In today’s competitive landscape, hotel marketing isn’t just about visibility; it’s about effectiveness. With rising OTA commission fees, shifting guest behaviours, and the evolution of generative search, hotels need more than just campaigns – they need a strategy designed to deliver measurable outcomes.

At Punch Hospitality, we’re a hospitality marketing agency offering strategic support and consultancy to our clients. With decades of hospitality experience within our team, we’re primed to offer solutions that will enable your business to boost bookings and ensure maximum ROI on your hotel marketing. 

We work closely with independent and branded hotels across Yorkshire and the UK to deliver a marketing return on investment and add profit to your bottom line. Whether it’s measuring and optimising your website for conversion, refining your paid media, or building content that lands with guests and Google, these five essentials have proven time and again to drive bookings and improve your ROI.

What are the Essentials for Guaranteeing Bookings and Good ROI for your Hotel Marketing?

1. Hotel Website Strategy that Converts, Not Just Looks Good

Your website is your most valuable direct booking tool. But too often, it’s treated like a brochure instead of a revenue channel.

What works:

• Clear, mobile-first design that prioritises speed and UX
• Compelling room and package copy tailored to guest types
• Seamless booking engine integration
• Conversion-focused layout with CTAs throughout the journey

What doesn’t:

• Generic design with stock copy
• “Hidden” booking options or vague pricing
• Slow load times or clunky third-party integrations

Hotels that invest in a conversion-led web strategy consistently see higher booking values and reduced customer attrition.

For hotels, an effective and successful website strategy will help customers navigate the website easily (so they can find the information they want, without fuss) and help push them towards booking.

Each and every component of the website will be optimised to appeal to your specific audience, making them feel seen. It’ll also easily convey your brand’s story and personality, so they can feel like they know you just as well as you know them. 

If you’d like to see examples of an effective website strategy that converts, why not take a look at the work we’ve done for The Cumberland Hotel? Our design and launch for the new website allowed us to achieve an 89% increase in engagement and a 25% decrease in bounce rate.

2. A Performance-Led, Always-On Hotel Marketing Approach

Campaigns are great, but without an always-on strategy, you’re invisible when guests are ready to book.

Effective hotel marketing needs:

• A paid media strategy that aligns with high-intent guest search terms (e.g. “family hotel near Harrogate with pool”)
• SEO that builds long-term visibility for non-branded searches
• Ongoing retargeting and nurture to reduce drop-off

What makes the difference is tracking real performance metrics: bookings, CPA & ROAS…not just clicks or impressions.

Hotels may have seasonal variations in booking patterns with need periods and busy seasons. However, marketing only for these times isn’t an effective way to ensure high brand visibility and nurture guests through the customer journey so they’re able to fill those rooms in need periods, ensuring high occupancy all year round! 

We work with a variety of hotels and hotel management groups to provide and activate effective marketing strategies. Take a look at our example of it here!

3. Integrated Hotel Marketing Strategy Across Brand, Digital, and PR

Siloed activity weakens your brand. When your creative, content, digital, and PR efforts are joined up, the result is not just greater efficiency, but stronger impact and trust.

Integration looks like:

• One core brand message that drives your website, ad creative, and media stories
• Unified campaign calendars across paid, organic and influencer activity
• Collaborative reporting that links spend to outcomes

This is where specialist hospitality agencies shine: we understand how to build campaigns that connect brand storytelling across every brand touchpoint.

When brands are able to cohesively activate different channels or marketing you can make sure you’re getting the most from your investment – higher ROI. 

 4. Data That Tells a Story and Drives Action

Most hotels have data. Fewer know how to use it effectively.

That’s why your marketing partner needs to go beyond dashboards.

You need:

• Regular performance reviews with strategic insight
• Recommendations tied to revenue, not just traffic
• Visibility of cross-channel performance (paid, organic, social, PR)
• Commercial insight that connects to marketing action

And increasingly, hotels are seeing the value of predictive insight: what your data suggests you should do next, not just what already happened.

Data is key – especially in an age of hyper-personalisation for hospitality brands. Our connections with our partners mean we’re able to easily access the data we need, and our expert team of marketers are able to use it to get you the results you want. 

5. A True Hotel Marketing Partner, Not Just a Supplier

You don’t need a dozen disconnected suppliers. You need a single cohesive team that understands your business, acts fast, and thinks commercially.

That means:

• A dedicated account lead who knows your objectives inside and out
• Strategic input on product, pricing and positioning – not just delivery
• Availability for reactive media opportunities, campaign tweaks, and trend spotting

At Punch, we operate as a strategic partner, embedding ourselves in your strategy and proactively contributing ideas that will move the needle.

Multiple agencies are like too many cooks at times. Each agency is following its own recipe and throwing ingredients in a pot, hoping they’ll blend. One agency means one cook – one dish – and happy guests. 

Punch Hospitality Marketing Agency and Strategic Partner

Driving bookings and ROI isn’t about chasing the next shiny tactic. It’s about getting the fundamental strategy right and executing it consistently.

