There's
an exciting "down-home" kind of business springing up
among
homeowners all across the country.
It's
called Bed and Breakfast.
To
foreign visitors, it's the comfort and hospitality of staying
overnight
"with people of the land" and enjoying a hearty
breakfast
- without the traditional gaudiness and plastic feelings
visits
get from most hotels.
To
locals, it is a welcome alternative to the same old hotel/motel
circuit.
Now,
all it takes is a spare bedroom, a good cook and an outgoing
personality.
Prices
per night range from a low of $15 to $50 or more.
If
you have an extra bedroom, a large home, or extra space in your
farm
house, you have the necessary beginnings to start making
extra
income as a Bed and Breakfast Inn.
One
of the beautiful aspects of this idea is that so long as
you're
hosting "overnight visitors" on a small scale, no licences
will
be required.
It's
always best, however, to check with your local authorities
just
to be sure.
Naturally,
your "visitors" will expect a clean, neat and
comfortable
home.
So
assuming that your home meets these prerequisites, and you have
a
spare bedroom, simply "doll it up" a bit.
Make
sure it's painted brightly, there's an outside window, lots
of
room, closet space and perhaps a small writing desk, and a
large
comfortable bed, or twin beds.
Most
foreign visitors will expect and appreciate a "quick tour" of
the
interesting sights in your area.
Which
brings us to the basic appeal of a Bed and Breakfast Inn.
Travellers
seem to be looking for, and appreciate, a quiet "home
style"
place to stay.
Generally,
they enjoy visiting people with the people off the
motorway
and want to get away from the sterilised atmosphere and
sameness
of hotels and motels.
Most
people will either write to you ahead of time, inquiring
about
the possibilities of staying at your home while in your town
or
city.
This
means a bit of advertising on your part, or listing your
availability
with a B&B Broker.
Some
people will check the local telephone listings, and the
newspaper
advertisements when they arrive in a strange town.
And
some people will just be driving across the country, come to a
town
or city they think is interesting, and start driving through
the
residential areas looking for Bed and Breakfast Inns.
Thus,
you should have a small sign posted either in your front
yard
or on the front of your house.
This
sign needn't be much more than about two feet wide by about
ten
inches deep.
It
need only state: BED AND BREAKFAST -
Inquire Within or Call
123456.
For
newspaper advertising, a similar listing in the personal
column
of your local paper, particularly on Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays
will be all you'll need.
But
when it comes to the Yellow Pages of your telephone and
business
directories, go with a small display ad that describes in
greater
detail the comforts and pleasures of your services.
Be
sure to list your services with all the travel agencies in your
area.
A
brochure or short synopsis of what you offer will most assuredly
give
the travel agents an idea for steering visitors your way.
At
the same time, listing your services in a number of national
travel
magazines, particularly those that cater to women, will
bring
customers in for you.
Listing
your service with a broker usually won't cost you anything
up
front, but they will expect a certain percentage, usually about
25%
of the total bill.
This
same arrangement applies with travel agents.
Now,
suppose you're organised and ready to receive your first
customers.
You
greet them as host or hostess and offer to assist them in
getting
situated in the room or rooms you have for them.
If
they'd like to take a drive around your area and see the points
of
interest, you do that.
And
then in the morning, serve them a big, delicious breakfast.
You'll
probably find that most foreign visitors will want to stay
several
days.
With
most people of this country who are just travelling through
your
area, it'll be a one-night stopover.
Whatever,
if they want to sleep comfortably through the night, eat
breakfast
and be on their way, so be it.
If
they want to sit around after breakfast and plan an itinerary
for
a complete visit of your area, your assistance and help will
be
greatly appreciated - remember those recommendations!
That's
it!
The
complete how and why of this tremendously profitable business
that's
becoming more and more popular.
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