Capitalizing on a Nearby Tourist Attraction, Part 2 of 3-part a series

Please enjoy the second part of our series on attracting tourist to your restaurant.

Capitalizing on a Nearby Tourist Attraction  Part 2

If you operate a restaurant near a tourist attraction like a museum, beach, theme park or event center, make sure you capitalize on your good location. In addition to the essential marketing techniques mentioned above, use some of these tactics to catch the interest of tourists:

Use outdoor signs.

A large sign and a sidewalk menu will help you attract passersby. Prominent outdoor signage is especially important if you operate within walking distance of a major tourist attraction, like a beach, museum or downtown.

Buy billboard space.

To attract tourists traveling by road, consider purchasing billboard space on a major interstate, especially if your restaurant is near an exit. It is also a good idea to advertise on the major highways near the airport, since you might catch the eye of a traveler in a cab or rental car.

Advertise in newspapers.

Many travelers will buy a local newspaper or pick up a free one at their hotel. If you hope to attract their business, consider advertising in the papers, especially during tourist season.

Form partnerships

Partner with charter bus companies, travel agencies, local hotels and event centers. For example, you could agree to give discounts to mutual customers, and ask them to distribute coupons or menus for your restaurant. Some hotels and convention centers will even give visitors a coupon book for local businesses. You should also consider forming a friendship with and giving a permanent discount to the employees at hotels and visitor centers. Many travelers will ask these locals for restaurant recommendations.

Become a rewards provider.

As a rewards provider, joining a rewards network – like ThankYou, SkyMiles Dining or Rewards Network Restaurant Cashback – can help you to attract business from people who eat out frequently when traveling.

Be sure to check back for the last entry in the series: Part 3 Becoming a Tourist Attraction

Attracting Customers to a Restaurant, Part 1 in a 3-part series

Culinary tourism is gaining popularity. When people take vacations and travel, they usually want more beyond simple relaxation or a business trip. They are seeking cultural education, in part by experiencing the local cuisine.

Essentials for Attracting Out-of-Town Customers –Part 1

Any restaurant could profit from out-of-town customers. If you hope to attract tourists and out-of-towners, you need to use the right marketing techniques to catch their interest. There are two ways to attract tourists to a restaurant: be near a tourist attraction, or become the tourist attraction. Either way, make sure you do the following:

Maintain a website.

Almost 50% of consumers have visited a restaurant website. Since they do not have firsthand knowledge of the region, tourists and out-of-towners are even more likely than the average customer to surf the Internet for a good place to eat. If you already have a website, send a link request to the local chamber of commerce or tourism bureau.

Get listed in the phonebook.

There is a phonebook in almost every hotel room. If you are not listed in the phonebook, it might be difficult for out-of-towners to find your address and phone number. In a crunch, travelers will often turn to the phonebook to find a place to eat. In addition to getting listed, you might consider placing an ad in the yellow pages with some details about your restaurant and your takeout and delivery services.

Distribute paper menus.

If you hope to sell to travelers, you need a paper menu, whether or not you offer takeout and delivery. Place the menu in strategic locations, like hotel lobbies, visitor centers, car rental agencies, airports and local bulletin boards. Your paper menu will serve as a mini-advertisement for your restaurant.

Get listed in restaurant guides.

If you are located in a tourism hub or a popular travel destination, it is essential that you get listed in restaurant guides and directories. This includes online restaurant guides like RestaurantRow.com and Dine.com, as well as any print restaurant directories that will list you, such as hotel restaurant guides, the AAA Travel Destination Guide, the Michelin Guide, etc.

Offer good parking.

Travelers who are new to the area do not want to search for a parking space. If your parking situation is lacking, you might have difficulty convincing tourists that your restaurant is worth the hassle of parking far away. If you do not have a parking lot, partner with a local garage or lot and implement a free valet parking service.

By making use of the above tactics, you will make your restaurant available to both tourists and business travelers who are looking for a place to eat out.