We take the approach with all our new clients of undertaking an audit to see what we’re starting from, so we can work out what the ideal future is (and how to get there!). It allows us to get to grips with you, your brand, your clients, and everything in between, so we’re fully prepared to offer you the insights and strategy that will let you get to where you want to be. 

If you’re a hotel looking for a smarter marketing partner, one who understands your product, your market, and the pressures you’re under, then we’d love to talk. Get in touch. 

Start growing your revenue today.

At Punch Hospitality, we’re proud to be the agency that helped shape, position and launch the Bike & Boot brand. Built on a clear vision and an equally bold strategy, it was a brand designed not to appeal to everyone, but to matter deeply to the few. The brand’s success was always going to hinge on its ability to resonate with a specific audience. So, we based our launch strategy on something many brands shy away from: alienation. 

Alienation, in this context, isn’t about exclusion, it’s about clarity. As The Drum puts it, “to truly adopt a strategy of alienation is to have absolute clarity of what your brand stands for, and who it’s for.” In Bike & Boot’s case, it meant championing mucky boots, muddy paws, and messy wetsuits. Creating a hotel experience that doesn’t ask guests to conform but instead meets them where they are, with facilities, energy and design choices made for the adventurer. 

Recently, we visited Bike & Boot’s location in the Peak District. What we found was a brand in full alignment with its audience. The strategy had held strong. And, more importantly, it had delivered. 

Audience First, Always for Hotel Marketing

The Peak District site is the brand’s second hotel and a perfect extension of its original Scarborough location. From the moment you walk in, you can feel it’s not trying to be all things to all people. The interiors are playful and practical. The energy is relaxed, sociable, and informal. And the people staying there? Exactly who we intended. 

Groups of friends catching up over a post-hike pint. Dog walkers drying off in the Boot Room. Cyclists comparing routes over hearty plates from the in-house restaurant. Solo travellers with muddy kit and big grins. The demographic may be broad, but the mindset is shared: these are guests who want to feel free, comfortable, and understood. 

This is where alienation pays off. By choosing to lean into the lifestyle, language, and practical needs of a niche audience, Bike & Boot has created an environment that feels tailor-made. The result? Guest alignment that feels instinctive—not engineered. 

Brand Touchpoints That Work

What struck us most was how naturally the brand strategy now lives across every touchpoint. Nothing feels overly branded or try-hard. Instead, you find little signals of belonging at every turn: 

• The Wadobi: A space to wash, dry, and repair your outdoor gear. Not an afterthought – an expectation. 

• Dog-Friendly Everything: From welcome packs to shared spaces, canine companions are treated as guests, not tolerated as accessories. 

• Local Over Luxe: Menus celebrate hearty, local produce and regional ales, not overly fussy pretension. 

• Design That Doesn’t Shout: Interiors are functional, fun, and refreshingly unfussy – no velvet cushions, no silent lobbies. 

This is marketing that doesn’t feel like marketing. It’s alignment between product, audience and place. It’s brand strategy made real. 

Why Alienation Worked for Bike & Boot

Too many hotel brands dilute their appeal by trying to be premium, inclusive, or broad. Bike & Boot chose a different path, one that was deliberately narrow and more resonant. 

By focusing on lifestyle alignment rather than amenity checklisting, the brand created a proposition that travellers could identify with, not just purchase from. The hotel isn’t just dog-friendly, it’s dog-welcoming. It doesn’t just tolerate muddy boots, it provides the tools to deal with them. These differences matter. 

Alienation, done well, builds trust and loyalty. When you speak directly to your guest, they listen, they remember and they return. 

What This Means for Hotel Brands

For hotel marketers, the Bike & Boot brand is a case study in courageous positioning. It proves that: 

• You don’t need to appeal to everyone to be successful. 

• Strategy must live beyond the guidelines, it must show up in the stay. 

• Facilities and brand experience must match guest expectations and lifestyle. 

At Punch, this is exactly the kind of work we love to deliver. Our approach always begins with a clear understanding of the guest you want, not just the bookings you need. 

Bike & Boot shows that when you get that right, you don’t just attract guests, you build fans. 

Hotel Brand Strategy that Works

Looking to be brave and create a hotel brand that speaks directly to your ideal guest?

Let’s talk strategy. Get in touch with Punch. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, hotels are under increasing pressure to drive direct bookings and reduce their dependency on Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). A robust hotel marketing strategy is one of the most effective ways to achieve this. However, within the realm of search, a new distinction is emerging that marketers must understand: the difference between SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and what we’re calling GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation).

Understanding how these two approaches differ, and how they complement one another, can be the difference between standard visibility and long-term competitive advantage.

SEO: Building Broad Visibility

Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is the long-established discipline of improving a website’s rank within traditional search engine results. It focuses on optimising content, site structure, metadata, and backlinks to increase relevance and authority in search queries. For hotels, SEO typically targets high-intent, high-volume keywords like “luxury hotel in York” or “UK spa breaks.”

