Compliance
Hotel SMS Marketing Rules & Consent
Hotel SMS marketing needs documented consent, a reliable opt-out process, and a sending policy checked against the recipient's jurisdiction. In the United States, the TCPA and FCC rules cover consent, revocation, do-not-call procedures, and potential statutory damages. International guest lists require separate country-by-country review.
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm current rules for your markets before sending.
United States: start with consent
FCC rules require prior express written consent for automated telemarketing messages to covered numbers, subject to the rule's definitions and exceptions. A reservation phone number should not be treated as blanket permission for marketing. Read the current FCC delivery restrictions and have counsel confirm how they apply to the property's technology and audience.
Timing and do-not-call controls
The FCC rule restricts telephone solicitations before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. at the called party's location and requires do-not-call procedures. Treat that as a minimum US control, not a worldwide schedule. State law, message type, platform, and the guest's country can impose different or stricter requirements.
Revocation and suppression
The current FCC rule recognizes several reply words, including STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL, and UNSUBSCRIBE, while also requiring other reasonable revocation requests to be honored. The system should record every request, suppress further covered messages, and meet the current processing deadline. See the FCC's robotext consent and revocation rule.
Damages are not a marketing statistic
US law provides a private right of action for actual monetary loss or $500 for certain violations, with discretionary increases for willful or knowing violations. The exact claim depends on the statute, facts, jurisdiction, and current case law. Read 47 U.S.C. § 227 and obtain legal advice rather than treating a headline number as a universal outcome.
International lists need local review
Do not reuse the US checklist as a global compliance table. Before messaging an international guest list, identify the recipient countries, the sending channel, who controls the data, and the local consent and privacy rules. Keep a dated legal register and review it whenever the audience, channel, or provider changes.
What Bonsai Luxury can enforce
A Bonsai Luxury implementation can be configured to require a recorded consent flag, apply approved sending windows, process supported opt-out signals, and maintain a suppression list. Those controls reduce operational risk, but they do not replace legal review or make a campaign automatically compliant.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the rules that apply in your jurisdiction with qualified counsel before sending.
Frequently asked questions
Is SMS marketing to hotel guests legal?
It can be, but legality depends on the message, consent, technology, recipient, and jurisdiction. In the United States, review the current TCPA and FCC rules and obtain legal advice for the specific campaign.
Does a guest's phone number count as consent to text them?
Do not treat a reservation phone number as blanket marketing permission. Record the consent basis for the specific channel and have counsel verify the collection language and planned use.
What times can hotels send marketing texts?
For US telephone solicitations, the FCC rule restricts contact before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. at the called party's location. Other laws, message types, and countries may impose different requirements.
Do the same rules apply to WhatsApp?
The principles do — explicit opt-in, easy opt-out, restraint — but WhatsApp adds its own requirements: WhatsApp-specific consent, Meta-approved templates, and a quality rating that penalizes over-messaging.
What compliance controls can Bonsai Luxury enforce?
A Bonsai Luxury implementation can require recorded consent, apply approved sending windows, process supported opt-out signals, and maintain suppression lists. The property still needs qualified legal review.