Ah, revenue management—the art of finding the perfect guest, setting the right price, and maximizing profitability. Sounds a lot like true love, right?
We all dream of that one perfect customer—the guest who values our product, books direct, pays top dollar, and stays loyal forever. The one we’re “meant to be with.”
But let’s be honest. Relying on one type of guest is like expecting one person to fulfill every single need in life. And just like in love, sometimes we need to diversify.
The Reality: Love Alone Doesn’t Pay the Bills
Let’s break it down. If hotels only catered to their ideal customer, they’d be in trouble. Because what happens during low season? During last-minute cancellations? During demand shifts?
That’s when we move from soulmate strategy to… well, a more flexible approach.
The True Love (Loyal Guests & Perfect Fit Segments)
These are your repeat customers, corporate accounts, high-spenders.
They love you, you love them: it’s stable, predictable, and long-term.
But even soulmates aren’t always available.
They might be busy, distracted, or taking a break (ouch).
The One-Night Stand (Last-Minute Discounts & Flash Sales)
Short, intense, and purely transactional.
Fills the gaps when you need immediate occupancy.
Fun in the moment, but do you really want them long-term?
The Flings (Seasonal Promotions & Tour Groups)
Exciting, profitable, and helpful in need periods.
Maybe not your ideal guest, but hey: they pay the bills.
Can be messy (bulk bookings, lower rates), but better than an empty bed.
The Dating Pool (Dynamic Segmentation & Multi-Market Approach)
You’re keeping your options open.
Testing different segments (business, leisure, international, local).
Seeing who works best long-term, while still optimizing short-term needs.
Polyamory (Multiple Strategies at Once)
The ultimate revenue play: balancing high-value guests, transient bookings, and strategic segmentation.
You’re not relying on just one guest type to make your business work.
Everyone gets attention, and everyone plays a role.
Love Isn’t Always Enough—Neither is One Strategy
If we’ve learned anything from relationships (and revenue management), it’s this:
Commitment is great, but flexibility keeps things interesting.
📉 Relying too much on one guest type? You’ll end up desperate during need periods.
📈 Chasing short-term wins only? You’ll never build long-term profitability.
Don’t Get Stuck in the “Forever Fantasy”
Hotels fall into the true love trap all the time:
💔 “We only want direct business!”(Cool, but are you filling your off-peak nights?)
💔 “We don’t do discounts.”(Sure, but are you converting demand effectively?)
💔 “Our brand only caters to XYZ guests.” (That’s cute—until occupancy drops.)
The best revenue managers?
They commit to the right relationships but aren’t afraid to date around.
Takeaways for Smarter Revenue Love Life:
Love might be forever, but a hotel still has bills to pay.
Love,
Fabi ❤️
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Revenue Management
