Maximizing Off-Season Travel: Essential Tips for Hospitality Professionals
When you work in the hospitality industry, you may feel like every season is a “busy season.” From the summer rush of tourists to the winter rush of the holidays, there’s always a reason for people to travel. But what about the off-season? Many hotels, resorts, and other hospitality venues experience a decline in business during certain times of the year. Instead of seeing this as a negative, hospitality professionals can turn this time into an opportunity to optimize and prepare for the next peak-season. In this blog post, we’ll explore some valuable tips to help you make the most of your off-season.
- The off-season is an ideal time to tackle any maintenance projects that might be challenging to accomplish during peak times. You can ensure that all appliances and equipment are in top-notch condition by conducting thorough inspections, repairs, and replacements as needed. This proactive approach will help prevent unexpected issues when the crowds return, and save you stress in the long run.
- If your property is in need of an update, consider scheduling renovations or redesigning during the off-season. This not only enhances the guest experience but allows you to showcase a fresh look when the next wave of travelers arrive. Exertis Almo can be your trusted partner for sourcing high-quality appliances and furniture to give your property a modern, appealing makeover.
- Invest in your staff during the off-season by offering training and skill-development programs. Equip your team with the latest industry knowledge, customer service techniques, and technological advancements to ensure they provide exceptional service when the property gets busy again.
- Use the off-season to refine and plan your marketing strategy. Analyze past campaigns, gather guest feedback, and identify opportunities for improvement. Consider developing special promotions or packages that would persuade travelers to book during slower periods. Collaborate with Exertis Almo to explore innovative ways to showcase your property’s amenities through professional audio-visual equipment.
- Explore the possibility of diversifying your services during the off-season. For example, if you run a beachfront resort, consider offering winter sports packages or hosting corporate events. By expanding your offerings, you can tap into new markets and generate revenue year-round.
- Connect with local businesses and form partnerships that can benefit both parties. Collaborations with nearby restaurants, tour operators, or other event venues can lead to cross-promotion opportunities, providing added value to your guests and your own venue.
- Take a deep dive into your property’s operations. Are there any inefficiencies that need to be addressed? Can you streamline processes to enhance guest satisfaction? Use this time to review and optimize all aspects of your business, from check-in procedures to housekeeping protocols.
- Consider implementing eco-friendly initiatives during the off-season. Installing energy-efficient appliances, reducing waste, and adopting sustainable practices not only benefit the environment but also appeal to eco-conscious travelers, giving your property a competitive edge.
- Invest in your online presence by updating your website, refreshing your social media profiles, and actively engaging with past and potential guests on review platforms. A strong online presence can attract more bookings when travel demand picks up again.
- Finally, use the off-season to review your past financial performance. Plan for the year ahead by budgeting, forecasting, and securing financing (if necessary). This can help ensure your property is financially prepared for the upcoming season.
Don’t hibernate this off-season — plan, update, and incorporate! It’s your opportunity to lay the foundation for a successful peak season. By focusing on maintenance, renovation, training, marketing, and strategic planning, you can emerge stronger and more prepared to meet the demands of travelers. And when it comes to sourcing appliances, electronics, furniture, and housewares, we provide top-quality products that enhance your property’s appeal. Invest in your off-season and watch your hospitality venue thrive year-round!
First, we’ll begin with understanding the difference between communication and effective communication. Communication can easily be described or broken down as the 
Being that I am now 42 years old and have worked in Telecom and AV for the better part of 2 decades, I have 12+ trips to Las Vegas completed and feel like I know what to expect each time I fly into Harry Reid International Airport. First, it was the annual DIRECTV Revolution Conference, then it was Channel Partners, followed by InfoComm in alternating years. As I have explained to my wife (who has never been), I feel like the mystique of Las Vegas wears off after the first or second trip out there. However, when I was approached back in 2019 with the chance to attend my first ever JBL Fest, I felt the type of excitement as if I had never been there and was eager to experience a new list of firsts. Unfortunately, a family health scare cancelled my trip that year and 2 years-worth of a Pandemic further delayed my first JBL Fest until 2022. Having enjoyed last year as much as I did, I still felt a certain sense of the “exciting unknown” when I was invited to attend again this year. Along with our Exertis Almo Incentive Winners – Josh Taylor, Kyle Smith, Randy Robinovitch, and Ray Farler, I headed out to Las Vegas and made sure to document JBL Fest 2023 for all of you!
