Put your hands up if you believe that sustainability should be a core part of your business. Now keep your hand up if you are already implementing sustainable actions.

How did you do?

This is just a snippet of my conversation with Bob Garner, another speaker at this year’s Direct Booking Success Summit, starting on the 27th of September.

Bob owns and operates Casal dei Fichi, six holiday apartments in Le Marque Italy. His other passion is that he spends a lot of time on environmental issues. Trying to persuade our industry to adopt sustainable practices and attract and retain guests who are looking to stay sustainably.

Topics discussed:

• Environmentally-friendly holidays
• 300 pizza parties
• Sustainable rebuild in Italy
• The impact of sustainability
• Persuading the travel industry on sustainability
• Net zero by 2050
• Tourism declares a climate emergency
• What direct booking success means to Bob

CONNECT WITH Jenn Boyles:

Website: https://directbookingsuccess.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/directbookingsuccess

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennboyles/

CONNECT WITH Bob Gardner:

Website: https://www.casaldeifichi.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-garner-%E2%93%A5%F0%9F%8C%B3-75a73727/

Join me at the virtual Direct Booking Success Summit (27-29 September 2022). Get on the waitlist – https://www.directbookingsuccesssummit.com

Ep#11 - Pizza parties and sustainability with Bob Garner

[00:00:14] Bob: Hi Jenn, thanks for the invite.

Can we start by asking you to introduce yourself?

[00:00:33] Jenn: brilliant. And you've got the other side of your business. Don't you too.

Well, it's not really the other side of a business.

It's just a passion that I spend a lot of time on, environmental issues—so trying to persuade our industry to adopt sustainable practices and attract and retain clients looking to stay sustainably.

In Italy. And it's an area of Italy that I don't know much about. I have not been there. So you'll have to tell us.

Yeah. And we were spending our excess money on taking lots of holidays to de-stress. So-called stressful lives. Right. And he came to the point. Yeah. It went to the fact that we said, let's change our lives. And then we don't. So stress,

Every day. The holiday. Yeah.

So, I eventually settled on holiday apartments and wanted to move to Italy. We found this area through a friend, Le Marche is not well known, and it was even less well known 15 years ago when we moved here. Oh, But it's a beautiful part of Italy, near Umbria and Tuscany on the Adriatic coast.

Opposite Croatia. And so we found an old farmhouse that had been abandoned for 30 years in a field of mud. Oh goodness. And created these apartments out of it over a couple of years. And then, we started in the holiday rental business, which we love, so we live on site and host our guests. We see them daily, look after them, and ensure they have a wonderful, environmentally friendly, gorgeous holiday.

They’re all; they’re all one bedroom. And each has a sofa bed in the living room. It's funny. We never really thought it would be family-friendly that people would want to come.

And in the early part, on the late part of the season, it is mainly coupled, but in July and August, it's rammed with families. Right. But they've got the kids in the sofa bed and the, to work well. Yes. They're huge departments. Yeah.

[00:03:35] Bob: Well, we try, we try to be, yeah, we have our own little space, so we're not, you know, cheap by with them.

Right. And we, you know, we host, you know, for us the most enormous fun or enjoyment of it is the hosting is the time spent with guests. So we get, we spend much time with our guests. We see them every day. You know, we talk to them about what they're looking for, point them in the right direction.

We have a pizza party once a week because we have an old brick pizza oven in the garden. So we make the dough and bring out all the ingredients and the wine every Monday. We host a pizza party, and they all get to put out their pizzas in the oven, have a few glasses of wine, and get to know their fellow guests and us.

So. We love it. That's amazing.

[00:04:25] Bob: yeah, we've done 300 pizza parties. So have. Yeah. Oh, oh my goodness. Oh, well, it's an excellent way to break the ice and get to know the guests.

[00:04:38] Bob: that idea? Well, the oven was there, and we wanted to find a way of bringing people together at the beginning of the holiday.

And we thought, oh, well, why not do pizzas? And, you know, Jen, what's interesting is it breaks the ice. You see the diff. Notice the difference in the conversations and the connections before the pizza party when they arrived. And then the next day, after the pizza party, they're all going off to the beach together, in the pool, or to a restaurant and making connections.

And it's funny, many of our guests have, have stayed in touch and coordinated their return visit for the same time they've met here. Oh, oh, isn't that great? So, yeah, we're one, one big happy family.

That we're all wanting to get. So, why Italy? What was it that drew

You? Have I been to Italy many times? It was a tossup between, to be honest, it was a tossup between Italy and France, but I've had so many bad experiences with food in France being vegan. I'm not going there because the French doesn’t like vegans.

