How can we attract a new generation of tourists? Clients. Basic methods of attraction

Nadezhda Makatrova

How to attract tourists and become a tourism brand in Russia

If you want the world to change, become that change.

Mahatma Gandhi

Every obstacle is overcome with perseverance.

Leonardo da Vinci

Preface

How can we attract tourists? How not to get lost among thousands of proposals from other cities and countries? How to convince Russians that you can relax in comfort in Russia, and that a small town far from Russian capitals is not necessarily a “hole”?

As practice shows recent years, these questions can be heard at all conferences, round tables and forums dedicated to the development of tourism in Russia. They are also heard during our conversations with representatives of local and regional administrations from different parts of the country. And these questions concern not only officials, but also heads of travel agencies, hotel and restaurant owners, directors of museums, sanatoriums and even local residents who rent out their living space to vacationers...

So what to do? “Take an example from Myshkin!” – this dangerous advice is repeated, like a broken record, by various “gurus”. Myshkin is a wonderful city, but, firstly, its strategy is not suitable for everyone (Myshkin has about 6 thousand inhabitants), and secondly, it is pointless to copy the tip of the iceberg without seeing and understanding everything that is hidden from view in thicker than water.

Three or four years ago, participants in tourism exhibitions representing Russian cities and regions said: “All we need is money for advertising, and people will come to us!” Money was allocated, tourists did not come... Today there is a more professional understanding that attracting tourists is not so much advertising, but a whole task system, which need to be addressed at the territorial level. AND this book– a story about who should solve these problems and how, what mistakes and pitfalls there may be, what resources can be used in the work and how to place emphasis. And of course, examples of success.

The book “How to attract tourists and become a tourism brand in Russia” is based on an analysis of the experience accumulated in Russia and the CIS, both successful and unsuccessful, as well as the experience of some foreign countries in developing tourism and promoting the territory in tourist market. In addition, some observations and conclusions made while working on projects of the consulting company “Konkretika” served as material for the book.

This book is methodical, sometimes unpleasant and even offensive, since it tells not only about the opportunities and hidden potential of Russian cities and regions, but also about their typical mistakes and shortcomings. But the main value of the book, in my opinion, is the specific practical recommendations, explaining WHAT need to be done and HOW do, as well as 420 real-life examples, providing rich soil for your own ideas and solutions.

I hope the book will become your assistant in your work. Have a productive reading!

Nadezhda Makatrova,

Director of the consulting company "Konkretika"

Tourism brand: to be or not to be?

Fate leads those who want to go, and drags those who do not want to go.

Cleanthes, ancient Greek philosopher (IV-111 centuries BC)

In the Soviet Union they had not heard of brands. But at the same time, all citizens of our huge and multinational country firmly knew that:

If you want to go to the sea, then you need to go to Black Sea coast Caucasus or Crimea. With small children - to Anapa or Evpatoria;

If there are no vouchers to the Black Sea, then to the Azov Sea, to Yeisk;

The intelligentsia preferred the Baltic states;

If you need treatment, the direct route is to the Caucasian Mineral Waters sanatorium;

For lovers of excursions and cultural and historical values ​​- Moscow, Leningrad, the cities of the Golden Ring and, perhaps, Pskov and Novgorod;

Military-patriotic education - Volgograd with its famous Mamayev Kurgan.

All Soviet people also knew about Baikal and Kamchatka, but they didn’t even dream of getting there - the flight was too expensive for a simple Soviet family to afford. Here they are - real tourism brands, created, by the way, with strong support from the state...

Of course, there were many others in the USSR interesting places and routes - “hits” of the district and regional scale, where excursion groups from schools, universities, enterprises and institutions were constantly sent, but they could not compete with the all-Union “grands”.

25 years have passed since perestroika...

Today, if you look at the MITT or Intourmarket exhibition in Moscow, you can see hundreds, if not thousands, of new tourist sites and routes across the country on stands. One is better than the other, with intriguing descriptions and amazing photographs. It would seem that new times mean new names.

No matter how it is!

Ask an ordinary Russian which cities or resorts in our country he considers the most popular among tourists, and you will most likely receive the same list. True, Crimea and the Baltic states (as foreign countries) will have to be deleted from it, and St. Petersburg will take the place of Leningrad. Allow your interlocutor to include foreign resorts in the list, and Turkey and Egypt are guaranteed to be in the first place. I'm talking about mass routes. Skiers will usually call it Elbrus, fishermen will call it Astrakhan.

