The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity for any business to take stock of the previous 12 months and put a strategic plan in place for the year ahead that takes into account any changes to the markets in which it operates.
For tourism, leisure and event businesses the past two years have been turbulent for reasons well documented, however looking ahead the good news is demand for new experiences is probably higher than ever.
We’ve identified seven key areas of focus for operators planning to put their best business propositions forward this year.
1. Involve your team
Involving key team members and other stakeholders in reviewing the previous year and planning for the next can help ensure maximum buy-in and collaboration. Consider hosting a review meeting away from the normal place of work to avoid distractions and to encourage creative thinking.
2. Start with the basics
Consider what’s worked well for your business in the past year and what has not. In the ‘not’ category, separate out those within and beyond your control.
Some key questions to consider:
• Does your brand align with your target audience, and has that audience changed since the pandemic. Does the brand reflect your business objectives? Is it still relevant post the pandemic?
• What are your Unique Selling Points? Are they still unique and relevant to your existing or target audience?
Once the basics have been reviewed, an open conversation with key members of staff about any changes required will help them to understand the why and the what. Resistance is most likely to come if people feel ill-informed or out of their comfort zones so good communication and proper support will help to achieve change effectively.
3. People
Are current resources sufficient or will you need to recruit?
Staff shortages across the hospitality sector are well documented so recruiting early and ensuring the overall package is attractive will be key, especially for rural locations.
An attractive package should include competitive pay but also consider accommodation, especially for remote locations, training and development opportunities and other perks, such as free meals when working and access to activities on days off.
Whether or not you need to recruit for the season ahead, consider the learning and development requirements and opportunities for your existing – and new – team members. How can you proactively use the out of season quieter time to upskill?
4. Supply Chain
Similar to recruitment, supply chains continue to face huge challenges. Use the time now to review your requirements – if you’ve been let down by the global supply issues, is there an alternative, perhaps a local one?
Engage with your suppliers to discuss your requirements and plans for the year ahead. Do you have key dates when demand for products will be higher? Get these provisionally noted with your suppliers so they can ensure stock is available. Consider how a review of your supply chain could improve your business’s carbon footprint such as opting to use seasonal and sustainable produce wherever possible.
5. Compliance
The start of the year is also a perfect opportunity to review compliance including service levels and agreements with key contractors. Make sure you have both preventative maintenance plans and procedures in place to respond to any emergencies quickly and safely.
For any external suppliers it is essential to have up-to-date copies of their compliance documents. Take the opportunity to talk through with them past performance and key requirements for the year ahead.
6. Marketing
An effective marketing strategy has never been more important.
Ensure you understand where your customers are coming from, are they mainly local or travelling from further afield and most importantly, how are they hearing about your offering? Once they’re through the door, what can you do to ensure they remain engaged and want to visit again? Even if your product or service is best in class, how will people know about it or find it? What keywords are your potential customers typing into Google and do you rank highly in the results?
Digital promotion, with an emphasis on social media, is essential in attracting and retaining customers.
It is useful to create a calendar of the main dates/promotions planned for the year ahead and make a note of all the key marketing initiatives required to promote each activity effectively.
7. Planning and Following up
A major challenge with any business planning is the review process. To ensure commitment to your strategy set clear targets and regular dates for review and be prepared to adapt to any changes within and outside the sector that might affect your business.
Further information
Savills Tourism, Leisure & Events
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