Yeah. Yeah. I could see there would be some problems there. I could see the problems there. And where does the, where does the, I was going to say the love of sustainability, but that's not quite right.

Where does the interest come with sustainability? And maybe you can talk to us. What do you do there to make it a green venture?

Yeah. Okay. It started when we decided we would set up the business and had to rebuild the old farmhouse; it had been empty for 35 years. It was just shit and straw on the floor.

The roof was all in the field of mud. Snakes are living there, trees growing out of it, da, da you know, a big, big project to fix. So it made sense at that point to decide about some things that we wanted to implement from the beginning, and eco-friendly was, you know, top of the list. Not that we had a great deal of experience before that with sustainability, but it was something that we knew that was coming, that we knew that we needed to deal with.

And that was the time to get started. And you know, I talk to people all the time when I'm trying to get hosts and property managers to grasp the sustainability net. I tell them you don't have to do everything at once. We didn't. We started with just a few small initiatives, a few things we could easily do that didn't cost too much money.

And we learned, as I say this all the time, that it's a virtuous circle. You take some action; you see the results because of it. Impacts on your branding. It impacts your marketing. It affects your guests returning on the reviews you get on the referrals you get on the direct bookings you get.

I can’t stop because it's so addictive. And that's, all it is is you take some steps, you see the result, you see the bottom line result, you know the effect on the guest, you see the impact on the planner, and then you go, Hmm, I'll do some more of that. And it's, that's how it started. And it's carried on like; now we have a very sustainable business.

We. I know over 30 initiatives in our business; they’re on our website. People could take a look at those. And, but it's just come. It's just evolved over the years, as we've, as we've learned, as we've understood more about the climate emergency, looked at what other people have done, and copied them.

We've created some new initiatives ourselves. We've listened to what the guests have said, and we’ve implemented everything. And it's, it's an evolving story when you it's, there's no end to it because there's always more that you can do. But you know, we are passionate about it and, and now I try and spend time talking to the industry and trying to persuade the the industry to adopt this and, and do it because it's good for the planet.

It's suitable for the guests, and it's good for your business. So it's a win, win, win. Yes, definitely.

And then they realise that this is actually something that is good for the planet and, they hadn't even taken that into consideration at the beginning. So it's good. I know you were helping conferences and events like the direct booking success summit. That's coming up in September, helping us be more green and sustainable. I was, maybe you can share re. With everyone, because I was pretty, shocked when you told me that there was a carbon footprint, even though our event is online.

Cause you think of a conference where you're flying to it. Of course, there's an impact there, the paper, the, you know, the goody bags, all that kind of stuff. But I'm thinking online, I'm in the clear, but there's still a bit of work to do. It isn’t there.

Yes. So when we got ourselves established with the eco side in our business, you know, We brand the business clearly about being eco. It’s on our website, it's in our marketing, it's in our emails, it's in our touch day guide, which I would like to give a, a shout out to because touch day has got an amazing eco aspect to their guide that I help them create.

And so that people who use touch day can get up and running quickly with, with, promoting eco in, in your guide. Other guides are available. Love it.

But we got talking to the guests, and each time, we talk to guests, we don't nag them or preach to them, but we gently introduce sustainability, and they see it in action on our property. They see it in the. Plastic-free policy in the, who gives a crap toilet paper in the organic garden, in the car charger in the solar panels, et cetera, et cetera, etcetera.

And they, and they ask us about this, and then they go home. And sometimes they come to contact us again and say, Hey, just want to let you know. We've just planted an organic garden, or we've got rid of you single-use plastic, and that's really a buzz because yeah, we've made a tiny difference to their learning and development and implementation of sustainability.

So that was great. And, we love that and we do that all the time. But then I concluded that wasn't enough and that I wanted actually to be talking to our industry. And this is why I got talking blogging, writing interviews, et cetera, five years ago to try and promote sustainability because in our industry, there were so few people talking about it.

Because 8% of local greenhouse gases come from tourism, so our industry has a role to play. So then I'm, I'm talking to all our industry and trying to persuade people. I have one on one conversations. It's not a business; I’m a volunteer. I do it. Because I'm passionate about it. And I'm having these one-on-one conversations, but ultimately it was unsustainable to have these one-on-one conversations with hosts of property managers though.

I still do it because there are hundreds of thousands out there. And that's why I came up with the idea of green VR events because it seemed to me that the, our events and conferences in our industry in, short term rentals of which there are about 45, they are the gatekeepers to, to the broader community.