"How so? Why? Russia's tourism potential is not limited to 10–15 popular routes?! We have two orders of magnitude more of them!” – one of the readers will be indignant. The potential may not be limited, but the perception of tourists, according to the laws of marketing, is, alas, not rubber. The law says: the number of bright, memorable images on the market is limited. I recommend that you re-read the highlighted phrase two more times.

It is only at first glance that it seems that it is enough to come up with “something original” and you will be noticed. You can come up with anything you want, but here’s the question:

– Will they remember this (against the background of competitors’ proposals)?

– Will they buy it (by comparing different offers)? And buy not just one season, but at least ten years in a row.

For clarity, I will give two useful analogies.

1. Each class has its own “excellent student,” “low student,” “clown,” “athlete,” and its own “beauty.” And sometimes - your own “outcast” (remember the film “Scarecrow”). It is very problematic to characterize all other children in terms of their role in the class.

2. In the 90s Russian cities a wide variety of shops and stores have opened, and today most of of them “died”, giving way to online players. By the way, in Europe about 80% of goods are sold through chain stores.

What is the conclusion from this in relation to tourism?

In five years, a new pool of tourism brands of all-Russian significance will be formed in Russia. It is clear that Moscow and St. Petersburg will automatically retain their leadership positions due to their exceptional starting opportunities (just as there are three main TV channels in the country and... all the others). Our resorts will also be in a privileged position. warm seas(unless sudden climate change occurs). And who else will be included in the list of the strongest remains in question for now...

If the heads of the cities and regions mentioned at the beginning had actively developed during the 25 years of perestroika, and had not relied on the tourist resources accumulated over previous decades, then everyone else would not have been destined to catch up with them in the foreseeable future. However, they remembered the development only 5-7 years ago, thereby giving their neighbors a chance.

The importance of getting into the leader pool is illustrated by the Zipf curve (Zipf)

Picture 1

Zipf distribution (Zipf)

Those cities and regions that find themselves at the tail of this curve may not count on anything serious... Perhaps they don’t need this, and tourism for them is like birch sap in an ordinary grocery store: they hardly take it, but they have it for assortment .

At the same time, our conversations with representatives of local and regional administrations indicate that in many parts of Russia they take tourism seriously, hoping with its help to give a new impetus to the development of the territory and replenish the budget. For this purpose, short-term and long-term programs are being developed everywhere, new tourism brands are announced, advertising catalogs are printed, exhibitions and presentations are held, journalists are invited, etc.

Why can’t many cities and regions make a breakthrough and significantly increase the tourist flow? What needs to be changed at work? Subsequent chapters of the book will be devoted to a detailed answer to these questions, but here I will only outline the key points.

Think about what makes your city unique? To do this, make a list of all the events and attractions that are in your city. Tourists are more interested in the things they can do and see in a city rather than where it is located. First of all, tourists find out what entertainment is available in the city, and only then where it is located. Examples: observing white nights in St. Petersburg or rock climbing in Krasnoyarsk.

• Focus on events and attractions unique to the city. Even a small or strange attraction can attract visitors and attention to a city (from the world's largest paper clip to artificial waves on a river). Ask yourself: “What makes this city worth visiting? What is there that tourists can’t get or see somewhere else?”
• Work with your tourism development committee and focus on the three most exciting things your city has to offer. How more facts you provide, the more interesting the city will become for tourists.

Conduct a survey among city residents. A survey is an important tool in assessing tourism attractiveness. It can be used to gather information about the city and ensure that the public agrees with the city's tourism vision. Talk to people face to face or conduct a survey over the phone. Ask the following questions:

• What do you think attracts visitors to the city?
• What kind of visitors might be interested in the city?
• What can be done to make the time spent by tourists in the city more colorful?

Conduct a survey among tourists. You can chat with tourists face to face at the local supermarket. Tourists can also be asked to subscribe to a newsletter and a survey sent to them via email. Ask the following questions:

• Where are you from?
• What interested you in our city?
• How did you hear about this attraction?
• What institutions have you visited?
• What amenities or services does the city need?
• Words from previous tourists or current visitors to a city can provide insight into how to improve future tourist experiences.

