For the hospitality industry, there’s only one way #onwards into the future – and that’s with sustainability! Sustainable hospitality is about those hotels (and other hospitality businesses) that strive to create a positive impact in this world by promoting sustainable hotel practices.

While many refer to themselves incorrectly as “green hotels,” sustainable hotels take on a more holistic approach to sustainability. For us at MAp, a truly sustainable hotel is guided by a clear Purpose and addresses the three core pillars of sustainability: social (People), environmental (Planet) and economic (Profit). These four pillars come together to form our sustainability framework, titled MAp’s 4Ps of Sustainability.

What we’ve learned throughout the years working with independent and boutique hoteliers: the more practical the guidance on how to become a sustainable hotel, the better. Therefore, in this Insights and in the related FREE resources – our webinar on Sustainable Hotel Management 2023 and the Sustainability RoadMAp - we support you #stepbystep to successfully manage sustainability in 2023 and beyond.

Let us present you with some interesting facts about why you should holistically implement sustainability into your independent or boutique hotel, along MAp’s 4Ps of Sustainability:

Purpose: Did you know that recent studies have found that 8 in 10 (82%) consumers say they’ve taken action to support a company when they believed in its Purpose (Zeno Group, 2020)? Studies have also shown that brands recognised for high-commitment to Purpose have grown at more than twice the rate of others (Kantar Consulting, 2020).

People: Did you know that the benefits of diversity in the workplace are significant? According to a recent study (McKinsey & Company, 2020), companies with ethnoracial diversity practices were 36% more likely to achieve higher profitability than less diverse companies.

Planet: Did you know that with the trend „Neo-Ecology,“ environmental sustainability is becoming a social movement and an economic factor? It's not anymore about whom to blame or renunciation - it’s about what we gain as a society. With the fusion of People and technology, we no longer see environmental sustainability as a problem, but as the key to a neo-ecological future (Zukunftsinstitut, 2023). This will alter the logic of hospitality brands and marketing.

Profit: Did you know that the 17th SDG is all about partnering? And for good reason! Many hotels have been individual players for decades, but the future belongs to those who understand the advantages and benefits of partnerships and community, combining strengths and knowledge to solve our bigger problems. Together, we can achieve so much more.

Inspired by our webinar on Sustainable Hotel Management and the Sustainability RoadMAp, here you go with our 4 MAdvices on Sustainable Hotel Practices in 2023:

Take this Purpose action in 2023 and #Beyond: Start with Purpose
Get clear on what is that one thing that you and your team really want to achieve, change or serve in 2023.

Take this People action in 2023 and #Beyond: Build a strong and diverse team
Identify what the diversity make-up of your hotel staff is, then ask what your hotel is doing to promote diversity further. For example, what kind of message does your non-verbal communication convey? Are your job ads inclusive? If you said no to the latter, HERE you can get access to our FREE PDF about writing attractive and inclusive job ads.

Take this Planet action in 2023 and #Beyond: Review your communication…
...and make sure you start with your Purpose, avoid greenwashing, and keep it positive and ethical. One last important MAdvice: NEVER try to profit at the expense of others, e.g. from difficult situations People are in.

Take this Profit action in 2023 and #Beyond: Build sustainable partnerships
Stop seeing yourself or your hotel as an individual player. Reach out to existing partners, find NEW ones and start to create synergies and a bigger impact together.

At MAp, we love journeys. In 2020, we made a conscious decision with our rebrand to become more purpose-driven. Our steadfast motivation is to create purposeful hotels, businesses and brands for a better future for people and planet. To practice what we preach, we set off to achieve B Corp Certification, putting our own sustainability practices to the test!

Along the way, there were countless twists and turns and we learnt many things: We implemented  numerous new processes and checklists, developed our own sustainability playbook, and profited from many practical insights we’re keen to pass along to clients.

In the end, one thing is clear: We couldn’t have done it without our clients and partners in  sustainability! Thank you so much for being there every step of the way!

