Several AIA members around the state have indicated a reduction in the number of guests to their Inns or limited business growth. The NW Arkansas Tourism Board recently reported tourism trends that include:

· tourism is down 40%,
· people are staying closer to home
· rentals of RV's are up.

These trends impact our B&B's, Cabins and Cottages.

The NW Arkansas Tourism Board suggests that tourism related businesses continue to place ads, to provide bargains and to emphasize patriotism as well as safety.  The following lists 20 ways to assess your business and encourages you to think about the different ways to best serve our guests.

Recommendations include:
1. Check into your own guest rooms.
2. Staying at other Inns is essential market research.
3. Stay at other lodging properties, including boutique hotels and motel chains.
4. First impressions count.
5. Don't forget about the outside of your Inn.
6. What about the second "B" in Bed & Breakfast?
7. Afternoon/evening refreshments.
8. Death to clutter!
9. Test-drive your beds.
10. Make sure your inn has at least one TV.
11. Run your inn to suit your guests-not the other way around.
12. Value-price your inn.
13. Make sure that private matters are kept private.
14. Keep your marketing and informational materials complete, concise, up-to-date, and accurate.
15. Let hospitality be your hallmark.
16. Learn from your guests.
17. Minimizing complaints.
18. Resolving complaints.
19. Don't forget the concierge factor.
20. Your in-room materials should repeat and enhance the information in your orientation tour.

The coming year will be interesting for us as a nation and as well as an association. All of the leading indicators point to a very slow year for the travel and lodging industry nationwide; however, it appears that Arkansas has a distinct advantage because of its natural beauty, low security risk and its perceived "excellent" value. We, as innkeepers and an association, must work hard this year to make Arkansas and the inns of our association the best "perceived" value around. We must become good will ambassadors not only to our own properties, but for the state as a whole. Every guest that leaves our inns needs to feel that they are in a "special place" - a bed & breakfast, cabin or cottage, your town and the State of Arkansas - and will want to return many times. Basically, we have to keep doing what we do best - making our guest experiences "above the standard" but now we need to make them aware that they need to come back to enjoy other great parts of our state.
Distinct advantages we offer to their "experience." I also hope this year to make our members aware of all of the services and expertise that the association has available.

We have very talented innkeepers who have "exceptional" expertise in their previous life and are often willing to share information. We have vendors who have a whole host of products that will make our jobs easier and more cost effective. I hope this year to combine all of theses resources into a database accessible or available to all members.


Hope you have the best of seasons!!

President