Canadian hotels and resorts often face a common challenge—filling rooms during midweek lulls or off-season periods. The solution? Paid advertising. Whether you’re operating a boutique hotel in Québec or a lakeside resort in British Columbia, the right PPC for hotels in Canada can help you turn slow periods into profit.

In 2025, paid media isn’t just about buying impressions—it’s about delivering high-intent traffic, compelling promotions, and booking conversions that impact your bottom line. This guide outlines the most effective hotel promotions advertising tactics and how to leverage Google Ads for resorts to drive occupancy during your most vulnerable revenue periods.

Why Paid Advertising Works for Off-Peak Inventory

Midweek stays and seasonal lulls are often left to fate. But with smart advertising, you can proactively:

• Attract deal-seeking travelers during quieter periods
• Promote unique seasonal experiences (fall foliage, winter spa, spring festivals)
• Target niche audiences (remote workers, midweek business travelers, retirees)
• Fill gaps in your occupancy calendar with timely, geo-targeted offers

Paid ads—particularly Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram campaigns—allow hotels to reach the right audience at the right time with the right offer.

Zrafted’s media team helps you run high-ROI ad campaigns that convert lookers into bookers.

1. Define Clear Goals for Your Paid Hotel Campaigns

Before launching any ad campaign, clarify what you want to achieve:

• Increase midweek bookings by 20% over the next quarter
• Promote off-season packages to local travelers
• Drive direct bookings instead of OTAs
• Capture last-minute mobile searchers

Your ad strategy and messaging should align with these performance goals.

2. Use Google Ads to Capture Intent-Driven Travelers

Google remains the highest-converting paid channel for hotels due to its intent-based nature.

Tips for high-performance Google Ads for resorts:

• Bid on long-tail keywords like:
  • “midweek hotel deals Toronto”
  • “off-season ski resort Québec”
  • “Tuesday night hotel stay Whistler”
• Use ad extensions to showcase amenities (free parking, breakfast, pet-friendly)
• Leverage location targeting to focus on drive-to markets
• Use countdown timers for urgency (“Sale ends in 2 days!”)

Combine Search ads with Google Hotel Ads to capture both general and accommodation-specific traffic.

3. Run Paid Social Ads to Promote Flash Deals and Experiences

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow for rich visual storytelling—perfect for highlighting your property’s best angles during underbooked periods.

What to promote:

• Seasonal packages (e.g., “Fall Escape: 2 nights + breakfast for $199”)
• Event tie-ins (e.g., “Book during Toronto Film Fest and get valet free”)
• Weekday perks (e.g., “Stay midweek, spa for free”)
• Last-minute deals (e.g., “Available this week only”)

Targeting tips:

• Use lookalike audiences based on past bookers
• Target past guests using your CRM list
• Geo-target driveable cities within a 2–4 hour radius
• Segment by interests (e.g., food lovers, golfers, skiers)

4. Launch Retargeting Campaigns to Recover Lost Bookings

Retargeting (or remarketing) is one of the most powerful tools for filling midweek gaps. Many travelers research multiple hotels—retargeting reminds them to come back and book with you.

Retargeting ideas:

• Dynamic ads showing the exact room they viewed
• Limited-time midweek offer reminders
• Testimonials or guest review ads to build trust
• Promo codes exclusive to return visitors

Run retargeting across Google Display, Facebook, and even YouTube pre-roll ads.

5. Design Offers That Convert Midweek Travelers

You can’t just say “15% off”—you need to position your midweek offer around experience and value.

High-converting midweek offer ideas:

• “Stay 2 nights midweek, get the 3rd free”
• “Work from our hotel: Free Wi-Fi, early check-in, quiet workspace”
• “Weekday Wine & Dine: Includes dinner for 2 + room”
• “Spa Days: Book Tuesday-Thursday, get $50 spa credit”

Bundle amenities like breakfast, parking, late check-out, or local tours to increase perceived value without dropping your rate.

6. Optimize Landing Pages for Conversion

Every paid ad must lead to a conversion-focused landing page—not just your homepage.

Best practices:

• Match the landing page headline to the ad offer
• Keep booking buttons prominent (“Book Midweek Deal Now”)
• Show available dates clearly
• Use trust signals (Google reviews, badges, TripAdvisor rating)
• Add urgency or scarcity messaging

Avoid distractions—focus the user on completing the booking.

7. Test Creatives and Messaging Frequently

Ads go stale quickly. What worked in September may flop in November.

A/B test:

• Image types (rooms vs. lifestyle shots)
• Copy variations (discount vs. experience-focused)
• Headlines (urgency vs. value vs. exclusivity)
• CTAs (“Book Now” vs. “Claim Offer” vs. “Plan Your Stay”)

Use insights to double down on top-performers and pause underperformers quickly.

8. Use YouTube and TikTok for Discovery & Branding

While Google and Meta drive direct response, YouTube and TikTok can boost awareness for your property—especially among Gen Z and Millennials.

Content ideas:

• Mini-tours of rooms or views
• Local attractions near your hotel
• Guest testimonials or influencer collaborations
• Seasonal experience teasers

Even a few hundred targeted views can build brand recognition and support downstream conversions via retargeting.

9. Measure, Attribute, and Adjust for ROI

Set up proper conversion tracking to monitor the true impact of your paid hotel promotions.

Key metrics to track:

• Cost per booking (CPB)
• Return on ad spend (ROAS)
• Midweek occupancy lift
• Campaign CTR and conversion rate
• Mobile vs. desktop performance

Use Google Analytics 4, Meta Business Suite, and UTM-tagged URLs for attribution. Run monthly reports to analyze trends and shift budget accordingly.

10. How Zrafted Helps You Scale Paid Hotel Promotions

Running paid ad campaigns across multiple channels while trying to manage a hotel? That’s a lot.

Zrafted’s hospitality media team helps Canadian hotels and resorts:

• Build smart, seasonally focused media plans
• Design and test ad creatives that convert
• Write high-performance landing pages
• Track performance and optimize continuously

Zrafted’s media team helps you run high-ROI ad campaigns that convert lookers into bookers.

Whether you need a one-time midweek campaign or a year-round PPC strategy, we can help you grow your bookings with precision.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Midweek Rooms Sit Empty

Every empty room is a missed opportunity. With the right hotel promotions advertising strategy, you can turn downtime into bookings, boost direct revenue, and keep your brand top of mind year-round.

In 2025, paid ads are no longer a luxury—they’re a must-have tool for filling seasonal gaps, retargeting browsers, and increasing total occupancy.

Don’t wait for bookings to trickle in. Go after them—with smart, high-ROI ad campaigns tailored to your unique property.

Explore More in Zrafted’s 2025 Hospitality Growth Series:

• Email & SMS Automation for Guest Retention
• How to Optimize Your Hotel Website for More Direct Bookings
• Top Hotel Marketing Strategies That Work in 2025
• Local SEO for Canadian Hotels and Resorts