CASE STUDY 11: HOW A PROPERTY USED TREVPAR UPSELL TO BOOST ANCILLARY REVENUE THROUGH AUTOMATED DINING AND SPA UPSELLS

If one looks at the hospitality industry, there is no secret that it is a competitive one. Many properties in this space, rely heavily on room revenue and basic bed-and-breakfast packages, but this is often just enough to cover the operational costs properties. A great case study from the TrevPAR Upsell system, is a recent 4-star boutique hotel was looking for more than just being able to cover operational costs. With seasonal dips and strong OTA dependency, management implemented TrevPAR Upsell as a means of capture more ancillary spend through pre-arrival automation upselling.

The Challenge:

An initial deep dive highlighted the hotel’s ancillary revenue was underperforming. Most guests booked only bed-and-breakfast packages, and the dinner options of the on-site restaurant and spa uptake was low. This was likely due to offers being made reactively at check-in, or rushed in passing during the stay, when guests had already made other plans. Dining revenue was minimal, and spa treatments were mostly walk-ins with inconsistent occupancy.

The Solution:

The hotel implemented TrevPAR Upsell’s automated pre-arrival platform, fully integrated into their PMS. The system was then able to send out personalised, on-brand emails at strategic times: shortly after booking, as well as and 48–72 hours prior to check in.

The Key Offers Included In TrevPAR Upsell’s Offering:

· Dining packages: By offering pre-booked and pre-paid dinners at a special rate, the TrevPAR Upsell system locked in more than just the booked B&B options but converted a number of guests into guests staying for dinner as well.

· Various Spa treatments: The hotel was able to offer the pre-booking of popular choices such as 60-minute full body massages, head neck and shoulder massages, facials, and various other add-ons, which could be pre-booked, pre arrival. This helped the spa, increase the number of therapists needed at certain times and better manage their staff.

· TrevPAR Upsell also offered bundled experiences, where both dinner and Spa combinations could be booked at a better rate giving more value and, in this case, higher uptake.

Impressive Results:

Part of what made this implementation of TrevPAR Upsell so successful, was the way in which the platform makes use of booking data (length of stay, guest profile, trip purpose etc) to tailor recommendations automatically.

In addition to the dinning and spa options, the property was also able to offer the following:

· Paid for early check-in

· Charges for a later check-out time

· Specifically stocked mini bar (Where client could request exactly what they would like in the mini bar)

· Airport shuttles services

· As well as tours through various hotel partners, targeted at travellers that were booked in as couples, families as well as groups (this was offered specifically on weekends, highlighting the ability of TrevPAR Upsell to target specific elements at a specific time)

Through the use of pre-arrival upselling and the TrevPAR Upsell system, the property saw the following:

1) Dinner package uptake rose dramatically shifting guests from B&B to D, B&B by over 50%.

2) Spa pre-bookings saw a 35% increase (most notably for business travellers looking for a relaxation massage after their times of travelling

3)  An increase in the average ancillary spend increasing by an average of R550 per booking.

What was most important to see, is that these sales came with minimal additional operational cost, as the hotel could prepare staffing and inventory in advance.

Enhanced Guest Satisfaction:

What is also noticed, is that guests appreciate the convenience and personalisation that was able to be given to them. By choosing their dinner reservations and spa treatments before arrival, they felt in control of their stay. This anticipatory service led to smoother arrivals, fewer last-minute disappointments, and significantly higher satisfaction scores. Post-stay reviews frequently mentioned the “effortless booking extras” as a highlight, contributing to stronger loyalty and repeat visits.

Key Takeaways for Owners and Managers:

Pre-arrival automation through TrevPAR Upsell system allowed the properties to move beyond basic room revenue and turn every booking into a richer guest journey. For any hotel, guesthouses, and lodges looking to grow their ancillary income streams, the TrevPAR Upsell system is the right tool to delivers both higher profitability and happier guests.