Photo of White Doe Inn courtesy of Jumping Rocks Photography

Have you ever tried to get someone to try something you just knew they would like, but found it hard to convince them?  That’s what I feel our industry has been up against for decades – trying to get travelers to try B&Bs.  There is no question with the sharp growth of the industry in the 80s and 90s and the marketing power of the internet since the mid-90s, millions of travelers have experienced our great product.  We have loyal customers who understand the value of a fantastic B&B stay.  But there are many more travelers out there who have never stayed at a B&B – either because of one of the many “myths” or negative perceptions they might already have, or (according to our own research) staying at a B&B doesn’t even cross their minds as an option when booking travel.  Whatever the reason, we all know in our industry what a fantastic product we have.  With the rise of alternative lodging options and the sincere efforts of hotels to deliver an experience more like ours, we need to press forward and start getting more people to book stays at B&Bs.  Our industry has to start doing something different and fresh to enter the consciousness of the traveler.  We want people spreading the word about B&Bs in ways now possible that were impossible before.  Enter – Better Way to Stay.

PAII wants to get more people talking, Tweeting, Re-Tweeting, status updating, sharing, linking, forwarding and emailing about B&Bs.  We don’t want to build another directory.  We want to get more travelers checking out what the industry already has – some great assets that have been around for years.  I’m talking about the B&B directories, travel sites, state and local association web sites, your web sites, and ultimately clicking the “Book Now” button more and more.  As your industry’s trade association, it’s part of our DNA to want to do this.  We want to create buzz and attention for the great businesses in our marketplace.

For years innkeepers have wanted PAII to build an effective directory of our members.  They figured it would be the silver bullet for membership growth and ultimate stability and success for PAII.   The fact is that the horse is out of the barn on that one – several directories have been around since the mid-90s and are leagues ahead of what we could do from a search engine optimization standpoint.  We don’t want to compete with them – or you, the innkeeper!  Building our own directory – if we were to be effective in the search engines – would mean having us compete with you for premium placement on search result pages.  There are some great B&B directories and association web sites that have been delivering value for years to innkeepers.  We don’t want to compete with them – we want to bring more traffic to them!

But, we’ve been up against many elements for years.  As we fight for PAII’s sustainability and success, it’s time we get on the offense rather than the defense.  With the help of volunteers within the PAII ranks (our Board of Directors, Advisory Council, Campaign Committee and many others) as well as some folks who had some early blind faith in our ideas and vision (see list at bottom of this post), we are moving forward with the industry’s first ever campaign to get more people understanding that B&Bs are the “Better Way to Stay.”  We have enlisted professional assistance from some fantastic resources and are currently building the basic elements of a successful campaign.

What we do with this campaign will have a lot to do with the level of support we get from all four corners of our industry – from everyone who has a stake in the game.  Sure, we’re not going to get everyone to chip in, even though the intent of this campaign is to be non-discriminatory with regard to whom we want to get more business.  We want all innkeepers to benefit from our efforts, but naturally we plan to promote those who support the campaign.  And I hesitate to use the word “campaign,” because it can imply something temporary.  The intent is for PAII to coordinate and support permanent, ongoing efforts to raise awareness and influence people to give us a look.  We should only ever back off such efforts when most innkeepers are turning away business on account of being full throughout the year.  With a national average occupancy somewhere near 40%, we know there’s a lot of work to be done.

So, today I’m writing this just to keep you informed about what is happening.  We’ve been talking about the prospect of this campaign for at least two years.  We are not ready to launch it, but we’re ready for you to start knowing about it.  Visit www.betterwaytostay.com for a few more details and to get a flavor of what we’re working on.

Stay tuned for more!  We hope you are as excited as we are.

Thank you to the following folks for your early support:

The one-line summary of the bill (on the US Senate web site) is: "A bill to establish a non-profit corporation to communicate United States entry policies and otherwise promote leisure, business, and scholarly travel to the United States."

The international visitor is an important customer in our industry. Most innkeepers I encounter say they welcome many international visitors. Visits to the US are below what we saw in 2000, and this has a great impact on our economy – especially the micro-economy of the travel industry.

Click here for a very compelling list of reasons why this bill is a good thing. Best estimates reveal that this legislation will help reduce the deficit, which is likely why it received such strong bipartisan support. Here is a list of the 79 Senators who voted in favor, the 19 who voted against, and the one who didn't vote.

