Five opportunities for growth in Mexico’s hotels

The exclusive report, which is available now, is packed with actionable insights that unlock opportunities for growth across the country. With one in five (20%) of Mexico’s hotel users visiting weekly, there’s great potential to encourage trial and build loyalty—but only if the offer is right.

Upcoming events and celebrations, such as Halloween, Day of the Dead, Mexico’s Revolution anniversary and Christmas holidays pose a pivotal time to engage those consumers who will be travelling and visiting hotels across the country.

Here are five potential hotspots for growth in the hotel channel within Mexico.

1. Young adults

With 23% of consumers aged 18 to 34 visiting hotels weekly, compared to 16% of those in the 35-to-54 bracket, young adults are a prime target. While older adults are more likely to choose mainstream hotel chains, younger consumers over-index for visits to both premium and value venues—so it’s vital to customise strategies to each hotel type.

2. Treats

OPUS shows many consumers visit hotels with a treat mindset. Cocktail and wine drinkers are significantly more likely than average to use four or five-star hotels, which makes them ideal places to promote special drinks they may not normally buy.

3. Premiumisation

The appetite for treats means there are excellent opportunities for trade-ups. Three quarters (74%) of Mexico’s hotel users say they are likely, or very likely, to pay extra for a better quality drink when they visit. They also tend to spend more than usual while staying, which makes it important to put premium brands and serves at the front and centre of hotel offerings.

4. Day trips and stop-offs

While an overnight stay is the most common occasion to visit hotels, consumers have an array of other reasons, like day trips and stop-offs on long journeys. Understanding consumers’ needs on these different occasions makes it easier to target them. It’s also important to consider the dynamics of dayparts.

5. Room service and mini-bars

Well over half (58%) of visitors say they typically drink in a hotel’s bar and restaurant. However, sizeable numbers also use room service (43%) and mini-bars (35%), so brands need to appeal across a range of consumer touchpoints and amenity areas.

Mauricio Castellanos, CGA by NIQ Client Success Leader, Mexico, said: “Mexico has a hugely popular hotel sector where consumers are pre-disposed to spend on drinks. This is a dynamic channel with a huge variety of needs and habits, so it’s important for all suppliers to achieve a precise and up-to-the-minute understanding of how people are behaving when they visit. Our OPUS research is a powerful springboard for effective strategies that help brands get ahead of the curve.”

The 2023 ‘OPUS Summer Report’ from CGA by NIQ’s is available now. It provides many more insights into consumers’ engagement with hotels, plus expert analysis of other channels, categories, occasions and more. For further information, email Mauricio Castellanos at mauricio.castellanos@nielseniq.com.