Guest turnover is the rate at which guests come and go from a business. It’s one guest leaving and another arriving in the same space, whether that’s a hotel room, restaurant table or bar stool. This applies to all types of hospitality businesses, from small cafes to big resorts. High guest turnover means lots of different guests in the same space over a period of time, while low turnover means not many changes.
Guest turnover is key to success in hospitality. It directly affects revenue; more turnover means more customers and potentially more money. But it also affects operational efficiency. Quick turnovers mean staff have to clean and prep spaces fast, which can be tough. Balancing turnover with quality service is a juggling act for hospitality professionals. It’s not just about filling seats or rooms; it’s about maintaining standards and guest satisfaction throughout.
Let’s say you’re the manager of a city centre hotel and during the summer season you notice your guest turnover is super high. You’re fully booked, most guests are staying 1-2 nights, and your housekeeping team is under pressure to clean rooms quickly between check-outs and check-ins. You decide to introduce a new system where guests can pay a small fee for a later check-out. This helps to stagger departures throughout the day, gives your team more time to prep rooms, and reduces the stress of high turnover. You maintain high occupancy and improve service and staff morale.