Effective SEO helps hotels attract users who are comparing destinations or planning trips in advance. It supports evergreen traffic, builds credibility over time, and creates content that supports the entire customer journey.

Over the last decade, SEO has evolved into a multidimensional strategy demanding technical proficiency, content depth, UX awareness, and a strong understanding of search intent. The emergence of AI-powered engines now signals the next major evolution.

GEO: Gearing Up for Generative Search

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is an emerging discipline that responds to the rise of AI-powered search experiences, particularly those being led by platforms like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Microsoft’s Copilot in Bing.

Unlike traditional SEO, where search results list websites in ranked order, generative engines create conversational responses, summarising and synthesising content from across the web. For hotels, this means potential guests may no longer browse ten blue links—they might read a paragraph generated by AI that recommends three nearby boutique hotels.

GEO is about preparing your digital presence to be recognised, cited, and recommended by these AI engines. This includes creating high-authority, well-structured content; integrating schema markup; publishing up-to-date, factual content; and developing content clusters around specific guest needs and intents.

Example Use Case (Fictional):

A luxury spa hotel in the Lake District created a content cluster around romantic getaways. Their blog posts highlighted seasonal experiences, incorporated verified user reviews, and addressed niche search queries. By using schema markup and regularly updating the content with fresh offers and testimonials, they were cited in an SGE result for “romantic spa breaks with lake views.” As a result, organic bookings increased by 22% within three months.

SEO vs GEO: A New Strategic Divide

While SEO helps your hotel rank higher in search listings, GEO prepares your hotel to be part of AI-generated answers. The key difference lies in how content is consumed. SEO assumes the user will evaluate links and pages. GEO assumes the user may not click at all.

The content you produce must be designed to be parsed and trusted by generative models. It should be semantically rich, reliable, and backed by social proof and structured data. Accuracy and topical authority become essential, as generative engines prioritise quality signals over keyword volume.

Why GEO Matters for Hotels

Generative search is already shifting user expectations. Instead of searching for “best spa hotels in Yorkshire” and clicking through results, a guest might ask, “What’s a relaxing spa hotel near York with dog-friendly rooms and EV charging?” and receive a conversational response.

Being visible in that AI-generated shortlist depends on how well your site content feeds into the training and crawling models used by search engines. If your hotel isn’t prepared, you could be omitted entirely from high-value guest discovery moments.

Moreover, GEO supports direct bookings by positioning your brand earlier in the conversation. When a user sees your hotel listed by an AI engine as a trusted recommendation, it bypasses OTA dominance and builds instant trust.

Preparing for a Hybrid Future

Rather than treating SEO and GEO as competing tactics, hotel marketers must now treat them as complementary pillars. SEO continues to drive awareness and visibility in traditional search, while GEO ensures your brand is represented within AI-powered search narratives.

Example:

A strong blog on “The Best Wedding Venues in Yorkshire” can still rank on page one via SEO, but if it is well-written, factually rich, and trusted, it may also be quoted directly by a generative search engine.

Your content needs to serve both types of search outcomes.

Optimising Your Website for Both Searches

Structuring for Search Intent

Create a clear architecture of primary landing pages focused on specific user intents—like “dog-friendly spa hotel in Yorkshire” or “hotel wedding venue near Harrogate.” Support these with semantically related blog content and FAQs.

Enhancing GEO Credibility Signals

From a GEO perspective, make sure your pages are:

· Factually rich

· Regularly updated

· Structured with conversational subheadings

· Marked up with schema

· Supported by author bios and consistent NAP details

Can One Page Serve SEO and GEO?

Yes. A well-structured page can serve both SEO and GEO if crafted with dual intent:

· For SEO: optimise page titles, metadata, and keyword alignment.

· For GEO: ensure the content is contextually rich, accurate, and easy to parse by AI models.

A question-led format (e.g. “What makes a hotel ideal for couples?”) with clear, answer-style paragraphs increases your chances of being featured in both traditional results and AI-generated summaries.

What the Future Holds

Generative search is likely to evolve beyond snippets. Voice search will intersect more meaningfully with AI models. Hotel searches might soon start through smart speakers, with bookings influenced entirely by AI-curated options.

Integrations with dynamic pricing APIs, personalised guest data, and real-time availability could soon appear directly in search results. Hotels that structure their data accordingly will be best positioned to benefit.

Why Hotel Marketing Must Evolve with SEO and GEO

At Punch, we see the rise of GEO not as a disruption, but as an opportunity. It is a chance for hospitality brands to leap ahead of OTAs and competitors by becoming the go-to source for high-quality, trusted content. It aligns perfectly with revenue-optimised hotel marketing, placing your brand where it matters most—at the very beginning of the guest journey.

Hotels that embrace generative search now will be ahead of the curve when AI-driven search becomes the norm. Those that ignore it risk invisibility, even with strong SEO.

Looking to future-proof your hotel’s visibility in both traditional and generative search? Get in touch with Punch.

