How Hospitality Companies in Canada Can Improve Email Engagement

An upscale hotel in Toronto sends a well-designed promotion email with gorgeous images and a great discount. But rather than high open rates, all they receive is. Zero interaction. What happened? Email marketing for the hospitality industry is not about sending, it's about sending to the right inbox with the right message. 

But how do Canadian hospitality businesses get noticed through all the digital clutter? The trick is hospitality audience targeting, savvy Canada email campaigns, and optimizing for high open rates.

Hospitality Audience Targeting: Know Thy Guest

You wouldn't send a honeymoon promotion to a solo business traveler, would you? And still, most hospitality businesses fire off bland emails hoping something sticks. This is where audience targeting for the hospitality industry may help.

• Personalized promotions are a favorite among luxury travelers.

• Pre-arrival incentive perks are a favorite among frequent business travelers.

• Experience-driven communications are more effective with adventure seekers.

• Packages that incorporate kid-friendly activities are popular with families.

• Solo travelers tend to react to networking opportunities or promotions on local tours.

Learn from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in Canada. They use historical guest behavior to craft hyper-personalized campaigns, which results in, you guessed it, high open rates.

Case Study: How Fairmont Boosts Engagement

Fairmont discovered that repeat visitors were most likely to open emails with customized experiences. By implementing a combination of hospitality audience targeting and AI-powered recommendations, they achieved a 23% boost in email engagement!

Canada Email Strategies

Send out an honest generic "Book Now" email? Very boring. Smart Canadian email strategies ensure that their content is engaging, relevant, and totally irresistible to click upon.

Winning Strategies for Hospitality Emails:

✔ Subject Lines That Spark Curiosity-"Guess What Awaits You in Vancouver?" 

✔ Mobile-Friendly Design-70 percent of emails are opened on mobile. If it looks like your email is from 2005, just forget conversion! 

✔ Talking Local-The Toronto resort should write about events in town, not a skiing trip in Whistler. 

✔ Interactive Content-Allowing people to participate in polls or quizzes or to have clickable itineraries increases engagement. 

✔ Loyalty Rewards-Give subscribers exclusive perks that will keep them opening and engaging in emails.

In a brilliant manner, Marriott Canada uses geo-targeting and tailored promotions that make every email like it was written solely for the recipient. 

Real-World Example: The Marriott Personalized Email Strategy

For example, Marriott Canada embedded real-time weather reports in their emails. Whenever it snows in Calgary, these guests receive offers for cozy indoor spa packages. Such a cool Canada email idea brought about a 30% increase in email CTR!

High Open Rates: The Holy Grail of Email Marketing

If no one opens your email, does it even exist? Increasing high open rates is the foundation of successful hospitality marketing.

How to Make Guests Click (And Not Ignore!)

• Personalization Beyond "Hey, [First Name]": Offer discounts based on past stays.

• Scarcity & Urgency: "Last 5 Rooms Left for the Long Weekend!"

• A/B Testing: Experiment with subject lines, sending times, and CTA placements.

• Engaging Preheaders: Your first line of text matters. "You deserve a break – here's a special offer!"

• Timing Optimization: Send emails when customers are most likely to open them, like lunchtime or early mornings.

Airbnb Canada boosts high open rates by sending emails at peak travel planning times because who doesn’t dream of a weekend getaway on a Monday morning?

Conclusion

For some who think social media is the king, but here's the reality: Email marketing generates an ROI of $42 for each $1 invested. Canadian hospitality companies that overlook email engagement are leaving profits on the table.

What’s your take? Are you team hospitality audience targeting or team "Just send them all"?

FAQ

How often should hospitality companies send emails?

Consistency is key! Aim for 1-2 emails per month to keep guests engaged without overwhelming them. If you have seasonal promotions, increase the frequency temporarily.

For high open rates, when is the optimum time to send hospitality emails?

Since people check their inboxes before beginning their workday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings are the most productive. However, testing different times is crucial since audience behavior varies.

How can hospitality businesses in Canada personalize email content?

Use hospitality audience targeting with past booking data, location-based offers, and guest preferences to create highly relevant emails. Open rates might rise by as much as 50% with personalization.

How can emails be prevented from ending up in spam?

• Use a domain that has been validated.

• Avoid the excessive use of ALL CAPS or spam phrases like “FREE!!!”.

• And also ensure that your recipients have opted in to receive your emails. 

• Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers.

Should hospitality emails include images or just text?

A mix of both works best! While attention is drawn to visually appealing visuals, content should be clear and educational. Make sure the images are suited for quick loading times.