Due to the imposed restrictions, bans and reduced reach of passengers and guests – we (re)turned to each other. We started to search for a more accessible, nearby and equally good holiday offer.

Support local trend raises awareness and supports small independent businesses that help keep and circulate resources within communities. But not only that.

Local offer, in general, refers to unique, authentic experiences, cultural and natural distinctiveness and the specific lifestyle of a particular destination.

Homemade Only

According to Booking.com, more than two-thirds (68%) of travellers want to be sure that the resources spend return to the local community. 43% of them intend to support local communities and economies through more thoughtful travel choices.

In addition, to carefully consider their choice of destination, travellers and guests are increasingly thinking about how their trips can have a longer-term, regenerative effect and leave a positive impact on the local community.

Reputation

We have written more widely about the importance of reputation here. In this context, the accommodation offer itself is not necessarily in focus.

You can offer a place to relax, socialize or hold various events while generating income and connection with the local community, becoming part of the offer. Different contributions or sponsorships, depending on the possibilities, are also part of an active local engagement. The special promotions intended for the locals will result in satisfaction and positive perception and recommendations.

Guests

Guests change.

Modern travellers are looking for unique and authentic experiences. For millennials, experience, instagramability and reputation are among the top decision criteria when choosing accommodation.

What can’t be found elsewhere, and integrating it into your offer is crucial.

Matching culture and destination offer around you will help generate exceptional experiences. Still, it will also strengthen the regional tourist offer.

Cooperation

By shopping locally for your business needs, you promote unique products and services that are the foundation for destination recognition. Mutual business support creates jobs, generates further growth, builds culture and returns investment.

Environmental impact

An increased desire for sustainable and more responsible travel with greater environmental awareness is expected in the coming years.

Due to the pandemic impact on travel, guests are more aware of the effect on the environment and local communities. More than half of global travellers (53%) admitted that they want to travel more sustainably, and travellers in Colombia (74%), Brazil (71%) and India (70%) are particularly committed to this.

Long-term sustainability and destination development are vital for every apartment, hostel, hotel or campground equally.

Don’t underestimate the environmentally friendly decisions you make, and be sure to try to find a way to highlight your initiatives.

Unmissable Opportunity

Guests will not confirm a reservation just because it is a great opportunity.

Creative packages

The romantic weekend getaway is another one in the endless sea of romantic weekend special offers.

Try to include more exciting content in your packages.

For example, a “segment” package may include tickets or discounts for attractions available nearby. Combining your offer with the services of another tourist attraction is a great way to add value to your packages. Tickets for tours, theme parks, museums are always popular, as are vouchers for restaurants.

Note that the COVID-19 situation can escalate quickly, so update the packages accordingly.

In the end, offering three excellent packages is better than ten mediocre ones.

Smart sales

Many guests during the booking phase will explore the destination and get acquainted with the more popular activities. Take advantage of that research phase by offering quality and informative content on your website and direct booking possibility.

With Rentlio, you can easily manage multiple price lists and create restrictions to maximize costs and drive sales.

Fully-refundable offers

Packages allowing a full refund for cancellation have a greater chance of making more bookings and higher average revenue per booking.

Guests will often be willing to pay a higher price for the security of these offers, especially in times of uncertainty we now face. Such requests will also have a marketing effect because they will rank higher in the search results on OTA channels due to the realized reservations.

Positioning when searching for OTA channels and how to achieve the highest possible result depends on the criteria of individual OTA channels. However, OTAs focus is on revenue. Accommodation capacities that generate higher revenues for OTA channels will thus, quite logically, be a priority when ranking.

Read more about the factors affecting the ranking here.

Circle Of Support

According to the World Tourism Barometer, the arrival of international travellers decreased by 65%.

It is interesting to note that guests in certain countries opt for domestic tourism. The UNWTO expects that domestic tourism will assist the recovery of the industry faster and more robust than international travel.

The changes conditioned by the new normal are an excellent opportunity to creatively formulate sales to stand out in a sea of similar offerings.

Equally, supporting the local will return the investment because indirectly, you promote yourself 💪.