Recently, hospitality brands have turned to a more authentic source of influence: micro-influencers and content creators. These individuals may not have millions of followers, but their niche audiences are loyal, engaged, and – most importantly – listening.

In fact, research from Nielsen shows that over 70% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know over branded content. Micro-influencers, with followings typically between 1,000 and 100,000, often come across as relatable and credible, making them powerful partners for hotels seeking real engagement over reach.

Hospitality Guests Crave Authenticity

Guests today crave authenticity. A glossy, corporate ad or PR stunt might grab attention, but a genuine review or behind-the-scenes post from a creator staying at your hotel? That builds trust.

Hotels partnering with micro-influencers aren’t just chasing likes- they’re creating stories that resonate. A well-timed Instagram reel of a sunrise view from a balcony or a TikTok about the spa experience can generate more interest (and bookings) than a paid media slot. It feels real because it is real, and audiences are more likely to act on it.

How to do PR Stunts Authentically.

Trends don’t feel like trends, if done correctly by influencers.

This isn’t just a passing social media trend. Micro-influencers have become a strategic asset in hospitality marketing, offering hotels access to targeted audiences that align with specific guest personas – from wellness travellers to digital nomads, foodies to family holidaymakers.

By working with creators who speak directly to your ideal guest, hotels can highlight tailored experiences that align with what those travellers actually care about.

Say you’re a boutique hotel in Cornwall. A travel creator with 15k followers who documents UK staycations will likely drive more qualified leads than a celebrity with millions of disengaged followers. It’s targeted, it’s trackable, and it drives results.

Room Revenue Does Not Matter

Content creators don’t just spotlight rooms, they bring the entire PR experience to life. From cocktails in the bar, to yoga on the terrace, their content can highlight the often-overlooked details that make a stay memorable.

Take a hotel restaurant, for example. A foodie influencer might showcase a locally sourced tasting menu, sparking interest from guests who hadn’t considered dining in before. It’s not just about a free meal – it’s about generating buzz, elevating the F&B offering, and increasing ancillary revenue.

And when creators share content across multiple platforms (Instagram, YouTube Shorts, blog posts) it builds a digital footprint that keeps on giving.

It Has to be Done in the Correct Way, Unless it isn’t Authentic

As with any strategy, success comes down to how it’s executed.

Authenticity is key. Hotels need to vet influencers carefully, checking engagement rates, audience quality, and content tone. Partnerships should be mutually beneficial, with clear expectations, creative freedom, and transparency around gifted stays or paid promotions.

It’s not about control, it’s about collaboration. When content creators feel trusted, they produce better content. And when guests see that content? They trust you more, too.

The Bottom Line? Influence isn’t Just for the Mega-famous.

In today’s hospitality landscape, relevance and authenticity beat reach and repetition. Micro-influencers offer hotels a direct line to real audiences and the ability to craft stories that feel personal, credible, and compelling.

By building thoughtful partnerships with content creators who genuinely align with your brand, you’re not just filling rooms- you’re creating lasting impressions that extend far beyond checkout.

And that? That’s real influencing.

Want to learn more on what the best micro- influencers are the best fit for your brand?

Drop us a message and we can help you find your perfect fit! Call us on 0113 255 7285 or head to our contact page. 

As consumers increasingly seek experiences over transactions, hospitality brands must learn to think beyond one-off campaigns and embrace the rhythm of the calendar year. Seasonal holidays- whether it’s Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Diwali, or the Summer Bank Holiday – are golden opportunities to deliver meaningful, timely experiences that leave a lasting impression on their customers.

But it’s not about putting up a few decorations or rolling out a fancy menu. It’s about understanding what your guests want during these key seasons – and delivering it in a way that feels personal and memorable.

How is Consumer Behaviour Influencing Hotel Marketing

According to data from Deloitte, over 65% of consumers plan seasonal holiday trips based on the unique experiences hotels or restaurants can offer – not just location or price. That means your Valentine’s weekend package, festive New Year’s brunch, or Halloween cocktail event isn’t just content – it’s a conversion tool.

To stay relevant, hospitality marketers must tap into this emotional side of seasonal planning. People want to feel something during the holidays (joy, nostalgia, excitement), and brands that can translate that into tailored guest experiences are the ones that win.

It Goes Beyond the Trends in Hotel Marketing

Seasonal holidays are no longer limited to a single day or weekend. Guests are now planning for those longer holiday breaks, for example – long weekends, school breaks and cultural celebrations. They expect hospitality brands to celebrate these long holidays too, not just Christmas.

It’s not just about celebrating Christmas; it’s about recognising how different guests celebrate it. Maybe they’re a solo traveller seeking a peaceful winter escape, or a family looking for festive activities for children. With data analytics, hotels can review booking history and guest profiles to personalise offers and communications accordingly.

For example, a hotel might identify that a guest always books a spa service around New Year’s. In early December, a personalised email could offer an exclusive discount on a spa-and-stay package, positioning the hotel as part of the guest’s annual ritual.

