This 2023 hospitality social media calendar features key industry dates for 2023, as well as events that every hospitality business should be aware of when creating a marketing calendar for the new year.
Ranging from national holidays to hospitality events and quirky holidays, choose those that are most relevant to your brand and use them to engage your audience!
Why use the 2023 hospitality social media calendar?
Social media has become a key marketing channel. With the average internet user spending 147 minutes per day on social media, businesses that are able to reach and engage their audience on social channels are able to grow business significantly. In fact, 72% have used Facebook to make restaurant decisions, while 71% are more likely to recommend a hospitality venue that is quick to respond to them on social media.
Brands that are able to create content about relevant industry events and promotions are able to grow awareness, encourage new customers and boost loyalty.
This 2023 hospitality social media calendar lists key dates and events that will help you to capture your target market’s attention, making it easy to schedule posts in for the year ahead.
2023 Hospitality Social Media Calendar:
January
Kick the year off with plenty of food and drink-themed days! Whether you come up with an alcohol-free drinks menu for Dry January, or introduce new vegan food options for Veganuary, there is plenty to inspire your team and customers.
Key hospitality dates in January
- All month – Dry January
- All month – Veganuary
- All month – Ginuary
- 1st January – New Year’s Day
- 6th January – National Shortbread Day
- 16th January – Blue Monday
- 20th January – National Cheese Lovers Day
- 22nd January – Chinese New Year (Year of the Rabbit)
- 25th January – Burns Night
- 27th January – Chocolate Cake Day
February
Showcase your Valentine’s Day bookings and menus to boost business in February. Remember, there are many other opportunities to engage people and spice up your menu, whether it’s through a noodle dish that is served with chopsticks, or a limited-edition pancake dessert.
Key hospitality dates in February
- All month – LGBT+ History Month
- 5th February – British Yorkshire Pudding Day
- 5th February – World Nutella Day
- 6th February – National Chopsticks Day
- 9th February – National Pizza Day
- 14th February – Valentine’s Day
- 20th February – Love Your Pet Day
- 21st February – Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday
March
Mother’s Day is another busy time of year for those that are able to promote themselves on social media. Get creative with your content by encouraging your followers to book up for Mother’s Day, celebrate International Women’s Day, or even enjoy themed content and events.
Key hospitality dates in March
- 2nd March – World Book Day
- 3rd March – World Hearing Day
- 8th March – International Women’s Day
- 8th March – Holi
- 10th March – Popcorn Lover’s Day
- 17th March – St. Patrick’s Day
- 17th March – Red Nose Day
- 18th March – Global Recycling Day
- 19th March – Mother’s Day
- 20th March – First day of spring
- 21st March – World Poetry Day
- 22nd March – Ramadan begins
- 25th March – International Waffle Day
- 26th March – BST begins
April
April brings opportunities for hospitality businesses to speak about mental health, autism awareness, exciting events around the world and of course, plenty of Easter promotions. Whether you already have a brunch menu, or plan to introduce one, don’t forget to shout about it… after all, it is National Brunch Month!
Key hospitality dates in April
- All month – Stress Awareness Month
- All month – National Pet Month
- All month – National Brunch Month
- 1st April – April Fool’s Day
- 2nd April – World Autism Awareness Day
- 7th April – Good Friday
- 9th April – Easter Sunday
- 10th April – Easter Monday
- 21st April – National Tea Day
- 22nd April – Earth Day
- 23rd April – London Marathon
- 23rd April – St. George’s Day
- 28th April – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
- 29th April – International Dance Day
May
May brings plenty of opportunities to get creative with your social media content. From Star Wars puns on the 4th, to limited-edition cocktail menus on the 13th and themes of cheese and biscuits on the 29th, there are countless ways to tie events into your offering this May!
Key hospitality dates in May
- 1st May – May Day
- 4th May – Star Wars Day
- 13th May – World Cocktail Day
- 16th May – International Day of Light
- 17th May – World Baking Day
- 18th May – National Numeracy Day
- 20th May – World Bee Day
- 22nd – 27th May – Chelsea Flower Show
- 23rd May – World Turtle Day
- 29th May – Spring Bank Holiday
- 29th May – Gloucester Cheese Rolling day
- 29th May – National Biscuit Day
June
There is no better time to ramp up your social media presence than in the month that contains World Social Media Day! Take this opportunity to shout about your sustainability efforts and tie this in with World Environment Day and Clean Air Day. You could even run promotions for National Beer Day, or talk about your Father’s Day set menu!
Key hospitality dates in June
- All month – Pride Month
- 3rd June – FA Cup Final
- 5th June – World Environment Day
- 10th June – World Gin Day
- 15th June – Clean Air Day
- 15th June – National Beer Day
- 18th June – Father’s Day
- 18th June – International Picnic Day
- 24th June – Armed Forces Day
- 30th June – World Social Media Day
July
The events in July can be used to give back to your loyal customers, for example, offering discounted meals on Thank You Day. Whether you plan to run a cheese and wine tasting night, or remind your followers of an item on your menu which features avocados, there’s a day for everyone to benefit from!
Key hospitality dates in July
- 2nd July – Thank You Day
- 7th July – World Chocolate Day
- 12th July – Battle of the Boyne
- 15th July – World Youth Skills Day
- 16th July – National Ice Cream Day
- 17th July – World Emoji Day
- 25th July – Cheese and Wine Day
- 30th July – International Day of Friendship
- 31st July – National Avocado Day
August
There are countless different events and national days to make the most of in August. Whether you encourage staff to cycle to work on the 4th, update your social bio on the 10th, or share pictures of people enjoying Prosecco Day on the 13th, use your social channels to let your followers know!
