Travelers today are looking for much more than just a place to sleep when they choose a hotel. Guests, especially millennial travelers, prioritize experiences when they travel. They’re forgoing the comforts of chain restaurants and hotel spas, instead wanting to visit the places a local would go. 

For hotels to compete with experience-driven accommodations like Airbnb and VRBO, they need to also prioritize the overall travel experience. One way to become a resource for your guests is to create a local guide.

With a local guide, you’ll be able to give more value to your guests while also becoming a trusted resource for them. This is a great way to improve guest satisfaction (and post-stay reviews) and increase loyalty. The first step is to decide what to include.

Brainstorm Local Guide Topics

When creating a local guide for your guests, you’ll want to focus on the areas you get asked for recommendations of the most. This will probably encompass restaurants, entertainment, and transportation information. 

According to AAA, 80% of travelers have taken part in a food activity while traveling, like taking a cooking class or touring a local winery. Think about unique activities that aren’t just the top of the list on Yelp or TripAdvisor. You can also contact your local chamber of commerce to ask about special offers from businesses that you can include for your travelers. 

For each place that you add to the guide, include the address, phone number, transportation options, and other tips. Here are a few ideas to get started:

• Museums and cultural sites
• Food and drink tours
• Walking history tours
• Annual festivals
• Sporting events
• Rainy day ideas
• Adventure outings
• Restaurants at different price points

Ask your employees what places they would recommend to friends and family visiting from out of town. Better yet – include quotes and specific information from your staff in the guide, like favorite dishes or can’t-miss sites. 

Competing with Rentals

Local guides are just one way to compete with online rental companies. Check out Airbnb experiences for a better idea of the unique activities the website and hosts are able to curate for their guests. Aside from creating a local guide, read our white paper about other ways to compete with online rentals. 

Beyond The Local Guide

One of the best things to keep in mind when creating any kind of marketing content is to consider how you can reuse that content. You’ll be spending a lot of time putting together this guide of recommendations. Instead of just adding it to a binder in guest rooms, think about reusing this content in a section on your website and for social media posts. In addition to helping your guests, you’ll also be boosting the local SEO value of your website. 

Learn more about creating an SEO-friendly and responsive hotel website for your property. It’s easy to include custom content like your local guide for travelers.