Two businesses in one
Cultus Lake, south of Chilliwack, is a summer place. Beach days, camping, boating and trails draw families when the weather turns warm, and many nearby businesses earn a large share of their year in a short stretch. The rest of the year is quieter, and sometimes very quiet.
That rhythm calls for two plans. One is a sprint: be visible, bookable and staffed for the busy weeks. The other is a slow build: use the quiet months to gather an audience that comes back on its own next summer. Skipping either leaves money on the table.
Before the first warm weekend
Do the dull jobs early, because once the sun is out you will have no time. Confirm hours on your Google profile and website, refresh photos with real summer scenes and test your booking or enquiry form on a phone. Prepare your ads and landing pages in advance so they can go live the moment the forecast turns.
Decide ahead what your limits are: how many bookings a day, how many guests at once. Marketing that fills a business beyond its capacity produces rushed service and poor reviews, and those hurt the following summer.
- Hours and opening dates checked on every listing
- Fresh photos with people, water and sunshine
- A booking or enquiry form tested on a phone
- Ad accounts, budgets and landing pages ready to switch on
- A daily limit on bookings you can serve well
Peak season: let capacity steer the ads
Warm weather drives searches, often at short notice. Google Ads can put you in front of people the moment they look for rentals, food or things to do nearby. Meta ads can reach families across the Lower Mainland who are thinking about a weekend away. Both work best with a clear offer and a page that makes the next step obvious.
Watch capacity daily. Raise budgets when the forecast is good and you have space, then lower or pause them when you are full. Send clicks to a page that shows today's availability or hours. Track calls and bookings, not just clicks, so you can see which ads earned a sale.
Collect names while visitors are happy
The peak is also your best chance to build a list. Guests are enjoying themselves, and they will say yes to a friendly request more readily than any stranger in January. Offer a sign-up at the counter or at checkout, with a small reason to join: news of next season's opening or a first look at new offers.
Be clear about what you will send and make unsubscribing easy, because Canadian anti-spam law expects consent. A short, honest sentence beats a pre-ticked box. Note which month and which product each person came from, so next year's emails feel relevant rather than generic.
The quiet months: build, do not vanish
Use the slow season to improve what you will need in summer. Fix pages that confused visitors, record a few videos, write a short guide to the lake area and plan next season's calendar. Send your list a few friendly emails: a photo, a thank-you, an early-booking offer for next year.
Keep your social accounts alive with smaller, real posts, such as maintenance, preparations behind the scenes and a countdown to opening. Our social, paid ads and email teams can plan the whole year with you. Our Chilliwack office is the nearest to the lake, and we have no published Cultus Lake client yet.
Where seasonal tourism marketing is heading
Families increasingly plan summer outings earlier and check several sources before they commit. Weather-aware ads, AI trip suggestions and messages from businesses they already know all compete for that attention. A seasonal business with a healthy email list and a tidy map profile can reach its audience on its own terms, instead of buying every click from scratch each year.
- 01Ads that respond automatically to forecast and availability
- 02AI trip planners summarizing lakeside options in one answer
- 03Owned lists reducing dependence on paid clicks each summer
Questions & answers
Prepare your pages, photos and ad accounts before the weather turns, then go live as warm forecasts arrive. Ads that start late miss early planners, while ads that run flat all season waste money. Adjust budgets weekly against your bookings and capacity.
Send a few useful messages rather than a constant stream: a thank-you after the season, a behind-the-scenes update, an early-booking offer and a reminder before opening. Segment by what people bought or enjoyed if you can, and always include an unsubscribe link.
They do different jobs. Google Ads catches people already searching for what you sell, which suits rentals, food and bookings. Meta ads on Facebook and Instagram introduce your business to families who have not decided yet. Many seasonal businesses use a small amount of both.
Yes. Our Chilliwack office is the nearest, and our Abbotsford studio also serves the lake area. Meetings can be by phone, by video or in person at the studio. We start with a free marketing audit and plan around your busy and quiet periods.