It’s Not All About Room Revenue

Seasonal marketing should extend far beyond the room key. Dining, entertainment, and amenities can all be shaped around seasonal moments, if you have the insights to guide you.

Data from CGA Strategy shows that themed events and seasonal menus can increase on-site F&B spending by up to 25% during holiday periods. If your CRM tells you a guest typically orders a particular wine, why not highlight a holiday pairing featuring that vintage? Or, if they’re a returning guest for Easter weekend, surprise them with a curated spring-themed welcome gift in their room.

These touches, small but meaningful, turn a simple stay into a story worth sharing. 

Target Marketing Needs to Be Done in the Right Way

This kind of targeted, seasonal marketing isn’t just about pushing offers – it’s about listening, respecting, and adding value.

Technology plays a key role here, but only when used with a clear ethical framework. AI-driven tools like chatbots or predictive booking engines can help guests find the perfect seasonal offer faster. But they must be implemented with care- too pushy, and it becomes intrusive; too generic, and it loses impact.

The trick is to treat guests like people, not prospects. Understand their holiday preferences. Offer value before selling. Respect their data. And always provide a clear benefit, whether that’s an exclusive upgrade, a unique dining experience, or insider tips on seasonal events in the area.

And it’s Great for Hospitality Revenue Optimisation

Here’s the good news: when done right, seasonal marketing drives results.

A 2024 report by Skift found that hotels that implement year-round seasonal campaigns see up to 18% higher occupancy rates during traditionally off-peak periods. And when campaigns are personalised? The average spend per guest increases by 12%.

These aren’t just feel-good strategies, they’re financially sound decisions. Seasonal planning, supported by guest insights and executed with authenticity, drives revenue while deepening guest relationships.

The Bottom Line? Plan for Moments, Not Months.

The most successful hospitality brands in 2025 and beyond will be those that recognise the emotional significance of seasonal holidays and use data-driven personalisation to enhance them.

For example the Marriott Bonvoy uses guest loyalty data to tailor festive packages based on previous travel habits, offering bespoke experiences during holidays like Thanksgiving or Diwali.

From summer solstice garden parties to winter wellness retreats, every calendar moment holds potential. The key is to turn these seasonal opportunities into lasting memories, before, during, and after the stay.

Because when you get it right, the guest doesn’t just come back next holiday- they come back next time, every time for all of these special memories to be held at your hotel.

If you want to learn more how to strategically plan for year round seasonal content drop us a message, and we would be happy to help! Call us on 0113 255 7285 or email us at [email protected].

On May 1st, 2025, the Punch Hospitality team were invited to attend the National Hotel Marketing Conference as Principal Sponsor at The Hilton at St. George’s Park.  This annual gathering brought together a vibrant community of hospitality marketing and sales professionals to explore the fast-evolving landscape of hotel marketing. 

Embracing the Future of Hotel Marketing  

The conference opened with a series of thought-provoking sessions that set the tone for the day. Victoria Hughes from HotStats provided a comprehensive overview of market trends, highlighting the importance of data-driven decision-making in today’s competitive environment. Sam Weston of 80 DAYS delved into the benchmarks for successful UK hotel websites, emphasising the need for user-centric design and compelling content.  

Chloe Parry from Carden Park offered an engaging roundup of essential social media channels, reminding us of the power of storytelling and authentic engagement in building brand loyalty. John Mullen of Revinate discussed the growing influence of voice technology in driving direct bookings, illustrating how AI-powered voice agents are reshaping guest interactions.  

Punch Hospitality’s Keynote: “Gen Zs Aren’t Broke – Your Marketing Is!”

One of the highlights was our own Head of Strategy, Jess Lowes, co-presenting the seminar “Gen Zs Aren’t Broke – Your Marketing Is!” alongside Yasmine Hammadache, General Manager of Hotel Indigo York. This session challenged people’s perceptions about Generation Z, emphasising that this demographic is not avoiding booking at hotels because they can’t afford them, but rather that they’re seeking value-aligned, authentic experiences.  

We explored how traditional marketing approaches often fail to resonate with Gen Z, who prioritise transparency, inclusivity, and social responsibility. They advocated for a shift towards community-driven marketing strategies that create genuine connections and encourage direct bookings. 

AI, Personalisation, and Data Integration in Hospitality

A recurring theme throughout the conference was the potentially transformative impact of AI on hospitality marketing. From personalised guest experiences to predictive analytics, AI is enabling hotels to deliver tailored services at scale. Discussions highlighted how hotels can integrate AI tools to improve operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.  

The emphasis on data integration and personalisation demonstrated the need for hotels to use their data more effectively. By understanding guest preferences and behaviours, hotels can activate personalised, targeted marketing campaigns that drive engagement and loyalty. It’s important that hotels understand their data of course (and have it segmented!), with many delegates reflecting that a confusing tech-stack can muddy the picture further and create blind spots when trying to review the complete guest journey and understand what has or has not worked. 

