EMERGENCY LODGING ASSISTANCE

Are your registered for ELA?! Many of our inns are! To find out your login information please call 1-(866) 545-9865. Below is more information about ELA and guide on how to register for first time users.

It’s that time of the year where the East Coast and the Gulf are watching for the hurricanes to start in the Atlantic or the Gulf. Some of the U.S. is already affected by flooding and wildfires. We need our Inns to be prepared in case of a disaster. The Emergency Lodging Assistance (ELA) program provides lodging reimbursement on behalf of pre-qualified individuals during federally declared disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created the ELA program to promote timely temporary shelter required in times of a disaster. Presently, Corporate Lodging Consultants (CLC) provides coordination of lodging and payment for ELA at participating hotels. You do not have to accept CLC or have a CLC contract to be part of the ELA program. All Inns may participate.

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Hotel Sales Best Practices

1. Drive your competitor Parking Lots. Have you done this lately? Shop your local hotel lots after 8pm and before 6:30am. Know who is staying with your competitor and in your own lot.

2. Look for untapped markets in your area. Is there something you may not have been aware of? Is there a new training center in your area?

3. Cherish and Nurture Repeat Business. Build a relationship and find out what keeps your guests happy. Remember to always ask them if there are others that may be coming into town just like they are. Use your guests as a resource for finding more business!

4. Social Media. Make sure you are taking every effort to keep up to date on your hotel social media channels. Follow your competition. Follow your corporate accounts. Know what they are up to before your competition does. Sign up for their newsletters, blogs, white pages, linked in, Facebook, twitter, and trip advisor. You may uncover new business (who else is coming to town to work on the same project?).

5. Networking. Do you attend local community networking events? Partner with your local chambers, visitor bureaus, economic development council, beacon council, sports commission, etc… Join an association, attend meetings. Many are open to the public and will accept new members, know what is going on in your community.

6. Google. Have you Googled your competitive set lately? How about your own inn? Why not do so and even take it one step further by Googling your top accounts! See below for some tips on Googling:

   • Search your phone number, including area code (123) 456-7890. What accounts or companies have your inn’s phone number listed?'

   • Search your competitions phone number, scroll through all of the pages to see what you can find. Potential blue chip account business could be listed here!

   • Search the main phone numbers of your top accounts. Often you will find links to companies that are working with these accounts as vendors.

   • Google Maps: www.google.com/maps Enter the key words and your city name, or you can try entering the key word with ‘near me’ included in the search. Example: Training near me, corporations near me.

As always, share your findings with your ADOS!

It’s National Tourism Week - May 1st through May 7th!

Did you know that every year, the first week of May, we celebrate National Tourism Week? National Tourism Week is an annual tradition for the U.S. travel community. It’s a time when travel and tourism professionals across the country unite to celebrate the value travel holds for our economy, businesses, communities and personal well-being. President Ronald Regan signed the Proclamation in 1983 establishing the salute to travel in America.

According to the US Travel Association, prior to the pandemic, the U.S. travel industry experienced 10 straight years of growth due to the strength of the domestic leisure travel, domestic business travel and international inbound travel segments. Travel was a significant economic driver in every region of the country, representing 1 in 10 jobs and generating a travel trade surplus.

What a great time to thank all of our guests for traveling and staying with us!

This is also a great time to:

Reconnect with your local Chamber of Commerce and/or Convention and Visitors Bureau.

If you’re already a member of one or both organizations, when was the last time you personally contacted them? Being a member is more than being listed on their website. Many of these have opportunities to network, learn, or market your property. If you would like to join, be sure to check with your RVPO about pricing.

Join a Chamber of Commerce and/or Convention and Visitors Bureau.

If you aren’t already a member, now is a great time to look into a membership. Be sure to check with your RVPO about the cost of joining. These organizations have lost some members due to the financial crunch of the pandemic and shuttered businesses and they may have some great pricing available. Do some research and find the best fit for your inn. If you’re in a smaller city, you might benefit from a regional or county Chamber instead of one with a handful of small business members.

Visit Demand Generators

Even if you pick one this week, we encourage you to go say hello and drop off business cards and rack cards if you have them. Thank them for their partnership. Ask about upcoming events. Join their mailing list so you know what sort of events might be happening there. If you make your presence known regularly, they might recommend your hotel over the ones who didn’t bother to reach out.