact our team today for updated strategies to maximize results now and into the future.