It has been said that building relationships with the local community of the location your hotel is based in is one of the most effective marketing strategies you can employ.

These relationships are often mutually beneficial and can result in improvements to the well-being of the local city or community. With increased tourist traffic, local industry can benefit as well.

So, let’s take a look at some of the benefits connecting to your local community can have for your hotel.

1. Increase Reputation

Let’s start with the most obvious one. Being known and liked by the community in which your location is based can increase your overall reputation.

One way this can happen is by visitors and locals rating your hotel higher on rating/review sites. If you are a known entity to them and have fostered a connection to them, the chances of them reflecting on you positively are much higher. These sentiments can also travel via word of mouth marketing.

This increased reputation can also potentially increase local applicants to work at your hotel. The benefits of having local staff who know the local history, culture, language, and customs are numerous. As such, being seen in a favorable light among potential job seekers from the local community is a big asset.

2. Stand Out from Competitors

Perhaps you are not the only hotel in the same area. If that is the case, the steps you take to connect with the local community can definitely help you stand out from the competition in a positive way.

When other local businesses are asked for hotel recommendations, being the first name on their minds is a good position to occupy. It can drive up occupancy by bringing in the backpacking crowd and other short-term guests.

Engaging with the local community is also good for CSR initiatives, while appearing different from your competitors.

3. Increase Business Connections

One of the biggest and most direct benefits for engaging with the local community is the increase in local business connections. This can happen in a variety of ways.

For instance, a major benefit can be the ability to source fresh goods/ingredients from local sources. This saves money on transport and helps market those businesses, while providing them with a steady revenue source.

There is also the fact that you can build relationships with local businesses and expand the activities your hotel can provide. For instance, partnering up with the local fishermen to provide the experience of fishing to your guests or partnering with local divers to increase the scope and capacity of your watersports facilities.

Making connections with the local community your hotel is based in is not only a profitable move but also an ethical one. They say that in business, it is not only what you know but who you know.

Connecting with the local community comes with many benefits and can last for a very long time, if managed well. That being said, these relationships only work is a genuine attempt is made.

Alienating the local community can paint a very negative picture of your hotel in the eyes of locals and of the visitors that stay locally as guests.

So, consider building relationships with your local community. It is an investment of which the benefits go beyond the financial.

Another investment which has benefits that go beyond the financial is our digital concierge app, TripKit.

Schedule a demo and take a look at what TripKit can do for you.