Building Owned Communities and Improving Direct Hotel Bookings

The conference also addressed the pressing challenges of reducing reliance on third-party booking platforms and prioritising building an owned community. Strategies discussed included leveraging proprietary technology to build brand communities, offering exclusive incentives for direct bookings, and curating engaging content that resonates with what your guest really wants – think mindset, not demographics.  

These approaches resonate with our own commitment to help hotels take control of their guest relationships and revenue streams. Our focus on revenue optimised marketing aims to support hotels in building loyal communities and maximise direct bookings. 

A Shift in Hospitality Marketing in 2025 – 26

One of the most thought-provoking reflections we brought back from the National Hotel Marketing Conference was the ongoing shift from the traditional marketing mix of the four Ps (Price, Product, Place, Promotion) to a more modern framework built around the four Es: Experience, Emotion, Engagement, and Exclusivity. 

This evolution is especially relevant in the hospitality sector, where guest expectations are rapidly changing. No longer is it enough to promote a product based on price or placement alone. Instead, successful hotel marketing now hinges on delivering meaningful experiences that resonate on a personal level, cultivating emotion that guests remember and share, building engagement that leads to community and loyalty, and offering a sense of exclusivity that reinforces brand value. 

For hoteliers and marketers alike, this shift demands a deeper understanding of the guest – again, think mindset not demographic. It’s about moving from transactional tactics to transformational storytelling, creating narratives that speak to identity, purpose, and aspiration. Whether it’s a hyper-personalised offer, a values-led campaign, or simply a surprising moment during a stay, the most impactful marketing today lives in the overlap of relevance and resonance. 

Collaborative Learning and Industry Networking

Beyond the great sessions, the conference provided the chance for conversation and collaboration. Engaging with fellow professionals – both client and agency side – allowed for the exchange of ideas, experiences, and best practices. These interactions reinforced the value of community in navigating the challenges of the hospitality industry. 

The Hotel Marketing Conference 2025 really offered us a range of valuable insights into the future of hospitality marketing through the challenges of today. Our big takeaway was the importance of agility, innovation, and authenticity in connecting with guest expectations – something we always champion in our client’s marketing and brand strategies.  

For more information on how Punch Hospitality can support you to increase your revenue, take a look at our Revenue Growth on this link. 

Starting 1 October 2025, the UK government will introduce significant new restrictions on the marketing and advertising of foods high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS). These changes represent a major shift for the marketing strategy in the hospitality industry – especially for larger operators like restaurant groups, hotel chains, and bar brands with more than 250 employees. If your business falls into this category, now is the time to prepare.

What’s changing?

The regulations aim to reduce the marketing exposure of less healthy food and drink products to consumers, particularly children. Common menu favourites such as pizzas, burgers, fried items, sugary desserts, and soft drinks will fall within the scope of the new rules.

Among the most impactful restrictions:

• Television advertising of HFSS products will be banned before 9pm, effectively removing them from prime-time visibility.
• Paid online advertising will face a complete 24/7 ban. This includes ads on social media platforms, search engines, and display networks.
• In-house promotions won’t escape scrutiny either. Offers like “buy one get one free” on HFSS items and free refills of sugary drinks will no longer be allowed in dining venues.

Who will be affected?

These regulations are targeted at medium to large businesses, specifically, those with 250 or more employees. If you’re a smaller independent operator, you’re currently exempt, but it’s worth keeping an eye on how the landscape evolves. The consequences for non-compliance could be significant.

Companies that breach the new rules may face:

• Fines and civil penalties. While exact figures haven’t been set, financial sanctions are a core enforcement tool.
• Public censure. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) may ‘name and shame’ offending businesses, putting reputations at risk.
• Mandatory ad takedowns. Platforms like Google and Meta will be required to block or remove non-compliant ads aimed at UK users.
• Increased regulatory scrutiny. Repeated breaches could trigger tighter oversight or further restrictions on your advertising practices.

Are there any exemptions?

Yes, but they’re narrow! Businesses with fewer than 250 employees can still advertise HFSS products online. Also, ads that focus on brand identity without showing specific HFSS products are allowed, as long as they don’t feature recognisable unhealthy items. Lastly, content designed purely to enable purchases—like product listings on food delivery sites—is also excluded from the restrictions.

Opportunities to adapt

While the rules pose challenges, they also open the door to strategic innovation and creative thinking in your marketing approach.

Tell your story. Shift focus from specific items to brand experience. Highlight your venue’s atmosphere, service, and commitment to quality.

Promote healthier dishes. Use the change as a prompt to develop and spotlight compliant menu options—grilled dishes, vibrant salads, or refreshing low-sugar drinks.

Explore alternative channels. Print, out-of-home (OOH), radio, and podcasts remain unrestricted and can provide fresh opportunities to reach your audience.

Double down on organic engagement. Encourage reviews, user-generated content, and behind-the-scenes storytelling to stay top of mind on social media without running paid ads.

Strategic steps to take now

Preparing early will help you turn regulatory change into a competitive advantage:

Review your menu. Reformulating recipes to reduce fat, salt, and sugar could allow more items to remain in the spotlight.

