Hospitality businesses are already taking a record number of bookings for the FIFA World Cup in November and even more bookings are expected, as a recent survey by booking platform, DesignMyNight, found 76% of participants are planning to book to watch the games.
DesignMyNight has recorded more than 10,000 searches for ‘hospitality venues hosting World Cup screenings’, which has gone up 30% in the last month, for the event taking place from Monday 21st November to Sunday 18th December.
In this blog, we’ll look at the most important things for hospitality businesses to get right for this year’s World Cup:
Atmosphere
It’s important for pubs, bars and restaurants to plan ahead to create the right atmosphere for the big sporting event. As 51% of respondents surveyed said the atmosphere is the most important factor in choosing where to book. 57% said even if their team was knocked out, they would continue to watch it at a pub, bar or restaurant, if there was a good atmosphere. Due to the time of year, availability indoors will be key.
The World Cup also falls within the peak Christmas party booking season, so striking the right balance will be important, creating separate designated areas for each will work well.
Indoor capacity
The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for the hospitality sector to increase footfall. For Euro 2021 the average booking size was 7.8 people, as people celebrated together in large groups, and we can expect the same this year for the World Cup.
Despite there still being months to go, some venues have already sold nearly a fifth of their capacity! So, if you haven’t already, you should start promoting this big sporting event, before your customers book to watch a big screen somewhere else.
Food and drink packages
Once you’ve got people through the door, there is a great opportunity to increase spending by offering food and drink packages.
15% of those surveyed were prepared to book food and drink packages. Some pubs are providing the option to pre-book food and drink, as well as catering to those who like to just turn up on the day.
The right systems
Hospitality businesses should ensure their booking and reservations systems are able to cope with the increased demand. Some businesses are taking separate bookings for Christmas and the World Cup, to meet the needs of all of their customers.
Offering ‘Order at Table services, as well as providing mobile EPOS solutions, will help to reduce waiting times and improve the customer’s experience. Click here to find out more about the hospitality solutions available to help.
To make sure your business is ready for the World Cup, contact our expert team on 0330 024 5014 or email info@cunninghams.co.uk