Once upon a time it was easier to win the Euromillions rollover than get a cup of tea and a scone in the so-called ‘off season’.
In fact, the chances of finding anywhere open in rural Scotland to stay, drink or dine in the depths of winter were nigh impossible.
Thankfully, today’s hospitality sector – in town and country – can be just as welcoming to holidaymakers and daytrippers in December as it is in July.
And this means, if you’re keen to launch a career helping others enjoy the finer things in life, you can be assured of steady, satisfying work throughout the year.
That’s because, while every hotel, bar or restaurant has to endure a slow period, the best of them are constantly finding new ways to attract guests.
Their marketing gurus are tasked with coming up with strategies that can even see increased occupancy and boosted revenue during what were traditionally low-demand periods.
To do this they spread the word by creating specific off-season marketing campaigns, sharing special offers in the press and on social media – drumming up excitement about autumn breaks and winter weekenders.
This work involves first pinpointing those weeks and weekends when a hotel experiences a particular slowdown, then offering great incentives for guests to come.
This could be discounting the price of rooms or offering free dinner for anyone booking well in advance.
An events organiser, meanwhile, could be busy researching any major shows or popular attractions – think music festivals, Christmas fares and sports tournaments – before creating a calendar of all the highlights for potential guests to enjoy.
They can also create their very own events and offer weekends away for art lovers, guided walks for bird watchers or arts and crafts classes in the hotel itself.
If you’re a kitchen assistant, maybe you’d like to help the head chef to hold cooking classes or special gourmet nights?
Often it also pays to form close ties with other local tourist attractions to double the chances of attracting new visitors.
For example, many highland hotels have created partnerships with whisky distilleries so that their guests can enjoy free tours and tastings.
And, of course, this also helps the distilleries enjoy a boost to their business too.
Slainte!
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