How To Attract Digital Nomads To Your Hotel

By Brandon Stillwell

Due to the global pandemic, many companies have instituted generous work from home policies. Moving forward, some of these policies will become permanent. This means that workers who were previously tied to a specific location are now free to travel and work from anywhere in the world. More and more workers are taking advantage of their new-found freedom.

It's time to take advantage of this trend with these 6 easy tips you can implement at your hotel today.

1. Fast Internet
Digital nomads can only be nomadic if they have the means to do their job. This means fast internet. A slow internet connection simply isn't able to keep up with the video conferencing, client calls, uploads and downloads of large project files, and the general streaming of audio and video that comes along with any job in our modern age.

If you've opted for slower internet at your hotel to save money, it's time to upgrade. Without a fast internet connection, you won't attract digital nomads – they're simply unable to work from your location. If a suitably fast internet connection isn't available in your area, it might be best to target a different market.

Let's say you have a lightning fast internet connection at your hotel. Then advertise it! Don't just mention free WiFi or internet availability. Mention exact speeds and details. Do you have a fiber optic connection? Does each room have an ethernet port? Do you ensure each room has flawless WiFi coverage? Consider posting a screenshot of an internet speed test taken at your property. Most people, especially digital nomads, place significant trust in these results.

Perhaps you are thinking that your property doesn't get a lot of single travelers. These nomads are bringing their families. And with the pandemic, so many children are going to school remotely as well.

According to Forbes, 49% of business travelers consider WiFi the most important amenity when choosing a hotel. If your wireless internet isn't up to snuff, you're missing out on potential guests.

Here are a couple resources to consider to help with your internet

Starlink.| Low Latency Satellite Internet

Broad Band Now | Find Internet Providers in my Area

MBO Partners reports a sharp increase in the number of digital nomads this year compared to last.

2. Community & Natural Attractions

The freedom of being a digital nomad comes with a price. Those who don't have a home in the traditional sense often find themselves lonely. One of the best ways to attract digital nomads is to create a sense of community at your hotel.

A sense of community isn't something you can slap on your amenities list, but it isn't too difficult to create either. Co-working spaces are a great way for digital nomads to connect with others, but there are specific initiatives you can implement at your hotel with the sole purpose of building community that can be even more beneficial. Consider doing weekly movie nights or yoga classes where attendees will have plenty of time to chat with others and get to know new people.

Partner with local businesses if you find yourself short on space or equipment to facilitate activities. Something as simple as inviting a local potter to come to your property and teach a pottery class can be a selling point for people craving human connection. Amadeus' recent study found 26% of nearly 6,000 respondents wanted small group package tour options, with the only two more popular survey results being an all-inclusive resort and customized trip options.

We also know that our natural spaces are seeing guests return more quickly while urban centers lag behind. Take advantage of this trend by highlighting outdoor spaces at your property, or parks nearby. Take it a step further by engaging with your guests to create a bespoke experience with a small outdoor tour to "discover the boardwalk" or "commit to community tour". Seek out a local retired professional to share their experience about what your backyard has to offer. At the very least, list top outdoor spaces close to your property.

Remember to keep in mind the demographics of digital nomads. What kinds of people visit your area? Consider gender, age, and interests.

There are endless ways to create a sense of community at your hotel. Don't be afraid to experiment; some activities will hit the mark, and others will miss. Keep a list of failures and successes to come back to in the future.

3. Co-working & Subscription Spaces

Co-working spaces have grown in popularity over the last few years and have seen a significant jump since COVID-19 has caused so many companies to work remotely. If you aren't familiar, co-working spaces are basically large, open office spaces with group and individual desks, printers, office supplies, white/chalk boards, and potentially computers, though workers usually bring those themselves. A constant supply of coffee and snacks doesn't hurt either.

These community office spaces offer a change of scenery and allow for greater focus. It's also a space for collaboration between members of the same organization and thought-provoking discussions with other workers sharing your space. Co-working spaces are also appealing to short-term business travelers that may only be with you for a few days.

Don't make the mistake of assuming a hotel room furnished with office furniture and amenities can be substituted for a co-working space. Many digital nomads and business travelers like to have a dedicated space where they can focus on work and a separate space they return to when it's time to unwind and sleep. Even a small room with sturdy desks, comfortable chairs, and free coffee can go a long way in convincing digital nomads to stay with you.

