How to Personalize the First-Time Guest Experience
I was recently chatting with a hotel group owner, and he asked me a great question:
"Akshay, personalizing experiences for repeat guests is achievable, but they make up only a small portion of our total bookings. The vast majority of our guests are first-time visitors who have never stayed with us before. How can we effectively personalize their experience at scale, ensuring they feel valued and engaged from the very first interaction?"
Great question. And frankly, this is where most hotels get stuck. They think personalization is only for loyal customers or those already in their database. But the reality? The majority of your guests are brand-new, and if you don’t personalize their experience from the start, they’ll book through an OTA and never think about your hotel again.
So let’s break it down. Here’s how independent hotels can personalize at scale for first-time guests—without overcomplicating things.
Personalization Isn’t Just a Buzzword—It’s a Revenue Strategy
Let’s be clear: Personalization isn’t just about adding a guest’s name to an email. It’s about understanding who they are, what they want, and serving it to them in a way that makes booking easy.
Data backs this up. Accenture found that 91% of consumers are more likely to book with brands that offer relevant recommendations. That’s huge. Yet, most independent hotels don’t even attempt personalization for first-time guests because they assume it’s too complex or tech-heavy.
Here’s the reality: Personalization starts with a mindset shift. It’s not about installing a fancy CRM or AI chatbot (though those help). It’s about knowing who your ideal guests are and designing your sales and marketing strategy around them.
This is where Guestara comes in. Guestara’s AI-powered platform enables hotels to automate guest communication and personalize engagement at every stage—pre-arrival, in-stay, and post-stay—ensuring that first-time guests receive tailored interactions that feel natural and relevant.
Let’s get practical.
1: Define Who You’re Talking To (Because You Can’t Be Everything to Everyone)
The biggest mistake hotels make? Trying to appeal to everyone. If your website, messaging, and branding aren’t specific, first-time guests will just book the cheapest option they see.
Let’s say your hotel is perfect for wellness travelers. But if your website doesn’t highlight your spa, healthy dining options, or fitness classes, how will they know? If you’re pet-friendly but don’t advertise it, pet owners won’t book. This is low-hanging fruit that most hotels miss.
Action item: Create 3–5 guest personas based on your current guests (and who you want to attract). Are they families? Digital nomads? Couples? Design your website, messaging, and offers around them.
With Guestara’s Guest Engage, hotels can automate personalized messaging and showcase relevant offers, ensuring that first-time visitors see content tailored to their preferences based on browsing behavior and past interactions.
2: Use Real-Time Personalization (No, It’s Not Just for Big Chains)
Most hotels think personalization requires a giant loyalty program or expensive software. Not true. The easiest way to personalize for first-time guests? Use real-time data on your website.
Here’s how:
With Guestara’s Unified Inbox, hotels can consolidate guest interactions across platforms (WhatsApp, email, SMS, OTA messages) to provide real-time, personalized communication. No more generic responses—just timely, relevant conversations tailored to each guest’s preferences.
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3: Dynamic Pricing and Offers (Stop Leaving Money on the Table)
Hotels are already using revenue management systems, but very few use dynamic offers tailored to the guest.
Example: If a guest searches for family-friendly rooms, why not offer a package with kids' meals included? If a solo traveler is looking at your business suites, why not throw in a workspace upgrade?
The key? Make offers feel exclusive and relevant. Nobody wants a generic 10% discount. But a “special rate for business travelers” or a “family bundle with breakfast included” feels curated.
4: Encourage Repeat Stays (Loyalty Without the Hassle)
Yes, first-time guests are the majority, but that doesn’t mean you can’t turn them into repeat guests. Most independent hotels avoid loyalty programs because they assume they need a complex points system. You don’t.
Instead, try this:
Guestara’s Guest Delight enables hotels to automate real-time feedback collection and post-stay review management, helping to retain first-time guests and convert them into repeat visitors.
5: AI-Powered Assistants (Because Guests Expect Instant Responses)
No one likes waiting. And in 2025, guests expect real-time answers. That’s where AI chatbots come in.
Smart AI assistants can:
With Guestara’s AI-powered communication tools, hotels can provide instant, AI-driven responses to guest inquiries, reducing response time and ensuring seamless engagement without overwhelming hotel staff.
Final Thoughts: Personalization Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Personalization for first-time guests isn’t about having the best tech—it’s about knowing your guests and making their booking process seamless.
Most hotels overcomplicate it. They think they need a full CRM, loyalty program, and AI-driven platform. But you can start with small, impactful changes:
Guestara helps hotels achieve all of this—effortlessly.
Technology is the enabler. But the key is to keep it human. Guests don’t remember the discount they got. They remember how your hotel made them feel. Start there.
Marketing Independent Hotels | Good Fellow Consultancy | Ex-Operations Head
2 周I also feel Akshay, to be able to cater a personalized experience, the DNA to observe has to be imbibed into the entire team. Small observations and on foot thinking also helps in making the guest feel special. At the end, in some way or other, make the guest feel valued.