Best Marketed Hotel

* There must be a minimum of three entrants in a category for all entrants to progress to the judging phase.

* Winner is eligible to enter the AHA National Awards

A written submission (maximum 1,000 words) must be provided by Wednesday, 10 December 2025 with supporting documents and images where relevant.

This category is open to all venues to recognise excellence in marketing activity undertaken to foster a greater awareness of the property in the marketplace. Initiatives may include, but are not limited to, market research and planning; advertising and promotions; publications; and trade/media/consumer events.

Judging Criteria & Weightings

Your submission should clearly explain the how, why, what, and where of your marketing approach.

Marketing strategy

• Who is your target market and how did you identify them?
• What research and planning informed your strategy?
• Describe key campaigns, their objectives, and how they were executed.
• How did the strategy align with your venue’s brand profile?

In-house marketing

• How did you maintain consistency and quality in branding?
• Provide examples of in-venue marketing (signage, menus, screens, displays) and explain how these supported your overall strategy.

Website and social media

• Evaluate your website’s appeal, usability, and effectiveness, supported by analytics.
• Explain how social media platforms were used strategically to achieve objectives (e.g., bookings, awareness, engagement, or sales), not just posting content.

Partnership and Integration

• Describe partnerships (business associations, tourism bodies, attractions, sponsorships, networks) and how they contributed to your marketing success.
• Explain how your marketing team collaborates with other venue departments to ensure integration and effectiveness.

Implementation and Measurement

• Detail how campaigns were implemented and measured.
• Provide evidence of outcomes (ROI, sales, visitation, media exposure, or brand awareness). Specify calculation methods (e.g., direct/comparative sales or equivalent advertising value). Show tangible results demonstrating success.

Innovation

• Highlight the most innovative aspect of your marketing strategy.
• Explain why it was innovative, whether it was new for your venue, and the impact it achieved.

Supporting documents:

• Marketing strategy outline
• Evidence of campaigns and results (analytics, sales, PR/media reach)
• Examples of in-house marketing materials
• Website performance and analytics
• Partnership evidence and outcomes