From ‘Pets Allowed’ to ‘Pets Welcome’: Turning Four-Legged Guests into Revenue Drivers
In today’s outdoor-hospitality market, catering to travelers with pets is not just a “nice to have” but a strategic imperative. More and more families and solo adventurers are bringing their dogs and cats into the vacation equation. And when you pair a pet-friendly mindset with the right operational tools, the result is strong: better guest satisfaction, higher occupancy, and increased ancillary revenue.
Enter ResortForward, a reservations and property-management platform built specifically for resorts, campgrounds, RV parks and outdoor-hospitality operators. With its integrated booking, communication, and rate tools, ResortForward provides a robust framework for facilities who want to excel in pet-friendly offerings.
In this post, we’ll explore how your resort or campground can cater to travelers with pets and how you can turn that capability into a competitive advantage. We’ll explore how to attract pet-friendly travelers, optimize operations, and market effectively.
Why the pet‐friendly traveler matters
Pet owners often seek destinations that welcome four-legged family members, and will pay premiums or choose their destination based in part on pet‐accommodation.
Growing demand
In recent years travel trends show that a significant portion of vacationers bring pets, especially dogs, with them. For campgrounds and resorts, being pet‐friendly is a differentiator.
Revenue and loyalty implications
If a resort offers pet-friendly sites, cabins or packages, you open up a new revenue stream: fees for pet stays, add-ons (dog-walking service, pet supplies, pet-friendly meals, groomer), premium pet‐enabled units. Guests tend to stay longer or return more often if their whole family is accommodated, including pets. Pet-friendly experiences also generate strong social media and review content (“our dog loved the trail”, “thank you for the welcome basket”), which builds your reputation.
Operational risk if you don’t cater
If your booking system cannot handle pet-enabled units, add‐ons or differentiated unit types, you may lose bookings. A pet‐friendly resort that lacks operational precision risks messy bookings (“we booked the cabin but our dog wasn’t allowed”), or over/under‐charging for pets.
Guest dissatisfaction or negative reviews may arise from confusion over pet policy, lack of availability of pet units, or inadequate amenities.
Key operational challenges for pet-friendly resorts & campgrounds
Delivering a great experience means aligning policy, operations, and technology—areas where many resorts struggle without the right systems.
Differentiated inventory for pet-friendly units
You may have some units (sites, cabins, glamping tents) that are pet-allowed, others that are not. You may also have premium pet-units (e.g., dog run included, fenced yard, pet basket). The booking system must support differentiating these unit types, apply different pricing or cleaning fees, and manage availability.
Add-ons and upsells for pets
Beyond the base stay, you may offer add-ons: pet welcome kit, dog wash area access, pet sitting/walking, pet supply rental, pet meal service. In most cases, these need to be reserved at booking time, tied to the reservation, and the system should handle the payment/charge.
Communication and guest expectations
Pet owners often have questions about the policy: Are pets allowed everywhere? Is there a dog park? Is there a pet fee? What are leash rules? Are there off‐trail areas? You need automated, timely communications telling them exactly what to expect — ideally before arrival and during stay.
Pricing and fee structures
Many operators charge pet fees (flat fee or per‐pet), cleaning fees, refundable deposits, or even a premium for pet-enabled units. The system must support extra charges and different rates for pet units.
Availability and occupancy management
Because pet units may be limited, you want to avoid overselling them, avoid double bookings, and ideally segregate pet units from non-pet units (for cleaning / allergy concerns). Also, managing last-minute adjustments (e.g., guest upgrades to a pet unit) needs flexibility.
Integration with marketing and reviews
You want to highlight your pet-friendly status in your marketing, integrate with OTAs, display unit types, show photos of pet amenities, and capture reviews from pet guests. Your management system should feed these markets.
Building your pet-friendly program
Having the system is one thing. Making it truly pet-friendly is about program design and execution. Here’s a structured plan:
Design and Configure Your Pet-Friendly Program
With ResortForward, you can easily define your pet policies, design premium offerings, and configure every detail in your system for a seamless guest experience from booking to check-out.
- Define your pet policy and offerings
Start by deciding which units (sites, cabins, or glamping tents) will welcome pets. Consider offering both standard and premium pet-friendly options—like fenced yards, dog beds, or outdoor runs—to appeal to a range of travelers. Establish clear policies covering:
- Number of pets allowed per unit
- Breed or size restrictions (if applicable)
- Leash and behavior guidelines
- Pet-accessible areas and trails
- Cleaning protocols and any related fees or deposits
Enhance your offering with thoughtful extras such as pet welcome kits or on-site pet services. These small touches elevate the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
- Configure your program in ResortForward
Once your policies are set, bring them to life within your property management platform:
- Create dedicated unit types labeled “Pet-Friendly” or “Dog-Friendly Cabin”
- Set differentiated pricing and fees for pet-enabled units using dynamic rate tools
- Add pet-specific extras and upsells like dog-wash access or welcome baskets
- Automate guest communications to share pet policies, trail maps, and pre-arrival checklists
- Sync calendars and availability to prevent overbooking or pet/non-pet unit mix-ups
- Communicate clearly across every channel
Transparency builds trust. Ensure your pet policy and offerings are easy to find on your website, booking engine, and in every confirmation or pre-arrival message. Guests who know exactly what to expect arrive more confident—and leave more satisfied.
