Tourism has an exponential impact on the global economy, boosting the gross GDP by 2.7% in the United States, and much more elsewhere. For operators, tourism has a palpable effect on the restaurant industry, generating a sales increase of up to 30% at fine dining establishments, 16% at quick-service restaurants, and 15% at fast casuals. That’s about one in four dollars attributable to tourism and travel spending. Knowing how to increase tourist traffic in your restaurant can offer a tangible increase in your bottom line, and drive your growth.
Tipos de tráfico turístico
Out of town traffic come in all shapes and sizes. Some of that traffic is from travelers who are en route from destination to another, and looking for a place to grab a quick bite. Tourists, on the other hand, are deliberate in their goals: they came to your city for a recreation. In the United States, these tourists have spent around $150,000,000 annually, since 1900, excluding during World Wars. That money travels both inside and out of the country, spreading commerce on a global level at a steady clip. While mileage varies on why people travel, modern tourists are looking for honesty, space, and experience. Staying knowledgeable of your location and considerate of travelers’ needs can put you ahead of your competition, and improve your guest experience.
Conozca su historia
Whether it’s history or natural splendor, there are a host of reasons for people to come through your town, and you probably already know some of those reasons. Is there a famous person or event in your town? Does your city have the World’s Biggest Ball of Twine? Is your restaurant near a Reserva de gnomos? Knowing a little about the locale that you want to put your restaurant can give you a marketing advantage. In doing so, you can tap into whatever it is that attracts people to your area.
Piense en un truco divertido
Sabiendo dónde está tu región, puedes sondear la demografía y jugar con esa imagen. Si está en una zona rural junto a una carretera interestatal, puede apelar a las cualidades rústicas de la región. Ejemplos más concretos pueden ser incorporar algo de la localidad a la temática del restaurante o a los platos del menú, como es lógico. ¿Estás cerca de esa bola gigante de cordel? Utilice hilo para atar sus utensilios. Pon gnomos en tus platos. Vincularse a ese lugar permite mejorar tácita o directamente la experiencia de los clientes que visitan la zona.
Ubicación
Picking your location is no small task. Not only do you have to consider the cost involved in choosing a spot, but you must balance that with the potential for traffic. If you’re too far off the beaten path, you may encounter some challenges, although there are plenty of modern options that can enhance your sales.If you already have a spot, take the immediate location into account and build out from there. If you’re near an industrial park, for example, you may consider abbreviated menu items to accommodate for the lunch rush. Either way, use your location to your advantage to drive sales.
A nivel local
Sourcing your ingredients locally environmentally healthy and a great selling point for travelers looking for a taste of native fare. Irrespective of what type of restaurant you operate, using foods unique to your area can enhance your customer appeal. Studies indicate that consumers are willing to pay more for fresh, local foods, and an opportunity to network with the local farming community. Additionally, consider sourcing local brews, wines, or spirits, which further incentivizes travelers to stop in and experience your location.
Señalización
Finding a good sign is integral in standing out in a crowd. There are a few options that you have to your advantage that looks at the color and motif to draw the eye. Whatever the case, a large sign outside of your business can grab attention, enhance your business, and serve as a primary branding tool. If you can localize the concept, you can do some work towards making your restaurant signage instagrammable.
Señalización interestatal
For weary U.S. highway travelers, there are few better resources that the blue signage that prefaces each stop in your route. If you’re a restaurant looking to capitalize on interstate traffic, there is a lot of criteria that you have to meet. Mileage varies as to what you need to qualify to get your restaurant’s name on a sign, as that is broken out state-by-state. Generally speaking though, your eligibility is contingent upon a few factors: your proximity to the exit, hours of operation, and seating capacity. These are all factors that can make a difference to travelers who’ve spent hours on the road and are just looking for a place for a little rest without a lot of fuss.
Siempre en red
Mantenerse en contacto con la comunidad local es fundamental para impulsar el negocio. Aunque hay muchas maneras de hacerlo, una vía eficaz para llegar al mayor número posible de personas es a través de su Cámara de Comercio (CdC) u órgano de gobierno similar. La CdC es una red de empresas que actúan como defensores de los servicios que prestan a sus representados, al tiempo que colaboran para fortalecer la comunidad. Tanto si se une a la junta directiva como si simplemente entabla una relación con la CoC, puede trabajar para que su nombre llegue a las mentes de destacadas figuras empresariales, así como a las guías de la ciudad, que hacen sugerencias a los viajeros.
Ponte en buenas manos con los hoteles cercanos
Examine su zona y busque los hoteles y alojamientos cercanos. Entablar relaciones con el personal puede ayudar a que sugieran tu nombre a los viajeros que busquen algo para comer. No tema agasajar al personal en alguna ocasión, como muestra de su agradecimiento. En última instancia, esta relación es simbiótica, ya que tanto los restauradores como los hoteleros se benefician del aumento de tráfico que aporta un conjunto enriquecido de atracciones.
Establecer relaciones con personas influyentes
You have likely encountered top 10 lists unique to the culture of your location. These listicles attract attention by offering quick, easily digestible bites of information for your audience. Because of that, they get a lot of traction in search inquiries on Google, making them an especially findable way for travelers to get to know you. Find the people who help make these trends in your cities and put together a strategy to entice them to want to know more.
Tener una fuerte presencia en las redes sociales
One of the reasons that listicles and influencers are so important is that the content that they create and promote is often tailor-made to share through social media. Giving potential patrons insight through social media can help create a buzz. Keep a schedule by using tools like Hootsuite or Sprout, and post routinely. Make it interesting, and engage with your guests; tell their story too. Curate your aesthetic and stay on brand, but tie it into local trends when possible. Of course, social media is more than just platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The undisputed champion of search engines is Google, which serves around 63K search requests per second every day. Considering that the search “restaurants near me” gets millions of hits per month, Google has refined their algorithms to help businesses. You can use Google My Business to give guests critical information about your restaurant. Recent integrations allow restaurants can also take advantage of the Reserve with Google feature that enables guests to get on your waitlist or reserve a table quickly and efficiently.
Seguimiento de los comentarios
By and large, avoiding the comments or review sections online is an excellent way to improve your mental and emotional health. In this case though, be thoughtful with your responses and use them to your advantage. Foster community wherever possible by responding with kindness when appropriate. Beyond that, learn from what your guests and patrons have to say. Learn what people are saying about similar restaurants and build on that. Take notes, especially on how tourists engaged with the business and apply them whenever it makes sense.
Contratación local
By knowing how to increase tourist traffic in your restaurant, you can increase your revenue and put that back into the community. During the summer months, the restaurant industry employs up to 500K additional workers. Hiring local staff is beneficial for a number of reasons, including having a staff of trained professionals who know and represent the area of your restaurant. Not only can you drive sales, but you can bring those efforts home. Hiring locally can help foster a positive and welcoming environment for travelers, who are greeted by people knowledgeable of and invested in their community.¿Quieres estar al día de todo lo relacionado con tecnología, marketing, noticias del sector y mucho más? Nosotros te cubrimos. Suscríbete a nuestro galardonado blog para recibir actualizaciones semanales sobre los temas más candentes del sector de la restauración.
Syd es especialista en marketing de contenidos, que son palabras elegantes para escribir bonito para contar una buena historia. Le gusta escribir sobre comida, bebida y música. También es músico, padre de dos hijos y quiere mucho a su mujer.
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