December Demands and Habits of Consumers
December is both a fruitful and frightening time in hospitality. Expectations from guests are high, but so are demands from bosses, and it can be hard to predict the behaviours of consumers to effectively manage the different expectations. However, one thing we can always rely on as hospitality marketers, is data.
If you’re heading into December with some uncertainty, take a read below for some of the trends and patterns that could help shape your mindset and your last-minute marketing in December.
Christmas Bookings
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Research from Siteminder shows that hotel bookings at UK properties for December 21-25 were up 24% in 2024 from 2023. Bookings during the week of Christmas were also up 24%, with international travellers from France, Italy and Germany driving the surge
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December stays are getting longer (+6% length of stay). The average length of stay for UK Christmas hotel bookings rose from 1.98 to 2.10 nights, reflecting longer, more leisurely festive getaways.
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Early-January travel searches surge during Christmas week. Booking.com reports that searches for early January escapes increase sharply in the week of Christmas, as families plan “reset and recover” trips.
Our advice:
With demand rising and guest behaviour shifting, December presents a clear opportunity for hotels to maximise both occupancy and revenue. Focus on packaging longer stays with meaningful add-ons such as festive dining, wellness experiences, or late check-outs, to align with the growing appetite for slower, more indulgent getaways.
Ensure your booking journey is seamless across mobile and desktop, as last-minute planners will favour the path of least resistance. And with early-January searches spiking during Christmas week, have New Year and “reset and recover” campaigns ready to launch before the holidays end. A proactive, experience-led strategy will help you capture both the Christmas uplift and the early-January surge.
Dining
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At least 37% of consumers say they prefer set menus/packages for Christmas dining, and about 60% want to be able to pre-order their food from a set menu to reduce stress.
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A report by Premier Foods found that 88% of consumers say menu quality is a key deciding factor when choosing where to eat in December.
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63% choose Christmas dining for time together with friends/family (Premier Foods). This tells us that December dining is emotionally driven, with the focus remaining more on atmosphere and company over the overall price.
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60% of diners prefer set festive menus when dining over the Christmas period, with responses indicating that pre-order menus reduce stress for both guests and operators.
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28% of UK consumers go out for Afternoon Tea at least monthly, with another 54% of 18-24yos having Afternoon Tea at Christmas.
Our advice:
With diners placing such high value on quality, atmosphere and simplicity, December is ideal to tighten an entirely new festive strategy. Lead with set menus that feel considered, seasonal and stress-free, making pre-ordering effortless for guests and operationally smooth for your team. Simultaneously, elevate the emotional experience with warm service, thoughtful touches and beautiful table settings, because customers are choosing Christmas dining for connection as much as cuisine.
Additionally, Afternoon Tea proving especially popular across age groups, consider a festive or winter-themed edition to capture this demand. Ultimately, the winning approach blends strong menu craft with a frictionless booking journey and an ambience that feels worth returning for.
Gifting / Spending
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Barclays found that 16% of UK consumers prefer gifting experiences over physical items. While a further study found that 63% of UK consumers said they’d rather talk about something they did than something they bought.
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A typical UK household spends around £713 more in December than in a usual month (about 29% higher), with bigger rises in food & drink (+22%) and specialist food (+38%).
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Experiential gifting is on the rise, with 86% of Brits saying that they cannot remember all the physical gifts they received last Christmas.
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71% of people say they would prefer an experience over a physical gift.
Our advice:
With experiential gifting clearly outpacing traditional presents, hospitality businesses should position their offerings front and centre during the December spending surge. Create gift vouchers that feel personal, flexible and premium, whether that’s a stay, spa ritual, tasting menu or Afternoon Tea experience.
Make the purchase journey quick and intuitive, and highlight the emotional value behind the gift: time together, memory-making, and a break from the season’s busyness. Packaging and presentation matter too; ensure your vouchers look and feel gift-ready to elevate perceived value. Ultimately, by leaning into the demand for meaningful, experience-led gifting, you can convert festive spend into revenue that extends well beyond Christmas.
Get in Touch
If you’d like some further advice on your festive strategy, or how to optimise your strategy for effective last-minute success, please get in touch through our website! Alternatively, if you’re looking to 2026 for big changes in your digital marketing, take a look at our testimonial page for what we can do for you.