Hurricane Relief Fund Update

With the support of caring innkeepers, we raised a total of $13,551, and every single penny was distributed to innkeepers who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. All credit card processing costs and staff time were donated by BedandBreakfast.com. Donations were received from a total of 82 innkeepers and members of the BedandBreakfast.com team. While every gift was deeply appreciated, we wanted to acknowledge the innkeepers of St. Augustine, Florida, who gave a total of $6,400 through their association, the Saint Augustine Historic Inns. In addition, despite numerous hurricane threats to their own B&Bs, the Key West Innkeepers Association provided a gift of $1,000.

It took us several tries to send some of the innkeepers their checks, because of disruptions in mail delivery and relocated innkeepers. We have not yet been able to locate Jim Dunay, formerly of the Santini-Stewart House in Biloxi, MS; his inn was destroyed by the storm, and we believe that he and is wife have moved to Florida. If anyone has a phone number or address for him, please let us know immediately, so we can send him the check.

Here are excerpts from some of their responses:

“We just received the BedandBreakfast.com Innkeeper Relief Fund check, and I cannot tell you how thankful we are. That was an extraordinarily nice thing to do. Things are pretty much repaired and back to normal around our place, but business is very slow. It just made my day to open something that was not a bill and find a check inside. Thanks again, and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.” – Gregory Pierce, Gillham Pierce House, New Orleans, LA, gphouse1@aol.com

“Patricia and I just wanted to drop you a note of sincere thanks for your donation to us at Maison Perrier; for your efforts to help support us and fellow innkeepers affected by Hurricane Katrina; and for your kind thoughts and concern for our well-being. Please relay our gratitude to all donors, especially the B&B associations in St. Augustine, Florida, and to the Key West Innkeepers Association, for their generous contributions.” – Tom & Patricia Schoenbrun, Maison Perrier B&B, New Orleans, LA, innkeeper@maisonperrier.com

“I can’t thank you enough for your generous donation to The Royal Barracks Guest House from the Bed and Breakfast.com Innkeepers Relief Fund. We are slowly recovering from seven weeks with no revenue coming in, and many deposits to refund. We are currently housing FEMA families who have lost their entire homes. It is disheartening to learn about the severity of their losses, but it makes us thankful for the minor damage we sustained. Thanks again.”  – Barbara Rahne, The Royal Barracks Guest House, New Orleans, LA, info@rbgh.com

“I am grateful for the check we received from the BedandBreakfast.com member inns. The thought and effort that went into this gesture was very meaningful and touching for us.” – David Campbell, Little River Bluffs: A Nature Preserve & Retreat, Folsom, LA, ltrvbluffs@yahoo.com

“Thank you so much for the check. We had to replace the stove, refrigerator and hot water heater, so this will really help. We are working on getting an SBA loan to fix up our B&B. We are living in it right now because our house next door was flooded with six feet of water. I know of two innkeepers who died in this tragedy. Thanks again for the support.” – Janie Koch, Woodland Oaks Inn, Pass Christian, MS, janiek@cableone.net

“The response of BedandBreakfast.com member innkeepers has been tremendously heartwarming and helpful to all innkeepers in the hurricane area. We all thank you for your generosity, caring, and commitment. We used your gift to help with the removal of a giant old pecan tree felled by Katrina, and also to replant a live oak tree, symbolizing our hopes for the future. We are open for business, and we welcome the world to see what the rest of Louisiana has to offer while our beloved New Orleans recovers (and recover it will).” – Anne Butler, Butler Greenwood Plantation, St. Francisville, LA, ButlerGree@aol.com

“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, support, kindness and generosity. I never in my life dreamed I’d ever be in such dire circumstances. Having lost Tony, our home and B&B and everything I cherished in the world to Katrina, with the exception of three of our five pets (which was my gift from Tony and God), my only inspiration to keep on has been my family, friends and total strangers. Katrina has not humbled me; the kindness and caring I’ve received have humbled me, and I’m overwhelmed by these blessings. All of you have impacted my life so greatly, and I will be forever grateful to you. Bed and breakfast owners and their guests are in the top five percent of people you would want as friends, neighbors, and sometimes family members. Why am I so surprised that you care? I know better! Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know that Tony thanks you too for helping to take care of me.” – Diane Brugger, Harbour Oaks Inn, Pass Christian, MS, harbour@ibm.net 

As soon as things are a little more back to normal in the affected regions, we will be in touch about ways to help promote travel to Louisiana and Mississippi.
 

