Tips for Guest Engagement

KEEP THESE 5 GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN MIND

• Location is important

  • Place the message where decisions are made, like a friendly reminder by the tap, rather than tucked away in an app or info board.

• Focus on benefits and positive outcomes, not sacrifice

  • Replace negative styles such as “Don’t Do This” with positive styles such as “Here’s How You Can Help”.

• Give choices, not instructions

  • For example “Feel free to reuse your pool towel, or ask for a fresh one any time between 10:00 - 11:00 am at the entertainment desk”.

• Make the WHY local and relatable

  • Rather than generic messages like “Help us to Save The Planet”, instead try messages such as  “Using less water helps to protect the island’s natural pools that many guests love to visit”.

• Communications isn’t just what you say, it’s what you do

  • Quickly fixing reported leaks and avoiding garden watering during the hottest part of the day can be just as powerful as any sign or written message.
    

BEFORE THE STAY

Possible channels: Hotel Website · Hotel Social Media · Booking Confirmation · Pre-Arrival Email · Mobile App

• Water is a precious resource here, and we do our best to look after it. By staying with us, you’re already part of that effort. Around the hotel, you’ll see a few friendly reminders about how you can help.  No obligations, just a thank you if you do.

• Check out the water-saving wins we have planned for this year/summer/winter and the many different ways you can support us if you wish.

• Curious where your water comes from? Scan to find out, and learn how guests like you are helping to keep local water systems flowing.
  

[Banner Messages]

• A 4-minute shower uses 40 litres of water, more than most locals use in a day.

• We harvest rainwater to reduce pressure on local supplies, and every towel reused helps us do more.
  

[Instagram Poll]

• QUESTION: What’s your water-saving superpower while travelling?

• OPTIONS: Quick showers / Reusing towels / Reporting leaks / All of the above.
  

[Reel Idea]

• A Day in the Life of a Drop of Water — Use short video clips to trace a droplet from the local source to the hotel and back through the reuse systems, ending with “Thanks for helping it go further.”
  

[Visual + Caption]

• Image of behind-the-scenes laundry with caption: 

  • Fewer towels = less water used

  • Less energy = fewer emissions

  • Less time on laundry = more time to focus on your comfort

[Did You Know?]

Series of interesting facts dotted around social media or website pop-ups. Have a look at potential messages here.

[Testimonials]

• Encourage guests to leave quotes, e.g. “We loved how easy it was to reuse our towels and still feel pampered!”
  

DURING THE STAY

Guest Room & Bathroom

• Fresh towels available on request. Most guests choose to reuse and save 60+ litres a day; you’re more than welcome to join them.

• Choose to reuse: We’ll refresh your towels when you leave them on the floor.

• Every reused towel saves (XX) litres of water; with (XXX) guests every day, that really adds up.

• Let your playlist guide you - one average tune is the perfect length for a refreshing and water-saving shower.

• Thanks for only using the water that you need.

  Make sure guests know how to use the dual flush toilet. Since there are many different designs, and not all are intuitive, a simple visual guide on or near the cistern can help them choose the right flush.

Welcome Messages

• Thanks for staying water-wise. You’ll see a few gentle reminders around the room about how you can help us.

• We’re proud to use rainwater harvesting and smart irrigation systems. Your actions, no matter how small, can also go a long way to conserving precious water.

• Last week’s guests helped us save 8,000 litres of water - enough to water 500 trees.

• This week we’re hosting a behind-the-scenes tour of our hotel, showcasing everything from water and energy conservation to how we recycle our waste. Ask at reception if you’d like to join.

• We’re trying to hit a water-saving milestone this season, thanks for being part of it.
  
  

Staff Spotlight Stories

• Feature staff from housekeeping, maintenance, or landscaping sharing what water-saving means to their role.

  • “Ana, our laundry supervisor: ‘Reusing towels means we run fewer loads, which keeps more water for the island’s local farms.’”
    
    

Public Areas

• Simple Signage at reception and other public areas:  Let us know if you spot a leak, fixing small things quickly helps us save thousands of litres a month.

Top Tip:  Posters or digital displays in lifts and on the back of restroom doors are a great place for guest messages. It is a time where your guests have nowhere else to go, so the likelihood of them reading the messages increases significantly. Keep messages short, positive and relevant, and if analogue systems are used, change them regularly to keep them interesting.