Train your teams. Ensure marketing and customer-facing staff are fully briefed on the new rules.

Stay informed. Keep up with government guidance and any amendments to the legislation to avoid getting caught out.

Review your marketing strategy. If you are overly reliant on paid digital ads to push your message, it’s time to change.

These advertising restrictions are about more than just compliance, they’re about reshaping how food and hospitality brands communicate with customers.

The good news?

Businesses that have invested in building an owned brand community are likely to reap the rewards of their efforts. Similarly, businesses that adapt early and positively can emerge stronger, more relevant, and better aligned with the preferences of today’s health-conscious consumer.

As one of the most socially influential generations, Gen Z has the power for brands to flop or fly, thrive or die. From your perspective, as a hospitality brand, you are constantly on the lookout to ensure you are seen as modern, forward-thinking, and in tune with the values of your audience. And so, with the term ‘cancelling’ being so common within Gen Z, what do you have to do to make sure your brand does not get cancelled? 

I’m Hollie, the Gen Z Marketing Intern here at Punch Hospitality. I’m here to give you a full rundown of what not to do to make sure you don’t get cancelled!

Brand Cancellation

First of all, let’s define the term ‘cancelling,’ what does it mean to be ‘cancelled’ I hear you ask? Well, being ‘cancelled’ means a person (or brand) is ostracised, boycotted, and shunned by the public, often due to a perceived wrongdoing or unacceptable behaviour, especially on social media. Which is why being ‘cancelled’ is such a big thing within Gen Z – they are the social media warriors!

Gen Z Brand Priorities

Gen Z seeks truth in every purchase – they check the facts, read the reviews, and care deeply about sustainability and authenticity. They’ve grown up online with constant connectivity shaping their behaviour. They value authenticity, personalisation, and experiences over material things. 

With that being said lets go over the do’s and don’ts, so your brand doesn’t get cancelled. 

The Gen Z PR Rules

Do research your partners and influencer collaborators

That big-town influencer who just hit 1 million followers on TikTok may not be as genuine as their curated persona suggests. While their current content looks brand-safe on the surface, it’s important to dig deeper. Just five years ago, they may have been posting controversial content that doesn’t align with the values your brand wants to promote.

As their visibility grows, so does the scrutiny. Old content has a way of resurfacing, especially when public attention is high, and once your brand is associated with them, it’s hard to separate your brand image from their past. An influencer might bring temporary reach, but the long-term reputational risks could far outweigh the benefits. When choosing influencers, it’s not just about numbers; it’s about integrity, alignment, and protecting your brand’s future. Because if the influencer gets ‘cancelled’ then so does your brand! 

Don’t partner with other brands that don’t align with your values

A collaboration might look good on paper, but if the brand you’re aligning with operates in ways that clash with your morals, it can damage your credibility. Gen Z can see through inauthentic partnerships, and the backlash from aligning with the wrong name can be swift and long-lasting. 

If their ethics don’t match yours, neither should your logos.

Don’t promise results you can’t achieve

If you commit to certain numbers, reach, donations or engagement you need to deliver. Overpromising damages trust, your brand’s reputation, and can hurt the cause you’re trying to support. Obviously mistakes can be made,  but consistently breaking your audience’s trust will have an everlasting impression.

Be real, be honest, and only promise what you know you can follow through on.

Do stay engaged with your community

By that we mean community management. Community management can be the ultimate deciding factor in whether you get cancelled or not.

Reply. Reply. Reply!

You have to respond to messages, whether they’re good or bad. One negative comment left unchecked can snowball into hundreds more just like it. What could’ve been a quick, thoughtful response turns into a full-blown crisis if ignored.

Stay on top of it – because silence speaks louder than a simple reply ever could. 

Don’t value perfection over transparency

Gen Z values transparency over perfection. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You don’t need to be 100% carbon neutral or partner with a million charities. What matters is that you’re honest about where you’re at and committed to doing the work to make sure you reach those goals.

These goals aren’t just boxes to tick, they’re ongoing commitments. It’s not enough to have goals on paper. They need to be lived, worked on, checked, challenged, and improved consistently. Gen Z can spot performative efforts a mile away. They’re not looking for flawlessness, they’re looking for real.

Brand Authenticity and Gen Z Alignment

To keep this brief (as every Gen Z loves things that are short, snappy and straight to the point), here is a quick summary of the basic points to remember.

Hospitality brands must stay authentic, be proactive in managing their image, and ensure their actions and partnerships align with Gen Z’s values to avoid being cancelled. This means staying true to your brand’s core values, engaging with your audience regularly, and addressing issues quickly to prevent them from escalating. It’s also important to carefully vet any influencers or partners to make sure they share your brand’s ethics and standards. 

Gen Z expects transparency and consistency, and any misalignment can lead to backlash. 

By maintaining integrity and building genuine connections, your brand can truly avoid the risk of being “cancelled” by Gen Z.

If your hospitality brand is looking for guidance on maintaining and protecting its reputation, get in touch with the Punch team.

