Are you ready for the summer season?

Local councils are already putting the Christmas decorations up, supermarkets have released their Christmas ham ranges, our inboxes are being inundated with festive holiday themed content and bookings - yes, you now must book - have opened to have a photo with Santa.

The countdown to the Christmas and New Year summer holiday period has officially begun and now is a great time to double-check that you are ready for the summer rush.

If you traditionally support a local charity – whether it is financial, providing the complimentary use of a meeting space for their events or the volunteering of time – please do not be afraid to promote this across your marketing channels. In the research phase, your current and future guests are not only looking at a businesses’ sustainability initiatives but also look favourably upon how they engage with and support the local community.

It is not too late to ensure you are ready for the festive season and to help, we have put together our checklist for you to tick off.

• Are you open or closed to arrivals on the major holidays of Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day – and have you updated your channel management system to reflect this?

o If you are closed, do you offer an express check-out if guests wish to depart on any of these days?

• Will your hours of operation change throughout the holiday season. If your property features a restaurant, will this be open as normal or will you be offering reduced service times and a limited menu.

o Have you communicated this information to your guests and updated your website, Google Business Listing, and any third-party sales channels on which you are listed.

• To minimise your housekeeping labour over a period filled with weekend and public holiday surcharges, are you implementing a longer minimum stay than you would normally to extend length of stay and minimise your staffing costs?

o Alternatively, if you offer daily servicing, have you considered creating a special package of a three or four-night stay with no daily housekeeping at a slightly reduced rate?

• Have you reviewed your minimum length of stay during the holiday period – this is a time where many people are looking to stop and stay longer.

o If you traditionally have a two-night stay in place, increase it to a three-night stay and ease the pressure on your team.

• If you have a restaurant onsite, will you be offering a lunch or dinner event on Christmas Day that your guests can book to attend.

o Are these details up on your website and communicated the details to your guests already booked?

o Is the event bookable online?

o Are you promoting the event through your social media platforms and set up a Facebook event with booking links.

If the summer holiday period is traditionally quiet for your hotel, it presents a fantastic opportunity to encourage staff to take leave and is also a good time to schedule your spring-cleaning programme.

If you continue to open during this period and would like to encourage more business, you can:

• Consider creating a special ‘book now, stay later’ offer to develop some base business. This can be value added with exclusive offers that your quieter occupancy levels enable you to deliver:

o An early check-in or later departure.

o Complimentary daily breakfast or upgrade from continental to full.

o If you do not have a restaurant, consider partnering with a local café and provide a voucher that guests can redeem there.

o A welcome bottle of local wine.

o Include a house credit that can be used for food and beverage and guest amenities that have a cost associated with them.

And, while we have been focusing on the festive season, do not forget that Australia Day and Chinese New Year are not that far away. With a long weekend for Australia Day and Chinese New Year falling on January 29 in 2025, it is going to be a busy time for many.