5 Ways to Attract & Retain Guests

As you may or may not know, tourism is a huge industry. India seems to be recognising the enormous potential that tourism holds, in fact, just this month the Deputy Chief Minister, Chowna Mein had this to say

It is time for the India to convert its enormous tourism potential to income generating and employment avenues.

Reading up on the news about India had us thinking about attracting and retaining guests and how it is done. These are questions our students tackle through the CTH qualifications, however, it's still an interesting topic to discuss. That's why, this week we'll be looking at 5 ways to attract & retain guests. So without further ado, let's get started.

1. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your guests

One of the steps to understanding your business is to understand your guests. By knowing your guests you will understand how to market to them, then how to cater to them and finally how to keep them. You can't attract & retain your guests if you don't know your guests.

2. To be the best, you need to ...

Know what you do the best. It's always important to find out what you do best so you know what you can leverage to draw people in. Hotels love to promote what they pride themselves in, if they have the best view in the city, be sure that they're going to let you know it. Find out what you do best and use it to your advantage.

3. Communication is key

Communication, communication, communication. Being able to engage with your customers and your customers being able to engage with you is so important. It's important throughout the whole process. Have you ever tried to find out more information about a company on their website and you come to discover that the link you clicked is broken or doesn't exist? Annoying, right. Today, now more than ever, having clear lines of communication between guest and hotel is so crucial.

4. Do what it says on the tin

'Doing what it says on the tin' is British term that simply means doing what has been advertised. If your advertising what you offer to your guests, you want to make sure you can actually supply it. Your word and reputation go along way in this industry so making sure you do the things you say can help build your reputation.

5. Cleanliness is next to godliness

Cleanliness in this case means both how clean the hotel is, as well as the general appearance of the hotel. Presentation is everything. Regardless, of the price of the accommodation, guests still expect a certain quality, whether you've paid for a hostel or a boutique hotel, no one wants to pay for dirty sheets. Appearing in a presentable manner, both online and in person is key.

So, we've made it, with the help of the CTH Hospitality Qualification, we've found 5 ways to attract & retain guests. Now. let's see what India does to attract guests to it's tourism industry.