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JBloggs

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Again, I wish there was some sort of online poll/statistics for this information. I do not believe there is, not accurately anyway, so I wanted to ask you.
It may be our demographics, location, marketing, but we have a huge chunk of first time B&B goers. From a wedding night last night to a couple traveling on a Harley today.
We also seem to be drawing more "locals" meaning a few hours drive, who may have decided to do something not as far as say go to the beach, instead come this way for a brief getaway.
What have you noticed? Has the trend changed this year from last?
I believe if you take into account the Living Social and Groupon these numbers would be heavily swayed, so if we can NOT ADD THOSE to this discussion by way of figures. For discussion, of course, is LS bringing those GenYX-ers to the B&B environment, such as LS promises? Who will then go forth and be lifers in the B&B realm?
Our B&B has ALWAYS HAD A HIGH INCIDENCE of FIRST TIME B&B GOERS. Could it be our price range? Are we NOT ROMANTIC enough to draw the intense romantics? Or could it be we market more recreation and outdoors to not draw as many? Although in season we have plenty of anniversaries (most of those are first time B&B goers). Who is marketing to them to get their attention? Is it social media?
All feedback welcome, share what you find in your neck of the woods.
 
I was surprised at how many first-timers I got in our first few years - we were 3 with a shared!!! I would have expected them to go for private bath for the first time. Most everyone who stayed here said they would be going to B & Bs "from now on". I still get a lot of first-time. Sometimes because the Marcellus Shale has filled up the hotels/motels. Some are finding us on GPS. I also get a fair number of "meet-in-the-middle" - sisters, cousins, lovers, and in October we will have the bride & groom who are having the wedding in my city because it is halfway between HIS family and them & their friends/her family.
With us, I think it may partly be our prices - they are not real high.
 
We are getting a lot of first timers. I think it could be that people are looking more for "drive to" vacations rather than flying away for the weekend/three day trips. We are in wine country too and get a lot of anniversaries, birthdays, and more and more now honeymooners.
Riki
 
We are getting a lot of first timers. I think it could be that people are looking more for "drive to" vacations rather than flying away for the weekend/three day trips. We are in wine country too and get a lot of anniversaries, birthdays, and more and more now honeymooners.
Riki.
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
For my non first timers, I am getting more of the stopping overnight enroute somewhere else, they know B&B's so choose on while traveling from point a to point b. Of this I am certain.
 
We are getting a lot of first timers. I think it could be that people are looking more for "drive to" vacations rather than flying away for the weekend/three day trips. We are in wine country too and get a lot of anniversaries, birthdays, and more and more now honeymooners.
Riki.
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
For my non first timers, I am getting more of the stopping overnight enroute somewhere else, they know B&B's so choose on while traveling from point a to point b. Of this I am certain.
.
Joey Bloggs said:
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
I think it might. We are getting lots of people who are coming to Charlottesville for the first time from DC, MD, PA and NC who say they had no idea what all our area had to offer and how short a drive we are. And some of them are now repeats. This weekend we had two anniversary couples, one from VA Beach for the first time and one from NC who took our wine tour last year and stayed in a upscale hotel, this year came back to buy wine for their anniversary, took our beer/wine tour and stayed with us.
RIki
 
We are getting a lot of first timers. I think it could be that people are looking more for "drive to" vacations rather than flying away for the weekend/three day trips. We are in wine country too and get a lot of anniversaries, birthdays, and more and more now honeymooners.
Riki.
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
For my non first timers, I am getting more of the stopping overnight enroute somewhere else, they know B&B's so choose on while traveling from point a to point b. Of this I am certain.
.
Joey Bloggs said:
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
I think it might. We are getting lots of people who are coming to Charlottesville for the first time from DC, MD, PA and NC who say they had no idea what all our area had to offer and how short a drive we are. And some of them are now repeats. This weekend we had two anniversary couples, one from VA Beach for the first time and one from NC who took our wine tour last year and stayed in a upscale hotel, this year came back to buy wine for their anniversary, took our beer/wine tour and stayed with us.
RIki
.
Couple this morning said they are converts now. :) They are now heading to THIS B&B, which I have never heard of until now, isn't it funny how the guests can find B&B's and yet in all our online stuff, we never come across them. And yet with all my bold personality on the website and blog, this other place shares nothing personal, whatsoever.
We had a grand table full of laughter, that is always great for first timers!
 
