Guest Welcome Packs, Digital Guestbooks & Components Of Guest Experience Ideas

In this article, we are going to explain the intricacies of guest welcome packs, digital guestbooks and components of guest experience ideas so you can really wow your guests and keep them coming back for more.

As a glamping business entrepreneur, you know that hospitality is key when it comes to running your unique holiday rental business. From the moment a potential customer or client enters your space, they should feel welcomed and comfortable.

One way to make sure your guests feel welcome is to provide them with a guest welcome pack or guestbook before they arrive or shortly afterwards. This packet of information can include everything from a map of your business to local restaurant recommendations.

Here's what you need to know about creating and providing a guest welcome pack for your guests and if you're looking for inspiration, be sure to check out our list of ideas for what to include in your guest welcome pack below. Ready to get started?

In this article we are going to cover:

1. What is a guest welcome pack or guestbook and why is it important for guests?

2. What should be included in a guest welcome pack or guestbook?

3. What is a digital guestbook?

4. How can you enhance the overall guest experience?

5. Why is it important to communicate throughout the entire process?

6. How can you use your guestbook to support your local community?

1. What is a guest welcome pack or guestbook and why is it important for guests?

When it comes to guestbooks, not all are created equal. In fact, there are a few things you'll want to make sure your book has in order to make the most of this hospitality tradition. There are a number of essentials for any great guestbook, which are included below.

When you're starting your own glamping business, there are a lot of things to keep track of. One thing that's easy to forget about, but is very important, is creating a guestbook for your customers. This is part of your guest experience journey and can be very useful for you to collect data from your customers and keep them coming back for more.

2. What should be included in a guest welcome pack or guestbook?

Here are some essentials for setting up your guestbook:

• Make sure it's easy to find on your website or can be emailed to your guest before their stay
• Include a space for customers to write their names and contact information and request permission to keep in touch so you can send them offers they might be interested in
• Ask customers to leave a review or rating after they've visited
• Include an area for customers to write comments or feedback about their experience at your business. This can help you improve your services and products so respond to customer feedback when needed
• Keep it updated with the latest reviews, ratings and your terms and conditions
• Make sure your guestbook is easy to use and easy to read. You want guests to feel comfortable using it, so avoid using any complicated or hard-to-read fonts.
• Making your guestbook digital is perfect as it helps you share it with your guests before their stay so they can make bookings at local entertainment centres and restaurants
• For glamping businesses, which are often in very remote locations, it is important to use a digital guestbook that can be used in areas without wifi

3. What are digital guestbooks?

During the pandemic, many glamping business owners introduced stricter cleaning routines. As part of this process, they also minimised the number of items in their guest accommodation to be used by different guests. This is when digital guestbooks really began to take off. Digital guestbooks are great as not only do they allow the host to update information at the touch of a button and send it to the guest easily, but they can also be downloaded by the guest to their smartphones so they can access all the useful information easily.

Many of our glamping business network members use the digital guestbook provided through TouchStay as they provide a great service and the team is really supportive of anyone who needs help setting it up. Click the image below to find out more from Andy McNulty and his team.

We interviewed Andy McNulty for the podcast – The Business of Glamping And Unique Holiday Rentals – and asked him how hosts and owners can enhance the guest experience to keep them coming back for more without adding to the ever-growing list of things to do.

You can listen to episodes 36 and 52 here.

4. How can you enhance the overall guest experience?

No matter what industry your business is in, creating an excellent guest experience should be one of your top priorities. After all, if customers aren't happy with their experience, they're likely to take their business elsewhere.

When setting up your traditional or digital guestbook or welcome pack, think about your guests from every angle. You want them to feel comfortable and welcome from the minute they book with you to the moment they walk in the door until they leave. In essence, you want them to feel like VIPs and this is what a great guestbook or welcome pack can help you with.

5. Why is it important to communicate throughout the entire process?

If you're a host of holiday accommodation, chances are good that you know the importance of hospitality. After all, your guests are the lifeblood of your business. Without them, you wouldn't be in business! That's why it's so important to communicate with them - to make sure they're having a great experience and to get feedback so you can improve your business.

Think about the last time you stayed at a hotel, glamping site or campsite. How was your experience? Did the front desk staff greet you warmly and help you with your bags? Were they available to answer any questions you had during your stay? If not, your experience probably wasn't as good as it could be. Communication is key when it comes to providing a great guest experience and this in turn with help you attract great reviews and repeat bookings.

6. How can you use your guestbook to support your local community?

Small business owners can use their guestbooks to support their local community in a number of ways. For example, sharing events your guests can get involved in or promoting local businesses or suppliers you want to support. Your partnerships and local relationships will definitely benefit from it and so will your guests.

Final Thoughts

Guest welcome packs, traditional and digital guestbooks are the perfect way to make sure your guests feel comfortable and at home, while they stay with you, whilst also supporting your local community. By providing a packet of information that includes everything from a map of your space to local restaurant recommendations, you can show your guests that you care about their experience and they will be likely to come back for more.

Click here to see how a campsite can be changed into a glamping site!

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