Hotels? Trivago. Those were the thriving days for the tourism and leisure industry where advertisements of all sorts were an attractive call to travel…up until COVID-19 pandemic struck. Naturally, creative campaigns for hotels were definitely out of the question with a blanket ban on movement within the country. With the continuous social distancing measures and the lifting of the circuit breaker restrictions, our the life we had lived for the past few months have to be put on recharge again.
As we slowly ease into a new norm in the post circuit breaker phase, businesses and our lives will slowly resume with some measures still in place. How should the hotel industry navigate through such a situation then? How can hotels and travel industry continue to attract visitors during this time? A creative agency in Singapore will have something for you.
Well, we’re one and we’ve got some ideas. By ideas, we mean creative marketing ideas that the hotels can use to attract guests, especially given the worldwide travel restrictions that are in place to contain the coronavirus spread. Here we go, these are the 6 effective post-CB creative campaigns that the hotel industry can develop and execute in the near future:
Take A Break, Have A Staycay
We’re all feeling a little cooped-up at home after an extended CB period with limited options for entertainment at home and lack of socialising options, coming as close to cabin fever as we can get. There was also a spike in the volume of calls to the mental health hotline during this period.
After staring at the same 4 walls for the past few months, there’ll probably be a couple of us looking to just get out, relax and experience something a little different. But with the worldwide travel restrictions looking to stay past the 3rd phase of the circuit breaker, it seems like a staycation will be more likely than taking a trip else.
That’s where hotels can swoop in to save the day (of sorts). Given what Singaporeans lived through during the CB, presenting an experiential campaign centred around staycation offers something new and provides a de-stressing outlet to draw guests in.
#StayIn
Even as the social distancing measures ease up, Singaporeans are still going to be worried about COVID-19 and its adverse effects. The fears are all made worse with conflicting news and rumours on the coronavirus, such as mutations, asymptomatic carriers and the lack of vaccine.
They might want to head out to relax but they’re still worried and prefer to stay in the safety and comforts of the indoor and away from the crowds. So how should hotels market themselves to this group?
How about instead of #StayHome, let’s go with #StayIn? #StayIn has more than one angle — first you have the staying indoors to prevent contact with potential COVID-19 carriers, and then there’s staying ‘in’, staying trend and in the know of things. You can run a campaign offering ‘travel experience’ within the rooms and present hotels and staycations as the new trend in marketing.
All About The Food
There are a handful of people who travel for pictures, to see new sights or even to learn about new cultures, and then there’s also those who travel to eat new food. In a foodie’s paradise like Singapore, food is probably something that connects with the people here.
During the CB, Singaporeans have been restricted to takeaways and deliveries, all of which are food options that are near to their homes. Although that sounds aplenty, we all have weird cravings for a specific dish from a specific location i.e. Bedok 85’s Bak Chor Mee, Hjh Maimunah Restaurant’s Tahu Telur or ENAQ’s Prata.
Do you know how they can get access to these dishes? By moving near to these stalls! A couple of hotels are situated in food hotspots, which opens the option for them to order and satisfy their appetites. Singaporeans LOVE food and hotels should take advantage of this to plan a campaign focusing on food options nearby, whether it’s through deliveries or takeaways.
Indoor Games Partnerships
Armed with just a laptop and good broadband connection, most Singaporeans entered the CB with not a whole lot of options for entertainment. Some households may have a few gaming consoles such as Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox or Nintendo Wii, but most of us are stuck with Netflix, Youtube and computer games.
In the later phases of CB, there are still limitations to the number of gatherings allowed and it might be a long period into the future before entertainment venues open up. Those seeking other forms of ‘play’ will have to look elsewhere.
‘Elsewhere’ might actually be hotels. Partnering with various indoor entertainment brands, hotels can offer more than just a nice and comfortable room and WiFi. Look for options like board games, Karaoke systems, gaming consoles or even smart TV, which can be present as an entertainment campaign to Singaporeans beyond what they have at home.
#SupportLocal
Overused? Yes. But that doesn’t mean it’s not effective. It’s clear that an economic recession is on the horizon due to the coronavirus pandemic, and local businesses in particular are struggling to make ends meet.
In response to the COVID-19 situation, our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong himself requested Singaporeans to support local industries and staycations amidst the travel bans. Although it was mostly used to promote local businesses and artiste, we don’t see how it can’t be applied to the hotel industry.
Go with what works. Despite the rough and gruff exterior, Singaporeans do have a sense of national pride in them though they express it very unique ways, and a #SupportLocal campaign can present hotels as a way for Singaporeans to help other Singaporeans. You can also look for partnerships with local brands such as Naiise, Razer and TWG to make it more meaningful.
Contactless Room Service
If social distancing is the term of 2020, then contactless is the term of the century. Starting with contactless payment methods, the word contactless has evolved to be used in the F&B industry today as contactless delivery and contactless pick-up.
For good reasons mentioned above, the government and the people will be wary of facing potential COVID-19 carriers even when the circuit breaker measures ease up. So, a contactless angle is something worth looking at.
Well, here’s something for hotels. We’ve always heard about luxury hotels offering room services to its guest so that they can enjoy everything within the confines and comforts of their exquisite rooms. Take it up a notch and present more options within a new “Contactless Room Service” campaign, serving as a luxury marketing strategy to attract guests. You can always make everything contactless too, from room checkins to checkout!
#SupportUs: A Creative Agency In Singapore
We can help each other here. The travel industry may have taken a hit in the coronavirus health crisis, but as the situation slowly improves, hotels need to find new ways to attract guests and sustain their business. As a creative agency, we’re confident of coming up with digital marketing or creative campaigns that are tailored for your hotels, after all, we did come up with 5 generic campaign ideas and we can do more of the same for you.
Check-in with our team today!
