Going, going, gone are the days when travelers toted around their guidebooks in search of the next cozy little B&B, parked their car and retreated to their doily-bedecked guest rooms. Well, maybe Boomers still do this, but Millennial travelers, and they do love to travel, are looking for something else. Since Millennials, loosely defined as those born between the early 1980s and late 1990s, are the largest generation in world history, you will want to know how to position your inn to capture some of those burgeoning travel dollars.
Here are some tips on what feeds the Millennial traveler’s soul.
WIFI, Baby, Fast and Free
It only seems as though this generation was born with factory installed smart phones because they are lost without their technology. They see free and reliable WIFI as their birthright, with enough bandwidth to support their Netflix habits, as well as easily accessible charging spots for their mobile devices, which get plenty of use while traveling. Millennials engage in all manner of social media to assist them in choosing their travel destinations, accommodations, eateries and adventures, often checking dozens of web sites before making decisions. 75-percent of them will post to social networks daily while traveling. A speedy, clean, mobile-ready web site is a must, as is staying current on the ever-changing landscape of social media marketing. They are greatly influenced by personal peer reviews, as well as review sites such as TripAdvisor, Airbnb and Yelp. Speaking of which, you would be wise to have a presence on them.
AirBnB
Even if you list only one room, create a listing on AirBnb. Rather than viewing them as Public Enemy Number One, see them as a source of free advertising. For the cost of credit card fees and your attention to another calendar, you will attract lovely, international guests of all ages. It is easy to navigate around the AirBnB website to block out dates, change pricing and control inventory. Most importantly, you are not paying a 15-percent booking fee.
Getting Millennial Heads in Your Inn’s Beds
By Mary Lotto Ross