A Quiet Winter is Coming. Are you ready?

May 05, 2025By Habit

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Understanding the Winter Market

Easter and Anzac Day are over, and the weather (at least here on Waiheke) is a good reminder that slower times are ahead.

Last week, I had the opportunity to chat with a group of Auckland’s hotel GMs, and the sentiment across the room was clear: brace yourself. It’s going to be a quiet winter. Fewer international visitors and lower hotel occupancy mean quieter dining rooms too. This isn’t unusual for this time of year, but it’s a timely reminder to adjust your business if you haven’t already.

We just kicked off our leadership program, which has a strong focus on understanding your financial position and running your team efficiently. In our first session, the group shared some fantastic insights — reminding me again that we’re stronger when we work together and learn from one another.

We’re now building a plan with each participant to help them feel confident heading into winter. They know they’ll get through it because they have a budget in place that sees them through until visitor numbers spike again.

winter hotel

Key Takeaways from our First Session

  • Right-size your team. You run a business, so put emotions aside and align your staffing to demand. (And yes, sending people on holiday helps too.)
  • Train your team. Upselling, better service, marketing support — involve them in promoting events or running your social media.
  • Stocktake, cost, and engineer. Do the stocktake, cost out your menu, and review what’s working and what’s not.
  • Audit your overheads. Now’s a good time to renegotiate phone contracts, insurance premiums, or anything else eating into margins.
  • Find (or create) demand. Think local groups — walking clubs, car clubs, birthdays — or create your own demand by putting on events. (Mother’s Day is coming...)
goals concept presented by a consultant in management on webinar screen. strategy goal and new ideas

The fact that these managers are in the room shows their commitment to working on the business, not just in it. One of them mentioned a holiday they’ve been dreaming about for two years. My goal for the next eight weeks? Get them to book their flights.