Last year we conducted a study to analyze the impact of Black Friday in hospitality. For the analysis, we took into consideration clients who conducted a Black Friday campaign – 4,300+ hotels worldwide – comparing their Black Friday campaign results dating from November 3rd - December 2nd 2024 to the results obtained in the previous month of Oct 3rd - November 2nd 2024.
1. Black Friday promotions turn interest into bookings
The ability to convert interest into confirmed bookings is one of the strongest indicators of a successful Black Friday campaign, and this year’s findings highlight just how impactful these promotions can be. Hotels running dedicated Black Friday campaigns on their website achieved an impressive 63.8% increase in bookings, reflecting their ability to not only attract potential guests but also convince them to complete their reservations.
In contrast, hotels that opted not to run Black Friday promotions on their website experienced a 1.2% decrease in direct bookings during the same period. This decline underscores the growing consumer expectation for compelling offers during Black Friday and the missed opportunities for hotels without targeted campaigns.
2. Black Friday strategies significantly boost search engagement on hotel booking engines
This year’s Black Friday period revealed a clear contrast in performance between hotels actively promoting campaigns and those that opted out. Hotels running dedicated Black Friday campaigns saw a 9.2% increase in unique visitors compared to October, while non-participating hotels experienced a decline in visibility, with unique visitors decreasing by 4.0%.
Even more striking was the engagement within booking engines. Hotels with active Black Friday campaigns on their website achieved a remarkable 36.7% increase in visitors making a search for stays on their booking engines. This represents a significant improvement over the uplift observed in 2023, highlighting the growing consumer responsiveness to Black Friday offers. In contrast, hotels that did not run campaigns only saw a negligible 0.1% increase in 2024. These findings emphasize the increasing importance of Black Friday campaigns in driving meaningful engagement, while hotels without campaigns risk losing ground in a competitive landscape.
3. Black Friday campaigns drive up website conversion rates
The 2024 Black Friday period revealed a compelling advantage for hotels actively promoting campaigns, with marked differences in website conversion rates compared to non-participating properties. Hotels running Black Friday campaigns saw their overall website conversion rates improve by an impressive 36.0%, while non-participants experienced a modest 3.2% increase during the same period.
Additionally, campaign participants excelled in the latter stages of the booking process. Their booking engine conversion rates rose by 24.6%, far surpassing the 7.4% increase achieved by non-participants. These findings highlight the critical role Black Friday campaigns play in elevating hotel performance, particularly in driving conversions in the final stages of the booking journey.
By strategically promoting enticing deals on the hotel’s homepage and within the booking engine, hoteliers can capitalize on heightened consumer interest during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This targeted approach continues to prove its value in generating a substantial boost in direct bookings, underscoring the importance of adopting tailored marketing strategies for success during this pivotal period.
4. Black Friday offers don't reduce average booking value
Some hoteliers hesitate to embrace Black Friday campaigns, fearing that discounts might undermine their profitability by reducing the average booking value. However, this year’s findings tell a different story: hotels running Black Friday promotions achieved a 23.6% increase in average revenue per booking, compared to just a 10.9% uplift for non-participating hotels.
Moreover, total direct revenue for campaign hotels surged by an extraordinary 97.5%, far outpacing the modest 7.1% growth seen by non-participants. This remarkable growth was driven by the combination of higher conversion rates and increased booking value.
These results clearly show that well-crafted targeted Black Friday offers—such as promoting higher-category rooms or applying minimum stay conditions—can effectively boost both average revenue per booking and overall profitability. Hoteliers who adopt these strategies can encourage higher spending and tap into Black Friday’s full revenue-generating potential without compromising their bottom line.
Click here to read the full report and discover how much of a positive impact special date-centric campaigns can have on hotel performance results.