Guest experience touches
A memorable stay for guests with pets is built on thoughtful, personalized moments throughout their journey. From pre-arrival messages to post-stay follow-ups, every touchpoint is an opportunity to strengthen loyalty and showcase your property’s hospitality.
- In the pre-arrival email: Include a friendly note “We know your pup Rex is part of the family – here’s what we’ve set aside for him…”
- At check-in: Have a pet welcome basket ready. That’s an upsell possibility but also a good surprise. If you have dog-friendly amenities (off-leash area, dog-wash station), highlight them during arrival, via signage, via guest portal message.
- During the stay: Send a mid-stay SMS (if enabled) saying: “Hope you’re enjoying the trails! Don’t forget we have the dog-wash station available at no additional cost until 8 pm.”
- After departure: Send a thank-you email asking for a review of the pet experience, and a voucher for a special treat on their next pet-friendly stay. Again you can automate this in ResortForward.
Marketing and Positioning
Maximize visibility of your pet-friendly offerings:
- Highlight on your website: Clearly label “Pet-Allowed” units in your booking widget.
- Showcase visually: Use photos of dogs on trails, in cabins, or enjoying amenities.
- Create a Pet-Friendly Package: Bundle base stay, pet fee, welcome basket, and dog-wash for easy online booking.
- Promote on social media: Feature user-generated content of guest pets enjoying your property.
- Leverage OTA integrations: Ensure pet-friendly units are searchable by travelers filtering for “dogs allowed.”
Monitor, Refine, and Expand
Stay ahead by continuously improving your pet-friendly offerings:
- Track trends: Monitor usage of amenities like dog-wash stations—adjust pricing or availability based on demand.
- Gather guest feedback: Send automated review requests focused on the pet experience. What worked well? What could improve?
- Refine your offerings: Adjust pet policies, unit capacities, or add discounts for multiple pets based on feedback and trends.
- Expand strategically: Introduce new pet-friendly options, like “cat-friendly” cabins or glamping dog-friendly domes, to meet growing demand.
Why investing in this matters
Investing in a well-structured pet-friendly program pays off across multiple areas of your business. From driving higher occupancy to improving guest satisfaction and operational efficiency, the returns extend far beyond simply accommodating pets.
Increased occupancy and higher rates
By offering pet‐friendly units, you broaden your target audience. Many pet‐owning travelers will pick a resort because the pet is accommodated. Being pet‐friendly means you capture bookings you otherwise would miss. Because pet units have added value (dog bed, extra cleaning, amenities), you can justify higher nightly rates or higher ancillary spend.
Better ancillary revenue
Pet add‐ons (welcome baskets, dog-wash, pet meals) drive incremental revenue. With updates, you’re able to track and bill these seamlessly.
Lower cost of acquisition & higher loyalty
Pet-friendly experiences can lead to strong word of mouth and social sharing (“our dog loved the trail”). Repeat stays are more likely if the pet component is well supported. With ResortForward’s guest database you can re-target pet-owners with offers.
Operational efficiencies
Because your system is optimized, you save staff time, reduce booking errors (especially in pet-unit availability), avoid billing confusion around pet fees, and improve guest satisfaction (fewer surprises). Time saved equals lower cost of operations and happier staff.
Competitive differentiation
Not all resorts/campgrounds handle pets well. By investing in a pet‐friendly program and integrating it into your system, you distinguish yourself in marketing. Especially in outdoor and campground markets where pet travel is common, being clearly pet‐friendly is a strong brand attribute.
Key takeaways
Travelers with pets represent a meaningful and growing segment. Meeting their needs boosts occupancy, ancillary spend, loyalty and brand strength. Operational excellence is essential. Without robust systems you risk confusion, extra costs and guest disappointment.
ResortForward is tailored to resorts, RV parks and campgrounds to offer the capabilities you need: inventory differentiation, add-ons/upsells, guest communication, rates/pricing, analytics and integrations. Because the booking is seamless, the guest will feel welcome and that their pet is included in the process, not an afterthought.
Marketing your pet-friendly status openly and clearly amplifies your appeal. Once your pet program and unit types are set, integrate that message into your website, social profiles, OTAs and review requests.
Conclusion
In the competitive landscape of outdoor hospitality, distinguishing your resort or campground as truly pet‐friendly is no longer optional but a strategic differentiator. The difference between simply saying “we allow dogs” and delivering a seamless, guest‐pleasing pet experience lies in the operational backbone.
With ResortForward, you can design, deliver, and monetize a complete pet-friendly experience—from booking to loyalty outreach. Schedule a free demo to see how your property can benefit.
