For many smaller towns, the reliance of tourists is critical for the longevity of many businesses.
While there will no doubt be particular types of products and services that need to be more aware of peak/off-peak times of the year, is there still an importance placed on tourism alone?
When I caught up with business owner Kelly Goltz of Kiki – The Hippie Shop on the Self Starter Podcast, Kelly mentioned that her store had not been impacted by the colder months, where tourists generally would not be in the area.
I put a lot of this down to Kelly’s focus on serving the local community as well as being prepared for when holiday makers came to the area. Kelly was not only providing a shopping attraction for tourists, but also a shopping opportunity for people that live in the area all year round and would normally have to travel distances to find similar products and services.
With the expansion of opportunities to connect with others online, many businesses are mitigating the risks around off-peak seasons by providing paid services and online shopping options to other communities around the country and around the world. For someone who might sell an item that is generally used in the warmer months of the year, there are now opportunities to market themselves to other areas of the world who may find value during their own summer periods.
Everyone’s story is different and the reliance on holiday makers will be determined on what your business is, however with the ability to service not only your local community but anyone in the world, the days of businesses drying up in off-peak seasons could be coming to an end.
Have you run a business that’s relied on certain times of the year to stay afloat? Did you find ways around it? What would you do to protect and plan ahead for those possibly quiet periods? I’d love to know!