We are getting a lot of first timers. I think it could be that people are looking more for "drive to" vacations rather than flying away for the weekend/three day trips. We are in wine country too and get a lot of anniversaries, birthdays, and more and more now honeymooners.
Riki.
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
For my non first timers, I am getting more of the stopping overnight enroute somewhere else, they know B&B's so choose on while traveling from point a to point b. Of this I am certain.
.
Joey Bloggs said:
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
I think it might. We are getting lots of people who are coming to Charlottesville for the first time from DC, MD, PA and NC who say they had no idea what all our area had to offer and how short a drive we are. And some of them are now repeats. This weekend we had two anniversary couples, one from VA Beach for the first time and one from NC who took our wine tour last year and stayed in a upscale hotel, this year came back to buy wine for their anniversary, took our beer/wine tour and stayed with us.
RIki
.
Couple this morning said they are converts now. :) They are now heading to THIS B&B, which I have never heard of until now, isn't it funny how the guests can find B&B's and yet in all our online stuff, we never come across them. And yet with all my bold personality on the website and blog, this other place shares nothing personal, whatsoever.
We had a grand table full of laughter, that is always great for first timers!
.
I wonder how they found that B&B. No city or location on their home page except for the title. No online booking. Looks nice though.
First time B&B guests were probably my favorite. There was a chance to show them the wonderful advantages of staying at a B&B.
 
We get alot of first time B&Bers. I think the reason we do is because the other place are for the guys fishing/hunting places and or we do have the nicest place to stay at the lake. Other places rundown or dirty. If I had a dollar for everytime our guests say OMG this place is clean I'd be rich (ok so maybe not rich) but I am surprise the hear it so much.
As for as the "pass through" people I found that since I dropped Bed and Breakfast dot com I don't get as much.
I'm really learning alot about this thing called Marketing!
And another thing, the only way they can expirence anything like my neck of the woods, they would have to own their own place!
 
Im trying to figure out if shows like 4 in a bed and 3 in a bed are doing a damage to us in the UK market or if they are helping us. Trouble is I have a suspician they are doing more harm than good and I am waiting for people to tire of them. Had an email from channel 4 asking us if we would go on it but I dont think so! trouble is you only get the nut jobs wanting to go on it and that reflects badly on us all.
 
Close to 85% of our guests are first-timers. I could guess why this is, but I'd probably be wrong. It might be that we offer a different kind of experience that's affordable and relatively close to home. People still need to get away in this rotten economy. I guess B&Bs are the new Club Med.
 
Close to 85% of our guests are first-timers. I could guess why this is, but I'd probably be wrong. It might be that we offer a different kind of experience that's affordable and relatively close to home. People still need to get away in this rotten economy. I guess B&Bs are the new Club Med..
Proud Texan said:
I guess B&Bs are the new Club Med.
Quote for the Day!
thumbs_up.gif

 
We are getting a lot of first timers. I think it could be that people are looking more for "drive to" vacations rather than flying away for the weekend/three day trips. We are in wine country too and get a lot of anniversaries, birthdays, and more and more now honeymooners.
Riki.
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
For my non first timers, I am getting more of the stopping overnight enroute somewhere else, they know B&B's so choose on while traveling from point a to point b. Of this I am certain.
.
Joey Bloggs said:
So you believe the driving/road trip aspect is bringing more first timers?
For my non first timers, I am getting more of the stopping overnight enroute somewhere else, they know B&B's so choose on while traveling from point a to point b. Of this I am certain.
They have to be on a driving/road trip to be coming here unless it is for a specific such as a WVU football game.
 
Im trying to figure out if shows like 4 in a bed and 3 in a bed are doing a damage to us in the UK market or if they are helping us. Trouble is I have a suspician they are doing more harm than good and I am waiting for people to tire of them. Had an email from channel 4 asking us if we would go on it but I dont think so! trouble is you only get the nut jobs wanting to go on it and that reflects badly on us all..
Im trying to figure out if shows like 4 in a bed and 3 in a bed are doing a damage to us in the UK market or if they are helping us. Trouble is I have a suspician they are doing more harm than good and I am waiting for people to tire of them. Had an email from channel 4 asking us if we would go on it but I dont think so! trouble is you only get the nut jobs wanting to go on it and that reflects badly on us all.
Channel 4 emailed us about appearing on a brand new program about B&Bs before the first season started, so glad we didn't. B&B owners can be picky at the best of times (we know, we are them) and to have other B&B owners pulling your place to bits on TV just seems like a definate no-no.
I find it interesting that some of the cheaper places are run by really nice, caring people and some of the really fancy, expensive places are run by stuck-up snobs who I would not pay to stay.
I do think it's helped to dispell the old B&B image of stern wifey in Blackpool scolding people for breaking the rules, ringing a gong to indicate breakfast....that sort of thing.
 
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