In fact, Marriott is now offering a "Day Pass" to cater to this market. The benefits of having a distraction free place to work on your projects and get caught up is huge. Plus the hotels benefit since housekeeping is a breeze, assuming the guest doesn't use the shower or bed.

Marriott came to this conclusion by surveying 400 business professionals in the U.S. Many had a desire to break up the day-to-day monotony and had no boundary between work and their personal life among other pain points as a result of the pandemic. Another report found that 56% of the U.S. workforce hold a job that is compatible (at least partially) with remote work and that a 2016 Gallup poll found that 43% of the workforce works at home at least some of the time. As this pandemic unfortunately drags on, many remote workers will seek out alternatives to the home office.

While working from home has its advantages consider providing a similar subscription offer to your local community. Perhaps your property is a solution for the burnt out apartment employee. Consider creating a facebook ad targeting these afflicted with this dilemma.

Catering your messaging to your niche will result in greater ROI

4. Specific Amenities

Digital nomads typically look for different amenities compared to vacationers and typical travelers. If you want to attract more digital nomads, consider upgrading the desks in some of your rooms. Guests looking to work while staying with you won't stay long if all they are given is a small, wobbly desk.

Consider the office chair as well. When you are looking to upgrade your office chairs, buy just one first. Sit in it for 4-5 hours. Is it uncomfortable after 45 minutes? Does it give you a stiff back? Do you think you could focus for several hours in a row while sitting in this chair? If you find the chair and desk less than comfortable, so will guests.

Make sure that your rooms have plenty of outlets easily accessible for plugging in computers, tablets, phones, and any other equipment. Remember, digital nomads sometimes work long hours and will need to be using and charging different devices simultaneously.

Consider including other office items like filing cabinets or shelving to help keep digital nomads organized and happy during their stay.

Along these same lines, digital nomads in a covid world need options for dining. Many smaller properties or apt-hotels have embraced the work from anywhere trend by providing amenities you might find in a kitchen. Adding a kitchenette doesn't have to require an expensive remodel. Many properties get by with a Mini-fridge, Microwave and a hot plate.

If these kitchen items aren't suitable at your property, consider coupons to support local restaurants or an uber eats credit.

Catering your messaging to your niche will result in greater ROI

5. Long-term Incentives

A study produced by All the Rooms Analytics found that the average length of stay in the U.S. more than doubled according to AirBnB. Just because digital nomads can change locations frequently doesn't mean they will. If given a reason to stay, digital nomads will often stay a month or longer at a single hotel or rental property. Why? Because staying benefits them in some way. The most common way hoteliers incentivise longer stays is by offering discounts, some going as far as to offer stay 10 nights and get one night free. This can be effective, but cost is rarely the deciding factor for digital nomads. They crave unique, novel experiences.

Offer weekly or monthly excursions. You can even promote them as add-ons or experiences that can be purchased with their reservations. Offer free food delivery for stays of longer than 2 weeks or a month. Show digital nomads that no matter how long they stay with you, there's always something new and interesting going on. Hotels are rarely set up to incentivize longer stays (upwards of a month), but finding out what you can offer digital nomads in experience and convenience can pay dividends.

6. Revisit Restrictions

Do you restrict pets at your property? Consider being less pet restrictive. Campgrounds have this advantage over hotels because pet parents can bring their fur-babies with them as they work from anywhere. Many campgrounds have dog parks or large grassy areas for dogs. Hotels can struggle to have those pet friendly spaces.

Once more, according to KOA's Chief Marketing Officer, Whitney Scott, one thing their campgrounds are investing in are Every-age playgrounds or Pocket Parks. These inclusive community areas are natural gathering places where adults play pickleball while children swing on the monkey bars. How can you be less restrictive and cast a wider net to all ages to ensure your capturing the limited number of travelers?

Conclusion

Keep these things in mind as you position yourself for success in 2021 and beyond. Investing in changes to appeal to remote workers is a low risk proposition. This trend has seen steady growth over the last 10 years and was accelerated due to the pandemic. Companies that allowed their employees to work from home might see the benefits of such an arrangement and continue these practices long after the pandemic has subsided. In fact, a typical employer can save about eleven thousand dollars a year per person who works remotely half of the time. And employees save too on gas and other expenses.

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