How to Expand Your Hotel Business Globally!

Hotel Business

Running a successful hotel? Have lots of satisfied guests singing your praises? It’s no surprise you might be thinking of expanding your operations and opening another place in another location, or maybe you want to start a chain?

Here’s a few things that will help you get it right.

1. Do Your Research

Before you throw a dart at a map and say, “Let’s open in Zurich!” do some homework. And by homework, I don’t mean pouring through dull reports until your eyeballs fall out. Actually visit these places. Talk to locals. Hit up travel forums.

Learn which neighborhoods have foot traffic as lively as Times Square on New Year’s Eve, and which are quieter than a library at midnight. Knowing what people actually want from a hotel in that city is key. You wouldn’t sell ice cubes to Eskimos, right? Right.

2. Adapt Your Brand—Don’t Just Copy-Paste

You might have the best chocolate croissants west of the Atlantic, but will that wow guests in Paris who’ve been munching on patisseries since they had baby teeth?

Learn to tweak your brand for each region. Maybe your American guests love big breakfast buffets, while your new Tokyo clientele prefers lighter, on-the-go options. The key is to stay authentic to your brand’s vibe while giving international guests a taste of what they actually like to eat, sip, and Instagram.

3. Put “Global” in Your Marketing—Because Duh

You can’t expand globally if nobody knows you exist outside your hometown. Update your PR materials to appeal to international audiences. Maybe even make use of a special hotel marketing guide to keep you on track. Translate your website into local languages (Google Translate doesn’t count—unless you enjoy hilarious linguistic mishaps).

Embrace social media influencers from new markets who can give your brand a foreign face-lift. And for goodness’ sake, invest in decent localization. Calling a Spanish guest “Señorita” when they’re a senior business traveler named José is not the best move.

4. Build Bridges, Not Just Buildings

Striking out on your own is fine, but partnering with local businesses can make a world of difference. Team up with local tour guides, restaurants, or cultural hot spots that can provide packages only your hotel offers.

“Stay with us and get 20% off the local tango class” sounds much more appealing than “Stay with us… and yeah, that’s it.” Make friends, form alliances, and suddenly your hotel feels like the ultimate insider’s secret.

5. Keep the Quality Consistent (But Not Boring)

Sure, each location might have its quirks, but no matter where in the world your guests find you, they should still feel that warm, fuzzy “I’m at [Your Hotel Name Here]!” vibe.

Whether that’s the way your staff greets guests, the comfy mattresses, or your signature cocktail at the bar, choose a few core elements that scream “This is us!” to ensure that guests feel right at home even when they’re a thousand miles away.

Basically, going global with your hotel business isn’t just about planting flags on maps—it’s about understanding cultures, catering to new audiences, and forging meaningful connections, but you know what? You can do it!

Article and permission to publish here provided as Contributed Content. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on December 18, 2024.

Cover image provided by pexels.com.