Create a marketing plan. To do this, target marketing segments must be defined. Identify target locations that will attract the most tourists. This may be well known hiking trail, an important cultural-historical monument or museum. Then categorize those locations by travel length and determine the customer base that might be interested in the city. Draw a diagram and break it down into the following categories:

• Geographic locations with a section for day trips, overnight trips and long visits.
• Recreation in nature, such as camping, hiking, fishing and picnics.
• Entertainment - historical monuments, fairs and festivals, shopping and local food.
• Other travel purposes, such as business trips and family trips.

Today in every city there is enough a lot of travel companies and the competition between them is quite high. How to make sure that clients turn to you?

When opening a travel agency, pay great attention to its name and location. Original, but catchy name will be a small advantage. Place Where the travel agency is located also often influences the choice of tourists. It’s good if you can reach it both in person and by public transport. You shouldn’t be afraid of competition and you can open an office where there are already travel agencies. As a rule, people look into several companies before going on vacation to find a profitable and interesting offer.

The simplest and at the same time well-working method of advertising is word of mouth. When opening a travel agency, tell your friends and acquaintances about it, they can use the services. If clients remain satisfied, then they will recommend the company to friends, because, as a rule, people turn to travel agencies for the first time based on reviews from friends. Don’t expect a large flow of tourists right away, but within a few years you can form your own customer base.

Don't forget about business cards and leaflets. Making simple leaflets is not expensive, but distributing them where people gather a large number of people can be interested in clients. The main thing is that the leaflet is interesting and original and can interest people.

Before traveling, many tourists look on the Internet, and Internet advertising can be effective and yet be inexpensive. It would be nice to create your own website, which will post not only the proposed tours, but also reviews of tourists about vacations and hotels. Reviews must be truthful.

contextual advertising can also attract clients to the travel agency. This is one of the fastest and most effective ways to attract customers. If, when you type keywords, the company’s website appears on the first page, then many will definitely look at it. This means that in the future they will be able to become clients of the company.

You can order the creation of a website and its promotion from our agency, see the services section.

Don't forget about popularity social networks. You can create a group or blog completely free of charge. But you need to keep an eye on them. Be sure to post interesting and profitable offers, answer questions and comments. It’s easy to invite to a group; it’s often clear who is interested in tourism; such people are your potential clients.

To attract customers for the holidays, you can organize special, unique tours. And for newlyweds, for example, offer discounts and give gifts. Discounts always attract customers, but a good and exciting vacation is often more important than price.

Many travel agencies reduce prices due to great competition, but you can take a different route. Necessary offer truly interesting and unique tours. Be sure to report new attractive routes on the website and in the group. Prove that when traveling, the price is not the main thing, the content of the trip is more important. Then clients will be interested, and having received a lot of positive impressions on vacation, they will return to your travel agency again.

Video marketing

Using video is one of the most powerful ways to attract customers. And you don't have to buy expensive TV time to do this. Posting videos on the Internet is no less effective, for example on the most visited video hosting site, YouTube.

The video can be made interactive, linked to a specific tour, example:

At the end of the video there is a special navigation block with the help of which potential clients can get acquainted with the most striking places of your tour.

A fairly significant proportion of our regular clients are various travel agencies, working as in major cities million-plus cities, and in small provincial cities throughout Russia and beyond. Regardless of the scale and specifics of the agency’s work, for everyone, without exception, the primary task is to attract clients and the desire to see them as beloved regulars.

In this material we will try to highlight some of the important points, in our opinion, without which the success of travel companies in an ultra-competitive environment is almost impossible. We hope this information will be useful to those new to agency work or simply adopted.

So, a little about the most important things:

1. Travel agency website

A travel agency’s website is today one of the indispensable tools for attracting clients and promoting tourism services. If a few years ago it was enough to have a business card website with information about a travel agency with directions and contacts, today technology has gone far ahead. Business card sites, or even more so the absence of one at all, no longer attract the mass consumer, when all sorts of online services for searching and booking tours, tickets, hotels, excursions, and, in general, various tourist products are already in full operation around. In fact, the main task of the site is to actively participate in search engines, clearly and in as much detail as possible to show the future tourist all sorts of offers from the company, and be sure to provide the opportunity to leave an order or book the tour you like. It is important that the site itself is convenient for customers, informative and easy to navigate. Each of tourist destinations, for which the travel agency operates, it is advisable to colorfully design with photographs, routes, hotel descriptions, additional services, and, of course, truthful prices. Conspicuous holiday promotions and special offers for home page site will always be relevant and necessarily studied by visitors. Don’t forget that for many site visitors, reviews and recommendations from other tourists play a certain role. The visible active participation of a travel agency's clients tends to create a sense of trust and openness. If the site hosts various Online services for the selection of tours, air and train tickets, hotels, car rentals and any other ancillary services with the registration of an application or reservation, this gives the site the advantage of round-the-clock 24-hour operation, automatic support for the relevance of offers, an integrated approach to serving your potential clients. There must also be an element of quick feedback with company employees in the most visible place, for example in the form of a call order form or an online consultant. Today, a certain proportion of tourist clients do not at all want to call or go to a travel agency at the stage of selecting a tour or paying. Do not exclude such tourists from your future clients.

