Strategy
Growth
Year
Client
Aeria Apartments offered a high-quality guest experience, but behind the scenes the brand’s commercial model was under pressure.
• OTA dependence: Most bookings came through online travel agencies, cutting into margins and limiting control over guest relationships.
• No direct data access: With little first-party guest data, Aeria lacked the ability to nurture relationships, encourage repeat bookings, or build loyalty.
• Unclear positioning: As part of the wider WeAreQIG group, Aeria needed a distinct identity that could stand out while staying aligned with the parent brand.
• Manual B2B processes: Corporate and extended-stay opportunities existed, but inefficient systems and limited automation slowed conversion.
While the product and service were strong, Aeria lacked the marketing infrastructure and clarity needed to shift demand away from OTAs and build a more scalable growth model.
We began by working with Aeria’s leadership to set clear direction before execution. Together, we defined how the brand should position itself under WeAreQIG, where to prioritise investment, and which digital channels could deliver the strongest impact for direct bookings.
This gave the business a clear roadmap for where to focus resources and how to grow bookings more profitably.
With the strategy in place, we focused on creating the foundations for growth:
• Brand Positioning: Clarified Aeria’s identity within the WeAreQIG group, rolling out consistent branding across online and in-apartment touchpoints.
• Data Capture Infrastructure: Introduced in-room QR codes and website forms to build a guest database for the first time.
• Email Marketing Flows: Designed automated welcome journeys, newsletters, and campaigns to engage past and prospective guests.
• B2B Systems: Streamlined CRM processes, introduced booking automations, and improved data management for corporate and extended-stay clients.
These foundations gave Aeria the tools to capture demand directly and establish stronger brand visibility outside of OTAs.
With the foundations in place, we supported Aeria in activating its new tools to drive results:
• Direct Marketing Activation: Regular newsletters and automated flows established a new channel to build guest trust and reduce OTA reliance.
• Sales Enablement: Equipped the B2B sales team with improved tools and automations to better convert corporate and long-stay leads.
• Market Impact: Enabled the brand to capture more direct bookings, build a growing database, and clarify its position under WeAreQIG
This phase translated new systems into measurable impact, accelerating direct bookings and creating commercial momentum.
/KEY OUTCOMES/
Aeria has made measurable progress in reducing its dependence on third-party platforms by creating new pathways for guests to book directly. Through a combination of data capture, email marketing, and consistent brand visibility, the business has established a foundation for more profitable, long-term growth.
Direct bookings generated through the Aeria website year-to-date, with July alone reaching £32k, clear evidence that guests are increasingly choosing to book directly.
New emails captured in 2025 through in-room QR codes and online forms, building a scalable first-party database.
Active newsletter subscribers now reached each month, giving Aeria a direct communication channel independent of OTAs.
