Which Local Events Are Worth Targeting?
Find and Track Upcoming Local Events
Start by creating a shortlist of events near your property. These could include festivals, concerts, sports events, conferences, exhibitions, markets and university events.
You can find them through:
- Local tourism and council websites
- Venue and organiser websites
- Ticket websites
- Local news and Facebook groups
- Universities and sports clubs
- Information from previous guests
For now, record the event’s name, dates and location. You are not deciding to target every event. You are creating a list of opportunities to assess.
Estimate the Accommodation Demand
You’ve found several local events, but not all of them will lead to accommodation bookings.
For example, a business networking event may attract 500 people, but if it lasts one afternoon and mainly attracts local businesses, few attendees may need somewhere to stay.
A three-day industry conference may attract a similar number of people, but attendees travelling from across the country could need accommodation for several nights.
Don’t judge an event by attendance numbers alone. Find out where attendees come from, how long the event lasts and whether they are likely to stay overnight.
Does Your Property Suit the Event’s Audience?
You’ve found an event likely to bring overnight visitors. Now consider whether your property suits the people attending it.
Check the event’s website and social media pages to see who usually attends and what they may need from their accommodation.
For example, people attending a cycling event may value secure bike storage and somewhere to dry wet clothing. Offering these could make your property more appealing than accommodation that is slightly closer.
Focus on events where your property is a good match for the people attending.
Is Your Property Close Enough to the Event?
Guests must be able to reach the event easily. EventHost suggests that most attendees look for accommodation within one or two miles of the venue, with a five-to-ten-minute walk being ideal.
Some guests will stay further away if there is a direct shuttle, reliable public transport or convenient parking.
Check:
- Walking time and route
- Public transport and finishing times
- Taxi availability after the event
- Parking, traffic and road closures
When promoting your property, give the actual journey time. “A ten-minute walk from the venue” is more useful than saying it is nearby.
Put Your Accommodation in Front of Event Attendees
Create a Page for the Event
Create a page for people looking for somewhere to stay while attending the event. For example, you could target “large cottage near [event]”.
Include the details guests will want to know:
- How far you are from the event
- How they can get there
- Parking and useful facilities
- Availability and how to book
Publish the page before attendees start booking accommodation.
Your main property pages should also state where the property is and who it suits. For example, “family holiday cottage near York” or “group accommodation in the Cotswolds”. This can help people find you for the event and throughout the year.
Answer Questions Event Attendees May Search For
Not everyone begins by searching for accommodation. Some first look for places to eat near the venue or things to do in the area.
Create guides that answer these questions, such as:
- “Where to eat near [venue]”
- “Things to do in [location] during your stay”
- “How to spend an extra day in [location]”
Use your local knowledge and first-hand experience. Share details visitors may not find elsewhere, such as where to park, when a place is quietest or whether it suits families.
Link each guide to your accommodation with a clear next step, such as: “Visiting the area? View our nearby accommodation and check availability.”
Use Your Google Business Profile, If Eligible
First, check whether your business is eligible. Google does not allow profiles for individual holiday homes, although a genuine booking or management office may qualify.
If eligible, add your website, booking link, contact details, photos and location. You can also publish an update or offer for event attendees, linking to your availability or event page.
Keep the profile updated throughout the year to help other visitors find your business.
Check Google’s eligibility guidelines before creating a profile.
Use Social Media to Reach Event Attendees
Social media can help attendees discover your accommodation, although results depend on your audience and following.
Share useful event information alongside details about your property and availability. Short videos and Reels can reach people who do not follow you, although reach is not guaranteed.
Include the event’s name, location and a relevant hashtag, and tag the organiser when appropriate. Focus on the platforms used by the event’s audience. For example, LinkedIn may suit a business conference, while Instagram may be more useful for a music festival.
Use Paid Advertising to Reach Potential Attendees
Google Search ads can reach people searching for phrases such as “accommodation near [event]”. Social media platforms may let you target by location and interests, although the event itself may not be a targeting option.
Whether it is worthwhile depends on the booking value, your profit margin and the cost of gaining a guest. Set a test budget and track the enquiries and bookings.
For Google Ads, choose keywords and match types carefully. Check which searches trigger your ads and exclude unrelated ones. Automated bidding needs suitable goals, reliable tracking and sensible budget controls.
Work With Event Organisers and Venues
Contact the organiser or venue and ask how they help attendees find accommodation. They may list nearby properties, have an official accommodation partner or need somewhere to send guests when their preferred accommodation is full.
Explain why your property suits their attendees, including its location, capacity and useful facilities. You could offer to promote the event through your website and social media.
We arranged this for one of our clients when a local event could not accommodate everyone on-site. The organiser referred the remaining attendees to our client’s nearby accommodation, creating bookings for the property while solving a problem for the event.
Partner With Relevant Local Businesses
Look for local businesses that serve the same event audience. This could include restaurants taking advance bookings, equipment-hire companies, clubs or specialist shops.
Agree on a simple way to recommend each other through social media, email, website content or direct referrals.
For example, a bike shop could recommend your property to people attending a cycling event, while you recommend the shop to guests needing equipment or repairs.
Choose partners because they reach the right people, not simply because they are local. Give them a clear page or booking link and track the enquiries or bookings it produces.