If we can persuade the conferences to be green, and to agenda green speakers and have sustainability front and centre in their meetings, we can communicate with thousands or tens of thousands of people much more easily. And so it's, for that reason, I created green VR events, which is an education program for event organisers.

I give them a playbook of 25 actions they can take to be green. We've had a number who've come on board already. Yourselves, the book direct show, vacation rental will summit. Hostfully and others, mm-hmm , but there's still plenty more to go. Yeah. But once we get those events green and we get talking about sustainability at these events, it seems that that's a great gateway to open up that conversation and reach a much wider community because they have much more reach than I do as an individual.

And so it was for that reason I established green VR events, and I've started talking at some of these events now and speaking about what the possibilities can do, but also, most importantly, what the delegates can do. And if I may, I'd like to give you one example, definitely the the challenge that we have are we speaking at the scale rentals conference in Barcelona a few weeks ago?

Every single person, 150 of them, stayed standing. Wow. Great. Wow. Second question, though. Yeah. Now stay standing. If you've already implemented some sustainability practices into your business, 95% of them sit down. Wow. So the great learning there, and if they are typical of our industry, there's no reason to assume that they're not the learning for me.

And hopefully, for them is that there's a massive gap between our aspirations of wanting to do something and our ability or our time actually to do it. and I'm constantly talking to people and they are so bewildered around sustainability. and I try and cut through the mist, cut through the fog and get them to where they need to be because.

Confused. They do nothing inertia sets in and we've got to get them moving and get them taking some small steps. We don't want half a dozen people in our industry doing it perfectly. We want 95% of people doing it imperfectly because the impression and the impact will be so much more. So, that's my challenge to the industry and that's what I'm trying to do.

and we've got a long way to go, but, i'm playng my part.

[00:16:21] Bob: Yeah. And Jen, Jen, if I could just say, I wish it wasn't, so I wish the first person you came up with somebody.

Because that would mean we were, we were getting somewhere that you should be able to come up with 10 or 20 people in an industry doing it when we get to that stage, I'll be satisfied.

And is there anything that maybe we could share with, those wanting to attend? Anything we can do to, to sort of cut that down?

one of the things. The host of the conference can do, and individuals can do in their private life or in their business is see if they can have their servers. whoever is hosting your servers, that they are supported by green energy. And there's a website called green web foundation. And maybe we can put a link to it in the show notes.

They're using a green energy supplier. If they're. or, or if it's your own business, it might just be your own business or your own home. the thing to do then is speak to your energy supplier, and say, do you have a green tariff? I would like to move to a green tariff. It won't cost you any more money, but your money is then going to fund renewable energy.

It's going into wind power. It's going into solar, and it's going into, wave power. And so what you need to be doing is going onto a green energy tariff because your energy is by far the biggest part of your footprint. If you can deal with the energy you are, you know, 60, 70% of, of the way there.

So that's one of the real biggies that you can do.

So I have done that. I just can't. Prove it all to you. because I host I'm a reseller of hosting or something like that. I understand. But yeah. So that's great. So we're, we're on our way.

If you pay the bill, check it out and, and talk to your host and. That's

[00:19:49] Bob: Yep. I have a finger in a few pies.

[00:19:53] Bob: them? At can indeed. Yeah.

So I'm a volunteer outreach coordinator for tourism declares, a climate emergency. It was set up, two and a half years ago. And the principle behind it was that our industry tourism had no unified voice, no, coordinated approach. No, serious, activity around moving to the green agenda. as I was saying, tourism accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gases, but most businesses in tourism.

And of course, when we're talking tourism, it's not short term rentals, it's cruises, it's airlines. It's, it's anything to do with tourism. Most of those organizations are not yet tackling the climate emergency. They're not looking at. Emissions and trying to reduce them. And so the idea behind tourism declare.

Was to get businesses, any business in tourism to declare if I'm an emergency to put a statement on their website, to that effect, you'll find a, a copy on my website, cuz I'll be peeking and then to put the climate action plan together over the year, which would, would be what you as an individual business can do to move from where you are to where you need to be.

Now of course, for some businesses that can take a year, two years, five years, 10. There's no prescription there. It's doing it at the pace. That's right. For your business, for your environment. Because there are so many different businesses in tourism. And I specialize in the short term mentals because it's the area I know.

