Time to Play Offence
The long journey we have all been on since March 2020 has been tough. The pandemic has hit the hotel and hospitality industry extremely hard. I, and I am sure many of you, have seen many friends and colleagues leave our hotels or the industry altogether. Even with tough cost-cutting measures, and in some cases with some government support, many businesses have permanently closed. As people become vaccinated, the green shoots of a recovery are starting to show. I see this as a signal that travel will rebound, and I cannot wait to do some travelling myself. With this in mind, I think we can start to shift our focus from playing defence to playing offence.
Going forward, as an industry we must find energy and motivation within us to push ourselves and our businesses forward. For example, undertaking robust market research through conversations within our networks to understand the situation to see what revenue opportunities may now be available as we come out of the pandemic. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has completed research into the Boomer population noting that they are ready to resume travelling since a large number are now fully vaccinated. By extension “they are actively selecting destinations, booking accommodations, and scrutinizing COVID-19 safety protocols”. https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/life/info-2021/2021-travel-trends.html
Here are some ways the hotel and hospitality industry can get re-engaged as people prepare for a return to travel.
- Connect with your top 10 customers. Start with a phone call to assess interest and push for a face-to-face meeting when possible. Ask questions to find out how your customer’s business is recovering. What new opportunities are available? How has their business shifted since the pandemic?
- Follow your top customers on Twitter and LinkedIn for up-to-date information on their companies.
- Ramp up site tours and lunches with past customers.
- Check-in with old colleagues that you have worked with. What are they seeing in the market? For those that have left the industry, what changes are they seeing in their new industry? Do they have connections to help your business?
- Contact members of your professional organization. What new training or online workshops are available to get ramped up on the latest industry trends? What new opportunities might be available to grow your business?
- Think strategically about how you can move market share from your competitors. For example, what events are happening in your community? Are any large events being organized in or around your hotel? What new businesses have opened in your area? What outdoor activities are near your hotel that could attract guests? It is crucial to move fast and get a jump on opportunities before your competition beats you.
- Talk with your extended network within your city. This can include tourism offices, association chapters, sports clubs, venues, airport management, tour bus companies, city planners, construction companies, etc.
- Make sure your COVID-19 protocols are current and accessible to those that are interested in booking with your hotel. This is important as people prepare to return to travel.
Preparing now is important. Doing the research, connecting with colleagues and partners in and around the hotel are good ways to get a lay of the land and find those hidden opportunities. In some regions, we are already seeing a return to travel. Even more interesting is that this travel is rivalling 2019 rates! And as vaccination rates continue to ramp up, we can assume that even more people will be looking to book their events and vacations.
I recognize it is tough to pick back up after the year we have all been through. But the time is upon us to push for more customer interactions and secure future opportunities for our hotels.