Landing Las Vegas, you are almost immediately greeted by hosts holding “JBL Fest” signage at the baggage claim area and are ushered to a waiting shuttle (aka a rather swanky party bus) which took us to the Park MGM where we would be staying for the next 2 days. Surprise #1 on this trip was while I was checking in and I lift my head to notice Kevin Humphrey, Harman Distribution Manager (and close friend), standing next to me. I have always said that I am only as successful as those around me, so to be able to share this experience with someone deserving like Kevin made the event that much more rewarding. We then walked to the Hospitality Suite where I received a welcome packet and the “infamous” JBL Fest Swag Bag. This year, the bag contained several JBL branded items such as water bottles and hand sanitizer, but the highlight was the customized pair of JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds. If you are not familiar with these, they are JBL’s newest noise cancelling earbuds which were featured in WIRED’s Best of CES 2023. Spatial Audio, wireless charging, and a first of its kind touch display on the charging case make these anything but your typical earbuds. I had to open and pair them with my phone the second I got to my room! Once we got to the complimentary lunch, I was able to meet with our team as well as with Frank Joseph and Whitney Bosch from the Harman marketing team as we game-planned the day and discussed all that was happening.
Next stop was a VIP-access tour of Allegiant Stadium which is where the Las Vegas Raiders play their home games. Seeing as how I just recently took my daughter on a tour of Citizens Bank Park as well as Lincoln Financial Field, this was right up my alley! Aside from going down to the field level and experiencing this newer facility up close, we received some behind the scenes sneak peaks into the A/V which included their control/IT room which housed an impressive 50+ Crown DCI4x1250N amplifiers and multiple BSS Processors amongst other items. Simply standing next to the rack of amps was eye-opening as you realize how much it takes to truly power that type of operation. While we didn’t get up close to the speakers, we did learn it was the JBL VLA Series of Line Array Speakers which are typically found in stadium-type applications. Following the tour we had a little downtime before meeting up for the evening welcoming reception at the Hotel, which we were greeted by a team photo opportunity and another swag bag complete with a custom JBL Fest Masterclass Bluetooth speaker. This opening event was followed by an even bigger party at the onsite club. Mingling with a diverse group of worldwide influencers and Harman executives is always fun but I was fortunate enough to make my way to the Harman VIP lounge which then led to a once in a lifetime opportunity! Kyle Smith and I were invited into a back room where we met and had a photo opportunity with Lenny Kravitz! To finish things off was a rather surprise appearance from Grammy winning artist Bruno Mars who sang along with some of his biggest hits. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday night!
Waking up on Friday I knew we were in for a long but rewarding day. First off was breakfast which came complete with a Johnny Fly Sunglasses gifting station! You essentially walk up and try on several pairs of high-end sunglasses and then say “ok ill take these”. The wrap them up in a custom JBL case and you are on your way! We then made our way to the Installed Audio Masterclass presented by 
We immediately went to the JBL Stage with VIP access where we all met up for drinks, food, and music. I ventured off while Bebe Rexha was performing and found myself with perfect view of the main stage where an EDM DJ was getting the crowd fired up for the next act. After looking through the street vendors and other areas, I called it a night as I listened to Bebe Rexha perform with special guest Tyler Hubbard (from Florida Georgia Line). The Killers were the headliner of Friday night and through videos I saw from Josh Taylor, it seemed our entire team left the trip on a high note!
Now, suddenly, we are running out of ceiling height to get into that sweet spot of a comfortable viewing angle for our audience. That 110-inch display you just ordered might not allow you to get 48 inches above the finished floor, which means we might have unusable content space when a conference table is in the way or for someone in the back row. An easy fix would be running a 2×1 display wall and using your 55-inch or 65-inch displays to show your desired content. Now, we don’t have the ease or clean aesthetic of one display in your conference room. That is where *shameless plug* something like the Avocor 105-inch 21:9 displays comes into place.
I remember working in the garage as a kid with my dad, and it seemed like 80% of the time we were cleaning up and 20% of the time we were actually working on a project. He would always say, “a clean workspace is a safe workspace!”
For dvLED displays, the site prep requirements are pretty rigid, and for good reason. I’m going to discuss a few universal requirements that you will run into on almost every dvLED project.