Optimise Your Website for Enquiries and Bookings
Make Your Website Easy to Navigate
After discovering your accommodation, attendees may visit your website to find out more. They should not have to guess where each link leads.
Keep your main menu simple and use clear labels such as “Our Properties”, “Location” and “Contact”. Avoid clever or unclear labels.
Check that every link works and leads to the correct page, including on mobile.
Structure Pages for Readability
Once someone reaches a page, they should be able to find the important information quickly.
Use clear headings, short paragraphs and lists. Put the details guests are most likely to need near the top.
For example, show amenities in a simple list with clear icons and labels rather than hiding them inside a 400-word paragraph.
Make details such as capacity, bedroom layout, facilities and location easy to find.
Use a Design That Builds Trust
We often hear holiday rental businesses say, “We have a website, but we don’t get any bookings from it.” An outdated design is sometimes part of the problem.
Travellers may compare several accommodation websites before deciding where to stay. A website that looks neglected can weaken trust in the business, even when the property itself is well maintained.
You do not need to follow every design trend. The website should look professional, reflect your accommodation and appeal to the guests you want to attract.
Use High-Quality Photos and Videos
Guests want to see exactly where they will be staying. Dark, blurry or poorly framed images can make even a good property look unappealing.
Use clear, well-lit photos that accurately show every room, the property’s layout and its main facilities. Include features that matter to the event audience, such as bike storage for a cycling event or shared spaces for groups.
Video can help guests understand the layout. Show the accommodation at its best without making it look different from what guests will find.
Match Calls to Action to the Page
Do not cover every page with “Book now” buttons. Give visitors a clear next step based on why they are on that page.
Someone viewing a property or event page may be ready to “Check availability” or “Book now”. Someone reading a local guide may be more likely to “View nearby accommodation” or download a useful guide.
Give visitors the option to ask a question, particularly for larger or more expensive stays where they may need reassurance.
Keep the main action clear and avoid competing buttons. If you collect an email address, explain what the person will receive and obtain the correct consent before sending marketing.
Simplify the Enquiry and Booking Process
Only ask guests for the information you need at that stage. For example, an initial enquiry does not normally need their home address or arrival time.
Make available dates easy to find and show the full price, including mandatory fees, as early as possible.
Test the enquiry and booking process yourself, particularly on a phone. Remove steps and fields that can wait until after the enquiry or booking.
Show Guests They Can Trust You
Guests booking directly need to know the property and business are genuine.
Show recent reviews and star ratings, along with awards, professional memberships or respected media mentions. Where possible, link to the original source.
If you are an independent or family-run business, show who is behind it through names, photos, your story and clear contact details. You could also offer a phone or video call for larger bookings.
Only display genuine reviews and accurate star ratings. If a review was rewarded or encouraged with an offer, this must be made clear.
How Should You Price Your Property for a Local Event?
Check Your Pricing Tool
Check whether PriceLabs or your chosen pricing tool has increased its suggested rate for the event dates. Smaller or newly announced events may not be recognised, so you may need to adjust the price yourself.
Set a minimum price you are willing to accept and review any automatic discounts that could reduce the event rate.
Compare the Right Properties
Search as if you were a guest, using the event dates, number of guests and likely length of stay. Compare the total price of properties with a similar size, quality and distance from the event.
Look at properties that are already booked as well as those still available where your pricing tool allows it. If you only check what remains, you may miss the properties that offered the best value and booked first.
Set a Price That Is Worthwhile
Start with a price that covers your costs and provides a worthwhile return. Then consider demand, your suitability for attendees and what else guests could book.
Check how your direct price compares with the total price shown for your property on OTAs. Once a guest books, honour the agreed price rather than cancelling and relisting because demand later increases.
Review Your Price at the Right Time
Consider when attendees usually book. Remaining available six months before the event may be normal, while availability two weeks beforehand may show your price is too high.
If suitable accommodation is filling quickly, you may be able to raise your rate. If it remains available as the normal booking period closes, reduce your price gradually rather than making a sudden large cut.
Also review the nights before and after the event. Pricing every night at the highest event rate could discourage guests who want to arrive early or stay longer.
Turn Event Guests Into Future Direct Bookings
Invite Suitable Guests to Keep in Touch
Invite guests you would be happy to host again to follow you on social media or join your email list.
You can promote this through your welcome guide, printed materials or QR codes inside the property. Tools such as StayFi can also collect contact details when guests connect to the WiFi, including from people who did not make the booking.
Record which property they stayed at and the event they attended. This helps you send relevant information rather than the same message to everyone.
Be clear about what guests are signing up for and make it easy to unsubscribe. Do not add people to your marketing list just because they used the WiFi.
Invite Guests Back to Explore the Area
Guests visiting for an event may spend most of their stay at the venue and have little time to explore the area.
Give them a clear reason to return. This could be a quieter break at another time of year, a longer stay with family or friends, or more time to explore the local area.
Think about why they might return. A couple who stayed for a concert may want a weekend break, while a conference guest may return with their family.
Invite Guests Back for Next Year’s Event
If the event happens regularly, record which guests attended and when they originally booked.
Contact guests who have agreed to hear from you when the next dates are announced or when you open your availability. Include the dates, suitable properties and any benefit you offer returning guests.
Do not wait until just before the event. Contact them around the time people normally start booking accommodation.
