Hi, my name is Shelly, and although I have traveled all over the world, I firmly believe that you can have a European experience without leaving Australia. If you are planning a trip and looking for something a bit off the beaten path, this blog is for you. In this space, I am going to include all of the tips and tricks you need to have a successful journey that feels European. I plan to include posts on choosing the best hotels, planning the best sightseeing, selecting European food and more. I hope you enjoy reading and that you learn a lot.
Capturing the European Experience in an Australian Hotel
How Bed and Breakfast Owners can Attract Business Travellers
Samantha Mckinney
When you think of accommodation for business travellers, one of the last forms of accommodation that comes to mind will be the Bed and Breakfast. Bed and Breakfast properties are typically managed by couples and attract people who want to enjoy a "home away from a home" on a long weekend break or an extended jaunt to the seaside. But when you consider that 10% of Australian travellers travel on business, Bed and Breakfast owners in this country are missing a trick by not making their properties more appealing to the business traveller. Here are a few ways that you can secure guests from this market.
Offer complimentary Wi-Fi. Australia is lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to offering high-speed, complimentary wifi. For the average traveller, having access to a high speed internet connection might not be a big deal, but for a business traveller who might have cause to fire off emails at all hours of the day and attend virtual conference calls, a property's Wi-Fi can swing their decision to make a booking or not. Don't think of Wi-Fi as another cost – think of it as investment into growing your client base.
Offer transport options. Business travellers are often on a tight schedule. They arrive at an airport or train station, and they can waste no time in getting settled into their temporary accommodation before finding a conference centre or place of business in the centre of town. For this reason, it's a great idea to offer transport services as well as accommodation. Charge a reasonable rate for airport transfers as well as transfers to their place of business, and you will make a business traveller's life much easier.
Provide a workspace. For a business traveller, their room will be more than just a place to sleep and relax – it will be a place where they will want to answer emails, take important calls, and get on with some work. This means that you should set up the room to be a workspace as much as a place for rest. Ensure that there is a desk with enough space to house a computer and a stack of documents, a reading lamp that will shine sufficient light on the work space, an ergonomic chair that will be supportive and comfortable while a person is working at the desk, and ample plug points around the room to charge multiple devices.
And, of course, don't just provide these amenities – shout about them in all of your marketing channels.
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