Before guests arrive: the decisions that shape a better holiday

The holiday begins before the journey

A family has booked a lodge for a long weekend. As departure approaches, their questions become more specific.

Which entrance should they use? What do they need to bring? Can they eat on the park that evening? Will the children need to book activities in advance?

If the answers are spread across confirmation emails, website pages and social posts, planning becomes a search exercise. Your reception team may end up filling the gaps by phone.

Pre-arrival communication gives you an opportunity to resolve those questions and introduce the experiences that make the stay worth looking forward to.

Give each stage a clear purpose

Guests do not need every piece of park information as soon as they book. Organise communication around what they are likely to need next.

An initial confirmation should make the reservation and next steps clear. Closer to arrival, directions, check-in arrangements and essential preparation become more relevant. Activity planning may need an earlier prompt if popular sessions can be reserved in advance.

The right timing depends on your operation. A touring guest may need pitch access information, while a lodge guest may be checking what is supplied in the accommodation.

Make it easy for guests to return to the current information instead of searching an inbox for the right attachment.

Introduce the app through a useful task

A guest is more likely to understand the value of your park app when it helps them do something specific.

Invite them to explore the activity programme, check arrival guidance or find facilities near their accommodation. Explain the benefit before asking them to download it.

Keep the first experience straightforward. Guests should be able to find the information promised in the message, with clear instructions if a login or booking reference is required.

Where possible, provide another way to access essential information for guests who cannot or prefer not to use an app.

Help guests discover what suits their stay

Pre-arrival content can do more than answer practical questions. It can help guests understand the experiences available during their particular break.

Consider a family arriving late on Friday. An early dinner option may be more useful than a long list of weekend offers. Guests planning a walking break may appreciate route information and details of somewhere to eat afterwards.

Explain activities clearly: suitability, duration, location, price and any booking requirements. If availability is controlled by a separate activity platform or reservation system, send guests to the correct place to complete the booking.

Keep paid extras transparent and relevant. A well-explained option helps guests choose; a succession of unrelated upsells creates more work for them.

Keep information aligned with operations

Pre-arrival promises need to match what the park can deliver. Agree who maintains opening times, arrival instructions, entertainment listings and booking links.

Review information whenever arrangements change, including seasonal hours and access restrictions. Where booking-specific information is involved, confirm what your PMS or booking engine can supply and how it reaches the guest.

For bookings received through an intermediary, work within the communication channels and information available to you. Reception and on-park promotion can introduce the app when direct pre-arrival contact is limited.

Measure whether preparation becomes easier

Start with a small set of useful indicators. Are fewer guests calling about arrival arrangements? Do guests use the app before check-in? Are activity pages helping people reach the booking process?

Use completed reservations to assess pre-arrival sales. A page view indicates interest, while a confirmed booking provides a different level of evidence.

Guest feedback can add context. Ask whether they felt prepared and what they struggled to find.

Make the first improvement practical

Choose one arrival group and review the information they receive. Remove outdated details, organise the essentials and introduce one useful planning task.

When guests arrive knowing where to go and what they are looking forward to, your team has a stronger starting point for the whole stay.

Want to connect preparation with a better on-park experience? Explore n-gage.io for holiday parks and discuss your pre-arrival journey with us.