SEASONAL PROMOTIONS: The First Quarter Blues
by Carrie Powell-Davidson

Are you having a good holiday season? Are you filling all your rooms and exhausting the banquet staff? Well, before you settle down for a long winter’s nap or scoot off to Mexico, don’t give up on the first quarter just yet. With some clever promotions, this season could be just as profitable as the last.

JANUARY
So, You Think You Can Shop? 
Take advantage of the post Christmas sales by offering shopping packages to potential guests. Package deals can be as simple as a great rate on rooms, free parking with shuttle service to and from the malls, and foot massages for those tired shoppers. Or they can be more elaborate such as the lifestyle-inspired “Re-style and Relax” collaboration between Holt Renfrew and Vancouver’s award-winning Opus Hotel. Personal shoppers pull together a wardrobe for guests to adopt the persona of a muse of their choice. Following the shopping experience, guests soak in luxurious spa treatments and then feast upon an exquisite catered lunch in a private suite. To take advantage of the makeover, guests then venture into the Opus Bar for cocktails and canapés before participating in a tasting menu in Elixir Restaurant. The package includes rides in a BMW to your alter ego’s favourite haunts before retiring to the Opus.

Industry Christmas Party Packages
Keep those decorations up just a little longer so that those who worked all through the holidays can now enjoy them. Promote your Christmas packages to the hospitality industry long before Christmas by visiting with a basket of goodies and invitations to host their staff party at your property. Perhaps a $25.00 gift certificate to the boss might help. Organize a “Small Business Christmas Party”, one big party for smaller businesses to buy tables for their staff. They get all the perks of a big party without the expense of renting a hall, hiring a band, etc. Getting those folks to your property just might get them talking about your place to their guests and may also entice some great new staff.

Bring On the Rain (or snow, depending where you live) 
Create packages that take advantage of the elements. Look for activities that thrive on the inclement weather. Oceanside Tourism Association (Parksville, Qualicum Beach and District) marketed a package with a local hotel called “Scotch on the Rocks”. Guests spent the day exploring the rushing underground streams at Horne Lake Caves then retired to their hotel for a scotch tasting by the fire overlooking the stormy ocean. A “Sun, Sand, and Surf“ package doesn’t need to be exclusive to Hawaii. If you have access to a tanning salon and an ocean view, you’re halfway there. Throw in a shuttle to the waves or the mountain, some surfing/snowboard lessons and the gear, and you are Surfing Safari. Issue some “Sand Dollars” for instant credit throughout the resort and greet guests with tropical treats and leis.

FEBRUARY
Fairmont Hotels celebrated their 100th birthday in 2007, and they put together many amazing packages in honour of the centennial. Some of those packages were the inspiration for these seasonal promotions:

Electronic Rehab Weekend Package
Upon check-in, guests relinquish all electronic devices and sign a waiver to lock them up.
The room is equipped with herbal teas, relaxing music, and a complimentary book with tips for relaxation. A bubble bath with candles and rose petals steep while the guest dons a fluffy robe. Following a soak, the guest can enjoy an in-room massage. In-room dining is a great way to continue relaxing while curled up in front of a fire. In the morning, the guest can take advantage of coupons for yoga classes or spa visits.

Entourage Package
Guests will party like a celebrity for 2 nights with 3 friends. Greet them by name as paparazzi snap pix of you presenting red roses. Then escort them to a private lounge for a champagne welcome. Their own private concierge will design a special weekend with them before making all the arrangements. Following a private dinner in the wine room, your VIP passes give them access to a special table at your licensed premises. The next day, your personal driver will take them to their chosen destinations. A souvenir framed photo of their entourage will be presented upon departure.

What Happens in Vegas
Vegas is not the only place for a quickie wedding. Turn your hotel into the Little Chapel of Love with some great off-season wedding packages. Offer up the Traditional Ceremony with the usual flair or try something a little different like Candlelight and Cocktails. For an intimate wedding with a few close friends, this is perfect. 

We’re Divorcing! (If we don’t get a romantic weekend away SOON!)
For so many couples, the stresses of job, home, kids, and bills keep their marriage at the bottom of the laundry pile for so long that it becomes unrecognizable. Do them a favour and create a package all about reconnecting with one another. Include two nights accommodation, champagne and hors d’oeuvres in room upon arrival, side-by-side couple’s massages, dinner for two in-room, and a complimentary book with tips for enhancing a relationship. The next day is a full day of sightseeing in a deluxe car with a driver and includes a picnic lunch. Perhaps, a relationship therapist could be brought in to speak to a larger group. Be sure to include dancing. Nothing reconnects like dancing to “our song”. Find out ahead of time what their song is and have it played. Also, find out when their anniversary is and send cards every year. This not only reminds them to honour their loved one, it informs them of the next romantic package you are promoting.

MARCH
Man-cations
The Fairmont teamed up with Route 66 Riders to create the ultimate man-cation, the Harley Davidson Joy Ride.The package includes rooms, a “Hungry Man” steak dinner and Wild Hog wine as well as a Harley Davidson jacket and helmet for the ride. Bike rentals are extra. 

Tee-Rific Weekend Packages
Swing into spring with an overdose of golf. Welcome guests with a golfer’s survival pack of complimentary shirts, tees, towels, and balls from your golf partners. Have the golf channel on the TV and set up a putting green in the room. The package includes green fees, shuttles, breakfast, and even mini-golf.

Spring Break
Sell to the kids and their parents will come. Even better, the kids you impress today become the customers of tomorrow. Hire a recreation programmer and offer a multitude of programs for kids of all ages as well as family programs. Include activities that allow mom and dad to take time for themselves in your spa or dining room. Offer the program to neighbouring hotels and their guests will see how wonderful your hotel is for another time. Partner with tourism operators and then shuttle guests to whale watching, skiing, horseback riding, and guided tours. Line up equipment rentals such as mountain bikes and kayaks, or enlist local operators to offer tours, lessons, and equipment. Give each family a souvenir photo of their vacation with your logo on the frame.

Remember, all the great promotions in the world won’t do you one bit of good if no one knows or cares about them. Use creativity when describing your packages to excite the senses and generate enthusiasm. Give people the impression that they just can’t live without what you’re offering. And one final note, don’t be afraid to market to the locals. It’s cheaper, less stressful, and less time consuming for them to vacation with you AND it’s good for the local economy and the environment. Enjoy hanging those no vacancy signs!