Le Barthelemy

Helping Hotels Outlast the Pandemic with RHC’s Buy Now, Stay Later Initiative

Goal:

RHC founder Rachel Harrison recognized the impact of COVID-19 on the hotel industry early on. To support our hospitality friends worldwide, the agency developed Buy Now Stay Later, an initiative that enables travel enthusiasts to purchase hotel bonds for future stays, and generate revenue for those hotels.

Buy Now, Stay Later

Creative Strategy:

With travel bans in place and many hotels in need of cash flow, RHC recognized a gap in the market for a platform like Buy Now Stay Later, which benefits both consumers and hoteliers. RHC developed an initiative that has been a win-win for both hotel and their future guests. By structuring the initiative like U.S. treasury bonds that mature in value over time, consumers are incentivized to purchase hotel stays now that can be redeemed when travel bans are lifted.

Execution:

  • RHC collaborated with website partner Gourmet Marketing and digital marketing partner ELMNTL to design and promote a user-friendly site that connects consumers directly with hotels to purchase bonds
  • Within the span of two weeks, RHC confirmed and listed 300+ hotel partners on the website
  • RHC pitched the launch of Buy Now, Stay Later to global media outlets
  • RHC coordinated numerous interviews with media ensuring early success of the initiative to quickly drive sales of bonds for hotels across the world

Results:

  • 200k visitors were connected directly to the participating hotel properties to purchase bonds
  • Preliminary data from many partner hotels reported thousands of bonds sold
  • NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism, and partnership organization, promoted the program to member hotels
  • Media coverage included print, online, and broadcast placements in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fathom, Travel + Leisure, Washington Post, Condé Nast Traveler, CBS Chicago, Departures, and Boston Globe