Guests are more distracted than ever. Inboxes are filled with hundreds of emails and whatever message your property is sending to them, it can be easily ignored.
The truth is, thinking about how to stand out with pre-arrival messaging is a whole science but at the same time a crucial matter for every hospitality business.
Remember: your brand is not the only one trying to communicate with them.
Many others send their promotions and content, so the main question to answer is: what can you do to stand out among all the noise?
In this article, we will review some tips for your pre-arrival emails and hotel guest messaging best practices.
Why your pre-arrival emails often get overlooked
Are you relying on the same standard templates as everyone else? Or sending identical information to every guest every time?
Standard pre-arrival emails fall flat because they blend in.
Everyone’s doing the same thing – sharing basic booking information, generic offers, and poorly timed messages.
This leads to an overloaded inbox, and when everyone’s messages look alike, none of them stand out.
To solve this, it’s crucial to rethink how and when these communications are sent. Instead of pushing out templated messages at predictable times, consider unique angles and better timing.
A thoughtful, well-timed message with personalised content can grab attention more effectively, increasing engagement and helping your brand stand out.
Four tactics for personalised pre-arrival messages that resonate with guests
Here are four tactics to cut through the overloaded inbox and make sure guests notice your messages right away:
1. Use emotional tone and story-based subject lines
Messages that are general and boring don’t get anyone’s attention. Today, you need to aim to be personal and make it emotional. One of the hotel guest messaging best practices? Storytelling will always be your best friend.
The first part of your communications, when it comes to email, has to do with the subject line. You want to trigger curiosity and sound interesting. This will increase your chances of getting higher open rates.
Consider also:
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Don’t use too long subject lines:
Remember they need to fit in both desktop and mobile. - Use names to spark curiosity: Just like Maria Corpas recommended on her tips to build better hospitality emails, you can use names of places or specific numbers to create subject lines that grab the attention of guests.
- Be specific and to the point: Another option to try is to let the guest know that you want to discuss their upcoming stay. For example: “About your upcoming trip”, “You want to know this about your reservation”, “We have important information about your trip”, and more.
The best way to see whether the subject lines are working is to A/B test them in your CRM software.
2. Use multiple channels (not just email) to stand out
Email remains a go-to for pre-arrival communication, but relying on it alone can be limiting.
Travellers today, especially millennials and Gen Z, engage across multiple platforms, including SMS, WhatsApp, and social media.
The key is to adopt a multi-channel approach, but be careful not to overwhelm your guests. It’s not about being everywhere but about being present where it makes sense.
For instance, consider using SMS for time-sensitive information, like room upgrades or early check-in options. In this video, we explain more about how to select channels for your pre-arrival messaging.
As mentioned, WhatsApp can be a friendly platform for quick, interactive engagement, and if you want to know more about how to use it, check out this guide: Is WhatsApp for guest communication worth it?
3. Use contextual message: Tailor the content to the traveller
Guests should feel like they’re hearing from a person and not a robot. Additionally, the message needs to be relevant for them.
Does that mean that you will spend hours crafting unique messages for every single one of them? Absolutely not.
In summary, make a difference between your first-timer guests, returning guests, family ones and go further and further based on their preferences.
Additionally, don’t make it all about selling and upgrading! Share also information that genuinely helps guests. A few examples?
Events in the city or instructions on how to get to your property.
For more examples and ideas on what to say during pre-arrival, read this article.
4. Change up the format – Visual pre-arrival messaging tactics
Did you know that most pre-arrival guest communication relies heavily on plain text? But we live in the multimedia era! Where video is king. So, think beyond plain text and experiment with GIFs, short videos, or even light, brand-aligned memes.
For example, a short video greeting can be a unique way to welcome guests before they arrive.
While it may not be practical to create one for every guest, consider doing so for returning or high-spending guests.
A brief, personalised greeting from the front desk manager or concierge can make a big impression, especially if it includes tailored recommendations or specific details about their upcoming stay.
Once you’ve spiced up your pre-arrival messaging strategy, it’s time to learn how to truly measure success. Learn more in: How to measure pre-arrival communication success: KPIs that matter
Quick Recap: How to break through the pre-arrival noise
If your pre-arrival messages are getting ignored, it’s not just inbox fatigue. It’s a signal to rethink your approach. Here’s a quick checklist to help you stand out and make every message count:
✅ Don’t treat pre-arrival like a booking reminder — treat it as part of the guest experience.
✅ Use emotion-driven subject lines that spark curiosity or excitement.
✅ Incorporate visuals, short videos, or GIFs to capture attention.
✅ Send the right message on the right channel — not everything belongs in an email.
✅ Make each message feel tailored to the guest’s reason for travel and timing.
✅ Keep the tone human and helpful — not robotic or salesy.
Small changes in tone, timing, and format can significantly improve how your pre-arrival communication performs, and how your guests feel before they even arrive.
Ready to make your pre-arrival messages impossible to ignore?
With Bookboost, you can turn your pre-arrival communication into a seamless, personalised guest experience across email, WhatsApp, SMS and more. Whether you want to send tailored offers, welcome videos or smart reminders, our CRM helps you cut through the noise and drive real results.
About Bookboost
Bookboost is the leading Hospitality Engagement Platform that consolidates and optimises guest data from all sources to effortlessly communicate with customers throughout the guest journey. Bookboost offers a modern CRM and a best-in-class Unified Inbox to streamline operations, personalise the guest experience, and boost hotel revenue.
Johanna Bernuy
Marketing Manager
Bookboost
