Customer experience doesn’t start when the guest walks through your doors. It starts the moment they discover you, and every touchpoint before booking sets the tone for revenue.

The hospitality marketing funnel has changed. Ten years ago, you could rely on traditional advertising, word of mouth, OTAs (online travel agencies), and maybe a few reviews to bring people in. Today, the guest journey begins long before they book — with a Google search, a scroll through Instagram, or a TikTok video of your restaurant or hotel.

If you’re not building experience at those early touchpoints, you’re already behind. Let’s break down how the new hospitality funnel works, and why your guest experience now begins before the booking.

DISCOVERY: WHERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION IS MADE

Most guests discover you online before they ever consider booking. That could mean:

A Google search for “best restaurants in Las Vegas” or “top boutique hotels near me.”
A TikTok video highlighting your cocktails or lobby design.
A Yelp review or OpenTable listing that pops up in a feed.

At this stage, your digital footprint is the guest experience. If your website loads slowly, your photos look outdated, or your business information is inconsistent across platforms, you’ve lost them before you een had a chance to convert.

KEY TAKEAWAY: Treat discovery as part of the guest experience. Invest in SEO, professional photography, and consistent branding across every channel where potential guests might find you.

RESEARCH: WHERE TRUST IS BUILT (OR LOST)

Once a guest finds you, they’re not booking yet; they’re validating. They’ll look at your reviews, scroll through your Instagram, check for recent PR hits, and compare you against competitors.

This stage is where most hospitality brands fall apart. They assume “if we’re good, they’ll come.” However, perception is reality. If your reviews are inconsistent, if your social content feels off-brand, or if your last blog update was two years ago, you’re eroding trust.

KEY TAKEAWAY: The research phase is a conversion lever. Actively manage your reputation, keep your content fresh, and use social proof (reviews, press, user-generated content) to build trust before the booking.

CONSIDERATION: WHERE YOUR OFFER MATTERS MOST

Guests now know who you are, but do they know why they should choose you?

This is where your positioning and offers separate you from the noise. Are you the restaurant with the seasonal chef’s tasting menu? The boutique hotel with curated local experiences? The med spa with custom membership options?

If your competitors are offering clear value and urgency, and you’re simply “open for business,” you’ll lose at this stage.

KEY TAKEAWAY: Position your offers to align with what guests want right now. Highlight exclusivity, seasonal relevance, or packages that feel curated. This is where you make the booking decision easy.

BOOKING: WHERE EASE DRIVES CONVERSION

Even if you’ve nailed discovery, research, and consideration, a clunky booking process will kill conversions.

Common booking friction points:

Reservation platforms that aren’t mobile-friendly.
Checkout processes with too many steps.
Lack of transparent pricing or availability.

KEY TAKEAWAY: Booking is part of the guest experience. Test your systems regularly and make sure the path to reservation is seamless, fast, and intuitive.

POST-BOOKING: WHERE LOYALTY BEGINS

The funnel doesn’t end at booking. In fact, this is where long-term revenue is either won or lost. Guests are already evaluating your brand based on:

Pre-visit communication (emails, confirmations, reminders).
Onboarding touchpoints (welcome guides, directions, or recommendations).
How supported they feel before they even arrive.

Hospitality companies that excel here create anticipation and loyalty before the guest even steps through the door.

KEY TAKEAWAY: Post-booking experience is retention strategy. Systemize follow-up, add personalization, and make guests feel like they’ve already made the right choice.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The new hospitality funnel isn’t linear, and it doesn’t start at the door. It starts the moment a potential guests sees you online and continues through every digital and operational touchpoint leading up to booking.

If you’re ready to map a hospitality marketing funnel that turns discovery into bookings and bookings into loyalty, Golden Hour Co.’s agency retainers are built to get you there.

LET’S TRANSFORM YOUR HOSPITALITY BRAND.