Travel Trends

Personalized incentives increase consumer retention and purchase follow-through: The annual Travelers’ Use of the Internet report, issued by The Travel Industry of America and marketing agency USDM.net, shows that “the Internet continues to grow as a dominant channel for reaching and transacting with today’s travel consumers. Although the number of Americans using the Internet (120 million adults) has plateaued, those who plan and book trips or vacations online continues to climb rapidly. A majority of these online travelers (78%) turned to the Internet for travel or destination information in 2005 – much higher than the 65% of online travelers in 2004.” Eighty-two percent of online travelers book online. The report shows that the most effective online marketing techniques are the “'interactive marketing’ communications such as unsponsored search engine results (36%); email recommendations by friends or colleagues (34%); links on websites (26%); and opt-in emails or e-newsletters (21%).”
Other results:

• More than nine out of 10 online travelers used the Internet to plan a personal trip last year, and a quarter of trips planned online were related to business travel.
• Nearly half of online travel planners also use destination websites -- such as those maintained by convention and visitor bureaus -- to plan trips. In addition, 27% of these travelers use destination websites for booking their travel online.
• Leisure travelers spent an average of $1,288 when booking their most recent trip online in 2005, and business travelers spent an average of $1,357.
   

Online sales are rising: The ease of researching and purchasing online is fueling online retail sales growth, according to a report by Forrester Research Inc. Forrester is predicting that “online consumer sales – including auctions and travel – in North America will hit $329 billion in 2010. That’s a cumulative average growth rate of 14%. Online sales in 2005 were predicted to reach $172 billion, according to comScore Networks Inc. The percentage of U.S. households shopping online is also expected to grow, from 39% in 2005 to 48% in 2010. Forrester predicts that one of the fastest-growing categories will be travel. Online travel revenues are expected to double between 2005 and 2010, to $119.1 billion – comprising 46% of all sales, online and off-line.”

Advocacy attracts new customers and influences where money is spent: A Chadwick Martin Bailey study revealed that advocacy will influence more than $280 billion in travel and hospitality sales by both attracting new customers and influencing where dollars are spent. Among the most significant outcomes of the survey, it was found that 27% of the U.S. population had gone to restaurants in the past year based solely upon recommendations from advocates. With an average spend of $50 per visit, this translates to more than $3.3 billion worth of annual advocacy-driven purchases at restaurants. Similarly, while it was found that 11% of the U.S. population had taken a cruise, 4% of the U.S. population chose a cruise line that came recommended by an advocate. With an average spend of $3,000 per cruise, advocacy directly drove more than $9.5 billion worth of cruise purchase decisions over the past year.

Other key findings of the survey include:

• Exponential Advocacy: Over the past two years, seven in 10 gave a recommendation for a hotel, airline, restaurant, cruise, theme park or airline and, on average, these advocates are making recommendations to at least four people.
• The Best Advocates: CMB found that Generation Y, (born 1979 or later) were the most prolific brand advocates in the travel and hospitality segment, but Baby Boomers, (born 1946-1964) with their remarkable purchasing power, accounted for 59% of direct advocacy-related purchases, totaling nearly $18 billion in 2004.
• Target the Travelers: Survey results showed that frequent travelers are not only most influenced by advocates but are also most likely to act upon a recommendation, especially for cruise lines, upscale hotels, vacation resorts, casinos and amusement parks.

In conclusion, the study noted that companies “who lack an understanding of the nature of advocacy in relation to their business, and fail to develop strategies to increase advocacy levels will find themselves struggling upstream against a very powerful current."

Search engine use increasing: A study recently released by Pew Internet & American Life Project reports the importance of search engines to American Internet users. “On an average day, nearly 60 million people use search engines.” From June 2004 to September 2005, the use of search engines on a typical day rose from 30% to 41% of Internet users. A different company, comScore Media Metrix, found that the average daily use of search engines increased 23% during that same time. “According to the latest comScore data, Google is the most heavily-used search engine. In October 2005 the site had 89.8 million unique visitors, followed by Yahoo! Search with 68 million unique visitors.”

Women want emotional rewards: A new Roper Public Affairs survey for Meredith Corporation reveals that “when it comes to making travel decisions, women often choose because of emotional rewards. ” Women respondents wanted vacations that include relaxation from daily routines. The women also wanted to reconnect with family and friends and chances to reinvent their personal passions via adventure, freedom and escape. Ninety-six percent said they wanted vacations that 'create memories.'" Almost half of the women surveyed said they booked their most recent vacation entirely by themselves. The survey found that eight out of 10 women use search engine websites such as Google and Yahoo to research vacations.

What’s the next hot thing in the culinary world? Top food guys at Marriott International, Inc. give their forecast for what’s on the dining front in the coming year. Most B&Bs are way ahead of the curve here:

