Warm welcomes for Overseas Visitors

Working through our border reopening.

Over the last couple of years, it has sometimes felt like it might never happen. But now finally, our borders are reopening for overseas visitors. Soon many businesses will be happily welcoming tourists back into their establishments that have been ‘getting by’ or ‘hanging on’, now looking to make hay while the sun shines (and also when it doesn’t!).

Understanding the potential mindset change in overseas visitors will be important for New Zealand’s accommodation providers.

Even if they were seasoned travellers in the ‘before times’, there is bound to be some anxiety for those first arrivals. The Covid pandemic is still very much in play.

Uncertainty is rife, right up until the moment these visitors check into their hotel (and perhaps beyond that too). Visitors to New Zealand are navigating a new environment and will perhaps be unsure of the rules that apply here.

Helping these guests to settle in and enjoy themselves should be your greatest priority. A guest who is feeling unsure is more likely to make a mountain out of a molehill. This means that every detail should be carefully considered. It’s very helpful if you can make sure your accommodation is a molehill-free zone!

Here are three tips to help provide some focus in the weeks ahead…

1. Clean, clean… and then clean some more.

It may seem self-evident but now, more than ever, room hygiene should be at an exceptional standard. Make it obvious around your hotel that there is more time being invested in the quality of your guest’s stay. This will not only quell their anxiety but will also lower the risk of your establishment becoming the site of an outbreak, which could be a huge blow after so many months of quiet turnover.

Cleaning staff should be well trained and given plenty of time to get their work done to a high standard. Having the right equipment on hand will help immensely. Stock up on gloves, masks and other sanitising items, and provide cleaning trolleys with plenty of space to store these as well as clean and dirty linen separately and hygienically. Check out our site for masks and other consumables to help with this.

2. Be clear and current on COVID protocols.

While we all wish it to be over, it is important to keep up with current protocols. As well as meeting government regulations, this will also show your overseas visitors that you have their safety front of mind and that their needs are covered. Clear information should be provided on what the current rules are, the protocol if an outbreak occurs on-site, and what guests should do if they test positive. Follow the Unite Against Covid website to stay up to date.

There are ways to soften the blow of this necessity too. Consider personalising your Covid information communications with a little humour or with beautiful imagery from the area.  It will also help to communicate that your staff are fully vaccinated and are taking extra steps to ensure there is no spread of contagions between rooms.

3. Go the extra mile.

One thing’s for sure – it is pretty special to be travelling again. New visitors will probably always remember this as the first trip they went on after borders reopened. It will pay to make it memorable for all the right reasons.

So, beyond the Covid necessities, why not add a little something extra to the usual stay? A bottle of wine waiting in their room, or a welcome drink at check-in can make a huge difference. Even a simple, personalised note is helpful in letting people know how much you appreciate these new arrivals – and how happy you are that they chose you.

This unexpected reward is helpful in creating goodwill and stoking empathy. The latter is particularly helpful if these guests do happen to stumble upon a molehill. They will be far more likely to forgive a minor slip-up if they know you’re short-staffed due to isolation requirements. Or in a rebuilding phase after surviving the incredible challenges of the last two years. 

For some the idea of travelling again may seem daunting and the reality may be that tourists are not back in droves just yet. However, this just another reason to treat those who take up the opportunity to come here with the utmost respect – and deliver a level of service and comfort that will deliver all-important reviews and positive word of mouth for the years to come.