4 creative holiday email campaigns to inspire you this season

See some real-life holiday email marketing examples from Revinate’s customers

Eager to improve your email marketing ROI? Download our guide, “The basics of hotel email marketing,” to find out how to plan and execute effective campaigns.

The holidays are almost  here. And while some travelers are thinking about vacations far in the future now that most countries have lifted their pandemic restrictions, many people are thinking about taking last-minute trips.

It’s true. According to a research from Expedia, traveler search windows between 0 and 90 days increased by more than 5% globally during 2022. On top of that, most consumers (53%) feel comfortable booking travel less than 1 month in advance. 

This is good news for hoteliers. And now is the perfect time for you to start sending email promotions. Need some help getting started? Check out these 4 holiday email campaign examples sent by Revinate’s global customers from last year’s holiday season. They could help you spark an idea for your own holiday email campaign.

1. The Edgewater

• Subject line: Happy Holidays from The Edgewater
• Segments:
  • Past guests from the last 3 years, excluding OTA
  • Website sign-ups
  • Opt-ins
  • Seed list
• Open rate: 28.3%
• Reservations: 15

Why do we love this holiday email campaign?

This is an example of a simple, yet effective way to get more eyeballs on your holiday email campaign. 

The Edgewater sent a campaign to wish their audiences, including guests who have stayed with them within the last 3 years, a happy holiday season. They also included a call-to-action (CTA) that featured packages tailored to the seasons. The result was 15 reservations from this campaign alone.

2. L’Auberge Del Mar

• Subject line: Join us for a New Year’s Eve celebration
• Segments:
  • Locals in 150 miles, excluding OTA
  • F&B
  • Web opt-ins
  • Corporate seed list
  • Interested in promotion: dining
• Open rate: 32.3%
• Reservations: 19

Why do we love this holiday email campaign?

Always reach out to the locals because they’re often eager for a fun staycation. This campaign example from L’Auberge Del Mar gave them a chance to reserve some last-minute New Year’s offers that allowed them to enjoy the night without needing to travel far. 

L’Auberge Del Mar thought of everything: dinner and a nice table for the rest of the evening, a DJ and photobooth in the bar area, and a relaxing stay at their property to kick off the year. There really was something for everyone.

3. Legacy Vacation Resorts

• Subject line: FINAL HOURS! DON’T MISS OUT ON YOUR NEXT VACATION
• Segments: All US contacts, Guestbook & Web Leads
• Open rate: 20.9%
• Reservations: 59

Why do we love this holiday email campaign? 

If you’re looking for an example that was sent to a larger segment, then this one’s for you. Legacy Vacation Resorts extended their Black Friday offers, which include plenty of their properties within the group, so recipients could choose the option that was most appealing to them. 

The results? This holiday email campaign generated nearly 60 reservations.

4. Kennebunkport Resort Collection

• Subject line: Secure Your Christmas Plans Early ✨
• Segments: Entire list September 9th, 2021 for all properties and all group contact lists
  • Additional filter: EU guests must have legitimate interest — Subscribed with at least 1 stay 
• Open rate: 32.3%
• Reservations: 19

Why do we love this holiday email campaign?

Dare to be different like Kennebunkport Resort Collection. The property sent this campaign in July, 2022, right in the middle of summer. 

It’s not as wild as it sounds. This holiday email marketing example shows there’s plenty of opportunity to connect with guests who might already have holiday plans by highlighting an event that takes place just before the holiday season. Plus, they also captured the attention of guests who might be interested in booking a future stay. This holiday email campaign resulted in 59 reservations.

Start crafting your own holiday email campaign

We hope these Holiday campaign examples are helpful in helping you plan your own communications. Remember, these are examples, so put your own creative spin to your holiday email campaigns. And don’t be afraid to experiment.

If you’d like to see some additional ideas, take a look at our webinar on holiday marketing strategies hosted by Aylin Calp, Senior Customer Success Manager. It’s available on demand and is filled with even more examples and best practices. 

Want to learn more about how you can use email marketing to boost your direct bookings? Explore our marketing solution