Reading time: 4 minutes
Recently, the concept of a pet-friendly hotel has grown significantly, not just in Brazil, but worldwide. With more and more people treating their pets as family members, the demand for pet-friendly establishments has increased considerably. According to a survey by the Brazilian Pet Products Industry Association (Abinpet), Brazil has the second largest pet population in the world, with around 149 million pets, which makes the pet market a great opportunity for the hotel sector.
In this article, we explore the advantages of turning your hotel into a pet-friendly establishment and the figures that show how this trend is growing.
1. What is a Pet-Friendly Hotel?
A pet-friendly hotel is an establishment that accepts pets and their owners, offering accommodation and services adapted to ensure the comfort of both pets and human guests. This can range from allowing pets to stay in the rooms to providing specific services such as beds, water and food bowls, leisure áreas, and, in some cases, even specialized treatments and services for pets, such as a pet spa.
2. Why Make Your Hotel Pet Friendly?
A. Meeting a Growing New Demand
With the significant increase in pet ownership, there is a growing demand from travelers for pet-friendly accommodation. Many families and individuals don't feel comfortable leaving their pets at home or in specialized pet hotels and prefer to travel with them. Being a pet-friendly hotel means catering to this growing slice of the market.
B. Market differentiation
In the hotel sector, competition is fierce, and having a differentiator is crucial. Making your hotel pet-friendly can be an effective strategy to stand out from the competition, attracting an audience that values this approach. This can give you a competitive edge, especially in regions with a high supply of hotels.
C. Increase Occupancy Rate
Offering a pet-friendly structure can be the key to increasing occupancy rates, especially during vacation seasons or long weekends when many families travel. The fact that they can bring their pets can be the deciding factor in choosing your hotel over another that doesn't offer this possibility.
3. Advantages of Making Your Hotel Pet-Friendly
A. Customer loyalty
Guests who travel with their pets tend to be loyal to hotels that offer good accommodations for their pets. If your hotel offers a positive experience, with quality amenities and services, guests are likely to return and recommend the place to others.
B. Increased Daily Rates
Because of the extra services offered to pets, many pet-friendly hotels charge additional fees, such as special pet rates or exclusive service packages, which can increase the hotel's revenue. This is an opportunity to generate greater profitability without having to make large investments.
C. Marketing and Visibility
Marketing to the pet public has enormous emotional appeal. By adopting the concept of a pet-friendly hotel, you can use this characteristic as a marketing tool, promoting your hotel in specific niches, on social networks, and on specialized tourism platforms. The fact that you are pet-friendly can be a highlight in hotel descriptions on booking sites, increasing your visibility.
4. The growth of this concept in Brazil
In recent years, Brazil has established itself as one of the largest pet markets in the world. According to data from Abinpet, the country's pet market will be worth more than R$50 billion by 2023, with constant annual growth. In addition, more than 30% of Brazilian households have at least one pet. As a result, demand for services and products aimed at pets is on the rise, and this includes the hospitality sector.
A. Expansion of Pet-Friendly Hotels
More and more hotels in Brazil are embracing the pet-friendly concept. In cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, it is common to find hotels that offer this service, attracting tourists who travel with their pets.
5. How to Make Your Hotel Pet-Friendly
A. Necessary adaptations
To make your hotel pet-friendly, you need to make some adaptations to the rooms and common areas. Make sure that the rooms reserved for guests with pets have floors that are easy to clean and resistant to materials. In addition, offers basic items such as pet beds, food and water bowls, and specific areas for pets to exercise.
B. Clear Policies
It's important to establish clear rules for guests who bring their pets. This includes defining what types of animals are allowed, the maximum weight, the areas where pets can circulate, and even restrictions on behavior (excessive barking, for example). Having a transparent policy avoids conflicts and guarantees a peaceful stay for all guests.
C. Extra Services
Offering additional services for pets can be a competitive differentiator. This can include partnerships with local pet shops, a walking service, a pet sitter, and even a little treat for the animal, such as a snack or toy on arrival. These small details can win the hearts of pet owners.
6. Difficulties of Being a Pet-Friendly Hotel
A. Maintenance and Cleaning
Taking in pets can increase the costs of cleaning and maintaining rooms and common areas. Pets can cause dirt or damage, and the hotel must be prepared to deal with this, either with suitable cleaning products or with staff trained to resolve these problems quickly.
B. Conflict with Other Guests
Not all guests like or feel comfortable with animals. To avoid conflicts, it is essential that the hotel demarcates specific areas for pets and advises owners on where animals can circulate. In addition, it is important to maintain good communication with guests who do not travel with pets to ensure a pleasant stay for everyone.
7. The Future of Pet-Friendly Hotels
The pet-friendly concept is constantly expanding, and the trend is for more hotels to adopt this practice in the coming years. With the increase in demand for travel with pets, being a pet-friendly hotel is no longer an option, but a necessity for many establishments that want to remain competitive in the market.
Making your hotel pet-friendly is a strategy that can bring numerous benefits, from increased occupancy rates to customer loyalty. With the growing popularity of pets in Brazil, adapting your hotel to welcome these four-legged guests can be an important differentiator in the market. However, it is necessary to make adaptations and define clear policies to ensure that the experience is a positive one for everyone involved.
Related Articles:
Comments
Post a Comment