Certified B Corporations are companies who meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

B Corp Certification is the only certification that measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance. The B Impact Assessment (BIA) evaluates how a company’s operations and business model impact its workers, community, environment, and customers. From a company's supply chain and input materials to its charitable giving and employee benefits, B Corp Certification proves that a business is meeting the highest standards of verified performance.

In achieving B Corp Certification, MAp has now joined nearly 5000 companies (including noted  brands like Patagonia, Danone, Alpro, etc.) committed to using business as a force for good. Furthermore, we’ve set a benchmark for ourselves to “walk the walk” when it comes to sustainability, underscoring our position as a leader in this topic for our business and hotel clients!

We know what it’s like to be at the start of a journey. The goals of achieving a purpose-driven brand and creating a sustainable impact are there on the horizon for your business: You want to both stand out and stand for something!

Our platform, The Sustainable Hotel, provides a roadmap for hotels keen to change the way they do business for a more sustainable future through tools, guides and services. 

The first step for interested boutique hoteliers is to register for The Sustainable Hotel newsletter. After all, if you’re serious about “being the change you want to see in the world,” the way forward is to join the many other businesses who have placed their trust in MAp to transform their sustainability approach (both internally and externally) and to promote their achievements.

Let’s do great things together and spread the word!

Websites are such an important hotel sales and marketing tool – especially when it comes to bringing your hotel’s unique story to life, capturing the attention of your target audience and driving bookings. Think of them as your face to the world, as often your hotel website is the first impression you make on potential guests. And, as they say, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Hence, why you need a d*mn good hotel website!

With such helpful tools on the market and agencies that can MAke them happen, developing and running a hotel website is more accessible and cheaper than ever. In fact, through our sister agency or never, which offers affordable, inclusive and beautiful plug and play website starter kits, we can do this all for you – it’s really as simple as that!

So if you’ve been waiting for a sign to revamp your hotel website, consider it this blog post! And to guide the way, we’ve MApped out all our hotel website marketing tips to boost your bookings.

#1. Align with your hotel concept

No one likes a boring website chock full of hotel sales messages. Instead, it’s important to align with your hotel concept by communicating your unique storytelling hook and USPs. This is how you appeal to the emotions of your hotel website visitors and compel them to book with you.

#2. Make it beautiful

Your hotel’s concept should be underpinned by distinctive (and attractive!) hotel imagery and videos. For example, if your hotel concept centres on being a lifestyle hotel, your imagery and videos should be fun, dynamic and alive with people. A luxury hotel, on the other hand, should feature more refined media. Check out the work of our partner Piquant Production to see what we mean!

#3. Incorporate clear CTAs

Call-to-actions (CTAs) prompt website visitors to take a certain action, and for your hotel website the CTA should be obvious: BOOK NOW! When it comes to CTAs, follow these guidelines: tell visitors exactly what to do, start with a verb (BOOK), create a sense of urgency (NOW!), make the CTA button stand out prominently, and be consistent (one CTA throughout website).

#4. Promote direct bookings

Your hotel website is an important arm for your hotel sales, so in order to drive hotel bookings there needs to be a place to book! Your CTAs should lead directly to a website booking engine that is easy and quick to use. And don’t forget – promote the benefits of booking direct, such as cheapest guaranteed price, free breakfast, welcome package, and other freebies/perks.

#5. Highlight your hotel's Purpose

Consumers want to buy with purpose-driven brands. For that reason, it’s important to ensure that not only everything on your website furthers and supports your hotel’s Purpose, but that it is consistently communicated throughout so as to connect with those value-driven consumers.

#6. Tailor your messaging

When it comes to your hotel website’s copy, put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. To do this, you have to know them, the benefits they’re looking for and the problems they have – which only your hotel can solve. With that in mind, the messaging should be less about what YOU offer and more about what THEY experience staying at your hotel. You are selling emotions!

#7. Include hotel packages + offers

Everyone likes a good deal, so be sure to highlight your current hotel packages and offerings directly on your homepage as well as on a dedicated page. This is a critical way of boosting your hotel sales.

