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Planning & Public Relations (Creating Plans, Terminology, Website & SNS Management)

Accommodation (Hotel) · 宿泊分野 · Written by Tokutei Pass based on the official study texts; not copied verbatim.

Purpose of Planning Work and Designing Plans for Target Customer Segments

Planning work (marketing) involves utilizing the services offered by an accommodation facility—such as guest rooms, dining, and hot springs—to develop new products and events that delight guests, including stay plans, day-trip plans, and lunch buffet plans.

To create attractive plans, it is essential to accurately set the target customer segment and thoroughly understand their needs through marketing research.

As highlighted in the official textbook, a plan combining 'Accommodation + Local Japanese Cultural Experience (kimono, tea ceremony, etc.)' is highly effective for targeting 'Inbound foreign tourists visiting from abroad'.

Likewise, 'Accommodation + Healthy meals utilizing local ingredients' suits 'Vegetarian and Vegan guest segments', while 'Staying in a luxurious Suite Room' targets 'Affluent guests (Fuyuso)'. Plans are also tailored for families, couples, and business travelers.

Purpose of Planning Work and Designing Plans for Target Customer Segments

Key points


  • In planning work, clearly define the target guest segment and design accommodation or day-trip plans matching their needs.

  • 'Accommodation + Japanese cultural experience' targets Inbound tourists, while 'Suite Room stays' target affluent guests.

  • 'Accommodation + Healthy meals using local ingredients' is ideal for Vegetarian and Vegan guests.
WordMeaning
planning work (marketing)
target customer segment
inbound foreign tourists
vegetarian and vegan guests
affluent / wealthy segment (Fuyuso)

Utilizing Local Resources & Seasonality, Market Research, and Competitor Analysis

Japan has four distinct seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter), and accommodation plans tied to seasonal scenery (cherry blossoms, fresh greenery, autumn leaves, snow), seasonal foods (Shun), and local festivals have strong appeal.

Incorporating unique 'local resources (Chiiki shigen)'—such as hot springs (Onsen), regional cuisine (Kyodo ryori), local farm/marine products, and historical landmarks—creates distinctive value that other regions cannot imitate.

To succeed in planning, 'Market Research' is indispensable for analyzing travel trends, consumer preferences, past booking records, and guest survey responses.

At the same time, facilities must research 'Competing Facilities (competitors)' of similar size or location to understand their pricing and plans, clearly highlighting their own unique strengths (differentiation points).

Key points


  • Combine seasonal events across the four seasons with 'local resources' (hot springs, regional cuisine) when creating plans.

  • Use market research, past booking data, and guest surveys to grasp the latest traveler needs.

  • Survey competitors' plans and rates to differentiate and highlight your facility's unique strengths.
WordMeaning
local resources and regional cuisine
market research
competitor facility research
differentiation

Key Terminology for Plans and Guest Types (1 Night 2 Meals, B&B, Consecutive Stays, FIT)

Among essential planning terms, '1 Night 2 Meals (Ippaku nishoku)' is an accommodation plan that includes dinner and breakfast in the room rate, primarily offered at ryokan. 'Bed & Breakfast (B&B)' includes breakfast only and is mainly offered at hotels.

'All-inclusive' is a plan in which all service expenses—including beverages, light meals, and activities during the stay—are included in the room rate. 'Consecutive Stays (Renpaku)' refers to staying two or more consecutive nights at the same facility, often with discounts or perks.

'Walk-in' refers to visiting a lodging facility directly without a prior reservation to use a vacant room, while a 'Deposit (Azukarikin)' is an upfront sum paid to guarantee the use of services.

Guests who have stayed at the facility in the past and return repeatedly are called 'Repeaters (repeat customers)'. 'FIT (Free Independent Traveler)' refers to individual travelers who plan their own trip and travel independently without using package tours.

Key points


  • '1 Night 2 Meals' includes dinner & breakfast (mainly ryokan); 'B&B' includes breakfast only (mainly hotels); 'All-inclusive' includes all services.

  • 'Consecutive Stays (Renpaku)' means staying 2 or more nights in a row; 'Deposit (Azukarikin)' guarantees service use.

  • 'Repeater' means a repeat guest; 'FIT' means a Free Independent Traveler who does not use package tours.
WordMeaning
1 Night 2 Meals and Bed & Breakfast (B&B)
All-inclusive plan
Consecutive Stays (Renpaku) and Repeater
Deposit (Azukarikin)
FIT (Free Independent Traveler)

Characteristics of Sales Channels (OTAs, Travel Agencies, and Direct Booking)

Sales channels for delivering accommodation plans to guests are broadly divided into agency sales and direct sales. An 'OTA (Online Travel Agent)' is an online travel agency that provides travel products and services over the internet.

While OTAs make it easy to attract new customers because travelers worldwide search and compare listings on them, the lodging facility must pay a referral commission fee to the OTA for each completed booking.

Meanwhile, traditional brick-and-mortar travel agencies ('Real Agents') that sell package tours in person have strengths in group tours, school trips, and senior travelers.

Negotiating, booking, and contracting directly with guests via the facility's own website or phone without using travel agencies or OTAs is called 'Direct Booking'. Its biggest advantage for the facility is 'reducing the burden of commission fees'.

Characteristics of Sales Channels (OTAs, Travel Agencies, and Direct Booking)

Key points


  • An OTA (Online Travel Agent) is an online travel agency that sells travel products and services via the internet.

  • Direct Booking means accepting reservations and contracting directly with guests without using travel agencies or OTAs.

  • Increasing Direct Bookings allows the accommodation facility to reduce commission fee expenses.
WordMeaning
OTA (Online Travel Agent)
Direct Booking (direct sales)
referral commission fee

Revenue Metrics (Occupancy Rate OCC, ADR, RevPAR) and Pricing Strategies

'Occupancy Rate (OCC / Kadoritsu)' measures the percentage of rooms occupied, calculated as 'Reserved (Sold) Rooms / Total Rooms x 100' (e.g., 70 occupied rooms out of 100 = 70% OCC). OCC tends to rise during peak seasons such as Golden Week or long holidays and fall during off-seasons.

'ADR (Average Daily Rate)' is the average selling price per occupied room, calculated as 'Total Room Revenue / Number of Occupied Rooms'. A high ADR shows rooms are sold at high value, whereas a low ADR indicates supply-demand imbalance or improper pricing.

'RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room)' represents revenue per available room, calculated as 'Occupancy Rate (OCC) x Average Daily Rate (ADR)' (or Total Room Revenue / Total Available Rooms). Setting rates too high lowers OCC, while cutting rates too much fails to raise revenue, so RevPAR must always be monitored.

Adjusting room prices up or down based on booking demand and vacancy to maximize profit is called 'Dynamic Pricing'. Strategically controlling room prices to maximize profit in industries that cannot carry over inventory to the next day (such as hotels and airlines) is called 'Revenue Management'.

Key points


  • Occupancy Rate (OCC) = Reserved Rooms / Total Rooms x 100; ADR = Total Room Revenue / Occupied Rooms.

  • RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) = Occupancy Rate (OCC) x Average Daily Rate (ADR).

  • Use 'Dynamic Pricing' (varying rates by demand) and 'Revenue Management' for perishable room inventory.

  • Example: Out of 150 total rooms, 120 rooms are occupied with total room revenue of 1,800,000 yen → Occupancy Rate (OCC) = 120 ÷ 150 × 100 = 80%, ADR = 1,800,000 ÷ 120 = 15,000 yen

  • Example: When Occupancy Rate (OCC) is 80% (0.8) and Average Daily Rate (ADR) is 15,000 yen → RevPAR = 0.8 × 15,000 = 12,000 yen (or room revenue 1,800,000 yen ÷ 150 total rooms = 12,000 yen)
WordMeaning
Occupancy Rate (OCC)
ADR (Average Daily Rate)
RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room)
Dynamic Pricing
Revenue Management

Purpose of Public Relations (PR), Stakeholders, and the Power of Word-of-Mouth Reviews

Public Relations (PR / Koho gyomu) is the work of disseminating information about a company's activities and products, such as the lodging facility, to a wide audience.

By sharing accurate information, the company builds good relationships and deeper understanding with 'Stakeholders (travelers, business partners, shareholders, employees, local residents)', enhancing corporate value and public awareness.

In attracting guests, actively communicating the facility's unique appeal and strengths clearly differentiates it from other lodging facilities and creates a strong appeal to customers.

Alongside utilizing social media (SNS) to reach a wide audience and the official website to communicate directly with repeat guests, customer-generated 'Word-of-mouth reviews (Kuchikomi)' posted after check-out are a powerful force for attracting new guests.

Purpose of Public Relations (PR), Stakeholders, and the Power of Word-of-Mouth Reviews

Key points


  • Public relations builds good relationships with stakeholders (travelers, partners, shareholders, staff, local residents) and raises corporate value.

  • Communicating the facility's strengths highlights what sets it apart from competitors through SNS and the official website.

  • Customer reviews (Kuchikomi) shared online after check-out have a major impact on attracting new guests.
WordMeaning
Public Relations (PR)
stakeholders
enhancing corporate value
word-of-mouth customer reviews (Kuchikomi)

Managing the Official Website, SEO, and Online Booking Systems

The company website is the primary platform for communicating official information about the facility. Create a site with clear navigation and usability so guests can easily find what they need, featuring attractive photos and videos of guest rooms, public spaces, and scenery.

Provide comprehensive details that customers want to know when booking—such as room rates, room amenities, facility equipment, maps, access routes, and nearby attractions—and perform regular updates and maintenance to keep information current.

Introducing an 'Online Reservation System' on the website allows guests to book easily 24/7 according to their schedule while reducing commission fees paid to OTAs. Also collect customer feedback to identify areas for improvement.

Furthermore, engage in 'Search Engine Optimization (SEO)' by using appropriate keywords and improving content quality so that the website ranks higher on search engines such as Google.

Key points


  • The official website should have clear navigation, detailed rates/amenities/maps/access info, and regular updates.

  • An online reservation system lets guests book easily without agencies or OTAs, reducing commission fees.

  • Implement SEO (Search Engine Optimization) with proper keywords and quality content to improve search rankings.
WordMeaning
website navigation and layout usability
online reservation system
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
collecting customer feedback

Six Principles of SNS Management, Replying to Reviews, and Copyright / Portrait Rights

Effectively utilizing social media (SNS) strengthens communication with guests and builds the facility's brand. Six key practices are: (1) 'Content Strategy Planning' sharing attractive facility photos/videos, local attractions, events, and offers; and (2) 'Regular Posting' several times a week to daily at timing suited to the target audience.

(3) 'Activation of Communication' by promptly replying to guest questions/comments and liking/commenting on customer posts; and (4) 'Collaboration with the Local Community' by tagging local tourism associations and businesses and running joint campaigns.

(5) 'Leveraging User-Generated Content (UGC)' by encouraging guests to share photos and reviews through hashtags and campaigns; and (6) 'Analysis and Improvement' using SNS analytics tools to review post effectiveness and follower trends.

Always reply to customer reviews sincerely and politely. When publishing content, strictly comply with 'Copyright (Chosakuken — no unauthorized use of photos/music)', 'Portrait Rights (Shozoken — never post photos showing guests' or staff faces without permission)', and advertising laws.

Key points


  • The 6 pillars of SNS management are Content Strategy, Regular Posting, Active Communication, Local Collaboration, Leveraging UGC, and Analytics/Improvement.

  • Collaborate with local tourism associations and businesses via mutual tagging and joint campaigns to boost regional tourism.

  • Strictly respect copyright and portrait rights by obtaining permission before posting photos showing guests or staff.
WordMeaning
content strategy and regular posting
tourism associations and local collaboration
User-Generated Content (UGC)
copyright and portrait rights

Frequently Tested Points and Memory Tips

In Planning & PR, matching accommodation plans to target segments is frequently tested: 'Japanese cultural experience' -> Inbound foreign tourists; 'Healthy meals using local ingredients' -> Vegetarian/Vegan guests; 'Suite room stay' -> Affluent guests.

Master the English/Katakana terms: 'B&B = Breakfast only (hotels)', '1 Night 2 Meals = Dinner + Breakfast (ryokan)', 'All-inclusive = All drinks, light meals, and activities included', 'FIT = Free Independent Traveler (no package tour)', and 'OTA = Online Travel Agent'.

For the 3 room revenue formulas, memorize: 'OCC (Occupancy Rate) = Reserved Rooms / Total Rooms x 100', 'ADR (Average Daily Rate) = Total Room Revenue / Occupied Rooms', and 'RevPAR = OCC x ADR'. Never confuse the denominator of OCC (Total Rooms) with that of ADR (Occupied Rooms).

In PR, remember that the main merit of Direct Booking is 'reducing commission fees', improving search engine ranking is 'SEO', and strategic price control for perishable hotel/airline inventory is 'Revenue Management'.

Key points


  • Target matching: Japanese cultural experience = Inbound guests; Healthy local food = Vegetarian/Vegan; Suite = Affluent layer.

  • Plan & guest terms: 1 Night 2 Meals (dinner+breakfast, ryokan), B&B (breakfast only, hotel), FIT (independent traveler), Deposit.

  • 3 KPI formulas: OCC = Reserved Rooms / Total Rooms x 100; ADR = Room Revenue / Occupied Rooms; RevPAR = OCC x ADR.

  • Sales & pricing terms: Direct Booking (reduces commission), Dynamic Pricing (demand-based pricing), Revenue Management.

  • Web & SNS PR: SEO = Search Engine Optimization; communicating to Stakeholders; local tourism collaboration and UGC.
WordMeaning
formulas for OCC, ADR, and RevPAR
FIT and Inbound tourists
Direct Booking and OTA
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Official references

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