Spooky season is fast approaching, which means it’s time for hotel marketers to tailor their event offerings to embrace the spirit of Halloween. At Coombe Abbey, a historic hotel nestled in the scenic Warwickshire countryside in England, the team has perfectly captured the essence of Halloween to take full advantage of the celebrations.

Focusing on its distinctive heritage, the 12th-century establishment presents its guests two spine-chilling choices of parties: The Haunted Halloween Tea and The Gunpowder Gala. Stepping aside from the usual trick-or-treats, Coombe Abbey goes the extra mile by offering a fully immersive medieval horror experience while simultaneously boosting their direct revenue. 

Let’s take a closer look at the hotel’s inspiring direct channel strategy that is effectively driving higher website conversion rates and welcoming more guests throughout the Halloween festivities.

Capitalize on growing demand during key calendar dates

As people indulge in dressing up, pumpkin carving, and eating enough candy to guarantee a sweet stomach ache, it’s no surprise that an increasing number of hotels are incorporating Halloween into their marketing strategies. More and more hoteliers are leveraging key calendar dates in marketing, a strategy known as Dayketing. This term, a fusion of the words “day” and “marketing”, describes the marketing approach that harnesses specific calendar dates to reinforce brand identity, generate engagement, and ultimately increase revenue. 

Focusing on holidays such as Halloween is crucial for hotels as it offers a unique opportunity to tap into seasonal excitement and create memorable guest experiences, starting on the direct channel. Effective Dayketing not only boosts occupancy by attracting visitors seeking themed accommodations and festivities, but also enhances a hotel's brand image, setting it apart from competitors. Coombe Abbey serves as a prime example of this.

Stay loyal to your branding, with a seasonal twist

Coombe Abbey has successfully crafted a unique Halloween event that not only provides a real competitive advantage during this haunted holiday, but also stays true to their brand image while promoting the authenticity of their historic property. Dating back to 1150 and meticulously renovated, the property prides itself as a hotel like no other, steeped in rich history. The establishment has counted Monks and Royals amongst its inhabitants throughout the centuries, and even played a role in the Gunpowder Plot, the historic event behind the UK’s famous Bonfire Night. 

The latter has inspired this year’s Gunpowder Gala, featuring a four-course banquet and a full-stage show reenacting the pivotal event. This “no ordinary” hotel is using this reception as a stepping stone to showcase its unique historical heritage. Coombe Abbey’s Haunted Halloween Afternoon Tea also stands out from typical events, setting the property apart by offering a ghoulish tea feast accompanied by storytelling about the eerie tales that unfolded on the Coombe property. By proposing a complete stay as part of the whole experience, Coombe Abbey has ingeniously devised a strategy to encourage visitors to book directly.

Coombe Abbey’s Gunpowder Gala entertainment

Personalize the online experience to your users’ needs

Today’s travelers have come to expect a user journey tailored to their preferences. Personalizing the experience of navigating a hotel website is essential for creating a more engaging and relevant interaction, and ultimately increasing the likelihood of direct conversions. Holidays like Halloween provide a unique moment to get creative with your website communication strategies and campaigns. Need some inspiration? Here are five ways to help you get spooky with your direct channel strategy!

Coombe Abbey’s commitment to creating enduring memories for their guests doesn’t stop at Halloween. Their “inspiration” section featured on their website demonstrates their grasp of the importance of personalization through customized experiences. With five distinct categories encompassing Stay, Eat & drink, Venue, What’s On, and Activities, the hotel cleverly provides users with the opportunity to refine their search based on the desired category or specific seasons and dates. Whether online visitors indicate they’re looking for something family friendly, luxurious amenities, or budget-conscious choices, Coombe Abbey has them covered. 

Coombe Abbey’s inspirational search

Make the most of your marketing initiatives

Creative events like the Coombe Abbey’s Haunted Halloween Tea and Gunpowder Gala are the perfect instruments to attract visitors during times of seasonal excitement, but are you maximizing the reach of your communication to ensure word gets out? Harnessing the power of social media to promote hotel events is essential, enabling hotels to inform and interact with potential visitors. Each social media post contributes to a broader audience reach, increased engagement, and more direct channel traffic to convert. This approach not only boosts the number of reservations, but turns every digital interaction into a captivating brand experience that resonates with potential guests.

Coombe Abbey’s Halloween event promotion on social media

Coombe Abbey’s tactics exemplify the power of personalization and unique guest experiences as ways to attract more potential guests to book directly on the hotel website. The Halloween season is a period that your marketing team should not overlook, as it presents a great opportunity to think outside the box about what your property has to offer and stand out from the competition. No tricks necessary, get inspired and treat your visitors to a tailored website experience.