Be sure to check back for part 2, capitalizing on a Nearby Tourist Attraction!

Reaping the Benefits of Vacation Packages

For travelers who like to plan ahead and manage their costs, vacation packages represent an easy way for travelers to book a flexible combination of flight, lodging, rental car and local attractions at one rate, on one website with a few clicks of the mouse.The benefits to hotels of offering vacation packages, however, often go unrecognized:

• An average booking window that is more than double that of a standalone hotel reservation;
• An average length of stay that is more than 120 percent longer than a standalone hotel reservation;
• 50 percent fewer cancellations than standalone hotel bookings
• Increased opacity to preserve rate integrity

In Jacksonville, a market that is driven largely by its submarkets, hotels were unaccustomed to utilizing packages because they assumed they were too far from the airport for their offerings to be effective.  By experimenting with the package path, one hotel ultimately grew its business by 20 percent and became one of Jacksonville’s top producers.   While packages are not the lion’s share of this hotel’s business, you can be sure they’re not interested in giving up those incremental room nights either.

It’s imperative for hotels to use market-specific demand data, like that offered by Expedia market managers, to identify and address any unfulfilled demand that could be best-served with vacation package offers.

For example, if 15 percent of shoppers in a given market are looking for four-night packages, 15 percent of any area hotel’s bookings should be for four nights.  If a hotel’s booking metrics don’t reflect market averages, the hotel can adjust their package offerings to capture that lucrative guest.  Offering discounts on a fourth night might convert three night shoppers into a four-night guest and capture the four-night shoppers along the way. 

Need help designing your package? Contact the sales staff at the Kankakee County CVB for more information.

One size does not fit all!

When it comes to meetings, one size does not fit all.

Before you book your venue, consider how people will be arranged in the space. For example, 250 people can comfortably stand in 1500 square feet (a room roughly 42 ft. x 35 ft.), which is great for a reception, but classroom seating would only allow 85 in the same space and 125 for a seated dinner at round tables. 

Space and Capacity Calculator
This calculator will calculate the capacity of a banquet hall, wedding hall, or meeting room in many setup scenarios. It will also calculate space needed for a specific amount of people. You can also find out how many trade show booths will fit in a space, or how much space is needed. One thing to note, the calculator will not take into account odd shaped rooms. Also, remember to subtract the square footage of dance floors etc.

Need help calculating the size you will need? Vicki Layhew, our Sales and Marketing manager can assist you with site selection issues when you use the CVB to plan your event. Call 800-747-4837 or email her today!

Six Travel Trends to watch in 2014

The Travel Market Report has sent out surveys an the results are in for what they say are the travel trends to watch in 2014. Not only are baby boomers still going strong, but indulgence and adventure travel is on the upswing. Check out these trends:

Trend #1. Impact of millennials
Trend #2. Seniors are unstoppableTrend #3. Rise of conspicuous leisureTrend #4. Growth of ‘creative tourism’Trend #5. Strength of luxury travel Trend #6. More multigenerational travel


Please visit their website for more information on these emerging trends. Contact the Kankakee County CVB for more information.

Problem Resolution

We have all had bad customer service experiences; whether we were the client or the business owner it is never an issue we want to happen. However, dealing with problems head on and satisfying the customer is well worth the effort to train your staff to deal with them.

When a negative experience happens, fix it before check-out

·        Leisure guests are willing to pay a 20 percent premium for best in class issue resolution, while business travelers are willing to pay a 11 percent premium.

·        Of guests who shared their complaints with the hotel, seven out of 10 were not satisfied with the result.

·        Eight out of 10 leisure guests are influenced by well handled issue resolution when rebooking.

Experience creates a channel through brand ambassadors

·        Three out of five leisure guests are highly likely to rebook after a good experience.

·        95 percent of guests discuss noteworthy good and bad hotel experiences.