#8. Capture leads

They may not book with you today, but that doesn’t mean they’ll never book with you. That’s why it’s important to capture leads and nurture relationships with the goal to increase those conversions. The best way to do that is by collecting emails for your newsletter, but you could also consider creating downloadable destination guides that visitors receive in return for submitting their contact information.

#9. Spotlight sustainability

Sustainability matters – especially for hotel guests. They want to see you care about people and planet. If you have sustainable measures in place at your hotel, dedicate space to what those are, and touch on your sustainability practices wherever possible. Again, this builds emotional connection with your audience.

#10. Maintain + optimise

On a monthly basis, check your website analytics to see what is working and what is not working, and based on those insights, test and refine as necessary to improve your hotel website’s performance. And while you’re at it, switch up your photos, videos and content in order to keep it fresh and interesting. There’s nothing worse than a hotel website that is tired or stale!

If your hotel website is out-of-date or performing poorly, you are really missing out an effective hotel sales and marketing tool that drives bookings and gets you noticed. So are you ready to make a change? Then be sure to follow our hotel website marketing tips to create a well-optimised website that delivers real results.

And, if you need help creating a beautiful, standout website for your hotel, just drop us a mail.

It is important to keep in mind that for hoteliers, and business leaders across all industries, the stages of this crisis closely mimic the stages of growth.

Comfort Zone: Only months ago, many of us blissfully sat in a heightened state of control and security. While no doubt it felt nice, the reality is: for many hoteliers there was no push to refine, innovate, strengthen, evolve and grow.

Fear Zone: And then the rug got pulled out from under us. As you can follow in the graphic, we went from the safety and surety of our Comfort Zone to total fear and unknown. We felt discouragement, a lack of confidence, increased pressure and a whole lot of panic as we looked to the future only to be met by grim forecasts and somber statistics. 

Learning Zone: We’ve been forced to stop and think. The initial shock and associated confusion and uncertainty about the extent of this crisis is slowly making way to a better understanding of the implications and opportunities. 

Growth Zone: With those in mind, and certain steps taken, hoteliers can reach the point of growth – taking your hotels back off the ground and back on the path for long-term success. So that when the world starts moving again – and it will – your hotel reemerges stronger and more resilient than ever, with new purpose and perspective.

In this crisis, both people and companies show their true colours. While some are able to find the courage and strength to innovate, plan and act long-term, others struggle to find motivation and new perspective. Here we present opportunities to get you on the path to success, starting at the Learning Zone to the Growth Zone and beyond! 

Learning Zone: Acting now on what we already know

Let’s start with what we know. During this Great Pause, people across the world have had the chance to reflect and reassess their priorities. They have different motivations, expectations and needs than they did before, and they’ll put more effort into researching those hotels that tick all their boxes. We are seeing a collective shift in appreciating life’s fundamental values - like health, human connection, hygiene - and this has impacted how and why people travel. 

Experts agree that we’ll see a rise in the following trends (= opportunities for you):

1. Radical Localism: We know that in the weeks and months after lockdowns are lifted, those with itchy feet will set out and experience the surrounding world in earnest with an absolute focus on localism - supporting one’s local businesses more in order to benefit business owners and the wider community. With the shift toward radical localism comes a shift in who your target audience is:

• Define the local buyer persona and determine the right products, promotions and offers.
• Adjust your sales and marketing activities in order to accommodate new channels, new messages and new offerings tailored to your new target audience. 
• Create staycation packages and perks aimed at those looking for relaxation than exploration (think free parking, spa credits, late check-out, etc.).
• Organise and support community give-back initiatives that guests can participate in.

2. Health, safety and quality: Hygiene practices and cleanliness will continue being of great concern, and motivating factors for travellers as they decide where they want to stay. Therefore, position your hotel as a safe haven committed to guests’ physical and mental wellbeing.

