What Makes a Summer Guest Return in Winter?

Summer in hospitality feels good 

But once the sun dips, the holidays end and winter creeps in, there is one question that separates thriving venues from tumble-weed territory. Will those summer guests come back?

The truth is, repeat business is not built in winter. It’s built right now, while the energy is high and the memories are still warm.

Repeat business starts with how you made them feel

People love to believe loyalty is logical, but it is emotional first and practical second. Guests do not return because your menu was fine or the room was clean. That is the baseline, not the magic. They return because something struck a chord, a feeling of being welcomed, a moment of ease, a sense that your place felt good, not just functional.

If nothing stands out, nothing pulls them back.

The moments that matter are smaller than you think

You do not need fireworks, live music or a reinvention of your entire business to be memorable. In fact, the moments people talk about are usually simple and personal. A team member remembering a name or a preference, a genuine recommendation that feels thoughtful, not rehearsed or an insider tip that makes them feel like a local.

These are the moments that turn a visit into a memory, and memories are what people revisit.

If you lose the relationship, you lose the return visit

Here is where many businesses quietly drop the ball.

If a guest walks out the door and you have no way to connect with them again, the relationship ends right there. Summer ends, winter comes and you are left hoping they remember you.

Hope is not a strategy. Capturing guest details while the experience is fresh gives you permission to stay in their world. Following up in a way that feels human, warm and familiar keeps the feeling alive long after they leave. Not constant selling. Not marketing noise. Just connection.

Winter loyalty is earned in summer

When winter arrives and guests are choosing where to spend their time and money, they choose familiarity. They choose places that already feel like theirs. That decision is made long before the weather cools.

Hospitality and tourism businesses are not built on one visit wonders. They are built on people who return, rave and bring others with them. If you want summer guests to return in winter, now is the time to lock in the experience and the relationship. 

If you want help creating those moments that turn first time visitors into loyal regulars, my free 7 WOW Moments Guide is a great place to start.

Because the season might change, but your repeat business does not have to.