Meet business guests' needs, drive loyalty

·        Business guests rank personal experience as their top purchase driver.

·        A satisfied guest is loyal and will spread the word.

Issue resolution and room amenities are "aces" for leisure travelers

·        Over half of memorable leisure stay moments are experienced due to customized support, largely driven by attentive staff.

·        Leisure travelers not only say they want current room amenities, it's a feature they're willing to pay for

Taking the time to deal with an issue and create a satisfying resolution not only means a happy customer, but one that will help promote your business as well. Keep an eye out for more Kankakee County CVB blog articles and have a great holiday!

Social Media Marketing Tips, Part 2

In July 2012 Americans spent 74.0 billion minutes on social media via a home computer, 40.8 billion minutes via apps, and 5.7 billion minutes via mobile web browsers, a total of 121.1 billion minutes on social networking sites. Social media can be an important part of your marketing strategy. Here are 10 more tips you can use to build strong relationships using social media marketing.

11. Add a Welcome Video

Include a welcome video to your landing page. Use it to tell new members about your company, and what social networking sites your company can be found on.

12. Tag People and Pages on Facebook

When posting or commenting on Facebook, be sure to utilize the status-tagging tool. Using status tagging will alert the person or company when being mentioned. Simply use the @ symbol in front of the person or company’s name; yet another easy way to encourage interaction.

13. Have your Facebook fans tag your photos

Any live events you attend or hold be sure to take plenty of photos. Upload the event photos to Facebook, and ask your fans to tag any photos they are in, or recognize some one they know. Not only does this encourage more fan interaction, but also it will help your company gain more exposure.

14. Perform Facebook activities as your Facebook fan page

What better way to network on Facebook, than interacting with others on Facebook as your fan page? Putting your name out there for people to see, more attention will be drawn to your Facebook page, thus driving more fans to your page.

15. Sweepstakes and/or Contests 

Sweepstakes and contests are the fastest way to increase your fan base. In order for this build up on of fans to be successful, you will need to utilize the Facebook app tool. The guidelines will provide all the information you need to run a successful promotion.

16. Take notice of your most active fans 

Take notice of your most active fans, and take the time to say thank you. Use incentive programs such as “Fan of the Week/Month.”

17. The Facebook Questions Feature 

The Facebook questions tool is an excellent, and simple way to interact with existing fans, and encourage some new fans. Poll your audience using a fun, relevant interesting, and intriguing question. This is a fantastic way to encourage interaction.

18. Utilize Facebook Ads

The best sources of traffic you can purchase are Facebook ads. Not only does it provide you a high

volume of traffic, it will also allow you to see how many users are in your target market area.

19. Network with other website Administrators 

Networking with other website administrators will allow you to build relationships with them. This will then open the doors for you to discuss ways to work together. Thus, increasing your social media marketing traffic.

20. Continue to Learn and Grow with Facebook 

Facebook is another excellent communication tool. Your company can use Facebook for public relations purposes, research and development, recruiting, sharing information, etc. Make the most of this incredible media-marketing tool.

Read more here!

What to do before and after an Event: It’s not just about Tradeshow Exhibits

If you’re attending a marketing event to promote your property or attraction, the work can begin well before the event and isn’t finished when the trade show exhibits are packed away. Follow these tips for beforehand and afterwards and you can help ensure that you have a successful trade show, whether you’re a complete newbie or a veteran marketer.

• Make Sure Your Materials Are Being Shipped To The Correct Place

You can't always bring all your materials with you when going to an event, so having your trade show materials shipped to the right location is vital.  If any of the shipping details are incorrect, such as the zip code or city, or even which hall at the convention center, you could be stuck at the event without your trade show exhibits. Additionally, check that your company’s name or booth location is clearly labeled on the boxes so that the staff knows exactly where it should be placed for installation.

It’s also a good idea to make sure that your company’s name is clearly labeled on the inside of each box or shipping crate.  These crates can sometimes become damaged in transit and it could be a disaster if the container is damaged and no one knows where the contents belong.