To understand the powers of the bill and how it would be funded, click here. A few members have disagreed with my support of this bill, because it would involve a new $10 fee on travelers from visa-waiver countries. Compared to what Americans pay in similar fees when visiting European countries (most fees are hidden in taxes and fees in your airline ticket) this is very, very minor. In my opinion, a $10 fee that is good for two years would not prohibit people from traveling to the US.

If you want to communicate with your Senator via email, click here for an easy-to-use, online portal. Be sure to include personal details about you and your business, so it's not as cookie-cutter.

Thanks for your support!  And so that we may be an even MORE effective lobbying voice for this industry, we encourage all innkeepers to join PAII.  We now have memberships starting as low as $89, making membership in PAII among the most affordable and valuable in the B&B industry.  Go to www.innkeeping.org to review the benefits and to get on board!

Forward this email to all in your innkeeping network!

With Roger Dow, CEO of the US Travel Association

I’m wrapping up my day here in the nation’s capital, after having joined my colleagues from the travel industry in visiting several members of Congress and their staff.  Our primary purpose in being in DC is to urge the passage of House Resolution 2935, also known as the Travel Promotion Act.  If passed, the TPA would essentially create America’s first “destination marketing organization” that would exclusively work to bring more international travelers to the United States.

A new, stand-alone non-profit organization, called the Corporation for Travel Promotion, would be created and would manage the activities of tourism promotion.  The board would be made up of representatives from various sectors of the travel industry.  The Senate version of the bill passed last week with a vote of 79-19, demonstrating unusually high bi-partisan support.  The lead sponsors in the House are Delahunt (D) from MA, and Blunt (R) from MO.  There are currently 82 co-sponsors from both sides of the isle.

You can read all about the bill in detail here.

Why is this necessary?  First of all, international travel to the US is down sharply.  We have fewer international tourists visiting the US today than we did in 2001.  Overseas visitors spend on average $4,500 per visit.  Also, we’re the only nation in our competitive set (think Western Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, etc) that spends zero dollars on promoting our country as a great place to visit.  Opponents to the bill believe the product should sell itself, or that entities in the private sector should shoulder the burden of promoting America.  Oxford Economics estimates that “a well-executed promotion program, as outlined in the TPA, would attract 1.6 million new international visitors annually, create $4 billion in new spending and drive $321 million in new federal tax revenue.”  The Congressional Budget Office says the bill “will reduce the deficit by $425 million over the next 10 years.”  Talk about an economic stimulus bill!

One of the big reasons, I believe, the bill is getting so much support is that it is “deficit-neutral.”  The American taxpayers will not be footing the bill for this.  The law would ascribe a $10 fee to incoming visitors from countries participating in the visa waiver program (look here for a list), and the fee would cover multiple visits over a 2-year period.  Someone ultimately has to pay for the efforts, and a minor fee paid by millions of non-resident travelers (who are likely not going to balk at the fee) is not a bad solution.

So, what can members of the B&B community do to help ensure the bill’s passage?

1. Contact your elected officials in the House of Representatives.  Here’s a link that will help you find their information. While this page will allow you to email your elected officials, it is better to call them or send them a written letter, demonstrating your support of the TPA.  Outline the reasons it is a good piece of legislation, and ask for their vote and co-sponsorship of the bill.  Be sure to mention the impact of travel in your state – members of the House will be more apt to listen and respond, if they know how a bill will impact their home turf.  Click here to find out the economic impact of travel in your state.
2. Before you reach out, make sure you know your facts.  Read more about the issue by clicking here.

I was one of 300 travel industry leaders here in Washington DC meeting with legislators, pressing for the bill’s success.  While you might not be able to come to DC to do the same, I still urge you to reach out and let them know how important the travel industry is and that we could use a boost.  And – it’s about time America steps up and starts actively promoting the assets we have!

It’s likely this bill could be debated in the House in a matter of days.  So, please take a few minutes now and become an activist for the B&B industry.  Every stakeholder in our industry – innkeepers, aspiring innkeepers and vendors alike – could benefit from a healthier amount of in-bound traffic.  After all, we know that international folks love B&Bs!

Thanks for your support and action.

Long day of lobbying ahead of me. It was good our industry was represented today.