• Provide COVID-19-friendly products like hand sanitizer and face masks. Remember, there are many kind and cool brands out there that produce them and give back to their communities as well.
• Adjust your product and services and shift e.g. to in-room dining, with a focus on healthy and sustainable foods.
• Be empathetic and compassionate to people’s mindsets and put them at ease/diminish their fears. Be open and transparent about the new sanitation procedures you have put in place. 
• Give more visibility of the cleaning staff on site and in social media - they are on the front lines to protect guests’ health.

3. Human connection and authentic experiences: After being isolated in our homes, this longing for connection, togetherness and collective experiences will be stronger than ever.Therefore, be sure to put care and empathy at the heart of everything you do.

• Make staying in touch with guests a priority, communicate regularly and openly.
• Make guests feel at home by providing personalised care packages and products in their rooms.
• More than ever, create packages and experiences that are authentic, immersive and unique – and that people can’t find elsewhere.

4. Sanctuaries of peace: This pandemic has instilled fear and stress. When people travel again, it will be to remove themselves from this reality and toward calm, peace, quiet, balance. 

• Build out your wellness offerings and create spaces where guests can enjoy moments of peace and silence.
• Offer courses or experiences that connect guests with themselves and their loved ones.
• Make it as easy as possible for guests to explore natural and peaceful surroundings, e.g. through organising private excursions and experiences.

It’s important that you capitalise on the above opportunities, define your new target audience, adjust your product and services as well as sharpen your sales and marketing in order to be competitive and successful in the new world. 

Growth Zone: Bouncing back with new purpose and perspective

“Resilience is all about being able to overcome the unexpected.
Sustainability is about survival. The goal of resilience is to thrive.”
Jamais Cascio

So you’ve conquered the Learning Zone. Welcome to the Growth Zone – where real, long-term success happens. Here is where you look inward to refresh your purpose and perspective, and project that out into the world. 

Why do we at MA people emphasise long-term? Because what we are learning is that tomorrow is not yesterday, and only those hotels built for resilience will survive. As a boutique and independent hotelier, we recommend you grab this opportunity to define your purpose, discover new perspective and differentiate your hotel from your chain hotel competitors in order emerge even stronger once this crisis has passed.

1. Find purpose and vision
Businesses and people with purpose and vision are much more successful and resilient than those without. Why? Because these businesses have a reason to exist beyond profit. There’s a clear WHY driving them toward their goals, motivating employees and resonating with guests. What does this mean for your boutique and independent hotel? No more finding excuses, but instead, finding purpose and vision.

• Define what the purpose of your hotel is beyond profit. What’s going to drive you and your people in the future? What’s going to attract the new generation of value-driven travellers?
• Review your long-term goals. Do they reflect your purpose and add to your business’ ability to thrive?
• Work together with your team on determining your future vision and strategy. Because at MA people we find that purpose and people drive profit. 

2. Position yourself clearly in the market
Once you have found your new perspective, start positioning yourself clearly in the market. In the post-COVID-19 world, people will be more considerate about how they spend their money and to whom they give their money.Travellers will interact only with hotels with which they share similar values, specifically those led by a bigger purpose (we know, a bit repetitive, but believe us – it’s true!). There will be an increased focus on sustainability, social impact and supporting destinations that need the help.

• Create connections with travellers on an emotional level through your sales and communication activities.
• Align messaging with your central purpose and create stories that highlight your uniqueness.
• Develop guest experiences, products and services that tie back to your purpose and add real value to the lives of your guests.

In this new world, we expect less of a cookie-cutter travel mentality; that travellers will no longer want to stay in huge, impersonal hotels but rather invest their time and money in supporting boutique accommodation that combine purpose with caring for people and the planet. 

Therefore, there is great hope for our hotelier friends! But take heed – it is only the hotels that are purposeful, authentic, transparent and empathetic to guests’ health, well being and emotional needs that will be the true winners. 

We are available remotely during this difficult time to advance you to the Growth Zone, by providing strategic planning, smart solutions and expert advice. We are happy to offer a helping hand.