Hotels: The Newsletter Strategy That Prints Money

Dear Hospitality Leader,

For many hotels, marketing efforts are heavily focused on online travel agencies (OTAs), social media ads, and traditional promotions. However, one of the highest-returning tools in the industry often goes overlooked: a strategically crafted hotel newsletter.

Email marketing continues to deliver an average return of $42 for every $1 spent, making it one of the most cost-effective marketing channels available.

Despite this, hotels frequently fail to leverage email as a tool for direct bookings, guest engagement, and repeat stays.

This guide provides a step-by-step approach, backed by real case studies, to crafting a hotel newsletter that not only engages but generates significant revenue.

By the end, hotel owners will understand how to:

• Develop a newsletter that drives direct bookings and maximizes profits
• Implement strategies used by leading hotels to increase email-driven revenue
• Automate and scale their email marketing for long-term growth
• Transform their newsletters into a guest engagement tool that builds loyalty

The $5,000 Mistake – Why Most Hotel Newsletters Fail

Case Study: The Hilton Email Flop Hilton once sent out a generic newsletter with boring “updates.”

The result?

Abysmal open rates and zero ROI.

The problem?

They made it about them, not the guest.

Meanwhile, boutique hotel The Refinery tested a different approach:

? Instead of a dull company update, they sent a high-value email titled: "How to Unlock NYC's Hidden Rooftop Bars."

? Inside, they featured their own rooftop bar as the #1 pick.

? They included a limited-time booking offer for email subscribers.

Results? A 22% increase in bookings and a 15% higher average spend per guest.

?? Lesson: Your newsletter shouldn’t be about you. It should solve a problem or inspire your guests.

What Should a High-Performing Hotel Newsletter Include?

1?? The Subject Line: The First Battle for Attention

The most important factor in determining whether an email gets opened is the subject line.

Subject lines determine whether your email is opened or ignored.

Case Study: ACME Hotel, Chicago

ACME Hotel refined its email strategy by crafting attention-grabbing subject lines like:

? "5 Secret Hotel Perks You Didn’t Know Existed"

? "The $200 Mistake 90% of Travelers Make"

? "Unlock VIP Rewards (Only for Email Subscribers)"

As a result, their email marketing campaigns generated a 215:1 ROI and $53,934 in direct revenue.

Other Hotels That Did It Right:

• Marriott’s “Loyalty Surprise” campaign increased open rates by 28% just by teasing exclusive perks.
• A small B&B in Napa saw a 40% boost in bookings with the subject line: “Wine Tasting Weekend – 2 Spots Left!”

This approach resulted in a 215:1 return on investment (ROI) and $53,934 in revenue from a single campaign.

2?? The Content: Creating Value Beyond Promotions

A common mistake hotels make is treating newsletters as a sales tool instead of a value-driven experience.

Guests do not want to read about hotel policies or generic announcements—they want exclusive insights, local recommendations, and special opportunities.

Case Study: Omni Hotels & Resorts

During travel restrictions, Omni Hotels maintained guest engagement by sending newsletters that provided real value, rather than simply promoting their rooms. They kept their audience engaged by sending newsletters featuring:

? Virtual travel experiences

? DIY spa treatments

? Hotel-inspired cocktail recipes

This strategy kept their audience engaged and led to a surge in direct bookings once travel resumed.

3?? The Offer: Converting Readers into Paying Guests

Engagement is only part of the equation—a hotel newsletter must drive action.

Case Study: A European Hotel Chain’s Subscriber Strategy

A European hotel chain increased direct bookings by 1,200 reservations in nine months by implementing a simple yet effective exit-intent pop-up.

This pop-up encouraged visitors to subscribe to their newsletter before leaving the website, allowing the hotel to nurture those leads through targeted email promotions.

