Don’t overlook locals
We recently hosted a
cocktail function at one of
our new properties and the
guests included many local
business people, all of whom
are passionate about their
community and proud of what
their neighbourhood has to
offer. They are excited yet
desperate for us to succeed
as new owners and operators
of their much-loved hotel.
This got me thinking.
How careless we, as hotel
owners or managers, are in
the way we treat the local
markets, albeit unconsciously!
We maintain our clear-cut
marketing strategies after
years of providing less
than decent service to
the local market, retaining
high charges for food and
beverages coupled with
an élitist approach that
considers inbound markets
but does not value the
locals. We concentrate more
on the perceived lucrative
markets, such as corporate,
conferencing and groups, all
the while whittling away at
local confidence – a market
that votes with its feet and
often, after many consecutive
years of disappointment,
ultimately stays away for good.
Often, through a combination
of sheer ignorance and a lack
of understanding of the local
markets – particularly those
within a 5km radius of our
hotels – our main market,
the locals, are overlooked.
Some people are getting it
right. Domestic wholesalers
are trying to encourage the
package market to stimulate
domestic tourism but it’s
not enough. Hotels need
to identify the locals as a
separate market segment
– which requires dedicated
marketing actions through
skilled hands on a daily,
weekly and monthly basis.
Our challenge is to
drive value to this market
segment, via value-added
and interesting food and
beverage offerings, amenities
and targeted events to
draw demand to the entire
property, resulting in spin-offs
in room sales and additional
discretionary spending
throughout our hotels.
Let’s make every effort to
get those locals back!
Guy Stehlik
Ceo and founder, BON Hotels
