TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
E B I V L A C LO Put your place on the
tourist map
Location, location
L
ocation, location, location – it’s an unfair advantage in the tourism and hospitality trade. Restaurants with terrible service and mediocre food can soak up the tourist trade provided they’re in the right place, while establishments with much more to offer can go out of business for lack of foot traffic. However, just because you’re not on Vilakazi Street doesn’t mean you have to give up hope. With some savvy business acumen and flair, you can bring those tourists right into your place. Here’s how.
Make friends with the gatekeepers Make friends with the front-of-house staff at every hotel backpacker and B&B in town. Find out who’s on AirBnB and make contact with them too. Such hospitality providers are the first people that guests ask for a dining or drinking recommendation, so their influence is great. Invite them to your place for a meal so they can recommend you with confidence. Provide samples of goods and your own branded cards for them to give their guests. If you devise a reward system for referrals – maybe a free meal for every 20 customers they send your way – it will give your contacts that added incentive to help you out. 44
www.spotongmag.co.za
Invite hospitality providers to your place for a meal so they can recommend you with confidence.
