Creating Experiential Content for Resort Marketing — Photo by Vikara Events

Social media has changed the game in resort marketing, but it remains a confusing and misunderstood medium. Words like Followers and Engagement get thrown around, but how does one go about making real connections with their target demographic?

The active Millennial traveler has an endless number of social media accounts all vying for their attention. So static photos of lobbies and hotel rooms probably aren't going to cut it.

Dynamic images and videos, helping them experience what it would feel like to spend time at your resort, are going to foster a much deeper level of interest and engagement.

But where do you find those images and videos? You can pay influencers to stay at your property and to create posts and stories. But it's a very hit or miss proposition and just because they are being compensated doesn't mean that they have a true passion for your resort. We know that Millennials and a big swath of baby boomers are passionate about fitness, yoga, and living a healthy lifestyle.

As a result, the boutique fitness industry is booming, and these fitness and yoga studios provide a sense of community that this highly mobile demographic is searching for.

https://insider.fitt.co/boutique-fitness-boom-numbers-statistics/.

Producing a wellness event or series of events can tap into this desire for community and draw hundreds of social media savvy Millennials to your property. Their posts and stories will generate a ripple effect that spreads well beyond the event itself.

What does a wellness event look like? They can be either multi-day/night, single day/night, or a series such as four consecutive Friday evenings. The multi-day/night format will bring in participants from out of town and sell rooms. Single-day or evening events will bring in a local audience. A wellness event can include outdoor fitness and yoga classes as well as culinary demonstrations, wellness coaching, personal development workshops, and pool parties.

The key is to customize the event to connect with your target audience and to showcase your property's assets and amenities. The other key is to have buy-in from Marketing, Operations, and Management. Since the resort is in effect the client, in this case, everyone has to see the long term benefits and value in hosting a wellness event. For example, after our most recent Friday evening series at the Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows, they saw an increase of over 400 Instagram Followers, as well as additional staycations, and event bookings. A large wellness event is a perfect way to introduce a Millennial audience to your resort's amenities, allowing them to experience the property and determine that it is the perfect venue for their wedding or corporate event.

Creating an annual or biannual branded wellness event is a proactive approach to building a large and engaged social media presence. It's putting the "social" into your media buy. It allows you to create the narrative and to curate experiences that lead to more direct bookings. Last but not least, these events are high energy and fun for your guests and offer your team the opportunity to demonstrate their joy and passion for the hospitality industry.

Jim McGuire
Founder of Vikara Events
Vikara Events