A successful hotel newsletter includes:

• Limited-time offers such as “Book before Friday and get a free spa upgrade”
• Loyalty perks exclusive to subscribers, creating a VIP experience
• Countdown timers that increase urgency and conversions

Automating and Scaling Hotel Email Marketing for Continuous Growth

Many hotels hesitate to implement a full-scale email strategy due to concerns over time and resources.

However, automation tools have made it possible to manage and optimize hotel newsletters with minimal effort.

Case Study: Brooklands Hotel’s Automated Email Strategy

Brooklands Hotel implemented an automated email marketing system that streamlined guest communication and maintained brand consistency.

Their results included:

• A 12.7% engagement rate on promotional emails
• Increased direct inquiries and repeat bookings from past guests
• A more personalized guest experience through tailored recommendations

By integrating email automation platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or ConvertKit, hotels can:

• Set up welcome sequences for new subscribers
• Schedule emails weeks or months in advance
• Segment audiences to deliver more personalized experiences

The Next-Level Strategy: Making Guests Part of the Newsletter

A hotel newsletter becomes more powerful when it shifts from being a one-way marketing tool to an interactive engagement platform.

One of the most innovative ways to do this is to allow guests to contribute their own stories and experiences.

Case Study: Provenance Hotels’ Guest-Generated Travel Series

Provenance Hotels launched a guest-generated travel series, where previous visitors shared their personal travel experiences, best vacation memories, and local discoveries.

The impact was remarkable:

• Engagement increased by 62%
• Guests booked 23% more repeat stays
• Their newsletter became an interactive community platform, not just a sales pitch

Hotels can replicate this strategy by:

• Running contests for the best guest travel story
• Featuring customer-submitted photos and itineraries
• Encouraging guests to share their “best hotel moments” for future newsletters

Final Thoughts: Why Every Hotel Needs a Newsletter That Sells

A hotel newsletter is not just a marketing tool—it’s a direct revenue generator.

• Hotels that focus on guest-first content, compelling subject lines, and strategic offers see higher direct bookings and increased loyalty.
• Automating email sequences ensures consistent, profitable engagement without requiring constant manual effort.
• Involving guests in the newsletter turns it into a community-building tool that enhances long-term guest relationships.

What’s Next?

A well-executed hotel newsletter is not just a marketing tool—it’s a revenue machine.

It’s a direct connection to your guests, a marketing channel you own, and a way to keep your profits in-house instead of handing them over to OTAs.

The difference between a hotel that thrives and one that scrapes by often comes down to who owns the relationship with the guest—you or the OTAs? If you’re relying on third-party platforms to fill your rooms, you’re not just losing money on commissions—you’re losing control.

A newsletter changes the game.

• It keeps guests engaged long after check-out
• It turns one-time visitors into repeat customers
• It creates demand on YOUR terms, not an OTA’s algorithm

And the best part?

You don’t need a million-dollar budget to make it work.

As proven by real hotels, even a $500 investment can generate $50,000 in bookings.

But here’s the real kicker: if you don’t do it, your competitors will.

SO, WHERE DO YOU START?

1. Collect Emails Like Gold – Start capturing guest emails at every touchpoint: booking, check-in, check-out, even at your restaurant or spa.
2. Tell Stories, Not Sell – Write newsletters guests actually want to read. Make it about them, not you.
3. Create Exclusive Offers – Give them a reason to book direct. Rewards, VIP perks, insider-only deals.
4. Automate the Process – Set up email sequences that run 24/7, keeping guests engaged without extra work.
5. Track, Test, Tweak – Data is your best friend. Open rates, click-throughs, bookings—refine what works.

The hotels winning in this space are not the biggest ones—they’re the smartest ones.

Need help developing a hotel email marketing strategy that actually drives revenue? Let’s connect.

The hotels that embrace email as a core strategy today will be the ones leading the industry tomorrow.

The time to start is now.

Until Next Time.

Stay well. Swim strong.

Warmly,

David

Mentor, Writer, and Faithful Servant of God

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? Published by: David Vogel, in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire