Executive Summary:
Ventana Big Sur is one of California’s most sought-after luxury coastal resorts, but even iconic properties need a stronger direct-booking pipeline. Americas Great Resorts executed a targeted luxury hotel email marketing campaign that reached 44,000 qualified travel enthusiasts, generated 58 high-value new bookings at an ADR above $1,000, and helped Ventana Big Sur grow revenue while strengthening brand visibility in a highly competitive market.
Client Profile:
Ventana Big Sur is a premier luxury resort located along California’s central coast, offering all-inclusive accommodations, elevated dining, wellness programming, and immersive nature experiences overlooking the Pacific. As a flagship property in the Big Sur region, the resort attracts affluent travelers seeking privacy, natural beauty, and a high-touch luxury experience.
Background:
Ventana Big Sur wanted to increase bookings and revenue while reinforcing its position as a top-tier luxury destination. Despite its world-class setting and premium rates, the resort faced intense competition from other upscale properties and OTAs targeting the same high-income travelers. Ventana Big Sur needed a way to reach more qualified guests directly, tell a richer brand story, and convert interest into high-value stays without eroding rate integrity.
Client’s Challenges:
- Standing out in a crowded luxury market – Multiple upscale resorts and boutique properties compete for the same affluent travelers in Big Sur and along the California coast, making differentiation critical.
- Maximizing revenue at premium ADRs – With rates regularly exceeding $1,000 per night, Ventana Big Sur needed to keep occupancy and revenue strong while protecting average daily rate and brand positioning.
- Expanding the direct-booking audience – The resort wanted to grow beyond its existing guest base and reduce reliance on OTAs by reaching new, high-intent travelers who would book directly with Ventana Big Sur.
Solution:
Americas Great Resorts partnered with Ventana Big Sur to design a tailored luxury hotel email marketing strategy focused on direct bookings and revenue growth. Rather than relying on generic list buys or broad digital campaigns, AGR built a property-specific approach that combined precise audience targeting, premium creative, and compelling offers aligned with Ventana’s all-inclusive positioning and high ADR.
Implementation:
- Strategic Audience Segmentation – Americas Great Resorts conducted detailed market research to identify and segment high-value audiences, including affluent travelers, luxury seekers, wellness enthusiasts, and adventure travelers interested in the Big Sur region. Historical guest zip codes and demographic indicators were used to build a robust, property-aligned targeting model.
- Email Campaign Design: High-impact email creative and messaging – AGR crafted a series of visually rich email creatives that showcased Ventana Big Sur’s all-inclusive experience, elevated dining, wellness offerings, and dramatic coastal setting. Copy emphasized exclusivity, value at a premium ADR, and the emotional benefits of a Big Sur escape.
- Curated list and campaign deployment – The campaign was deployed to a curated list of 44,000 recipients, high-intent travelers, and subscribers interested in luxury California getaways. Send timing, subject lines, and offer positioning were tested and refined for maximum engagement.
- Ongoing performance monitoring and optimization – Using advanced analytics, AGR tracked open rate, click-through rate, on-site behavior, bookings, and revenue. Insights from early sends were used to adjust targeting, creative, and calls-to-action to maximize direct bookings and overall ROI.
Results:
- 58 new high-value bookings – The targeted hotel email marketing campaign generated 58 new customer bookings for Ventana Big Sur, with an average daily rate (ADR) exceeding $1,000 per night, aligning with the property’s luxury positioning.
- Meaningful revenue growth and strong ROI – The new bookings produced a substantial revenue lift relative to the campaign investment, delivering a strong return on ad spend and validating email as a profitable acquisition channel for the resort.
- Stronger brand visibility in luxury travel – By highlighting Ventana Big Sur’s unique all-inclusive, nature-focused experience, the campaign increased awareness among high-income travelers considering California coastal escapes.
- Deeper, higher-quality engagement – Personalized messaging, strong creative, and clear calls-to-action led to higher engagement, more time spent exploring offers, and stronger intent to book directly with Ventana Big Sur.
Conclusion:
Through its partnership with Americas Great Resorts, Ventana Big Sur transformed a single, well-executed hotel email marketing campaign into measurable booking and revenue gains. By combining precise audience targeting, premium creative, and disciplined optimization, the resort expanded its direct-booking base while protecting rate integrity and reinforcing its position as one of California’s premier luxury coastal retreats.
As guest expectations and media costs continue to rise, Ventana Big Sur now has a proven, scalable framework for using email to tell its brand story, reach qualified travelers, and convert interest into profitable stays.
For additional examples of luxury resort email marketing, see our Montage Palmetto Bluff Hotel Email Marketing Case Study and Hotel Villagio Email Marketing Case Study.
To generate results like this, Americas Great Resorts provides targeted hotel email marketing services, professional creative through our hotel email design service, and the full expertise of a dedicated luxury hotel email marketing agency focused on increasing direct bookings and revenue for high-end resorts.
