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The ABCs of SEO for hotels

At Simplotel we have built websites for over 2,000 hotels, and every single time we have been asked about how we drive traffic to a website. We have been asked by those who are usually suspicious of SEO because they paid for such services in past and may or may not have seen results. And we have been asked by our customers who see a 3x plus growth in their website traffic after coming to our platform – as to how we do it. While SEO can be a deep subject, today we will attempt to outline how one must think about SEO in this post.

At a high level SEO depends on three things –

Technology and layout of the website
The content on the website
Things happening outside your website

Technology and layout of the website

In order to determine the relevance of a website for a search term (also known as a keyword) search engines have a piece of software called a Bot (derived from the word Robot) that crawls (think of it as reads) content on your website. The Bot then stores the keywords that a website is most relevant for. This is known as indexing of a website.

Unlike users, bots see the code of the website and not what users see on a website (you can view the code of most websites by right clicking on a webpage and selecting view page source). The easier this code is for the search engines to understand, the better chance you have of conveying your content to the search engines and making sure that your content gets indexed correctly. Here again there are hundreds of things that matter. These include the load time of a website, the structure of website code, mobile friendliness, proper tags and sitemaps. Detailing these is a topic for a future blog.

The layout of your website also plays an important role in search engine optimization. Clean and simple navigation, easily readable content – they all add up towards SEO friendliness.
To get these things right a website must be built for SEO from the ground up – retrofitting these things can often mean redoing the website. The good news is that Simplotel, out of the box, takes care of all this for your hotel website.

The content on your website

Now that we have gotten the technical aspects covered, the next most obvious thing about SEO is the content of the website. If your website’s content is about ice cream cones then your site will be indexed for ice cream cone searches and not for hotels. If your content is about a luxury hotel, then you won’t be indexed for budget hotels and consequently it is unlikely that you will show up for searches related to budget hotels.

Content also comes in many shapes. It includes the text on the website, the images that you put, the links you provide and the various tags (page titles page descriptions etc.). Each one of these have a significance and how and where you place them also matters. Content that is higher up on a page matters more than the content that is below. On things like page titles, the content that is to the left matters more than the content that is to the right. How you structure your content with various Headers (much like a word document) matters. How you name your images, how you name the links – they all matter.

All content on your website should be original content – copying of content from another website hurts your traffic – as the search engines and users skip past you believing you have nothing new to say. Adding fresh and relevant content has also shown to impact the SEO of a website.

There is also data about your hotel (meta data) that you can provide on your website, it is not visible to your customers but tells the bots the location, name, etc. of your hotel. Once again, Simplotel does this out of the box for your site. Our experts write the content for your hotel website so that it is all set up well. This is another reason why our customers see a 3x plus growth in traffic.

Things happening outside your website

After the technology and the content on the website, there are things that happen outside your website that impact search engine optimization. These include your guest reviews, your listing on Google Maps and local listing sites, your mention in travel blogs, etc. – they all matter. Here are some suggestions,

Verify and own your Google My Business (GMB) page and make sure that the map marker is accurate.
Ensure that your hotel’s name, address and contact info is exactly the same on all online channels – your social media pages, local listings and classified listings.
Get good reviews by taking care of customers and encouraging customers to write a glowing review. Also, respond to your reviews on various review channels time to time.

There are few silver bullets in SEO – so you must skin it with a thousand paper cuts. Please let us know your comments, questions and feedback at hello@simplotel.com.

Home > Blogs > Bastar Goncha Festival: Tribal Traditions, Tourism Potential & Hospitality Opportunities

Bastar Goncha Festival: Tribal Traditions, Tourism Potential & Hospitality Opportunities

Every year, the Bastar Goncha Festival brings the heart of tribal Chhattisgarh alive with spirit, spectacle, and celebration. Held in Jagdalpur, this unique tribal festival isn’t just a cultural landmark—it’s a golden opportunity for the region’s tourism and hospitality ecosystem to come together and shine.

Here’s a closer look at the festival’s roots, its rising popularity, and what hoteliers can do to turn this cultural moment into meaningful guest experiences—and bookings.

