How to Approach Hotels and Travel Companies | DataSend.ai

Introduction: Thousands of hotels, guesthouses, and travel companies — and most struggle with marketing

Hotels, guesthouses, wellness resorts, travel agencies, apartments, campsites. The tourism industry is one of the largest sectors in Central Europe — and also one of the most dependent on online presence. Today, customers choose hotels based on website photos, Google reviews, and social media presence. Yet, most smaller operations in this sector have outdated websites, weak marketing, and almost no social media strategy.

For freelancers and agencies offering digital services, the hospitality and tourism sector is a huge and still under-served market. This article will show you why hotels and travel companies are an interesting segment, what services they need, and how to systematically approach them.

1. Why hotels and travel companies are an interesting segment

Direct dependence on online presence. Unlike many industries where marketing is a "nice to have," for hotels, online presence is existential. If a hotel doesn't appear on Google, has poor photos, and lacks reviews, it simply won't have guests. This means the value of your services is immediately clear to them.

High value of a single booking. A wellness weekend stay can cost €400–800. A corporate event or wedding can cost tens of thousands of euros. If your marketing brings the hotel just a few additional bookings per month, the return on investment is immediate.

Visual industry. Tourism is one of the most visual industries out there. Beautiful photos of rooms, wellness, surroundings, food — all generate organic reach on Instagram and Google. Companies that can create quality visual content have a huge advantage in this segment.

Seasonality as an opportunity. Yes, tourism is seasonal. But that's not a disadvantage — it's an opportunity. Before the season, hotels need campaigns to fill capacity. Off-season, they need to maintain interest and plan. There’s always something to do.

Recurring work. Hotels need new photos when renovating rooms, new content for seasonal offers, campaigns before the main season, and year-round review management. This means a long-term retainer, not a one-time project.

2. What services do hotels and travel companies need the most

Google Business Profile and local SEO. When someone searches for "hotel [city]" or "wellness weekend [region]," Google decides. Optimizing the Google Business Profile — professional photos, correct categories, responses to reviews, up-to-date information — is essential. Most hotels neglect this.

Website and booking system. Many hotels rely solely on Booking.com and similar platforms, which take 15–25% commission from each booking. A dedicated website with a direct booking system reduces this dependency and saves hotels thousands of euros annually. This is a strong selling point.

Social media. Instagram and Facebook are key for hotels. Photos of rooms, wellness, surroundings, gastronomy, satisfied guests. Regular content builds the brand and attracts direct bookings. €400–1,000 per month for management.

Photography and video. Professional photos and videos are absolutely essential in tourism. Drone shots of the surroundings, video tours of the hotel, photos of rooms and wellness. A one-time project for €500–2,000 or ongoing collaboration for seasonal updates.

Google Ads and Meta Ads. Targeted campaigns before the main season — "summer vacation," "Christmas stay," "wellness weekend." For hotels with a budget, this is a quick way to fill capacity for specific dates.

Email marketing. Hotels have guest databases but rarely utilize them. Newsletters with seasonal offers, special promotions for returning guests, reminders before the season. Low cost, high return.

3. How to find hotels and travel companies to approach

Systematic outreach starts with a database of the right companies. In DataSend.ai, you set the filters:

Industry: Hospitality, accommodation, tourism, gastronomy. Region: Specific country, city, or tourist area. Size: From small guesthouses to larger hotels — depending on who you want to target. Web score: Operations with low web scores have outdated websites and weak digital marketing — ideal candidates.

In just a few minutes, you have a list of hotels, guesthouses, and travel companies with verified contacts. Additional tip: before reaching out, check their Google Business Profile, website, and Instagram. If they have poor photos, no reviews, or inactive social media — that’s your specific argument in the email.

4. How to write an email to a hotel (So they reply)

Hotel owners and managers are busy with operations. The email must be short, specific, and show that you understand their business.

Example of a good email:

“Hello [name], I looked at the website [hotel.sk] and noticed that most of your bookings likely come through Booking.com — which costs you 15–25% in commissions for each booking. I help hotels in your area increase their share of direct bookings through an optimized website and Google Business Profile. With your occupancy, this could mean thousands of euros saved on commissions annually. Would it be worth connecting for 15 minutes?”

Why it works: You mentioned a specific problem (commissions from Booking.com) that every hotelier knows and hates. You showed specific value (saved money). And you had a clear next step.

With AI personalization in DataSend.ai, you automatically insert the hotel name, city, and region into each email — and send hundreds of such messages with automatic follow-ups. AI Grammar Variables ensure correct grammar, even when addressing hotels in multiple countries.

5. Common objections and how to respond

“We have enough bookings through Booking.” — “That’s great. The question is, how much of that do you pay in commissions? If you could shift some of those bookings to your direct website, that money would stay with you. I’d love to show you how.”

“We don’t have time to deal with marketing.” — “Exactly why I handle it for you. You take care of the guests, and I take care of bringing in more. Can I send you a specific proposal?”

“We tried it, it didn’t work.” — “I understand. What exactly did you try? Often, the issue lies in specific settings, not the channel itself. I’d be happy to look at what could be done better — a free audit, no obligations.”

6. Specifics of the tourism segment

Seasonality dictates timing. Reach out before the season when hotels are planning and have budgets. The ideal time for the summer season is February–April. For winter, it’s September–November. Off-season, hotels focus on websites, content, and preparation.

Decisions are made by the owner or manager. In small and medium hotels, it’s the owner. In larger ones, it’s the manager or marketing department. Find out who makes the decisions and communicate directly with them.

Results must be specific. Don’t talk about “engagement” and “reach.” Talk about bookings, occupancy, and saved commissions. Those are the numbers that interest hoteliers.

Reviews are critical. In tourism, reviews directly impact bookings. If you offer review and reputation management, it’s a strong service — hotels know how important stars are on Google and Booking.

Visual proof sells. If you have a portfolio with “before and after” photos of the hotel or examples of increased occupancy, show them. In this industry, visuals convince more than any numbers.

7. How to scale in the tourism segment

If you decide to specialize in hotels and tourism, scaling is relatively straightforward:

Build a portfolio in one region. If you manage marketing for 5 hotels in one tourist area, you have relevant references for every other hotel nearby — and you understand the specifics of that region.

Create packages. “Basic” (Google Business + website audit) at a lower price, “Standard” (+ social media + photography), “Premium” (+ Google Ads + email marketing). Clear packages make selling easier.

Systematically reach out before the season. In DataSend.ai, set a filter for hotels in your target region and launch a campaign 2–3 months before the main season when hotels are planning and have budgets.

Utilize referrals. The hotelier community in the region is interconnected. One satisfied hotel will recommend you to others — especially if you bring them specific results.

Conclusion

Hotels and tourism are a visual, seasonal, and still under-served segment. Operations have a direct dependence on online presence, high value for a single booking, and a constant need for new content. The key is to approach them at the right time, with specific value, and with an understanding of their business — especially the painful topic of commissions from booking platforms.

Want to find hotels and travel companies to approach? DataSend.ai — filters by industry and region, verified contacts, and email campaigns with AI personalization all in one place.

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