What is there to do in the area? - Blog
Posted on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017This might well be the most frequently asked question at the reception desk of a hotel, bungalow park, campground or tourist office. The reception employee is then busy collecting this information through various channels. And where possible, gives a flyer to the guests. A time-consuming job. Especially during the season! Of course, this is not a waste of their time, because hospitality is a high priority for tourism companies. But surely it should be easier?
To investigate this, we visited 40 recreation companies in the Netherlands. And we asked the receptionists about their wishes when it comes to informing guests about activities in the area. Below are some of the wishes and comments we received back.
Digital calendar of activities
Number one is the desire for a digital agenda. Virtually every hotel, bungalow park, campground or tourist office would like to be able to see digitally what is going on in the area. Think of the local fair, carnival, book market, parade, events and festivals. Precisely those local activities that make a stay so enjoyable.
Add your own activities and events
In addition, receptionists would also like to be able to add their own activities to the digital calendar. Activities organized for guests from the hotel, bungalow park, campsite or tourist office. This way the receptionist can inform guests about local and own activities at once.
Clear: short and concise
Above all, the overview showing activities in the area should be clear and not contain too much information. Preferably as short and concise as possible. What, where and a link for more information is enough. For example: The Voorthuizer Braderie on Tuesday, August 15 and the link www.visitvoorthuizen.nl/vvv/de-voorthuizer-braderie.
Activities in the region only
Receptionists also indicated that they want to offer activities in a certain radius around their hotel, bungalow park, campground or tourist office. And that in doing so, they want to decide what that radius is.
Ticket sales through the front desk
When guests ask what there is to do in the area, receptionists can often do little more than provide information and a brochure. Actually selling tickets of attractions at the front desk is often difficult. Because tickets have to be purchased in advance and the chances of theft or loss are then high. However, selling tickets at the reception is something that hotels, bungalow parks, campsites or tourist information offices would like to offer to their guests if it can be done in an easy way.
Existing systems don't work or are expensive
Buying a system is out of the question for many businesses. But when they can use a system for free and set it up to their liking for their residence location, they want to deploy it immediately.
Linkable with website, app or digital signage
In addition, we often heard that information about activities in the immediate area should not only be available through the reception. But, for example, should also be able to be shown on the TV screens in the cottages or hotel rooms (narrowcasting) and through their own website or app.
Based on the above wishes and comments, we set to work. And the result is, among other things, an events calendar. To see what effect such a calendar actually has, we placed a prototype on www.veluwespecialist.nl. And since the events calendar is online, the website has been visited more often, visitors stay longer and come back more often. In addition, an average of 100 clicks per day are made on the items in the events calendar. So local activities and events get more attention this way, which increases the chances of more visitors. We made the calendar so that you can easily place it on your own website, display it in your app, or use it for narrowcasting. And all for free!
In addition, we have linked the events calendar to our Front Office App. This allows reception staff to not only give guests information about the upcoming village fair, but now they can also sell tickets of activities and amusement parks through the reception. You can add events yourself to the calendar. This way we try to bring together all activities and events in a certain radius. After all, the reception desk is just the place to go for questions and suggestions.
Would you also like to use the event calendar for your hotel, bungalow park, campsite, tourist office, cruise ship, during an event, at a fair or any other place where it can add value? You can! Configure your own overview for free with local activities and events.
Still have questions? Then please take contact with us. We'll be happy to help!
