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happykeeper

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Aloha all! Boy it has been a long long time since I checked in. I was thinking about how much has happened for us during that time and I was reminded how much has happened for the industry as a whole. The landscape is changing so fast it seems a bullet train would be the best analogy.
In our market, we have seen the previously touted multi-generational travel market continue to bloom. We have seen the age of our guests rise and value of providing an experience grow. We seen a return of more foreign travelers.
We have also seen our TA marketing value flatten a bit with the change in the algorithm even as TA has become a universal reference for almost all of our guests. We have felt the pressure to look at how to gain more exposure and we stepped up our efforts to create fresh content (we will be featured in the French guidebook Petit Fute) We have even revisited Google Adwords and online channels. We looked at BookItNow as an alternative to ResKey combined with My Allocator (IT WAS ATTRACTIVE and about the same price with more functionality) but decided to hold off on switching. In short, we realized we needed to get our marketing caps out of the closet and see what we could do. All in all, things are going great, but it felt good to take a fresh look.
So what's happening in your market? Things changing? Markets up? Down? Best marketing change you made for 2017?
 
We're looking at a strictly American market this year. No international travelers. Exchange rate is horrific for some countries, so they are not looking here. (Our major international market is Canada.)
So we're focusing on providing more add on features to make the stay an event for a more 'local' audience.
 
We're looking at a strictly American market this year. No international travelers. Exchange rate is horrific for some countries, so they are not looking here. (Our major international market is Canada.)
So we're focusing on providing more add on features to make the stay an event for a more 'local' audience..
Hi Mort.
Our Canadian market is still active. I think that is mostly a reflection of where we live and the incentives for winter travel. It may also be different at other price points on our island.
Added value has been a great strategy for us. What type of add-ons?
We did bump into the ceiling this year, which is what prompted us to get moving before it impacts us unfavorably. Things are fine now, but we could feel a change and knew we had to build some new stairs to get to the next level.
 
We're looking at a strictly American market this year. No international travelers. Exchange rate is horrific for some countries, so they are not looking here. (Our major international market is Canada.)
So we're focusing on providing more add on features to make the stay an event for a more 'local' audience..
Hi Mort.
Our Canadian market is still active. I think that is mostly a reflection of where we live and the incentives for winter travel. It may also be different at other price points on our island.
Added value has been a great strategy for us. What type of add-ons?
We did bump into the ceiling this year, which is what prompted us to get moving before it impacts us unfavorably. Things are fine now, but we could feel a change and knew we had to build some new stairs to get to the next level.
.
Our Canadians come here to shop. With an exchange rate that's 25% against them, there's not much sense in coming here. They're mostly from areas that look a lot like here, so no need to spend more money to see the same thing. ;-)
We're adding more outdoor adventure tours. And a shopping tour for those Canadians that cuts them some slack on the room rate.
We couldn't even do a winter package this year. The snow is almost non existent. Which is OK, as we're taking a longer vacation.
 
I find the same that the change with TA drops us further down the list, but so far guests still seem to find us. Last winter and this one have been lously as weather does not seem to be consistant and cut into traffic that would come skiing, but recent summers have done well. Our pitch is to be cute and clean and more economical than the chain hotels in town, using the slower winter as an opportunity to get an early start (or maybe late from last year) with painting and decorating to give our rooms a fresh look. I always feel I have much to learn about how to best market what we offer.
 
I find the same that the change with TA drops us further down the list, but so far guests still seem to find us. Last winter and this one have been lously as weather does not seem to be consistant and cut into traffic that would come skiing, but recent summers have done well. Our pitch is to be cute and clean and more economical than the chain hotels in town, using the slower winter as an opportunity to get an early start (or maybe late from last year) with painting and decorating to give our rooms a fresh look. I always feel I have much to learn about how to best market what we offer..
Can' t wait to see your changes on your website..don't forget to post new photos :)
 
I find the same that the change with TA drops us further down the list, but so far guests still seem to find us. Last winter and this one have been lously as weather does not seem to be consistant and cut into traffic that would come skiing, but recent summers have done well. Our pitch is to be cute and clean and more economical than the chain hotels in town, using the slower winter as an opportunity to get an early start (or maybe late from last year) with painting and decorating to give our rooms a fresh look. I always feel I have much to learn about how to best market what we offer..
Cute, clean, and economical. Toss in a decent bed and sometimes that's all we're looking for. It's a great approach.
 
I find the same that the change with TA drops us further down the list, but so far guests still seem to find us. Last winter and this one have been lously as weather does not seem to be consistant and cut into traffic that would come skiing, but recent summers have done well. Our pitch is to be cute and clean and more economical than the chain hotels in town, using the slower winter as an opportunity to get an early start (or maybe late from last year) with painting and decorating to give our rooms a fresh look. I always feel I have much to learn about how to best market what we offer..
Cute, clean, and economical. Toss in a decent bed and sometimes that's all we're looking for. It's a great approach.
.
Hopefully our beds meet the criteria of comfortable, actually would have liked the same mattress for myself, but by the time I wanted to change my personal mattress the next year the company had been absorbed by another and I had to make another choice.
 
I find the same that the change with TA drops us further down the list, but so far guests still seem to find us. Last winter and this one have been lously as weather does not seem to be consistant and cut into traffic that would come skiing, but recent summers have done well. Our pitch is to be cute and clean and more economical than the chain hotels in town, using the slower winter as an opportunity to get an early start (or maybe late from last year) with painting and decorating to give our rooms a fresh look. I always feel I have much to learn about how to best market what we offer..
Can' t wait to see your changes on your website..don't forget to post new photos :)
.
Look forward to getting some of the rooms done and posting pictures (and some other additions to the web that are still waiting). Hopefully my ideas and color choices won't cause too many rolls in the floor from laughing.
 
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