Building an email list of past guests
A past guest who had a good stay is one of the easiest direct bookings you'll ever get — if you have a way to reach them again.
Ask for an email address at the point a guest is already engaged and happy — typically just before or just after checkout, framed honestly as "so we can let you know if we have availability again" rather than buried in fine print. A direct, honest ask gets far better results than an automatic opt-in nobody notices.
You don't need a complex marketing system to start. A simple, occasional email — once or twice a year, not weekly — letting past guests know about availability for an upcoming season, or a genuine improvement to the property, is enough to stay in mind for people who already liked staying with you.
Keep each email short and about one thing. A guest who enjoyed their stay will read three sentences about available dates; the same guest will delete, unread, a long newsletter with five unrelated sections.
Always include an easy, working way to unsubscribe, and respect it immediately. Beyond being the right thing to do, a list of people who actually want to hear from you converts far better than a larger list padded with people who've mentally opted out and ignore everything you send.