If you’re an innkeeper you have probably noticed a new trend in your business over the past several years – millennials. While your customer base might have always been older married couples, the trend is shifting as the increasingly corporate youngsters are looking for charming retreats from their busy business lifestyles. As an innkeeper, you provide that break from work life in your homey and personal accommodations with all the little details you work so hard to consider. With this emerging market for bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels, it’s important for innkeepers to find ways to cater to a younger crowd influenced by new and more accessible modes of travel. Here are some things to consider when trying to appeal to the millennial generation.
New Travel Ways
With global companies like Airbnb, millennials are used not only to crowdsourcing their travel accommodations but to a much more personal experience, which is exactly why they are attracted to your bed and breakfast. Other interests for the 20 and 30 something crowds are an increasing appreciation for the artisanal way of life, so their coming to stay with you is an act of respect for the very work you do. While you may be intimidated by this new demographic among your customers the trick is that you should treat them no differently. They are looking for exactly the experience you have worked so hard to create for your guests.
WiFi is Key
Used to being constantly connected, your millennial guests are accustomed to finding the WiFi password first thing when they enter any building for the first time. You will win major points with this crowd if the passwords are easy for them to find upon arrival, preferably without having to ask anyone. Also, make sure that you have reliable internet so they are not let down if they want their Friday night away from life to look like a Netflix binge. Being so used to sharing their experience in social media, the reliable internet will also mean free word-of-mouth marketing for you!
Millennials Love Local
Breakfast always counts at your bed and breakfast, but a way to add something extra to your delicious meal planning is to throw in lots of local goods. Many millennials are interested in getting back to their roots of eating things grown or raised right down the street, and offering this to them will get you big points. They will also be looking for the down low on all the best local businesses, especially ones that are focused on staying small, local, and artsy. Being able to inform them of all the hottest spots in town will be essential – it’s also a nice excuse for you to make sure you are always aware of the best new places around.
The millennials, while they might intimidate you as a new demographic, are actually quite easy guests to please. While they grew up surrounded by technology, they aren’t expecting anything fancy from you, and chances are they are actually visiting you to get away from all the distractions of everyday life. But please, don’t forget the WiFi. It really is a deal breaker.