Postpone reservations rather than cancelling
Many larger travel companies (including Airbnb, most airlines and hotels) have adjusted their cancellation policies in light of travel and visa restrictions. Lots of small businesses are now following suit and offering travellers more flexibility. If you do need to postpone your travels, and it’s within your means, why not take the credit option or reschedule for a future date instead of asking for a full refund. This is one of the best ways to help keep a small company afloat.
Be a tourist in your own city
One of the easiest ways to support small businesses in your own community is by filling in the gaps left by international travellers.Of course, you should make a risk assessment and always err on the side of caution when it comes to public outings. If it’s safe to do so, join a walking tour or eat a meal at a popular tourist restaurant. Make the most of the great discounts many businesses are now offering and indulge in a staycation at a guesthouse in your area.Not just right now, but in the short-term future as well. If you’re looking to book a holiday for the next 6-12 months, consider staying close to kick-start your local economy.Keep your membership or subscription
The arts and entertainment sectors are also suffering big time. If you have a membership for your local independent cinema or a subscription to an online travel magazine or website that you’re not able to use right now, consider holding onto it in the interim.
Explore different subscription services in your area. You can support independent wineries that normally rely on in-person guests and shop sales, for example, by signing up for a wine club subscription.If your local museum or gallery is at risk of closing down, consider joining their membership program or even making a donation.Leave a review
Small businesses always appreciate customer feedback – many depend on high ratings to stand out from the competition.Had a great experience or meal pre-Corona but never left a review? Now is the perfect time to revisit their Facebook, Google Maps or TripAdvisor page and leave a heartfelt comment. It only takes a minute to write a positive review, but it’s a lasting testament. Maintaining a good rating will certainly help small businesses recover customers down the track.Engage on social media
Similarly, many independent businesses rely on word of mouth. While in-person marketing is at a minimum and promotional budgets are being cut, social media is one of the only ways businesses can stay engaged.Create a mental checklist (or a spreadsheet) of your favourite local businesses or companies you supported on your last trip and make sure you’re following them on the channels where they’re most active. Liking and Sharing their posts are small actions that all add up.This has the added benefit of helping business owners stay connected to their customer base, which is great for morale.
Pen a personal note
As travellers, we often form bonds with tourism professionals (hosts, guides, drivers) that last long after our trip has ended. If you have a personal connection with a business that’s doing it tough, drop them a personal note to say you’re thinking of them.A short email or private message can go a long way in lifting someone’s spirits. For businesses in remote or rural areas, it also shows that you’re taking notice of their situation and that you care.As soon as we learned about the developing situation in Hanoi, we reached out to a number of businesses we travelled with to lend them our support. All of them were extremely grateful to hear from us.If you have to cancel, write an email
Making the call to cancel or postpone your travel plans can be difficult – I know from personal experience. Can you imagine what it’s like for a guesthouse owner or travel agent who’s now having to process dozens of cancellations every day?If you do have to cancel a reservation, you might like to take a moment to write a short email to the business owner at the same time. If you’re hoping to re-book at a later date, you could mention it.This weekend, we took a few minutes to message all the hosts for our upcoming Airbnb bookings and reassure them that we plan to honour our reservations. The response we got was heartwarming – a little message to put someone’s mind at east at a time when cancellations are pouring in means a lot.Do your holiday/gift shopping now
While it’s primarily the service economy that’s baring the brunt, many makers and producers are suffering too – not only because tourism is drying up, but also because of the economic instability.
Souvenir shops, independent artisans and small-scale makers – anyone who makes products for tourists is probably doing it extra tough. With exports stalled, a lot of fair trade brands that rely on international sales are facing an uncertain future, too.Get organised for Christmas or upcoming birthdays by doing your gift shopping ahead of schedule. Support your favourite local artist or visit a gift shop in your area (in person or online). If you have a favourite souvenir store you visited on your travels and they offer online shopping, why not support them by buying a few items online.In Australia, our Buy From the Bush campaign to prop up rural artisans after the drought and fires was a huge success. I’d love to see a similar movement to help businesses navigate through these ongoing challenges.