• Think About What You Want To Accomplish With Your Trade Show Exhibits

Make sure that you understand what you want to get out of the expo. Many businesses set vague goals — that is, if they set any at all.  If your goals are something like “capture more leads,” sit down and think about what this really means.  How many leads to you want to capture?  Do you want to get 10?  Or is 200 a more reasonable number?  Also consider the strength of the leads.  It’s not enough to capture leads without qualifying them first.  A cold lead is as good as no lead so make sure that your leads actually have a reason or a need for your company before you spend hours following up once you get back into the office.

• Make Good On Your Promises

If you’ve promised to send an attendee information about your company, make sure that you actually do it once the event is over and the trade show exhibits are packed away.  If you promise to send something and don’t actually do it, many customers will assume you don’t want their business and will move on to your competitor.

Even if you didn’t promise information, you should still follow up with people you met at your trade show booth.  If someone filled out a lead card, but it didn’t seem like they were a hot lead, make sure that you call to check in every once in a while.  They were interested enough to visit your booth at the event so it’s possible that their needs could change in the future. Take care to not seem over-aggressive, however, since aggressive tactics can turn customers away.

While these tips aren’t complicated, they are extremely important if you want to maximize sales from a trade show marketing event.  Use these, but realize that they’re not the only things you should be doing.  Sit down with your staff and see if you can come up with other tasks that can help ensure your event is a success.

For more ideas contact our sales department.

Hospitality Training for At-Risk kids

“Busy lives and the social disconnectedness afforded by modern communication technologies are quickly swallowing up the art of hospitality.” 

How do we regain this intangible skill that should never be replaced with modern technology? 
Destinations across the country are embracing a new approach to deter youth violence that is taking the lives of many young adults.  Cities across the country are looking at how hospitality training programs can create respect for others and instill pride in communities.   The program is not only about reducing crime but preparing our youth for a job market and industry that lacks a smile and information needed to make a sale.

Some training initiatives target 15 to 24 year-olds struggling to find work and help them get jobs in the hospitality and restaurant industries while others incorporate grade school students. 

“Virginia Avenue Park's Teen Center is not only about getting kids jobs. The City's realigned Cradle to Career initiative hopes to nip the causes of youth violence in the bud by helping disadvantaged kids find careers that promise more than just a meager paycheck, according to the Julie Rusk, Santa Monica's director of Community and Cultural Services.”

“In the tourism industry, it’s not about pipelining our youth into fast food, and other restaurant jobs but training them to have a career in the hospitality industry that encompasses so much more”.   An initiative program primary focus should be to introduce an industry that youth can see a future and embrace a life time career.  These training programs can be implemented in local high schools, community outreach organizations and community colleges.


Tourism is economic development which includes training our youth for tomorrow’s industry. Contact Larry Williams, Executive Director to find out more about this opportunity.

Teaching Children Hospitality

Hospitality is a dying art and training should start during childhood

How do we engage kids in hospitality under the age fifteen?   Adults who live with kids can invite guest into their homes regularly.  Allow the children to invite them verbally or in writing.  Communication skills are encouraged when you host family, friends and other children into your home.  The art of hospitality starts at home. 

Ask kids to share what makes them feel welcome whenever they visit a new place for the first time.  Encourage them to join your local church or organization’s hospitality committee and have them prepare guest needs before they arrive.  Teach children how to plan ahead of time.  If it’s the guest first time visiting, give them a short tour of the bathroom and play areas.  If the guest is staying overnight show them where to find amenities, such as soap, towels, blankets food and dishes.  Last but not least, let children create a fun basket with toiletries for guest.

Quality customer service doesn’t have to disintegrate if we start hospitality training early on. Teaching our kids and preparing them to be responsible adults will equip them for industries looking for skilled and friendly employees.

Larry Williams, Executive Director
Kankakee County Convention & Visitors Bureau