1. Back to Basics and Sized to Order. Guests are looking for great food served with friendly, professional care in a “buzzing” contemporary environment that offers a “sense of place.” Chef-crafted plates of varying sizes create a variety of tastes and flavors, and allow for a more social, casual dining experience than traditional “courses.”
2. Breakfast is Back. Approachable comfort food, eggs cooked to order, and healthy options with “good carbs,” low in fat and high in protein and nutrition are starting diners’ days. French toast and waffles are a growing trend. Big, fluffy buttermilk, blueberry and apple streusel pancakes, sweet and savory waffles, and flavorful French toast are being seen more and more in restaurants and catering. New takes on breakfast basics, such as the Lemon Soufflé Pancakes that are found at the restaurants of Renaissance hotels, are becoming more and more popular.
3. In Good Company. Communal tables have become a staple in many contemporary restaurants. But that will be taken a step further with the advent of “gathering areas.” Many food and beverage arenas will be the new living room/dining room. Enclaves for small groups and quick quality snacks and beverages will be making their way into the hospitality industry.
4. Takeaway. Takeout service at full-service restaurants and related venues is growing.
5. From the Kitchen to the Bar. With the advent of more premium spirits on the market and the push for more creative cocktails, the pairing of food and spirit in one will be on the menu.
6. Healthy Food … Not Diet Food. As Americans become more aware of nutrition combined with waistline watching, diners seek healthy options on menus. Individual preferences and needs vary and trendy diet fads come and go, so menus are reflecting a variety of healthy dining offerings, from low-carb to low-fat to lower calorie, depending on preference.
7. Soft, Comfortable, Hip. The pendulum will start swinging away from the very angular, overly retro or stark look of many restaurants in favor of the softer and more opulent ambience.
8. There’s Always Room For... Highly flavored gel squares and desserts made with gelatin sheets and fresh purees are popping up on tables.
9. Heritage – Boomers Are Beginning to Remember… Foods from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe – cured salmon, goulash, stuffed cabbage and the like – will make an appearance.
10. Non-“Engineered” Product. Diners will be looking for a more ‘natural’ product, like buttery Boston lettuce and sweet bib varieties. Foods that are true to the actual product and true to its roots. Many chefs are utilizing their local farmers, purchasing product grown practically in their own back yards.

Less Than 1/5 of Online Buyers Account for Almost Half of Spending: “A recent report from Nielsen//NetRatings concludes that nearly a fifth of the online buying population accounts for nearly half of total online spending. These buyers, dubbed "Most Valuable Purchasers" (MVPs), spend more dollars online and make more purchases on the Internet than the rest of the online buying population.” The shoppers who spent the most money online and made the largest number of purchases comprised 18% of the online buyers, driving 46% of total online spending.

Older generation not lagging behind in Web use: About 61% of online users age 55 and older say they use the Web more heavily now than one year ago, according to a new study by Burst! Media. At the same time, many Web users in that age group have cut back on their use of traditional media. Why is this age group turning to the Web? The greatest proportion of respondents--around 69%--said the on-demand nature of the Web gave it an edge. About 60% thought the Internet was superior because it offered content that couldn't be found in other media. An eMarketer report released last May also concluded that older boomers and adults in their early 60s tended to be Web-savvy. That report found that about two-thirds of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 use the Web.

Travel looking good in 2006: Travel industry experts say that travel and tourism are back, conventions are surging, and room rates and airfares are going to cost more. “American Express Business Travel predicted more travelers and higher prices just about everywhere, but particularly in the developed world. American Express predicted room rates overall for mid-range properties will rise anywhere from 1% to 3%. Upper-range properties will see price increases up to 5%. The Travel Industry Association of America forecasts that leisure travelers will increase by 2%, says the TIA. International travel to the U.S. will increase by 5.5%.”

Online travel sales are up: comScore reports that online travel sales for the week ending January 1, 2006, reached $820 million, up 22% from $672 million in the corresponding week a year ago. comScore also reports that 2006 is off to a strong start. From January 1-20, online sales were up 33%, to $5.5 billion from $4.1 billion a year ago. Online travel spending was up 8%, to $3.4 billion from $3.2 billion a year ago.

Online Shopping Highest During Work Day: According to a recent LIVEmark Index Report, released by Coremetrics, online consumers do most of their browsing and buying during business hours on weekdays. In September 2005, 62% of weekday visits (to participating LIVEmark sites) occurred between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. (CST), and 26% of weekday visits occurred between 6 p.m. and midnight CST.

Looking Good for 2006: The latest Gallup Personal Credit Index shows that consumers anticipate better days in 2006.

• 68% are optimistic about their financial situation in the upcoming year.
• 14% say they are pessimistic about their situation heading into the New Year.
• Among the employed, 57% look forward to earning a higher salary in 2006.
   

Hotel revenue from electronic channels up 9.4%: TravelClick’s eMonitor results from the third quarter of 2005 show that worldwide electronic hotel revenue from the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and key Internet sites combined was up 9.4%. Room nights from the electronic channels also increased 2.2% over the same period last year. The Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose 7.1% over the third quarter of 2004 with an ADR of $132.01.

This Month's Sponsor

Online Trade Show

Click to visit our newest vendor member:
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Gift Certificates

More travelers than ever before received BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificates in 2005. These lucky folks may soon be new guests at one of the 3,200 U.S. BedandBreakfast.com member inns that welcome our gift certificates. To join the participating inns, just log in to your home base with your property ID and password, or click here for more information.

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