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One of the main reasons that travellers prefer to stay in B&Bs is because they can enjoy an intimate, authentic experience – one in which they can immerse themselves in the local culture and enjoy the true flavor of the destination. Your guests are going to expect you to offer your own local knowledge to them.
By becoming one of the B&B experts who knows the destination better than anyone else, you will be able to improve your business.
Here’s just a few of the ways this will benefit you financially:
You will improve the guest experience and drive bookings
Most guests want to be able to connect with B&B owners on a personal level. When you are friendly and approachable, and offer local knowledge to them, they will quickly come to trust you as a valuable resource. This level of trust is invaluable, as it will often lead to travellers recommending your property to their family members and friends. They will also be more likely to leave positive reviews on travel sites and on the most popular social networking platforms. It’s these referrals that will grow your business exponentially.
Of course, guests who have a positive experience at your property are also more likely to stay with you again. Repeat bookings will increase dramatically when you become a destination expert who can offer insight into the best places around your town.
You can create partnerships with local business owners
When tourism plays a prevalent role in your local economy, it helps to partner with other travel-related businesses in the area. You can come to an agreement where you refer your guests to specific restaurants, shops, attractions and tour companies for a favourable discount, and that those businesses will do the same for you.
Together, your businesses also could create promotional marketing materials that are aimed at bringing more travellers to the area. As more visitors arrive in the destination each year, all of the businesses will benefit financially.
You can generate more revenue through specialised packages
Use your local knowledge to create valuable and enticing packages for your guests. For example, you could create a romance package that guests can purchase upon booking that includes a bottle of local wine, fresh fruit from nearby farmers and unique treats from the area. You also might consider a package for solo travellers that includes a novel by a local author and some regional snacks.
These packages allow guests to enhance their stay and customise their booking with you, and they allow you to generate additional revenue per booking.
Today’s travellers are becoming increasingly dependent on local knowledge from B&B experts, as more people seek to experience the community around them rather than simply take a few photos at iconic attractions nearby. B&B owners need to be able to provide their guests with recommendations for delicious restaurants, interesting boutiques and innovative tour and activity experiences.
