To
ensure that these visitors come back, we must ALL play our part in making our
tourists welcome. After all, the best type of holiday-maker is the one who
comes back! Bringing with them three or four family members, other relatives or
a bus load of friends! Repeat business, as our Waterford Hotels will attest, is
the easiest sell, offering the best value for money, in terms of communicating,
marketing and securing bed nights.
A
long time ago, whilst running Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre, in Scotland, I
attended a tourism conference. Speaking at one of the seminars, was the then
Governor of HM Prison Barlinnie, Glasgow.
A prison which has housed the likes of the Dragons’ Den Duncan Bannatyne,
artist Jimmy Boyle and footballer Duncan Ferguson. They visit one of the many
“Luxury suites” and spent time at her Majesty’s pleasure. The Governor, whose
name escapes me, was delighted to boast, to a room full of the great and the
good of Scotland’s very best hotels, that he had an unenviable return rate. Or
“Rebooking rate”, as he put it. His occupancy rate was constantly near enough
to 100%!!! He apparently knew most of the inmates “Holiday habits” and when
they were likely to be back to him for a visit.
Repeat
business for Waterford City and County cannot be under estimated. It is word of
mouth recommendations that make a relatively easy sell. If people have good
experiences, whilst on their “Holliers”, they are likely to come back. Of
course, have a poor experience and dozens will hear about it. That means
significant numbers will NOT consider Waterford as a destination.
Collective
marketing of Waterford is alive and well. Helping ALL our annual visitors enjoy
spending their hard earned cash, right here in the Deise. It was on the back of
this, that a number of Waterford business attractors, attended the recent
consumer show at the RDS Dublin. The brand new, “Outdoor Revolution Show” took
place on 24th/25th March.
Waterford
Camino Tours, along with Dunmore East Adventure Centre, Waterford Greenway Bike
Hire (Durrow) and Wilder Wander, were in attendance, as part of Waterford
Council’s Waterford Greenway exhibit. This was a collaborative approach to
marketing our Greenway as a destination of substance. By that I mean, that you
can now create a holiday itinerary around the Greenway for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days. A
real vacation, escape and retreat. There undoubtedly is so much to do right
across our City and our County.
The
key to securing more overnight stays, will of course be promotion. We need to
see an end to the one stop, one night trippers, creating experiences which will
invite them to stay longer. Using and exploiting Waterford City and County as
the base to discover the “Sunny South East”. Tour operators, bus companies and
independent travellers, need to change their current view of Waterford. Not as
a mere one night destination, or one night stopover.
Responsibility
for this, lies with all our tourism partners working closer together. Cross
promoting and building relationships, based on trust. We must be able to
recommend a provider, knowing that said provider will deliver to the very
highest standards.
Waterford
generously receives a liberal amount of RTE coverage, from the institution that
is Nationwide. This is in part due, to the tireless work on our behalf, of Suzanne
and Brian at Hi-Lite TV. Featuring the recent Viking Festival, a whole
programme on Waterford Camino Tours and so much more.
However
the caveat to future support, is the need for those being featured to
“Self-promote”, likewise their partners to “Cross-promote”. The bean-counters
in RTE will doubtless return to the regions, where viewing figures justify the programme
costs. It’s not just a case of, “We’ll produce a show and you sit back and reap
the rewards.” We must all play our own supporting roles.
So,
say it loud – “I’m Waterford and I’m proud!”
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