Late bookings frustrate industry

Vermont's travel industry is faced with a trend nationwide in scope. Travelers are booking late. This means properties have to scurry to meet staffing needs often with little advanced notice. Also, they say, it becomes increasingly difficult to make projections for room stays when bookings come in so late.

The problem is several fold. According to the travel industry it has become relatively easy for most people to plan a spur of the moment trip due to the wealth of information available online and the many travel booking web sites on the Internet. Couple this with the ease of obtaining accurate weather forecasts and travelers have, at their fingertips, much of the information they need to plan a quick trip. The third reason for quick travel decision-making is the variety of travel opportunities available to the public. As one hotel manager said, "if it is going to be frigid in Vermont on the weekend, a family can decid at the last minute to go to a resort in Connecticut rather than ski here."

Dave Kaufman who operates Vermont Tourism Network, a private marketing company representing 150 Vermont businesses marketing to professional tour operators who bring tours here, explained the conundrum for the hotels, inns and B&Bs this way: "People do not feel a need today to book nearly as far in advance as they used to."

Kaufman said across the board there is a growing trend toward late and last minute booking.

"People are too busy and too time crunched to look too far ahead," he contends.

Another problem facing the travel industry, according to Kaufman, is a relatively high inventory of accommodations coupled with the fact that travelers have discovered they don't have to book in advance except in very high demand times such as Christmas, and during school vacations.

Then there is the "political factor." According to Kaufman, who has spent 30 years in the travel industry, "people book late because the world is not as settled as it used to be and people are reluctant to make plans too far in advance because things change."

Beyond the economic or political factors are the many more choices available to the traveler. "People have more choices of places to go and they can be more particular about weather," he said.

Kaufman points to all the sophisticated weather forecasting on the Internet making it possible for potential travelers to pick their weekend destination after studying the online forecasts. "With the opportunities out there its easy to make those decisions," he contends.

How does all the late bookings affect the travel industry? According to Kaufman, these trends make deposits, cancellation policies and staffing very challenging. "It's more difficult to forecast what your near term business will be so its much more difficult to plan for."

The effect on restaurants can be especially hard, he said, as "they are greatly challenged, they have to staff up."

Kaufman, who recently attended an industry business conference in Chicago said, "The watchword in the industry is maximum flexibility and working together with others in the industry and with clients."

According to him, what costs the travel industry money is "bad weather, economic downturn and unbridled competition across the country."

But, he noted, "Vermont remains extremely competitive and popular with an all-positive rating."

How come? "We get no negatives at all," he said. "People love Vermont, the image of Vermont is super positive because of the scenery, outdoor attractions, safety, and friendly people."

Kaufman said Vermont is "looked at as a very good place to vacation."

Tim Shea at the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce agrees with Kaufman's assessment. "Industry wide, people are now booking later and later."

He ties this to "the nature of people being busy who find the weather will be nice and decide to hop into the car and go."

Because the Internet has helped travelers check weather and room availability, he believes it is important for LCRCC and the Vermont Convention Bureau, operated by the LCRCC "to have direct access with local businesses to convey current activities and accommodations."

Shea agrees that this new paradigm in travel is challenging. "From the lodging side the forecasting side is a challenge due to the short lead time," he noted.

One way to help both properties and travelers, according to Shea, was at the rest areas on the Interstate near Burlington. Here LCRCC staff monitors room availability and maintains a current list of properties with rooms.

"During peak periods we contact lodging to see who has availability," he said.

Also, the state now has an online system (not open to the public) where lodging establishments can post availability for other chambers of commerce and properties to use.

"We can go to the site to monitor to see who has lodging."

According to Shea, the industry "sees fewer people taking a traditional vacation. They are taking a long weekend and we are in a good position geographically between Montreal, Boston and New York to get this business. People can fly cheaply for a weekend and are doing it," he said.