Key hospitality dates in August
- 4th August – Cycle to Work Day
- 8th August – International Cat Day
- 10th August – International Update Your Bio Day
- 13th August – Prosecco Day
- 13th August – International Lefthanders Day
- 17th August – National Cupcake Day
- 19th August – World Humanitarian Day
- 19th August – World Photography Day
- 21st August – World Entrepreneurs’ Day
- 24th August – National Burger Day
September
September creates opportunities for hospitality businesses to share important messaging and showcase their values and support for those in the community. For example, businesses could teach staff sign language and share this with customers on social media, spreading awareness while educating the team and being more inclusive.
Key hospitality dates in September
- 5th September – International Charity Day
- 9th September – Emergency Services Day
- 10th September – World Suicide Prevention Day
- 16th September – World Guacamole Day
- 17th September – World Cleanup Day
- 18th September – International Equal Pay Day
- 21st September – National Fitness Day
- 23rd September – International Day of Sign Languages
- 27th September – World Tourism Day
- 29th September – World’s Biggest Coffee Morning
October
October is packed with industry trade shows and events. Beginning with International Coffee Day and World Vegetarian Day, there are many ways to introduce these themes into your food and drink offering.
Key hospitality dates in October
- All month – UK Black History Month
- 1st October – World Vegetarian Day
- 1st October – International Coffee Day
- 2nd-4th October – The Restaurant Show
- 3rd October – Buy British Day
- 5th October – World Teacher’s Day
- 6th October – World Smile Day
- 9th-15th October – World Mental Health Awareness Week
- 10th-11th October – Hotel & Resort Innovation Expo
- 15th October – Global Handwashing Day
- 16th October – World Food Day
- 16th-22nd October – UK Coffee Week
- 21st October – Back to the Future Day
- 25th October – World Pasta Day
- 31st October – Halloween
November
Use your social media channels to encourage Christmas bookings, using visual examples so followers know what to expect. Think of ways to engage your audience, for example, offering a free drink to any customer taking part in Movember for charity.
Key hospitality dates in November
- All month – Movember
- 1st November – World Vegan Day
- 4th November – Roast Dinner Day
- 5th November – Guy Fawkes Day/Bonfire Night
- 11th November – Remembrance Day
- 12th November – Remembrance Sunday
- 12th November – Diwali
- 14th November – King Charles III’s birthday
- 24th November – Black Friday
- 27th November – Cyber Monday
December
With the festive period in full swing, it can be a great idea to schedule social media content in ahead of time, so there is one less thing to worry about! Whether you’re showing imagery of Christmas meals, sharing first-hand experiences on International Day of People with Disabilities, or posting pictures of your team in Christmas jumpers, use your social media channels to spread festive cheer this December.
Key hospitality dates in December
- 3rd December – International Day of People with Disabilities
- 4th December – National Cookie Day
- 5th December – International Volunteer Day
- 8th December- Christmas Jumper Day
- 10th December – Human Rights Day
- 25th December – Christmas Day
- 26th December – Boxing Day
- 31st December – New Year’s Eve
Make the most of the 2023 Hospitality Social Media Calendar
The best social media content examples are those that make sense for your brand. Take these dates and events and tailor them, finding unique and relevant ways to link these national days and events to your hospitality business. Pay attention to the response you get from followers online, using this to adapt your future content.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out these 28 restaurant marketing ideas.
2023 Hospitality social media calendar FAQs
What should a social media calendar include?
A 2023 social media calendar should use the dates in this list, deciding the written content, imagery, or any other creative assets to accompany it. Once you determine the best time to post, this can be posted manually, or scheduled into a social media management platform.
What are the busiest months for hospitality businesses?
Different hospitality businesses will find that different months are busiest, however there are some that typically bring additional business. This often surrounds specific events, such as Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas. However, by creating captivating content around some of the more unique days in the year, there is no reason you cant tempt customers into your establishment all year round!
How do I maintain my 2023 social media calendar?
Ideally, you should plan for the next few months, or even the entire year, including content that you know will be relevant at certain times of year. This should be reviewed on a regular basis to make sure content still makes sense. You can also schedule or post additional content throughout the year, allowing you to tap into trends and events that cannot be anticipated. By doing this within your 2023 social media marketing calendar, you can post regular content while remaining relevant.
What is the best social media platform for hospitality?
This depends on the platforms that your target market uses most. Instagram is a great platform to showcase visual content, meaning it can work brilliantly to showcase delicious foods and speciality drinks. Find out which social media platforms your target audience use and create content that will grow brand awareness and drive business.
What is the best social media calendar template?
You can use the key dates and events in this article to guide your social media content, making it easy to choose the most relevant topics to post about throughout 2023.
Why is a 2023 hospitality social media calendar important?
A 2023 hospitality social media calendar will enable you to keep track of key events, planning ahead to create relevant content that grows awareness and boosts engagement. Without a social media calendar, it’s easy to become sidetracked and miss out on key hospitality events. Remember, this list is not exhaustive, so use this as a starting point and then add your own creative ideas.
Holly brings a wealth of experience in both print and digital publishing and is very passionate about the hospitality industry.