Inns Magazine Issue 3 Vol. 18 Fall Escapes 2014 | Page 6

editor's note

have had a love affair with the innkeeping business

now for 18 years, all the while editing this magazine.

I can’t believe it - it has been that long and is still

wonderful!

Things have changed a great deal in the last 18 years and I’m sure the next 18 years will look much different too.

Mary White of BnBFinder has just written about AirBnb.com and answers a good question in this issue.

Airbnb is a website that allows anyone to offer accommodation from an extra bedroom to an apartment, a cottage and more. I believe in free enterprise, however when approximately 20,000 B&Bs and Inns in North America have paid dues, been inspected, and adhered to regulations, it is hard to let the guy down the street with an extra bedroom cut in on your business. So I think it is time to take a bit of a stand. Lets start promoting the obvious quality - a thing that we have never had to do before.

B&B associations are so important and all B&Bs should become members. They should be using the words ‘Inspected, city approved, state regulated or approved, or provincial member. This should be front and center on everyone’s website. Katie Couric Interviewed Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, whose company is disrupting the hotel business and which plans to dominate all of travel. http://news.yahoo.com/video/beds-breakfasts-billions-025613897.html. Even though Brian Chesky of AirBnb is said to be worth 10 Billion dollars, he still doesn’t own your B&B

B&Bs sell the experience of great coffee and tea, homemade cookies, wine, a lakeside location, gluten free food - all these things are important in making a guest want to stay with you. And I bet that not many travellers on AirBnb are getting those things included in their stay. Innkeeping is easier these days in one sense - the Internet - it finds a lot of customers, even though there seems to be tons of competition out there. Anyone and everyone can open a business online. AirBnb seems to be full-steam-ahead. But there are cities and regions challenging AirBnb strategies and insisting on cease and desist - even engaging in big legal battles. It will all play out in courts. I am a B&B owner too and one of the things my association is embracing is the slogan ‘we don’t charge 5-star pricing but offer a 5-star experience.'

Looking ahead we need to strut our stuff, B&B’s are a wonderful place to stay and make sure no one forgets that!

Standing our

Ground

Mary Hughes, Editor-in-Chief

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