The tourist business will always have a varying degree of importance to different restaurants. Some will depend completely on the seasonal swings of mass tourism and others will be indifferent, perhaps more focused on local custom. Regardless of where you fit into this spectrum it is highly likely that there are people who have travelled from another part of the world in your area at any given time looking for something to eat. If you would like this revenue in your cash register instead of a competitor then there are a few things that you can do.
1 – WiFi is like oxygen to tourists
The number one thing that tourists have on their mind in this era of being connected is WiFi. They roam the streets looking for open WiFi signals like early morning commuters looking for their caffeine fix and usually end up in the local McDonalds because they know they can get what they want there. Tourists typically will not have a data allowance on their smartphone and can only get connected to the internet at extortionate rates. Offer free WiFi and you will have happy hungry tourists with cash in their pocket. In fact research shows that tourists are 64% more likely to visit a restaurant if they offer free WiFi over one that doesn’t. Its also worth remembering that tourists will often have kids with them and one thing that makes happy parents is happy kids using free WiFi.
2 – Be easy to find online
There are lots of tools you can use to create your online presence and you should at least have the most important ones so that tourists can find you when they look. Most valuable is your own website that should have contact details and a click to call phone number. Your site should be optimised for SEO and be mobile friendly as most tourists will be searching on their smartphone. After that get your Facebook page, Google+ page and Twitter pages active and updated so you can be easy to find when potential customers are looking.
3 – Understand the influence of TripAdvisor
Tripadvisor is where unknowing tourists and travelers go to to get info on the local food scene and they will make their choice based on the reviews left by previous customers. This is somewhat out of your control (for now but more on that later) but it is important to understand how big an influence this online resource is. Ensuring that your page is updated and responding to comments left by customers both good and bad would be great start.
4 – Remember the basics
Make sure that you have all the basics right to get more tourists and travelers into your restaurant. Plentiful menus that are well laid out with translated versions if necessary will help communication as well a prominent menu displayed outside. Any other outdoor signage displaying special offers or early bird menus will really help raise awareness to the passing traveler.
Attract more tourists into your restaurant
These are just a few things that you can do quickly and easily attract tourists to your restaurant your doors. Tourists and travelers will have no awareness of your business unlike your local customer base so you should make some extra effort to give your business the best chance of success in this lucrative market.