A good website often encourages a purchase. How to bring more clients to this site is the second and very important task. There are now many methods for promoting travel sites, the only question is the size of the advertising budget. Let’s consider the main advertising mechanisms from expensive to free:

· Website optimization for search engines

The so-called search engine promotion as an online advertising tool is generally responsible for the visibility (rating) of the site in the search process by clients and for increasing the traffic to the site by clients through transitions (clicks) to it from search engines. The higher a site ranks on the search results page for key customer queries, the more likely the user is to navigate to that site based on the information they are looking for. Typically, the first 2-3 pages of a search are the most viewed. And then either the user formulates their request differently, studies the results on subsequent pages, or goes to cross-references or other search engines. The site is optimized from the inside in the admin part of the site, where you can enter keywords for search engines. Various methods of black and white optimization are also somewhat popular. This includes exchanging links with sites of similar topics, registering in directories, distributing company news, posting articles, participating in forums, etc. As a rule, the result of the work done is not visible immediately, but only after a few months. It is labor-intensive and, therefore, quite expensive. Without special training or dedicated specialists, it may not bring the desired results. The main thing in this matter is to competently approach the process itself or the choice of contractor. For clarity: in order to correctly build optimization criteria, you can take into account and study the statistics of key queries on any search resource: wordstat.yandex.ru(from Yandex), adwords.google.ru from Google, adstat.rambler.ru from Rambler.

· contextual advertising

Contextual advertising is another type of use of text advertising of a travel agency on the search results page in search engines and various thematic partner sites. Advertisements are served in search engines at the top and to the right of the results, indicating “as an advertisement” or within the partner sites themselves. Again, the correct selection of key queries and payment to search engines for them play an important role. This method is much less expensive than search engine optimization and does not require high professionalism of the performer. The advertisement will be guaranteed to be shown the number of times you need, and the payment for its placement will be debited gradually and will not be so expensive. Contextual advertising is suitable for promoting hot tours, promotions, special offers, as well as hotels and package tour packages, promoting a travel agency or advertising a tour operator. The most popular contextual advertising services now are: Yandex.Direct, Yandex Advertising Network, Google AdWords, Google AdSense, Begun.

· Tourist sites (forums, reviews, articles, reviews)

Placing master classes, expert articles, thematic interviews, presentations of new destinations, and competitions with prizes on tourist platforms will, of course, be a significant plus for a travel company that is actively promoting its brand. You can also attract the attention of visitors using banner advertising. The main thing is to monitor its effectiveness. An effective way to advertise a travel agency, promote tours, and build loyalty and image of a travel company is to participate in travel forums. Nowadays, there are many tourism-related sites and portals where visitors leave reviews, photographs, share impressions of their trips, learn information about countries, resorts, cities, culture and customs of the country they are visiting, etc. A travel company can use and demonstrate its professionalism by providing useful articles and recommendations on various tourism topics. This format of direct communication allows you to talk about the advantages of this or that type of recreation, increase confidence in the company and its employees. Among the most popular and most visited tourist sites in the tourist environment are: Tonkosti. ru, Tourdom. ru, Tourprom.ru, Travel.ru, Tourbus.ru, Votpusk.ru, Travel.mail.ru, Travel.rambler.ru, Turizm.ru, Otzyv.ru, Turpravda.com, Tourinfo.ru, Svali.ru and many other regional portals. Be an expert in your field.

Travel agency advertising in in social networks- a fairly effective and still free way to promote tourism services, the tourism product itself, support the image of the travel agency and brand recognition. According to the travel companies themselves, which have their own pages and groups on social networks, the share of clients contacting them through social media is increasing every day. Just like on a website, on a social network it is quite possible to inform clients about your promotions, special offers, hot tours and discounts, and to accept applications and requests for tours. It is important that social networks are an effective tool for studying the opinions of their consumers, their preferences and wishes, and satisfaction with the services received. Don't forget about comments and useful articles in the blogosphere. Build a social image, try to be closer to your clients.