A Festival of Arrows, Brotherhood, and Celebration

Bastar Goncha (also known as Goncha Parv) is a tribal festival celebrated on Rath Yatra (June–July) in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. Unlike traditional Ratha Yatras across India, Goncha carries its own fascinating tribal flair. The name ‘Goncha’ refers to a fruit used as an arrowhead by locals during mock battles—a symbolic, yet playful representation of tribal bravery and community.

Villagers, dressed in traditional attire, engage in friendly duels using handmade bamboo pistols (known as “Toka”) and Goncha fruit bullets. There are war dances, tribal processions, folk music, and a grand chariot pulling ritual involving the local deity Lord Jagannath.

The festival blends celebration and symbolism—showcasing respect for nature, tribal values, and camaraderie. And with each passing year, the Goncha Festival has started drawing not just locals but domestic and even international tourists.

Goncha and the Tourism Boom

Cultural and tribal tourism in India is gaining attention as travellers seek offbeat and immersive experiences. The Bastar Goncha Festival fits perfectly into this growing trend. In 2024 alone, Chhattisgarh reported a 16% rise in rural and eco-tourism footfall, with Jagdalpur emerging as a key node during festive periods.

Bastar’s authenticity appeals to:

Cultural Explorers:Tourists who want to witness indigenous traditions up close.
Photographers & Content Creators:The visual appeal of tribal attire, rituals, and Goncha duels is unmatched.
Eco-Tourists:Goncha often overlaps with trips to nearby natural attractions like Chitrakote Falls and Kanger Valley National Park.
Spiritual Travellers:The festival’s devotional roots and tribal spirituality draw pilgrims too.

This rising interest offers a unique opportunity for hotels, homestays, and resorts in and around Jagdalpur.

How Hotels & Hoteliers Can Benefit from the Goncha Festival

For the hospitality industry, festivals like Goncha are not just seasonal traffic spikes—they're brand-building and revenue-generating moments. Here’s how hotels can tap into the energy of this celebration:

Festive Packages & Experiences
Design and promote Goncha-specific packages:
- Cultural Trail Packages: Offer guided visits to the Goncha grounds, tribal villages, and local handicraft centres.
- Traditional Welcome Kits: Include local snacks, Goncha-inspired souvenirs, and tribal fabric wraps for guests.
- Curated Dining: Add a pop-up tribal thali or Goncha-themed menu in your restaurant.
Targeted Campaigns
Use the Goncha Festival as a hook for digital marketing:
- Promote through emailers, social media posts, and WhatsApp campaigns.
- Showcase user-generated content from guests attending the festival.
- Use keywords like “tribal festivals in India”, “things to do in Bastar”, and “cultural experiences in Chhattisgarh” for better SEO traction.
Collaborate with Local Artisans
Partner with tribal artisans to set up stalls or displays within your property. This supports the community, enhances guest experience, and gives tourists a chance to shop locally.
Experiential Add-ons
Think beyond just rooms:
- Offer morning yoga sessions in tribal style settings.
- Arrange storytelling sessions in the evening about the mythological roots of Goncha.
- Offer transport to/from festival hotspots.
Support Responsible Tourism
Highlight your hotel’s commitment to ethical and sustainable practices. Goncha is a tribal celebration—guests appreciate when hotels show respect for local communities and minimise environmental impact.

Real Impact, Real Results

Hotels that position themselves around local festivals often see:

Higher average daily rates (ADR)during festival dates
Increased direct bookingsthrough festival landing pages and promotional campaigns
Stronger guest loyalty—travellers remember immersive experiences more than just a room
Positive PR as guests and bloggers share their cultural encounters online

Even smaller properties and homestays have seen results with simple ideas like offering Goncha snacks or decorating rooms with tribal artefacts during the week of the festival.

Simplotel Can Help You Make It Happen

Whether you’re an independent hotelier in Jagdalpur or a regional group looking to drive bookings in Chhattisgarh, festivals like Goncha offer a perfect moment to connect with guests in a more emotional, meaningful way.

Need help creating offers or campaigns around the Goncha Festival?

Simplotel can assist with:

Festival landing pagesand banner creatives
Emailers and WhatsApp templates
Booking engine integration for packages
Targeted SEO & blog support

Let’s help you turn local culture into guest delight—and better conversions.