How hospitality businesses can make the most of the quiet winter period

If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, you’ll know the rhythm well. A relentless run-up to Christmas that’s followed by a sharp drop-off as January arrives and consumers rein in their spending. 

For many restaurants, hotels and bars, the weeks between New Year and Valentine’s Day can feel like a never ending lull when teams are burnt out from the festive rush, footfall slows dramatically, and margins are under pressure with the bar to make a meal or a night away ‘worth it’ higher. 

But with the right approach, winter can become a valuable time for hospitality businesses that understand their audience and are willing to adapt. And the most effective winter activity comes from PR, marketing and operations working together early on, rather than last-minute attempts to fill tables.

Putting local audiences first

After the Christmas crowds have calmed, winter is the time to focus on the people most likely to support you through the quieter months: local customers and existing audiences should take priority.

Loyalty offers, early access to events or winter-only menus can all help maintain a steady rhythm of bookings. For hotels, shorter packaged ‘staycation’ visits marketed locally often outperform broader national campaigns at this time of year.

We’ve seen this work well with clients like Sonas Collection, who lean into winter as a reason to slow down rather than escape. Their seasonal Northern Lights staycation offers focus on shorter breaks, added-value dining and star-lit hot tub experiences. This sends clear messaging around switching off and an experience that’s only possible with the dark skies of the season, appealing directly to UK audiences looking for an easy winter getaway.

From a communications point of view, this creates a clear hook that helps the hotel stand out and gives media and audiences an immediate sense of what makes a winter stay there different, moving the conversation away from filling rooms and towards selling an experience that only works at that time of year.

Tapping into the perfect partners

One of the most effective winter tactics is giving people a reason to come in now, rather than waiting until spring. Supper clubs based around key moments like Burns Night create an occasion to go out, while also tapping into the audiences of compatible brands. Menus should reflect the season: comfort, warmth and familiarity still matter, alongside lighter options for those looking for a reset in January. Framing menus around seasonality or nourishment tends to resonate more than standalone launches.

We’ve seen strong engagement around this approach through initiatives like the Old Course Hotel’s Chef series, bringing in renowned chefs – like Michelin-starred Alex Dilling and Ballymaloe’s Rachel Allen – from further afield to create a collaborative menu, giving locals a chance to try their cooking without making a long journey. 

Similarly, one-off takeovers with local chefs, like Heritage Portfolio’s collaborations with Roberta Hall-McCarron at Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, allow venues to tap into a chef’s loyal following and combine food, drink and a cultural destination to create something special and exclusive. They also give comms teams something tangible to talk about that resonates with media, which helps activity cut through.