The 120-Day Pre-Opening Checklist Every New Resort Needs

The most common mistake we see in new resorts is treating the opening date as the start of the business. Commercially, it is the finish line of a four-month sprint. If the first guest arrives before the reservations desk is trained and the OTA listings are live, you have already lost your launch season.

Days 120–90: Positioning and numbers

• Lock the positioning statement — who the property is for, and what it offers that the competitive set does not.
• Finalise the revenue budget by month, channel and segment. Every later decision references this sheet.
• Agree the rate architecture: rack, seasonal bands, package and contracted rates.

Days 90–60: Brand and distribution

• Name, logo, photography brief and website wireframe signed off.
• Create OTA extranet accounts and draft listings. Content takes longer to approve than anyone expects.
• Open conversations with travel agents, DMCs and corporate buyers. Soft-launch rates give them a reason to commit early.

Days 60–30: People and process

• Hire and train the reservations and front-office teams. Script the enquiry-to-booking journey and rehearse it.
• Write SOPs for arrival, in-stay, departure and recovery. Keep them short enough that people actually use them.
• Professional photo and video shoot once the showcase rooms are dressed.

Days 30–0: Go live and test

• Website, booking engine and OTA listings live. Test every rate, every date, on a phone.
• Google Business Profile claimed and complete; TripAdvisor listing created.
• Soft-opening stays for agents, influencers and friends of the property — and a structured feedback loop.

Opening with demand already built is not luck. It is a calendar.