How to Set Goals as a Hotelier

The Importance of Setting Goals

One of the pivotal moments in my professional journey was when I truly understood the power of goal setting, inspired by some of the most successful leaders in the hospitality industry.

During periods when our family hotel businesses were underperforming, I realized the significance of having a clear vision, structured processes, and concrete goals to turn things around.

Everything in the hotel business—whether improving occupancy rates, increasing guest satisfaction scores, or streamlining operations—starts with a clear goal.

Every successful innovation, every new service, or efficiency improvement first began as a thought.

Setting Big Goals for Your Hotel

To achieve long-term success, hoteliers must focus on big-picture goals. Take, for example, the goal of increasing your hotel’s overall profitability by 20% over the next three years.

This is a long-term goal that sets the vision for your hotel.

But simply having a large goal isn’t enough—you need a clear action plan with a timeline and measurable steps.

Write down what you want for your hotel.

For instance, your goal might be: “By December 31, 2026, I want to increase our hotel’s average occupancy rate to 85% and improve our TripAdvisor rating to 4.7.

I will achieve this by implementing AI-driven guest experience platforms, optimizing our booking strategies, and enhancing personalized services for our guests.”

While ambitious, this goal sets a clear direction.

However, large goals without a process are risky, as they don’t account for the numerous challenges you will face, from market fluctuations to unforeseen operational obstacles.

Daily Goals: The Key to Long-Term Success

To bridge the gap between a large goal and day-to-day operations, daily tasks and habits are essential.

Just as James Clear’s concept of habit formation emphasizes small, consistent actions, the same applies to hotel management.

Every day, create a list of essential tasks that contribute to your larger goals.

These tasks could be things like: “Review guest feedback and identify one actionable improvement,” or “Check and update booking systems for better efficiency.”

I personally use task management tools, which allow my team to stay organized and prioritize daily tasks effectively.

Daily progress leads to long-term success.

It’s about making steady improvements in areas like staff training, guest service, and operational efficiency.

These smaller tasks may seem insignificant in isolation, but when they align with your larger vision, they add up and help drive significant results.

Bridging the Gap: Monthly Goals

The key to maintaining momentum between your daily tasks and larger goals is by setting monthly benchmarks.

For instance, if your long-term goal is to increase occupancy rates, set a monthly goal like: “Achieve a 5% increase in direct bookings through our hotel website by the end of this month.”

These monthly goals help you stay on track and measure progress more frequently, while also giving you the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions.

For example, if you’re investing in a new AI-based revenue management system, your monthly goal might be: “Complete system integration and staff training by the end of the month, with the aim of optimizing room pricing and increasing revenue.”

Try It Out: Stay Focused and Flexible

This method of goal setting—focusing on a combination of long-term vision, daily tasks, and monthly benchmarks—provides the structure and flexibility needed to achieve your hotel’s goals.

My favorite phrase for this strategy is “eyes on the prize.”

Keep your ultimate vision in mind, but remain flexible in your approach, adjusting your monthly and daily goals as needed to stay on track.

By setting goals in this way, you not only improve your hotel’s performance, but you also foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within your team.

This is how you ensure your hotel thrives in an increasingly competitive market.

Dive deeper into digital tools and strategies designed to enhance your hotel(s) productivity

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