We know, we know – events are the last thing on anyone’s mind at the moment. Thankfully, the calendar is looking a little bit brighter next year – and we recommend you have a look at what’s going on in the local area. Preparing for events – big or small – will help you provide a better guest experience. They’re also a useful marketing tool if you approach them properly. Here are five ways to prepare for local events near your holiday home.
Join local forums to keep up with events
Events can change on an annual basis, so it’s important to keep up to date. Joining local forums can help you keep up with the community. You’ll probably already know about the major events, but what about the arts festivals and food markets? Keeping up with the local community lets you keep an eye on these smaller gatherings.
Facebook Groups are an excellent starting point. Most sizable towns have these, and local event organisers will regularly list what’s going on in the area once it has been announced. You can then also include these in the welcome email sent to your guest to help them prepare their itinerary.
Consider what kind of guests will attend local events
How you market your property is hugely influenced by the kind of people that will book. Huge events like the Open in St Andrews and the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh will attract international guests. Smaller events might have a more local following, so you can sell these to visitors that want an authentic experience.
Some of the other points in this article can help you figure out your target market. In general, look at the demographics of the people who attend these events and target towards them. Social media is great for doing this research too – look at who interacts with their posts and agrees to attend the event.
Work with local businesses connected with the events
We won’t shut up about how important it is to work with local businesses – but this is even more so the case during local events. They will have insider knowledge that you don’t, and you can therefore help each other out. Small, independent businesses will already know the best ways to market to those attending events.
We’ve already written about how you can network with other businesses – check out the link here. In short, you can start off by introducing yourself on local forums. We also recommend visiting these businesses whenever you are in town to strengthen the relationship. Don’t go in strong – your main motivation should be to network.
Offer something a little extra to event guests
Speaking of helping out local businesses – this is your chance to update your welcome pack. These small extras will enhance guest experience, and further strengthen your ties with local events and small businesses. Include one or two items related to the event, plus a short guide on what is going on for the run of the event.
Ideally you want it to be something simple that will pique your guest’s interest. If there’s a food festival going on, include an item from one of the stalls that will be attending. Local theatre festival in the area? Leave some information about how they can book, and some recommendations of shows you think they might enjoy.
Get in touch with event managers and tourism boards
Where possible, you should always introduce yourself to the local tourism board and event organisers. Tourism boards want to encourage as many visitors as possible to these events, and can help you market your property. Likewise, event managers will want to make sure attendees are adequately accommodated. Many larger events provide accommodation lists to attendees in advance.
Check the contact information on their website to start with – sometimes they will include an accommodation manager that you can get in touch with. This strategy works particularly well with conferences and other corporate events. For local festivals and larger cultural events, the local tourism board is probably a better option.
Events and accommodation go hand in hand – so it’s important to prepare well in advance. These events are what make the destination you’re selling special, and your guest will appreciate you making a little extra effort to include them. It also gives you the chance to learn more about the destination and connect with local businesses.
Holiday let management companies can help take care of all this for you. Short Stay St Andrews are experienced in all aspects of holiday let management – including sourcing, refurbishment and guest turnovers. With over 1000 5-star reviews, we have years of experience behind us. We’re also based right in the heart of St Andrews, so we know the local holiday home market like the back of our hand. Get in touch to find out more about how we can help you. You can also check out our other website here if you are interested in booking a stay.
Our AirBnB Made Simple management will make letting your property hassle free.