In tourism, the season is won before it begins. A guest usually decides on a trip weeks — even months — before packing a suitcase, and the impression left by the accounts they follow shapes that decision. Starting to advertise only once the season opens means starting the race from behind.
The right approach is to warm up your followers ahead of time. In this article we walk, step by step, through a social media content strategy that grows your audience before the season opens, builds trust and prepares followers to book: which formats to use, how often to post, and which message to send.
Why the pre-season is critical
The weeks before the season starts are when competition is lowest and interest is just beginning to rise. The steps you take in this window are the seeds of the harvest you'll gather all season long. The business that moves early both lowers its cost and speeds up occupancy.
- Planning advantage: You produce content calmly, with quality and consistency, instead of scrambling to keep up mid-season.
- Growing the audience: By increasing followers and engagement before the season, you enter opening day with an audience that's ready.
- Early bookings: You catch the slow-deciding guest at exactly the right moment and ease cash flow with early-season occupancy.
In short, pre-season investment reduces the budget you'd spend on ads during the season and lifts conversion from the start.
Which content formats work?
A single content type wears the audience out. Real impact comes from the right mix of formats that feed one another. Before the season, these formats stand out:
- Short vertical videos (reels): The format the discovery algorithm rewards most — the fastest way to reach a new audience.
- 360° virtual tour posts: Walk the guest through the space before booking, remove uncertainty and raise trust.
- User-generated content (UGC): Posts from previous guests are the most persuasive social proof; ask permission and reshare.
- Behind the scenes: The preparation, the team and the "human" side of the place build a genuine bond with followers.
- Local and experience content: Nearby bays, flavours and events; you sell not just the room but a whole holiday.
The content calendar: rhythm and consistency
Success on social media comes not from a single brilliant post but from a sustainable rhythm. Both the algorithm and your followers reward consistency. For the pre-season, here is a simple but workable weekly rhythm we recommend:
- Monday: An inspiring reel (the view, the experience, a "dream it" message).
- Wednesday: Trust-building content (a 360° tour, a guest review, UGC).
- Friday: A call-to-action post (early-booking reminder, limited availability).
- Throughout the week: Daily, genuine behind-the-scenes stories and engagement polls.
What matters isn't the choice of day, but keeping your promise: three consistent posts a week are far more valuable than ten posts made once a month.
Turning followers into bookings
However beautiful the content is, engagement won't turn into bookings without clear direction. Tell followers exactly what to do and shorten the path:
- A clear CTA: Use one simple call on every conversion-focused post: "Reserve your dates", "DM for a price".
- Profile link: The bio link should go straight to booking or WhatsApp; don't make the guest search.
- DM / WhatsApp routing: Answer questions fast; in tourism, a late reply is a lost booking.
- Early-booking campaigns: Time-bound discounts and limited availability move the hesitant follower to act.
Social media doesn't sell during the season; it accumulates trust before it. That accumulated trust is what wins the booking.
Conclusion: the early starter wins
A pre-season social media strategy is not something to leave to chance; it's a process you can plan and measure. When you share the right formats on a consistent calendar and crown every step with a clear call to action, you meet a ready and willing audience the moment the season opens. All you have to do is start today.