The Welcome Pack,
small cares,
but great impacts

The « Welcome Pack » or « Kit de Bienvenue » in French are the elements, the little gifts that you offer to your holidaymakers as a welcome when they arrive at your home. Very common practice among our friends across the Atlantic, it remains however little used by many vacation rental owners.

The Welcome Pack for your vacation rental

In a business as competitive as vacation rentals, going further is the key to success. First of all, send your guests an e-mail a few days before your stay with information about yourself, simply introduce yourself, ask them how they intend to join your rental, possibly propose a transfer service…. Even if your reservation comes from an OTA (Booking.com, Airbnb…) systematically ask for their email address to communicate directly.

Then, only a few days before their arrival, send them another email with the link to your Welcome Guide (that you will have previously filled in with their name, their stay…). They will then have plenty of time to consult it during their journey to your home. You create a bond of trust and welcome with your customers.

On their arrival, immediately after having carried out the check-in formalities and specified your house rules, welcome them without delay by offering them your Welcome Pack. It is important to show them in person, so that they realize that it is YOU who is offering.

So, what does a Welcome pack contain for an ideal vacation rental? It all depends on the time and budget you wish to spend on it, of course. However, we believe that the recipe for the perfect welcome gift, large or small, combines practical and emotional elements. That means a mix of essentials and something special that only you can find.

The purpose of this article is to help you find ways to find the best items you can include in your Welcome Pack.

The essential, but always personalized

Indeed, there are no miracle & universal recipes, but when you think about practicality, it is easy to conclude that you should not lock yourself into a standard. For example, you all know, as we all do, that not all arrival times are the same, and that the season and climate can influence the immediate needs of each group of vacationers.

A late arrival may impact the impossibility of doing their first food shopping for necessities (shops closed at this time). Think, if this is the case, to adapt by offering them the necessary elements to eat on the evening of their arrival (fresh bread, bottle of water, milk, pizza, pasta, fruit juice, fresh fruit …) with at the same time the ingredients so that they can have breakfast the next day (bread, coffee, tea, jam).

Also adapt your Welcome Pack with the season. In winter, if your region is cold, offer a hot chocolate, some local pastries or your own made, or fresh bread and jam for a good snack. On the other hand, if your customers arrive in the middle of summer, it might be wise to compose your Welcome Pack with a basket of cold drinks, local beers or a tube of sunscreen.

Know the reason for their stay

When you start a dialogue with your customers (either pre-booking or post-booking), you will have the reason for their trip (if not, you can always ask them!). It could be a couple celebrating their honeymoon, a group of friends celebrating a birthday or a family trip, including young children. The more personalized the welcome gift, the happier your guests will be.

If your guests are on a romantic trip, try adding touches such as a bottle of wine or champagne, a bouquet of fresh flowers or sensual bath oils. If they’re celebrating an important birthday, leave them a few things for a fun party, as well as candles and ingredients to make a cake. If your guests are families with children, you can add colouring books, toys or bedtime stories to your welcome basket for hours of fun.

Always think local

Customers book with you for a reason – they are interested not only in your property, but also in its location. Whether you’re by the sea, in the mountains, in the city or in the country, there are always local specificities. Take the opportunity to establish business ties with some of the local merchants in your area to offer typical products from your home in your Welcome Pack. This could be soaps, handmade chocolate or a typical cheese from the region. Honey, jam or traditional pasta, local sweets, a bottle of local wine… We are convinced that your region has many assets. Travellers love it.

Take the opportunity to surprise them with a small selection of souvenirs that they can take home with them. However, if you’re thinking of adding these items to your welcome basket, don’t limit yourself to a trousseau containing the city’s most touristy symbol. Instead, choose more original souvenirs. For example, if wildlife is very characteristic of your area, add a small stuffed animal or a magnet of the most famous species. On top of that, postcards are always a hit, with everything that makes your region unique compared to other destinations.

Take the opportunity to surprise them with a small selection of souvenirs that they can take home with them. However, if you are considering adding these items to your welcome basket, don’t limit yourself to a trousseau containing the city’s most touristy symbol. Instead, choose more original souvenirs. For example, if wildlife is very characteristic of your area, add a small stuffed animal or a magnet of the most famous species. On top of that, postcards are always a hit, with everything that makes your region unique compared to other destinations.

Don’t forget that these small souvenirs, such as key rings for example, may seem very kitsch from your point of view, but for vacationers coming for the first time to your city, your country, it’s a little attention from you that will remain engraved in their minds.

Offer unique experiences

Not to mention systematically offering everything, you also have the possibility to negotiate with local companies / artisans, discounts so that your customers can live original experiences (cooking classes, workshop visits, meals in a typical restaurant of the region). Airbnb is developing more and more this micro-experience side, why not you? It also allows you to create links with your local economic environment, which in return will also be able to send you live customers.

In conclusion

A good Welcome Pack does not mean big expenses! Always target it according to the profile of your guests and the reason for their trip. Always know how to surprise with your personality, always in harmony with your rental property and the region in which you are located. Whatever the nature of your Welcome Pack, always attach importance to its presentation. It is always a great start for your customers to leave you good comments.