Five top tips to take on Thanksgiving

There were close to 4 million Americans who visited the UK every year before Covid-19, which accounts for over 10% of the tourists who come to Britain annually. As transatlantic tourism resurfaces and the relative strength of the dollar against the pound makes visiting the UK more attractive, this makes them a critical factor in the success of the country’s hotel industry. It is more important than ever for British hotels to find innovative ways to attract American guests. 

While the US reopened its borders to Britain in November 2021, this Thanksgiving will be the first time in two years that American visitors will be able to travel to the UK. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of suggestions for how hospitality professionals can prepare their businesses as we head towards Thanksgiving. 

Tip one: engage with the holiday 

Although Thanksgiving is an exclusively American celebration, many US citizens take the opportunity to travel overseas, and though it may well be a sense of adventure that inspires these travelers to go abroad, it is to hotels that tourists turn to find a sense of home. 

By engaging with Thanksgiving, hotels can win the attention of those US visitors hoping to celebrate their national holiday in an international setting. Promotional dinners and offers, as well as high-profile media campaigns, all have the potential to attract visitors and bolster a hotel’s ability to capitalise on future Thanksgivings. 

Tip two: get yourself noticed

Having arranged a set of Thanksgiving events, the next step to seasonal success lies in promotion. Listicles offer an excellent opportunity to connect with tourists searching for hotels that celebrate Thanksgiving. To catch the attention of the elusive listicle makers, hotels might consider offering complimentary stays to select bloggers, influencers, and journalists in the run-up to Thanksgiving, building relationships and showcasing their plans for the holiday. 

Furthermore, while influential voices across the press and social media constitute key elements of publicity campaigns, hotel management should beware of underestimating the most immediate promotional resource available to them: their guests. With 93% of people turning to online reviews when choosing accommodation, customer-generated publicity is integral to ensuring your business gains recognition for its Thanksgiving celebrations. By encouraging guests to share their time at the hotel through social media competitions, hotels can effectively harness the ongoing popularity of platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter where users can broadcast their surroundings to a wide network of friends and followers. 

Tip three: utilise social media 

A picture paints a thousand words, and a hashtag has the potential to increase online engagement by an average of 12.6%. Blending visual and written content across a range of social media can also effectively promote your Thanksgiving events to a young, international audience. 

Social posts could include countdowns to the holiday, previews of events, or interesting information on the history and culture of Thanksgiving. Complementing these narratives with high-quality, professional photography will give the posts the extra vivacity needed to help tourists picture themselves spending Thanksgiving in the hotel.  It is also a good idea to include links to any special offers or functions that a hotel is providing, which encourages bookings and helps turn consumer engagement into concrete reservations.

Tip four: don’t forget Black Friday 

In the haze of gratitude that accompanies the last Thursday of November, it is important that hotels don’t overlook the promotional opportunity offered by Black Friday. Another tradition originating from America, recent years have witnessed a rapid rise in British enthusiasm for the event. Indeed, in 2020, the UK saw £6bn spent across Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

By providing attractive deals and an exciting programme of promotion, hotels have the chance to raise their profits while appealing to a broader range of customers, and with the UK accounting for over 10% of global Black Friday internet searches in 2021, taking part in this event gives hotels the opportunity to increase not only their American bookings, but also their domestic footfall. 

Strategy is key to maximising Black Friday revenue; bundle packages provide an alternative to simple price-slashing, which affords hotel management greater control over their deals. Through customised Black Friday packages, hotels can also promote underutilised amenities such as spas and restaurants, while avoiding renting rooms at a significantly discounted rate. This way, you can offer guests an attractive deal without compromising on revenue. 

Tip five: think British 

Hotels which lend a British flavour to their Thanksgiving celebrations have the opportunity to embrace American culture without detracting from their own setting. A hotel might, for example, choose to incorporate local produce into its Thanksgiving dinner menu, combining American recipes with British ingredients. Moreover, with winter attractions such as ice rinks and fairs opening across the UK in November, hotels can advise their guests on “a British take on Thanksgiving”, allowing US visitors to create brand new traditions from a Centuries-old holiday.