[Video Ideas for Screens in Receptions]

• RAINWATER HARVESTING: From rooftop to garden: How rainwater harvesting helps us care for our island, and how you can help just by reusing your towel.

• BEHIND THE SCENES: Show images of engineering/housekeeping teams checking leaks, adjusting pressure, handling laundry The title could be “Saving water starts in our basement….”, followed by a variety of guest engagement options such as:

  • "…but it continues with small choices like turning off the tap while brushing your teeth or reporting any leaks you notice."

  • "…but guests help by taking shorter showers and reusing their towels."

  • "…but you can help by using only the water you need and alerting us to any leaks you notice in your room."

  • "…by switching off the air conditioning when you're not in the room - cooling the air uses a surprising amount of water as well as energy."

Interactive Displays or Touch Screens  (Reception Area)

• Short 1 minute film 

  • Title:  “Meet the spring. This is where your shower starts.” 

  • What to include: Mini photo series or video showing the water source and others who depend on it, such as nearby farms, residential areas etc. Finish with shots of water saving measures in hotel and call to action for guests.

• Fun facts icons

  • Type of Display:  Simple icons on a blank screen, or images of operational areas of the hotel with icons situated on key equipment, installations that use water. 

  • How does it work:  Guests can press on icons to learn fun facts such as “How much water does your 5 minute shower use? How many litres of water are in our pool and how many bottles of water that might be equivalent to? How much water does it take to wash all our bed linens every day?

• Did You Know Flip Cards (See Did You Know Messages above)

Visual Displays 

• Sustainability Display - Rotate a variety of messages each day, going beyond just water-saving tips to keep content fresh and engaging.

• Commitment Walls - These provide a space where they can write down / choose a personal action or actions they will take during their stay and pin it up for others to see. Whether it’s taking shorter showers, skipping daily room cleaning, or choosing local food, this small act encourages reflection and creates a visual reminder that everyone has a role to play. Like the keyring traditions on bridges, it also adds a sense of connection and contribution, turning sustainability into something shared and personal.

  Garden Signage

  • “Every drop saved in your room helps us grow this garden. Thank you.”

  • “Our gardens are irrigated with recycled water”.
    
    

  Lifts, Hallways, Reception

  • Short showers last week saved enough water to fill the swimming pool, thanks to guests like you.

  Children’s Club Activities

  • Water detectives: Kids look for dripping taps or toilets and report them for a sticker or small reward.  Children’s club staff can report these to maintenance for fixing.

  • Crafts from reused water bottles: Helps to link water with waste awareness.

  • Story time or puppet shows with local characters (like a talking coconut or a talking raindrop, or using the kids club mascots) to teach kids how water gets to the hotel.

  • DIY rain gauge or mini water filter experiments using sand/charcoal bottles.

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  AFTER THE STAY

  Show guests the difference they’ve made, it builds trust in your brand and leaves them feeling part of something worthwhile.

  Post-Stay Thank-You Email

  Subject lines:

  • Thanks for making a difference during your stay

  • See what your stay helped save

  • Your visit did more than you think
    

  Email body examples:

  • “Thanks to guests like you, we saved over 100,000 litres of water this month. That’s enough to irrigate our native gardens and supply local schools, all without compromising your comfort.”

  • “Whether you reused your towels or took short showers, you helped us care for local water resources. Thanks for being part of the solution.”

  • “We're proud to be part of a region where water matters. Your small choices helped us use less and protect more, thank you for joining our effort.”

  • “You’re a water-wise guest! Come back soon and see what else your stay can support.  Guests like you help us to do more with less.”
    

  Include:

  • Visual impact statistic (e.g. water droplet graphic)

  • Optional Call to Action Button: “See our latest sustainability efforts.”

  • Invitation to return: “Help us beat next month’s/year’s goal, see you again soon!”
    
    

  TripAdvisor / Google Review Encouragement

  • “If you enjoyed your stay, we’d really appreciate a review. Many guests mention the little touches such as our attention to detail, and doing things more sustainably without impacting the guest experience.”
    
    

  Social Media After the Stay

  “Last month, our guests helped us save 87,000 litres of water, proof that small  choices really do add up. Thank you to everyone who stayed, showered smart, and reused their towels.”