Gigantic complexes that simultaneously offer sports, recreation, leisure, healthcare, event services, hotel accommodation, and residential properties are rare in Hungary. Zala Springs Golf Resort is one of the few establishments where all of these are available in one place, making it a particularly unique and complex challenge from a professional standpoint. However, Everguest’s coordinated efforts brought exceptional growth across multiple operational areas within a year.

Challenges in Pricing Strategy

The collaboration between Zala Springs and Everguest began with a revenue management training session. During this session, Everguest experts presented several revenue models and worked with the resort’s representatives to select the most advantageous solution for Zala Springs. Following the successful training, ongoing collaboration commenced with a comprehensive audit in Q1 2024.
“Our primary task was to develop an appropriate revenue strategy for accommodation services and establish the conditions for active, continuous collaboration from tactical and analytical perspectives, as well as revenue tracking. Identifying structural pricing gaps that needed to be addressed to achieve business goals was crucial,” says Anita Solymos-Kovács, Revenue Manager at Everguest.

“The audit was very useful as it highlighted the need for more concentrated yet flexible collaboration between our units,” says András Vincze, General Manager of Zala Springs Golf Resort. “Professional support was especially important for our hotel services, as we significantly increased our capacity by 20 rooms in September 2023. Moreover, we are dynamically expanding the Zala Springs service portfolio, so we need to continuously provide attractive offers to a growing, yet very diverse audience of guests, potential property buyers, and investors.”

The resort’s pricing strategy required a significant overhaul in the hotel area. Everguest experts introduced a dynamic pricing model and reviewed OTA appearances, prioritising direct sales, which benefits guests and positively impacts business results. They also standardized room types and services across various platforms and fully transitioned to data-driven solutions for planning.

“We aimed to maximise efficiency across both revenue and marketing areas,” says Anita Solymos-Kovács. “For example, we updated the segment and sales channel lists in Hostware, allowing us to further differentiate guests, which provides a great starting point for planning targeted marketing campaigns.”

Strategic Shift in Marketing

The marketing collaboration began with a quarterly testing period, and just two months after the trial, marketing communication projects expanded to all operational units, except for communication related to direct golf course sales.

“We need to cater to many different target groups, so it’s essential that all communication decisions are strictly data-driven, and we maintain balance since we prioritise service areas based on target groups rather than hierarchy,” says Bálint Turnai, Senior Marketing Manager at Everguest. “We manage communication for each area separately, while constantly monitoring how they affect each other. At Zala Springs, the marketing strategy operates not as isolated units but as an integrated system where campaigns mutually reinforce each other. This complex approach ensures that all service areas of the resort achieve the best possible results.”

In addition to deeper strategic support, Everguest introduced continuous TikTok service with video production, regular photo shoots, and integrated LinkedIn for corporate events. Communication related to real estate sales and wedding services became more prominent, and Everguest’s PPC services were extended to all operational areas.

“Communication in all areas is strongly conversion-focused, but when designing creative solutions, we ensure that every element supports brand-building goals and educates the audience about the facility’s service areas,” explains Bálint Turnai.

“Accurate website and social media measurement settings were crucial to getting a real picture of the various functions and opportunities offered by the complex in the online space,” says Bea Balogh, Head of Everguest’s Performance Marketing team. “This was essential for improving the user experience and capitalizing on long-term growth opportunities. Since spending and measurement processes are transparent, all decisions can be data-driven, ensuring a sustainably effective digital presence. We work with many stakeholders, so we place special emphasis on transparent, understandable reporting that provides a clear picture of marketing communication performance.”

Significant Growth Achieved Within a Year*

By the end of August 2024, the resort’s accommodation area had already reached the revenue level of the entire 2023 financial year. In 2024, the number of rooms sold increased by 30%, and considering the growth in the average annual rate, REVPAR (Revenue per Available Room) increased by 40%.

Marketing effectiveness is evident in the fact that direct revenue from accommodation services doubled, and online revenue grew by 225% thanks to the synergy between marketing and revenue efforts. Moreover, there was a significant increase in inquiries for real estate sales, relevant event services, and wedding services.

“The key to our success was creating a central coordination team for Zala Springs where revenue and marketing communication colleagues work together continuously,” says Bálint Turnai. “This ensures efficient information sharing and maximizes the potential of collaboration across different specialties.”

“By involving Everguest, we not only gained new experts but also redesigned key areas of our business operations that are crucial for our success. I am very pleased that this approach has proven effective, and that we have essentially eliminated the risks associated with siloed operations. The online sales results are particularly important to us, as they positively impact our business goals in F&B, golf, and spa areas as well,” says András Vincze.

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Curious about the possibilities at Zala Springs Golf Resort? For more information, visit: https://zalasprings.hu/en?lang=en

*The results mentioned in this article are based on a comparison of the 2023 and 2024 financial years.