41% Surge in Direct Room’s Bookings

A charming boutique hotel with 50 rooms, located in Tunisia, faced challenges in maintaining consistent occupancy rates throughout the year. Despite offering unique experiences and personalized service, the hotel struggled to compete with larger chain hotels for visibility and bookings.

With 8 years of operation and a loyal but limited customer base, the hotel sought to increase direct bookings, reduce dependency on OTAs, and attract a broader range of guests, particularly during off-peak seasons.

Objectives

Our Facebook advertising campaign aimed to achieve the following objectives:

1. Increase direct bookings through the hotel’s website by 40% within a six-month period
2. Reduce OTA dependency by increasing the share of direct bookings from 30% to 50%
3. Improve overall occupancy rates, with a focus on off-peak seasons
4. Enhance the hotel’s online presence and engagement with potential guests

Strategy

To meet these objectives, we developed a comprehensive strategy:

1. Create visually stunning Facebook ad campaigns highlighting the hotel’s unique features and local experiences
2. Implement targeted strategies to reach travelers interested in boutique accommodations and authentic local experiences
3. Develop seasonal campaigns and special packages to address occupancy fluctuations
4. Utilize Facebook’s dynamic ads for travel to retarget website visitors and past guests with personalized offers

Execution

Our campaign execution involved the following key steps:

1. Compelling Content Creation
   • Produced high-quality video tours of the hotel, showcasing rooms, amenities, and nearby attractions
   • Created carousel ads featuring different room types and special packages
2. Advanced Audience Targeting
   • Utilized interest-based targeting to reach users interested in boutique hotels, local cuisine, and cultural experiences
   • Created lookalike audiences based on past guests to target similar high-value prospects
3. Seasonal and Event-Based Campaigns
   • Developed targeted campaigns around local events, festivals, and off-peak seasons
   • Implemented limited-time offers and flash sales to drive bookings during slower periods
4. Booking Funnel Optimization
   • Set up Facebook lead ads for event inquiries and wedding venue bookings
   • Implemented a retargeting campaign to re-engage users who abandoned the booking process

Results

The Facebook advertising campaign delivered impressive results:

• Direct Bookings: 41% increase (surpassing the 40% goal)
• Share of Direct Bookings: Increased from 30% to 51% of total bookings
• Overall Occupancy Rate: 22% improvement, with significant gains in off-peak seasons
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): 12:1, indicating a highly efficient campaign

Qualitative outcomes included:

• Enhanced brand recognition as a unique, experience-driven accommodation option
• Increased engagement with local event attendees and wedding planners

Conclusion

This campaign successfully revitalized the boutique hotel’s marketing strategy, exceeding the primary goal of increasing direct bookings. Key learnings include:

1. Showcasing unique experiences and local attractions in ads helps differentiate boutique hotels from larger chains
2. Targeted seasonal campaigns can significantly improve occupancy rates during traditionally slower periods
3. A focus on direct bookings can substantially reduce OTA dependency and improve profit margins

Moving forward, we recommend:

• Implementing a user-generated content strategy to showcase authentic guest experiences in ads
• Developing a loyalty program promoted through Facebook ads to encourage repeat visits and referrals