Beyond the Main Event: How Hotels Can Turn Live Experiences into Lasting Loyalty

Whether it’s tens of thousands of fans pouring in for a sold-out stadium tour or loyal crowds drawn by major sporting events, live experiences generate more than just local buzz - they deliver serious business, reports Agilysys.

Between April and October of last year, sports events drove £2.2 billion in UK hospitality spending, while Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour generated £300 million for London’s economy, solidifying the capital’s status as the world’s live music leader. But with short booking windows, fluctuating occupancy, and enhanced guest expectations, the winners aren’t the closest hotels - they’re the smartest.

To turn event-driven surges into long-term value, properties need more than availability, they need adaptability. From PMS to unified guest profiles and automated offers, integrated hospitality tech enables hotels to scale operations and optimise spend while delivering standout experiences that guests remember long after the event concludes. This includes operational essentials like streamlined mobile check-in and check-out, which become invaluable when managing sudden spikes in arrivals and departures, ensuring teams can handle volume without compromising guest experience.

Learnings from Recent Events

From Taylor Swift’s record-breaking UK tour to the football Premier League calendar and global fan zones popping up across London, recent events have underscored the importance of readiness, flexibility, and guest-centric execution. Hotels that leverage tech-led strategies can automate guest touchpoints, curate experiences, and connect operational dots efficiently.

Properties close to venues can curate thoughtful, memorable experiences with arrival playlists inspired by the concert setlist, event-themed welcome gifts, limited-edition cocktails, and even pre-orderable merchandise.

But impact isn’t just driven by creativity, it hinges on seamless execution. Indeed, 66% of travellers say reducing wait times across booking, check-in, and ordering would make them more likely to spend more; and 68% are more likely to spend more if their experience is personalised. Guests expect frictionless service paired with tailored moments that make them feel seen. Whether it’s mobile check-in after a long journey or a checkout extension automatically offered the next morning, these touches shape lasting impressions and future bookings.

Integration in Peak Moments

When your hotel becomes part of a cultural phenomenon, every touchpoint counts. Integrated systems - connecting PMS, POS, inventory, loyalty, and mobile - are critical for enabling seamless service at scale and turning one-off bookings into loyal relationships. To capitalise on event-driven demand, hoteliers should:

• Map local demand triggers: Anticipate key concerts, tournaments, and festivals to plan ahead with confidence

• Create event-themed packages: Offer early check-in, shuttle transfers, in-room gifts, or bundled extras

• Personalise guest interactions: Use data to tailor communications and upsells, before, during, and after the stay

• Streamline operations: Enable mobile check-in and automated folios to reduce bottlenecks and refocus staff on service

Behind the Scenes

The benefits of integrated tech expend past the guest. Streamlined systems empower hospitality teams by automating manual processes and easing the operational load during peak periods. Mobile check-in reduces front desk congestion, digital ordering minimises call volume to room service and reception, and auto-generated shift assignments mitigate scheduling clashes. Together, these tools help staff avoid the multitasking fatigue that often arises when trying to manage multiple guest requests manually, especially during large-scale events.

By removing friction from day-to-day tasks – whether it’s managing reservations, manually printing receipts, or juggling multiple systems – teams can focus their energy where it matters most: guest interaction, problem-solving, and maintaining service quality.

In an industry where burnout risk is high, especially during demand spikes, this kind of tech-enabled support can make a meaningful difference to both morale and retention.

Scaling Success Pre & Post-Event

With Wimbledon 2025 set to welcome over 526,000 attendees and generate upwards of £224 million in economic impact, and Oasis’ reunion tour forecast to bring in more than £1 billion in fan spending, the live events wave continues to reshape the UK hospitality landscape.

Hotels in proximity to these landmark events should prepare for elevated demand - and elevated expectations. The hoteliers best positioned to thrive will be those who align operations to the rhythm of live events, using smart technology to dynamically price rooms, personalise experiences, and empower staff to act in real time.

Hospitality is all about being in the moment and when big events come to town, that moment is magnified. With the right systems in place, hoteliers can deliver the kind of personalised, efficient and emotionally resonant experiences today’s guests expect.