MEEKER I At the Meeker Lodging Tax board meeting Monday the board discussed the challenges lodging venues are having keeping occupancy rates up consistently.
They discussed what kind of events or marketing have been effective at filling rooms in the past and considered what might be helpful in the future. The board is currently seeking a new member and it needs to be someone who is involved in the lodging industry in the Meeker area. Individuals who wish to apply may contact Dan Schwartz or Melinda Parker.
Why don’t people come and stay here more often? It’s a great place to get away but how do the majority of people looking for a new place to visit find lodging? Statistics say that 57 percent of all travel reservations are made on the internet and 65 percent of same day hotel reservations are made from a smart phone (those numbers are from 2012). If we are not providing these options does that mean that most of our hotels are basically invisible to a majority of our target market?
Here are some questions for further discussion. Why should we help our hotels and how do occupancy rates effect the local economy? How can we help the lodging establishments in our county become more visible and less vacant? Some local community organizations are in the process of discussing some of these questions and working on implementing solutions.
The Herald Times will endeavor keep you updated on the dates and times of public meetings. Please share your thoughts and suggestions with the appropriate entities whenever possible. I plan on helping with this cause, so feel free to contact me if you have questions, comments or suggestions on the subject email [email protected].
