The day of the week a holiday falls on significantly impacts demand curves and guest behavior. Weekdays, especially Monday through Thursday, are typically workdays for most travelers—meaning holiday demand coming on these days tends to attract different guest profiles, such as business travelers or guests seeking a break midweek. In contrast, weekend holidays shift this behavior toward leisure travelers who are already planning extended leisure trips or weekend getaways.

Weekday holidays can create a surge in midweek bookings and typically higher occupancy during days that otherwise might be slower. But when the same holiday lands on a weekend, the surge often overlaps with an existing peak weekend demand, which can change your competitive pricing dynamics and guest length-of-stay patterns.

Guest booking behaviors differ based on the day holiday falls on. Weekday holidays often see a spike in short-stay bookings by guests taking advantage of the day off between workdays, such as a Friday through Sunday trip. These guests prioritize convenience and proximity, often booking last minute.

Meanwhile, weekend holidays typically attract guests who plan longer stays, often combining the holiday with a weekend getaway. These guests might book further in advance, looking for deals on multi-night stays. The weekend timing also means higher baseline occupancy, which can diminish the effectiveness of typical holiday pricing uplifts if not carefully adjusted to avoid revenue dilution.

Analyzing historical occupancy and demand data is essential to inform whether and how you adjust pricing for weekend versus weekday holidays. Data from various property types shows weekday holidays can increase midweek occupancy by as much as 20-30%, creating a rare midweek peak.

Conversely, weekend holidays typically see a smaller uplift relative to their already high baseline weekend occupancy. Some data indicates weekend holidays might only boost weekend demand by around 10%, suggesting that pricing increases need to be more nuanced to avoid deterring long-stay leisure travelers. These trends underscore the need for dynamic pricing models that factor in day-of-week effects on holiday demand.