Christmas Marketing Trends for 2025

The true crown jewel of the hospitality calendar and the most highly anticipated time of the year, Christmas is very nearly upon us. With that in mind, we thought we’d look at some of 2025’s trends so that you can add in some last-minute wins, amend any final plans and capture as many bookings as possible at this time of year.

This blog explores the latest festive spending trends and how hospitality businesses can make the most of the season. From digital gift cards and experience-led packages to last-minute voucher sales and user-generated content, we’ll guide you through the data-backed strategies that can drive more bookings, grow voucher revenue and increase brand visibility this Christmas.

Christmas Spending Trends

Budgets are increasing, but focused

According to Deloitte’s 2024 Global Holiday Survey, holiday spending is up by 8% year-on-year. But consumers aren’t just buying more, they’re buying with more intention. 42% of shoppers say they’re purchasing for fewer people, choosing to focus on meaningful gifts for their closest friends and family rather than purchasing something little for everyone. This indicates a continued shift from quantity to quality, and hospitality experiences fit that brief perfectly.

Dining & experiences are sought after

Spending on restaurants and hospitality experiences is growing fast. Mastercard’s 2024 SpendingPulse reports a significant uplift in group dining and premium casual restaurants during the festive season. This trend is not just limited to restaurants; hotels offering festive packages, dining experiences, or vouchers are also seeing the benefit. Online sales for hotel experiences rose 6.7%, driven by convenience, digital gift cards, and experiential gifting. If this is something your business is missing in your Christmas campaign planning, adapt now. Whether it’s a push for online gift vouchers, a New Year experience or a limited New Year’s Eve celebration, this could see more revenue for you.

Vouchers remain a major revenue stream

Speaking of gift cards… December accounts for a staggering 40% of annual voucher revenue for many hospitality businesses, and Christmas Eve sees a further 5% spike, driven by last-minute gifting. If gift cards are applicable to your business (dinner vouchers, spa vouchers, hotel stays, etc), consider pushing a paid social campaign, email campaign or some organic social media messaging around the gift vouchers you have available.

London leads the way

For city hotels, the Christmas period remains a crucial booking window. In London, hotel reservations for the New Year period (28-31 December) rose 18% year-on-year, with guests staying 8% longer on average. The opportunity here isn’t just about room bookings, it’s about packaging attractive festive experiences that increase dwell time and guest spend. Consider what packages you can offer to increase spend to make the most of this opportunity. We would recommend New Year’s events within the hotel, dining or spa packages within the hotel, and for overseas visitors, ‘classic British’ experiences or dining options.

How Hospitality Businesses Can Capitalise

We’ve all seen the data, and it’s pretty clear that guests are spending more, prioritising experiences, and looking for more meaningful ways to celebrate the festive season. Below, we’ve included some ways your business can turn these trends into real results this Christmas.

Website & on-site experience optimisation

Your website is your digital shopfront – so why not make it a little more festive? Adding seasonal design elements like snowfall effects, festive banners, or Christmas colour schemes instantly helps set the tone and inspire guests. Create clear and accessible landing pages for gift vouchers, festive menus, event details, and hotel packages, and you might just see some uplift in Christmas spending.

Use pop-ups and exit-intent banners to promote limited-time offers, gift ideas, or newsletter signups. Make booking festive packages as seamless as possible, especially for mobile users.

Launch a festive giveaway

Social media giveaways are a brilliant way to build awareness, drive traffic, and grow your email list. Whether it’s a one-night stay, Christmas lunch for two, or a gift voucher, the key is to offer something highly shareable and desirable. Encourage sharing, tagging, and email entry for maximum visibility, and link your giveaway to your other marketing efforts (like pop-ups or paid campaigns).

Create UGC opportunities

People love to share their Christmas moments; help them do just that with things like:

Decorated festive corners in your restaurant or hotel lobby
Light trails or outdoor decorations
Christmas cocktails, afternoon teas, or themed dishes
Festive photo spots with props or signage

Encourage guests to tag your business and use a branded hashtag. Then reshare their content across your channels to build social proof.

Leverage urgency if needed

While festive bookings often fill early, some last-minute gaps are always inevitable. If some of our ideas have sparked inspiration with you and you need to create urgency, act quickly and strategically with methods such as:

Email blasts to your subscriber list
Meta ads targeting local or warm audiences
Social countdowns and stories with limited-time offers

Urgency works best when paired with clear availability and a simple booking journey; don’t make people work to find their festive plans, give them to them with booking ease.

Need a Hand with Your Festive Marketing?

If you’ve found our tips and trends insightful, think of what we can do with your marketing strategy year-round…

At Cab Hospitality, we help hospitality businesses take control of their marketing with impactful, performance-driven strategies. From creative campaigns and paid ads to conversion-led content and CRM strategy, our team of professionals bring over 20 years of expertise and full-funnel support for your marketing. Get in touch and let’s talk.