3. Loyalty programs

To sell tours and special offers, a travel company can cooperate with various coupon services. According to reviews from tourists and travel agents themselves, this just-beginning service is gradually gaining some popularity and bringing in the desired sales. Of these most popular services, we can note biglion .ru, groupon.ru, kupikupon.ru, kuponkin.ru and so on by analogy. You can also interest clients through all sorts of joint promotions with tour operators with advertising both on their website and on other partner sites (so-called cross-marketing promotion). To support the client base of regular customers, you can organize the issuance of certificates and loyalty cards with discounts and SPOs on the travel agency’s website. We must not forget that there is a category of customers who will always and under any circumstances look for discounts and special offers. Make an attractive offer to your clients.

4. Tourist product sold

When it comes to advertising, one cannot help but say something about the tourism product itself. After all, most of the advertising campaign is always aimed at selling tourism products. Choosing the right tourism product and your target audience is generally task No. 1 before starting all tourism activities. The range of tourism services is quite wide: inbound and outbound tourism, mass and individual destinations, VIP tours, health resorts, business and educational trips, etc. Each area of ​​activity has a number of features and requires its own special approach for advertising on the website and promotion on the Internet. Sell ​​last minute tours to popular visa-free countries Of course it’s easier, but the competition is also higher. And vice versa, having exclusive tour packages, you will have to not spread yourself thin and work clearly in your segment. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the selection of tourism products and additional services. There should always be something that distinguishes you from your competitors.

5. Corporate culture

This is another important point in our opinion in the process of attracting clients. When every potential client is on the account, it is impossible to imagine the work of a travel agency without maintaining a corporate client database. The advantage of such in-office programs should be precisely those tools that will allow you to more effectively build relationships with clients. The most popular tools in automated software systems include e-mail and SMS information services, selection and booking services, task planners and organizers, reminder systems, directories on countries and customer tours, and various CRM elements. Since the effect of word of mouth has not yet been canceled in tourism, you should definitely take care of pre- and post-sale ethics and the manner of communication with clients. When attracting potential tourists to the site, you must always be ready to professionally answer any of their questions, quickly select options to suit your needs and explain the advantages of this selection. All this gives the work of a travel agency manager irreplaceable professionalism. The main thing is that more than one website visitor and client seeking services does not go unnoticed and unaccounted for. And proof of high-quality and professional work with clients can be provided by various independent ratings in which a travel agency can be assessed. Examples of such ratings are at http://firms.turizm.ru/firms_rating/, travel-top. ru. Turn your experience into an advantage.

This topic is, of course, much broader than what is described in this article. Print media and other offline methods of attracting customers are not affected here. It is also important not to forget about the seasonality of demand and the corresponding adjustment of the advertising mechanisms used. Adjustment for your main target audience, be it VIP holidays or mass destinations, is also important when choosing promotion methods. Form a positive image of your company, increase the quality of work and loyalty to the company, do not forget about the recognition of your brand.

If readers are interested, we can periodically develop a series of publications on topics that are most relevant in tourism. It is enough to indicate the questions that concern you in the comments to this article.

Where to get tourists from? For an individual entrepreneur who has decided to start receiving tourists, it is advisable to start his business by looking for a tour operator to whom he can offer his services for accommodating arriving tourists.

The owner of the guest house offers accommodation services for tourists and also provides voice-over services. Additional services selected tour operator. The tour operator, in turn, enters into a joint activity agreement with the owner of the guest house, which specifies the form of remuneration for the tour operator for finding tourists for the guest house. In this case, the owner receives the right to enter into an agreement with other tour operators and travel agents for the supply of tourists. It is recommended to go into detail on these details, since often rural residents are unaware of the responsibilities associated with working with people. Contractual work with an experienced tour operator disciplines the owner of the guest house and provides the opportunity to improve skills in the field of tourism.

Work on creating a tourism product for rural tourism.

In order to attract tourists to a rural family on vacation, it is necessary to offer them a range of services necessary to meet the needs of vacationers. A tourism product is a set of services consisting of accommodation, food, excursion services, insurance and delivery. By the beginning of the year, the organizer accumulates information about what services each guest house can provide. In addition, usually the tour operator develops additional special tours so that the villagers' offer is attractive.

