1/9/04:
New Book Launched: Starting
& Running a B&B: A Practical Guide to Setting Up and
Managing a Bed and Breakfast Business
by Stewart Whyte with Nigel Jess.
Click
here to order
The growth of Bed
and Breakfast as an accommodation alternative is a success story
unparalleled throughout the Western World and, in particular, The
United Kingdom and Ireland. To meet demand and substantiate Bed and
Breakfast's place in the tourism industry there is now a growing
need for increased knowledge and professionalism among Bed and
Breakfast operators. Far too many are catering for the lower end of
the market when more establishments should be providing better
facilities and service for the ever-growing numbers of discerning
and affluent travellers.
Participation in
tourism can be an exciting lifestyle venture, especially in the Bed
and Breakfast industry. It is relatively easy to enter and has the
potential to be both financially and personally rewarding. The
traditional Bed and Breakfast is a privately owned premises that
offers value for money, accommodation inclusive of breakfast,
quaintness and hospitality, and opportunities for the guest to
exchange ideas with the host and be the recipient of sound, local,
sightseeing advice. In the main, the traditional B&B is a home
where both the host and their guests are sheltered under the same
roof.
The above definition
applies to small hotels, some pubs, and guesthouses that have no
more than eight serviced bedrooms and is current throughout the
United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
The conceptional
focus, however, is placed on the personal interaction and assistance
the host provides to the guest and not just the bricks and mortar
content. This is what forms the true intrinsic value of Bed and
Breakfast accommodation.
As aside from the
interest in entering the market as a proprietor, there is increasing
interest by the public in staying in B&Bs while touring, or as a
viable short break holiday option. With this rise in popularity,
however, come expectations and that is what we discuss in this book.
Current trends show
that changes in the workplace could be one of the main contributors
to the high level of interest in becoming a Bed & Breakfast
operator. Another influential factor is the growth of the short
break holiday market. Those who take short break holidays
historically prefer this form of accommodation.
It is important to
remember, however, that knowledge is not an end in itself. You must
use the knowledge gained from this publication as a resource and
stepping stone to achieve your goals and aspirations. The main
message is that the research you need to do to make your B&B a
success must be personal to you and your market.
Starting &
Running a B & B - A practical guide to setting up and managing a
Bed and Breakfast has been assembled by a team of experienced
researchers and operators who have carefully studied the
practicalities and the needs of people who are either in the
industry or wishing to enter it. In constructing the book we have
tried to avoid duplication of material that exists in other training
manuals and how-to publications, preferring to concentrate on that
which is directly applicable to the industry. We have gathered
up-to-date information from industry leaders and practitioners, both
nationally and internationally, to give the reader a source of
information, which reflects the practicalities and requirements
necessary for the successful Bed and Breakfast operator.
All of these issues
are significant, but professionalism is the most important. This
book will reinforce the need to seek professional advice in the
early stage of your venture and give you an insight into the level
of professionalism you need to consider in order to be a success in
this business.
Good luck on your
venture!
Stewart
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here to order
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