Where hotel guests travel from, and which drive markets are growing
What the answer looks like
Illustrative output on sample data
Illustrative example: how Lexi answers this for a national park lodge group with four lodges. It maps two years of stays from the PMS by guest home city and ZIP code.
- Denver metro: 31% of stays, up 8% year on year
- Salt Lake City metro: 18% of stays, down 11%
- Phoenix metro: 12% of stays, up 24%
- Other drive markets: 14%, flat
What the data shows
Phoenix is the fastest-growing market, and Salt Lake City is shrinking.
What it means
Phoenix guests mostly book summer stays to escape the heat, often with children. Salt Lake City guests have shifted to shorter trips at a newer competitor nearer home.
What to do
Move summer family marketing toward Phoenix, and test a midweek offer for past Salt Lake City guests.
Want me to show average spend per stay by drive market?
Why it matters
Most leisure guests at regional properties come from a handful of nearby cities. Knowing which of those drive markets are growing and which are fading tells you where to spend on marketing, when to time it, and which cities are worth testing next.
Frequently asked questions
What is a drive market for a hotel?
A drive market is a city or region close enough that guests reach your property by car, usually within a few hours. For many leisure hotels and resorts, a small number of drive markets supply most stays, so they shape where marketing should go.
How do hotels find their main drive markets?
Map each guest's home address or ZIP code from booking and loyalty records, then group stays by city or metro area. Comparing the share of stays from each market year on year shows which are growing and which are fading.
How should hotels market to different drive markets?
Match the message to why each market visits. Families escaping summer heat need different packages from couples on weekend breaks. Time campaigns to each market's travel season, and test new nearby cities with a small budget first.