Work to promote tourism products on the travel services market.

Now it is necessary to make sure that potential consumers know about the villagers’ proposals. For this purpose, the tour operator produces advertising information (brochures, descriptions, photographs). The main advertising material is the catalog of rural tourism facilities, which describes and shows each guest house. The catalog is published in sufficient circulation so that travel agencies in various cities can clearly show guest houses to clients. The tour operator also bears the costs of participating in tourism exhibitions and working meetings of travel companies in different cities Russia. The tour operator is recommended to publish a website about rural tourism on the Internet. Thus, information about a rural tourist site can reach a resident of any country. The tour operator is also engaged in external advertising of rural tourism objects, finds funds for advertising on billboards and in various information service centers for tourists.The owner of the property can attract tourists to his guest house himself. To do this, he can put a sign on the road to his house.

Organization of reception of tourists.

Meeting, registration, acquaintance with local conditions. Reservations for a guest house are usually made in advance by a tour operator. Therefore, it is necessary to meet the guest at the agreed place and escort him to the guest house. If a guest arrives on own car, then, having placed his car on a personal plot or in a garage, you should begin the registration procedure. If the guest arrived through a tour operator, then he presents a voucher (developed by the tour operator), filled out by the travel agency and certified by a seal, and a ticket. These documents contain enough information necessary to issue your own receipt - Strict Reporting Form. One copy of the receipt is given to the guest, one copy remains with the owner. Based on this receipt, the owner makes a later entry in his income book. If the guest arrived on his own, the owner asks him to present documents and issues a receipt (BSO), indicating the necessary information. A clear written agreement included in the binding relationship between the guest house and the tourist will significantly facilitate future relations. Next, the owner introduces the guest and his group to the guest house, the rules of residence, fire safety requirements, shows where the keys, trash can, etc. are located. It is also recommended to inform guests about local conditions, bus schedules, natural objects, cultural and other events.

What is meant by the ability to treat guests attentively and kindly?

The ability to be a flexible Host and quickly make changes to the equipment of the house depending on the composition of the group of guests (install a child’s bed, make ramps for moving a wheelchair, install or remove sleeping places, provide skewers, etc.)

Having an agreement with other villagers to provide additional services to their guests, if these services are not provided centrally

Ability to resolve conflict situations (search for and find the cause of trouble in oneself)

Maintaining a joyful atmosphere in your guest house.

Attention to the slightest request of guests (change a towel once again, dry laundry soaked by a child, make a phone call, etc.)

Ability to take into account any comments made by guests

Striving to improve the quality of services

Accommodation.

Temporary accommodation is the main service provided by all guest houses. Comfort and convenience are the main criteria for the quality of services in the field of rural tourism. Guest rooms and other residential and utility rooms must be kept clean and free of unpleasant odors. If it is not up to the owner of the guest house to eliminate external and internal sources of noise and odor, then guests should be warned about this. IN summer time Windows and vents must have insect screens. Be sure to warn the guest that smoking is prohibited in the guest house. It is advisable to have internal rules use of the guest house (Appendix No. 1), compiled by the owner.

Nutrition.

For self-cooking, guests are provided with an equipped kitchen. The kitchen must be impeccably clean and necessary equipment(kitchen furniture, refrigerator, cabinet for storing food and dishes, electrical appliances). Cooking by the homeowner is not a rental or short-term accommodation service.

Resolution of conflicts and controversial issues.

In any business, conflict or near-conflict situations may arise. Tourists are, first of all, consumers who pay to have a pleasant, interesting, most comfortable and tireless pastime. Near-conflict situations are generated by a significant difference between the expectations of the tourist and his specific impressions received from the trip and accommodation. For example, the cost of guest house services seemed overpriced to the tourist in the absence of the necessary household sanitary and hygienic conditions (no hot water, cold toilet in the yard, etc.). Such situations may arise when the owner receives guests on his own. They do not arise if tourists come from an experienced tour operator or travel agent, who warn the tourist in advance about all the nuances of the guest house. Conflict situations are associated with so-called “difficult” clients, which include overly demanding guests. But the practice of receiving guests in “green houses” in Altai shows that such situations happen very rarely, because the owners of “green houses” treat guests attentively and hospitably.

