Hotel Business in Nigeria is one of the businesses that guarantees all season profit for the owner. Any smart investor who venture into it will have reasons to smile in no time.
Contrary to some articles online that is trying very hard to explain why hotel business in Nigeria is unprofitable, the truth is that you can actually make big money in the business especially when you make your online visibility active.
If there is no money in hotel business in Nigeria, will there be hotels everywhere in the country as it is today? Can you really point any hotel you know in Nigeria that you think is not making money? I don’t think there is… Even the dirtiest of hotels in Nigeria do make money.
If that is the case then, investing in hotel business in Nigeria is one smart move any Nigerian Entrepreneur can make right now.
How To Promote Hotel Business in Nigeria
How do you make sure people can find your hotel online, and then get so excited they can’t wait to book their stay? Have no fear: here are six tips to hotel promotion success.
1. Embrace Social Media
Social media is free. Millions of people use different forms of social media each day so it’s a huge opportunity for you to make your mark and reach a wide audience. After all, promotion is what gets customers making reservations and coming through your doors. But make sure you’re only jumping on the relevant trends and topics in order to avoid any negative backlash that can damage your brand.
You can offer rewards for users who are reacting to your social media posts. For example, offer a small discount code for anyone who retweets your tweet on Twitter. Something as simple as this could gain some traction during the summer months when families are looking to get away.
Another trick to promoting on a budget is to utilize user-generated content and post them onto your official accounts. For example, guests often take photos of their rooms, views and food and post them onto Instagram. Not only are they promoting your hotel to their followers, they’re also creating content that you can then repost onto your own channels.
Encourage your guests to tag you in their posts and repay the favour by tagging them back when you’re reposting. Ensure you have a style guide for posts to keep the feed consistent with your brand or have one trusted team member to look after the channels.
2. Create a good review about your Brand
Creating a good review about your hotel and the hospitality you render in general is an excellent promotion technique that can help to build credibility.
Well-written content can provide free advertising and aid positive word-of-mouth. Some examples of review you can write are:
- Weekend food recipes.
- Event reviews and upcoming events.
- Customer involvement posts.
- Lists such as “the best family-friendly hotels” or “the best restaurants in…”
Also, look to have your work published on your official website and other websites.
Target websites that have high traffic (School Drillers), are relevant to your hotel and have a great chance of being visited by your prospective customers or other hotel managers who are looking to pick up some of your useful tips.
3. Get Official Website
Your company website is one of the big promotion tool for your hotel business.
In this digital age, you won’t find that people are calling your hotel to make a reservation.
Now, they ask questions through social media and emails, and book online.
Ensure that you have an attractive, user-friendly website that visitors can easily navigate and engage with.
4. Treat your Customers Well
Customers love a good deal, and they’ll be more prone to staying at your hotel if you give them an incentive or deals that they can’t get anywhere else.
It’s a good way to show your guests that you don’t have a ‘one size fits all’ approach and that you take their needs into consideration.
5. Support Local Businesses
From local produce to artwork and furniture, supporting local businesses helps get your brand name out there in a more positive light. Plus, it helps you forge strong relationships with other businesses who may be able to repay the favour for you in some way.
6. Make your Hotel Searchable Online
Today’s travelers are empowered to do their own comparative research without even leaving their beds.
So if your hotel isn’t easy to find online, your bookings will be few and far behind. You need to be EVERYWHERE relevant online for potential bookings so people can find you in the window when they need to book a place to stay.
Most travelers (75%!) start by using a search engine to find places to stay, so stay on top of your SEO. Use popular hotel keywords in your site copy, and make sure your site loads super fast.
Most Common Hotel Business Types
These hotel types are the most common, and you can find them all over the world.
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Chain Hotel: Also known as a “branded hotel,” a chain hotel is affiliated with a brand that may have strict guidelines for amenities and design. Some chain hotels are part of a larger ownership group, while other chain hotels have independent owners but follow the same brand standards. Popular hotel chains are Courtyard, Holiday Inn, and Westin.
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Independent Hotel: A hotel that is independently owned and operated with no brand standards or guidelines.
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Boutique Hotel: A hotel that incorporates unique design and personalized service, often with a theme or local influences. Boutique hotels are usually small (under 100 rooms) and independently owned, though some boutique hotels are part of collections like Leading Hotels of the World or chains like the Curio Collection by Hilton.
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Resort: A resort offers everything necessary for a vacation on-site, such as restaurants, bars, pools, spas, recreational facilities, kids clubs, and entertainment venues. Popular resort brands include Sandals and Four Seasons, though there are many independent resorts too.
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Airport Hotel: An airport hotel is located near – you guessed it! – an airport. Airport hotels usually provide free airport transportation for a seamless transfer.
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Conference Hotel: Catering to business travelers and groups, conference hotels have extensive function space, catering services, and event planners to suit trade shows, conventions, or other large events.
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All-Suite Hotel: A hotel which contains only suite-style guestrooms, which are guestrooms that have separate sleeping and living areas. Embassy Suites is a popular all-suite hotel brand.
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Extended-Stay Hotel: Designed for people who need a place to stay for several weeks or months, extended-stay hotels provide guestrooms with full kitchens and more spacious layouts than a standard hotel. Some extended-stay hotels also offer laundry events and social events.
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Motel: Short for a “motor hotel,” motels are often located next to a highway in rural areas and offer basic amenities at a low price
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Apart-Hotel: Also known as a condo hotel, apart-hotels are made up of apartment-style units which can contain full kitchens and several bedrooms. Apart-hotels offer all the services of a hotel, like a front desk and housekeeping.
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Serviced Apartment: An apartment unit with hotel-style services available for nightly rentals, often catering to business travelers. Serviced apartments can be found in apartment buildings that also house long-term residents.
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Hostel: Popular among young budget travelers, hostels offer beds (usually bunk beds) in shared dormitories with shared bathroom facilities. Other on-site amenities can include lounge areas, bars, games, restaurants, and self-service laundry.
