In professional sports having the hometown advantage is an enviable spot to be in. Players have the knowledge and experience of working within familiar surroundings as well as a devoted fan base filling their stadium seats to cheer them on. Who wants to level the playing field (so to speak) when you easily stack the odds in your favor?
The same logic can be applied to hospitality. While the current travel trend of “stay like a local” is being capitalized by a highly popular and controversial site that’s changed how guests think about lodging forever (I think you can guess which one…), innkeepers have had experience in this arena for years. The difference is that you haven’t made a lot of noise about it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start now – because there’s no time like present! Your best asset for attracting new business and maintaining the old is a hometown advantage, which you have in spades.
Hometown advantage combines both old and new trends. As the farm-to-table movement marches on, guests may forget that many innkeepers have been (and continue to) buy and source local ingredients on a day-to-day basis. Remind them. Those travelers who want to immerse themselves in activities unique to your region have the greatest resource around – you. As innkeepers, not only do you have insider knowledge of the area,
Make the Most of Your Hometown Advantage
By Mary White
In professional sports having the hometown advantage is an enviable spot to be in. Players have the knowledge and experience of working within familiar surroundings as well as a devoted fan base filling their stadium seats to cheer them on. Who wants to level the playing field (so to speak) when you easily stack the odds in your favor?
The same logic can be applied to hospitality. While the current travel trend of “stay like a local” is being capitalized by a highly popular and controversial site that’s changed how guests think about lodging forever (I think you can guess which one…), innkeepers have had experience in this arena for years. The difference is that you haven’t made a lot of noise about it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start now – because there’s no time like present! Your best asset for attracting new business and maintaining the old is a hometown advantage, which you have in spades.
Hometown advantage combines both old and new trends. As the farm-to-table movement marches on, guests may forget that many innkeepers have been (and continue to) buy and source local ingredients on a day-to-day basis. Remind them. Those travelers who want to immerse themselves in activities unique to your region have the greatest resource around – you. As innkeepers, not only do you have insider knowledge of the area, but you also have the relationships to create local partnerships and packages exclusive to your guests. The desire for authentic experiences is something you can easily fulfill and making that an integral part of your marketing plan is the ideal way to ensure your business will not just survive, but thrive.
Once you have piqued interest, it’s time to develop your devoted fan base. Encouraging reviews on popular travel sites and social media sharing are two action items to promote, in addition to special offers through your newsletter, email blasts, and website, but I suggest you take it one step further. While the guest is on your turf offer them the option to buy gift certificates for a future return stay at a 10% discount. Not only will you have happy, loyal guests coming back again and again, but that 10% discount is less than most commissions or OTA fees. This means more money in your pocket, more rooms filled, and more chances of your inn scoring bigger wins than other sites claiming to offer the best local experiences based in your backyard.
By Mary White