Guest house owners need to remember that their economy is not a separate entity of the tourism industry. It, like any other hotel, is in close cooperation with the tour operator and travel agent, who are also responsible for their obligations. Maintaining the reputation of a good and reliable partner is the key to the further prosperity of the guest house owner’s business.

Additional guest house services.

The standard set of services in rural guest houses usually includes only accommodation. To attract tourists on the territory of the Altai Republic, a basic set of guest house services has been adopted, the provision of which by the owner is mandatory: accommodation, provision of an equipped kitchen, provision of a bathhouse once (if paid for at least three days of stay), car parking on the territory of the personal plot, greenery from the garden. All these services are included in the price of your stay. The remaining paid services are considered additional, which are necessary to increase competitiveness. The composition of additional services is determined by the owner independently, depending on the demand from the client. It is recommended to use such services as “Firing a bathhouse with the provision of a broom”, “Horse riding”, “Sale of farm products”, “Transport services in the owner’s own car (car rental)”, “Use of firewood for cooking barbecue and fireplace” , “Providing a telephone for long-distance calls”, “Placing a guest’s car in the home owner’s garage”, “Accepting dogs (pets)”.

Pricing and mutual settlements.

Prices for guest house services are divided into retail (final for the client) and wholesale (for intermediate links).

Retail prices

If a tourist contacts the owner of the guest house directly, the retail price may fluctuate depending on their agreement.

1. Retail prices must remain consistent at any point of sale if tourists are attracted through travel agents or tour operators. In other words, if the client arrived through intermediaries (from travel agencies, from a tour operator), he should receive the same price information as he received from the intermediaries. In this case, contractual terms are observed and business partners are not “set up.” This is the main condition for all participants in the chain. Subject to the agreement to maintain a single price for the services of the guest house, the flow of tourists is not cut off, since they are systematically dealt with in the cities.

Bulk prices(net prices) for guest house services are billed to tour operators and travel agents who include guest house services in their tourism product. Since it is these partners who are engaged in expensive advertising, they must have income when selling accommodation in guest houses that covers their expenses. This income is called agency fees or commissions in tourism. This is usually 10% of the placement price. Wholesale prices fluctuate depending on the season, on the partner’s contribution to advertising rural tourism, and on sales volume. If the owner of the property has established a strong business relationship with a travel agency that does not forget him and constantly sends clients, then it is possible to increase the reward from 12% to 30%.

This approach is most appropriate: the owner of the guest house develops flexible retail prices for different seasons and includes an intermediary commission, which can be 10 - 30%. These prices are then offered to different firms. In this case, the owner will not get confused, and all his guests will receive the same information from him.

Important: if the owner of a guest house tells guests that he is ready to accept them at a lower cost next time if they come directly, then he is depriving his partners of income, who will eventually find out about this and stop working with him.

Therefore, each guest house owner must decide for himself how he will attract tourists: through intermediary partners or carry out independent advertising activities. A choice needs to be made here. If both types of work are used, then one must firmly fulfill one’s obligations to partners.

As long as the owner of the house is an entrepreneur who does not have a safety certificate for tourist accommodation, he does not have the legal right to advertise his services. Travel agencies that care about their reputation will not enter into contracts with such an entrepreneur, since in this case the safety of tourists is not ensured and, as a result, if an accident occurs with the client, the company that sent the tourist to such a vacation spot will be responsible.

Mutual settlements are made as follows:

1. If a tourist has paid for a trip at a city travel agency, then the tour operator receives money at the cash desk or to his bank account by depositing or transferring Money and also pays the owner.
2. If a tourist comes directly to the owner of the guest house, then the owner is obliged to transfer the due portion of the income to the tour operator.

The basic principle is that payment occurs at the beginning of the tourists' vacation. The owner should take into account that the money received finally becomes earned after the tourist’s departure, if his vacation ends successfully. If the vacation is long, then it is better to take payment in installments. Payment for additional services of the guest house remains entirely at the disposal of the owner of the property; the organizer is not responsible for their quality. This circumstance must be specified in the agreement between the guest house and the tour operator.

Pricing issues are complex and controversial. Therefore, they must be completely clear for both parties. There is a law in economics: whoever earns more bears greater responsibility. When hosting guests through a tour operator, the owner's share is usually much larger than the tour operator's share. Therefore, if a tourist files a complaint (a complaint about service with a demand to compensate for damage), the owner of the guest house will reimburse a large share.