Call Punch Hospitality today on 0113 255 7285.

After being largely overlooked in the Spring Budget, the hospitality sector was left wondering if meaningful support from the Government was still on the table. But recent developments have brought a renewed sense of optimism. The Government’s long-awaited commitment to permanently lowering business rates for the hospitality sector has now passed into law. This is a landmark move that could signal a more stable future for businesses across the country. 

While the finer details of this reform are still to be revealed in the upcoming Autumn Budget, the move has already been welcomed by industry bodies such as UK Hospitality. With venues continuing to face rising costs and uncertainty post-pandemic, this change could offer a much-needed lifeline. 

So what exactly has changed, and what should hospitality business be thinking about? 

Key points from the new legislation: 

• Business Rates Reform is now law: This means the long-promised overhaul of the outdated business rates system is finally happening. For a sector that contributes so significantly to employment and the economy, this is a crucial win.
   

• No more short-term fixes: The move away from temporary rate relief schemes towards a permanent system offers greater certainty and predictability for businesses.
   

• Details to come: Although the overarching reform has passed, the specifics, including how relief will be calculated, and which venues will benefit most, are expected in the Autumn Budget. This means businesses still need to remain alert and be ready to adapt once details are published.
   

• Mixed reactions on rate relief: While the structural reform is good, not all businesses may benefit equally. According to the Chartered Institute of Taxation, some changes to relief schemes could increase pressures on smaller operators.  

What’s clear is that this moment marks progress after years of lobbying and uncertainty. The industry has fought hard to be heard, and this latest reform shows signs that those efforts are beginning to pay off. 

At Punch Hospitality, we see this as a positive shift, one that acknowledges the vital role hospitality plays in local economies, culture and community life. There’s still work to be done, but the foundations are being laid for a more resilient, more confident sector.

Fingers crossed! 

Performative activism is when a person or brand appears to support a cause to gain attention or support, rather than making a difference for the cause. It can be easy for brands to get caught up with showing support for a cause, but are they actually making a difference? Let’s compare some genuine brands and their efforts with the performance activism brands.

Genuine brands – Love Island X eBay

Love Island recently chose to partner up with eBay for this year’s series of the show. Usually, the TV show partners up with fast fashion brands such as I Saw It First to dress the islanders. However, this year they listened to their audience and their sustainability concerns. As a result, they decided to take a new direction for their partner. For 2023, instead of having a disposable attitude to fashion, they have switched to promoting pre-loved clothing by partnering with eBay. The islanders wore second-hand items from eBay or their own items from home (i.e. not performance activism).

A brand new attitude

This partnership encourages their impressionable audience to consider buying pre-loved items rather than buying new ones. This is a great collaboration that shows ITV intends to make a difference in this space. It also reflects the changing attitudes of consumers, with a younger Gen-Z demographic expressing more environmental concerns. To get the new ‘woke’ generation to tune in, they have to show that they’re listening to what they’re saying.

eBay has also carried on its mission to change the way consumers shop. They recently announced that Love Island finalist Tasha Ghouri is going to be the first-ever preloved ambassador for them.

Performance Activism Brand – H&M

Sustainability is a hot topic, with many people and brands talking about ways to be more sustainable. This can tie into many aspects of a product or business such as the design, or how they operate day to day. However, how much of this is superficial?

Greenwashing

Big fashion brand H&M has been accused of ‘Greenwashing’, by misleading their consumers on their environmental scorecards which are displayed within stores and online. They claim that some clothes in the eco-conscious range are made using less water. This has been proven to be incorrect, and in some cases, they use more water than common materials. The argument is that this range is no more sustainable than the rest of the clothes they sell, which are also not very sustainable either!

H&M is misleading consumers into believing they are making a difference for the environment when they’re not. Using sustainability as a ploy to attract consumers is wrong if the facts are incorrect. A powerful marketing strategy can easily mislead consumers but unless you’re actually committing to making environmental changes to your practices, no amount of digital PR will be enough to cover your tracks and sustain your brand’s good reputation. A dirty secret like performance activism will always be found out.

As ‘Good On You’ have stated on social media, no fast-fashion brand can be sustainable.

How can this be applied to your next campaign?

There are many good and bad examples of brands working with causes or charities, but there’s no excuse for misleading consumers. When creating your next campaign think about the buzzwords you’re using. Can these be backed up with support to make a difference, or is it just an attention gain? You can weave your sustainability plan and actions in with your social media strategy to ensure that customers receive the full transparency they’re looking for. This way you won’t be accused of performance activism. The only way you won’t be subject to these criticisms is if you’re actually doing what you claim. Talk the talk? Walk the walk.

At Punch, we’re focused on getting you the bestresults possible, hwoever we’re also considerate of the wider pictre. Public opinion of your brand and brand perception are curcial when it comes to building long lasting relationships and goodwill. If you want a loyal community, you need to consier the way you’re percieved. Sustainability and social values continue to be hot topics in hospitality right now. If you want to be successful, you need to make sure you’re staying truthful.