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Although foreign guests make up the majority of visitors staying with hosts, domestic guests also love to travel and spend their summer or winter holidays in one of the many beautiful regions of our country.
While some may think there is no need to prepare anything special for domestic guests, others know that they also deserve special attention, perhaps even more than foreign guests.
Below we bring you a complete guide to working with domestic guests.
Understanding the needs of domestic guests
Although some will say that a guest is simply a guest, there are still differences between domestic and foreign guests, especially in their needs. Understanding those differences can greatly help when adapting your accommodation and offer to this target group.
- While foreign guests often book accommodation for a longer stay, domestic guests are more likely to book a shorter stay, usually two to three days.
- Domestic guests are frequent visitors outside the main season, especially in the pre-season and post-season. Whether they are organizing a team building, a bachelor or bachelorette party, or a family gathering, they will often look for larger properties.
- Because of their shorter stay, domestic guests want to avoid packing unnecessary items, so their holiday will be much more comfortable if those items are already available in your property, such as a kettle, coffee machine, beach towels, baby high chair, crib, and similar things.
- Foreign guests may often find prices in the destination acceptable because of greater purchasing power, while domestic guests will more often prepare meals in the accommodation. That is why they will need a well-equipped kitchen with enough dishes and other essentials.
- Foreign guests more often travel only with their immediate family, while domestic guests often travel with friends or extended family and look for extra beds or nearby properties so everyone can stay together. It is quite common for them to stay together in one property, especially if it has a barbecue and space for socializing.
- Domestic guests will often start their trip after finishing work, which means they may arrive at the destination late in the evening.
- Domestic guests often do not have the same purchasing power as foreign guests. They might stay with you a day or two longer if you adjusted the price to their financial possibilities. Consider whether and by how much you can adjust the price for domestic guests.
When we understand the needs of domestic guests, it becomes easier to adapt our property and business to them.
Small details in the property that will mean a lot to domestic guests
It is important for domestic guests to feel at home in your accommodation. Domestic coffee, local TV channels, recommendations on what to visit in Croatian — these are all small details that give domestic guests a sense of home.
In addition, everything they do not have to bring with them because it is already waiting in the property will make packing and travelling easier. If they are travelling with a baby, they will certainly appreciate it if you have a crib, a high chair, or even a few toys.
Beach towels, charcoal for the barbecue, toiletries, laundry detergent, dishwasher tablets, and similar items — these are all little things that guests will greatly appreciate if they find them in the property, as they are useful even for a short stay.
If you want a satisfied guest even before arrival, mention in a phone call or message what they do not need to bring because it is already available in the property. Guests will be very grateful for that.
Working holiday
Some people do not have the luxury of switching off from work for seven full days, but instead take their work with them on holiday. They may simply post content on social media, or they may even hold virtual meetings.
For such needs, provide stable and fast internet, an extension cable, and a desk with a chair in a quiet corner of the property.
Long weekends and flexible arrival and departure times
Domestic guests often do not go on a full two-week summer holiday. More often, they travel for a shorter break or a long weekend. That is why accommodation is more often in demand during periods when public holidays and non-working days can be combined with a weekend.
Precisely because a long weekend is short, guests want to make the most of every minute of their free time, so they may ask for a certain degree of flexibility from you. This may mean that they want to arrive before the official check-in, arrive late in the evening, or stay longer than the official check-out. If you do not have a guest turnover on that arrival or departure day, think about how you can accommodate them.
- Can you allow the guest to stay until the afternoon or evening for an additional partial fee?
- Can you allow them to leave their luggage in the property or common areas while you prepare the accommodation for the next guests?
- Can you provide self check-in and self check-out so you do not depend on their exact arrival and departure time?
Special care for your business reputation
Domestic guests trust recommendations the most, often even more than portal reviews, so they will look for them in Facebook groups and among friends. Since good word travels far and bad word even farther, it is important to take care of your reputation in online advertising, guest care, and property maintenance.
In other words, domestic guests, simply because they are domestic, should not receive worse treatment. If you leave beach towels for your foreign guests, do the same for domestic guests.
Where should you advertise if you want domestic guests to stay with you too?
1. Portals
While foreign guests will book accommodation through platforms such as Booking, Airbnb, and Vrbo, domestic guests will often first search for accommodation there and then try to find the property they like on Google or Google Maps. Their goal is to avoid large portals, their fees, and strict rules, and instead try to arrange everything directly with the host. That is why it is important to have a website and a Google Business Profile and to use the same property name on them and on the portals.
2. Travel agencies
Domestic guests often search for accommodation on websites they trust. If you work with well-known domestic travel agencies, you can also expect bookings from domestic guests.
3. Njuškalo
Although Njuškalo is most commonly used for advertising used cars, real estate, and similar items, its tourism section is becoming increasingly popular, where hosts advertise their accommodation and domestic guests search for places to stay.
4. Facebook groups and listing boards
Domestic guests very often look for accommodation in Facebook groups intended for accommodation advertising, but competition in such groups is high. A single inquiry often attracts a large number of offers, so carefully assess whether you have time to regularly follow and respond to inquiries.
5. Tourist board websites
Many tourist boards have lists of rental properties on their websites. Take advantage of this opportunity for free advertising, because domestic guests often look for accommodation there as well.
6. Website and Google Business Profile
Domestic guests will very likely search for accommodation on Google and Google Maps. This is the simplest and fastest way to search for the type of accommodation they want in a destination, because guests are interested not only in the property itself, but also in the proximity of shops, amenities, the beach, and other important places. They can explore this most easily through Google Maps and Google Street View, but the host’s recommendations on their website can also help greatly. Since guests search in Croatian, it is important that your website also contains descriptions in Croatian.
Domestic guests have specific needs, but with a little goodwill they are not impossible to meet. And precisely because you made the extra effort to ensure that their entire holiday and stay with you is pleasant and memorable, they will reward you not only with public reviews on your advertising channels and social networks, but also with recommendations to their friends and others looking for a new holiday destination.
Did you know that domestic guests most often search for accommodation through Google Search and Google Maps?
Make sure they find you quickly and book your accommodation. Order the creation of your website today.
