It might start with a 20-second TikTok showing a rooftop pool, a carousel of cozy lobbies on Instagram, or a friend’s story from a stylish city hotel. These moments, fleeting, visual, and emotional are the sparks that ignite wanderlust.
NB: This is an article from Staah
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The guest journey today begins with a scroll. For hoteliers, this shift is both a challenge and an opportunity. Winning guests’ attention before they even start planning is now the true beginning of hospitality.
The Spark Before the Search
Picture this: A young traveler scrolls Instagram during a coffee break. She has no immediate travel plans. Suddenly, a reel catches her eye, a boutique hotel perched above the ocean, framed by a fiery sunset. She pauses, watches again, and saves the post. That single moment is the start of her guest journey.
Later, when she thinks of a weekend getaway, the hotel she glimpsed on her feed comes instantly to mind. By the time she opens a search engine, her choices are already narrowed. This is no longer an exception, it’s the norm.
The funnel has shifted. Discovery comes before search, and social content has become the earliest and often most powerful touchpoint in the guest journey.
From Inspiration to Action
Once the spark is lit, guests move into research mode. They’ll check tagged photos, read reviews, and explore a property’s website. But the emotional connection is already there. A brand that captured attention during the dreaming stage has a head start long before prices or star ratings enter the picture.
By the time booking platforms or online travel agents (OTAs) appear, the battle is half-won or half-lost. A hotel absent from that first stage of inspiration may never even make it into consideration.
This is why social-first branding has become fundamental. It’s not about chasing trends for the sake of vanity metrics, it’s about being present at the very first stage of the guest journey.
Storytelling Over Selling
Travelers aren’t scrolling to see ads, they’re looking for stories. Polished promotional videos can look impressive, but they rarely move people. What resonates is authenticity.
- A chef sharing a quick clip of a dish being plated.
- Guests laughing together at a poolside breakfast.
- A behind-the-scenes look at the staff preparing a wedding setup.
These are the kinds of stories that don’t just promote a property, they show its spirit. They give guests a glimpse of the experiences and emotions waiting for them. A hotel that embraces storytelling positions itself not as a place to stay, but as part of the guest’s future memory.