So that those are the people I talk to and help them get on that path and get thinking towards reducing their emissions because you know, we've all gotta play our part in society. Well, we can't just leave it to governments to do that. It's. That isn't gonna work business and industry also needs to play its part and tourism's certainly got a role to play there.

so yep. Tourism declares is, thriving and, and a part of a wider network, and trying to persuade tourism to take the right steps. and although it might seem like a long number. Steps that you have to take. As I always say to people, just take the first two or three steps and review you don't get overwhelmed by thinking you've gotta do everything straight away.

the booking.com survey that comes out every year. This year, we're saying that 78% of consumers are looking to stay green accommodation, 78%, but a lot of those of, of your audience and, and the people I speak to can't attract those people because they haven't yet moved. To the green agenda and started to green their business.

I can guarantee. Yeah, because this is

You're saying about the property managers that all stood up. I can't, I don't know if you would ask anybody if they don't think sustainability is important and you know, the climate, the ongoing climate emergency that we have found ourselves in, but yeah, it's that. Okay, well, how do I start? Where do I go?

You know, so I, well, I applaud you for what you're doing, because I know you're not, you don't get paid for this. It is a voluntary position. And, and I think it's great. And I, you know, I take your point that you wish there was a lot more of you out there doing the same thing. And I think in time there will be indeed.

You know, people will like to jump onto a trend if you will. And if you can call our climate emergency a trend, there will people that will be jumping on board of it. Definitely any, any other, organizations that you're working with right now.

That's really, an umbrella of tourism declares. and we're also working with a group of people in our industry. I was, Moderating the panel at the short say summit in London, back in may. And we've collected a group of, individuals in our industry, to try and brainstorm what we can do to move our industry forward, to kick it up the ass and get it where it needs to be.

and all I can say on that one is, is watch this space as we develop some, some ideas. oh, that's brilliant. Knocking them around at the moment. Yeah.

But when you're a property manager and say, you've got 50 plus, and you don't own those places, you've got owners involved and you know, so many more pieces to that puzzle. It starts to get harder to move that needle. Doesn't it.

They've started branding, their properties that are eco-friendly, with a badge on, on their website. Mm-hmm and their early data is saying that there's been a, a significant uptick in the click through rate and through to book rate for those properties, with the eco badge, compared to those on their website, with which don't have the eco badge.

So that's a demonstration that people are interested in eco and therefore it can be great for your business. And so I would be saying to prop, if I were a property manager, mm-hmm with, properties that I managed, I would be talking to the owners of those properties saying. If you are looking for more business, start to implement some eco initiatives in your property, we will then brand you as eco.

and then the, the inquiries will root through us to you. Yeah. And you will get more weeks sold. And, and that seems to be the facts and how it works. So, you know, let's, I always say, I don't care how people come to this. Yeah. Whether they come because they wanna save the planet or they come to it cuz they wanna make money.

Let's get you on that road and get you eco and get you making some more money. and that's gonna be great for every.

[00:27:12] Bob: yes. I certainly am.

So I'll give you a little taster if you

[00:27:19] Bob: wrote gonna give you just one stat. Brilliant on my business. And, and my business is that we have a 90 plus percent direct booking of my business. And we use very little of the OTAs. And a lot of that is to do with sustainability.

Obviously there are other factors involved, but it's to do with sustainability. and I think that's a high rate in our industry. and I put that down to how we manage our business sustainably. And there's no reason to assume that it, the, the people listening to this podcast and the people who be on the.

Can't do the same. I'm not the cleverest person in the world, so if I can do it, they can do it.

[00:28:11] Bob: I'm looking to talking of course. And, and I'm also looking to engaging with, with the, the audience.

And I hope that will happen, but I'm also list looking forward to learning, because I always think at these summits, you know, there are so many things to learn and I often have my head down thinking about sustainability. So, it's gonna be nice to. Here, some other techniques, tips, suggestions, ideas around direct booking and marketing.

And I'm hoping that I'm gonna learn quite a lot because you know, you never stop learning in this industry. There's always so much more to pick up on and you've got some really bright and intelligent people speaking plus me. So it should be great.

So here it comes. What does direct booking success mean to

Shouting it from the rooftops, one example I would give probably most people have heard of green washing where people pretend they're doing things. Eco-friendly when they're not really doing it, but there's another expression. Green hushing. green hushing and that's where you are doing stuff and not talking about it.

It's crazy. Yeah. If you're doing eco stuff, whatever you're doing, shout it from the rooftops. Talk to people, blog about it, get it on your website, you know, sing it from the streets if you need to, because you need to be telling people if people don't know what you are doing, they're not gonna come to you.

So direct bookings for me are about really singing about what we are doing and then the customer finds. And they come back and back and back. mm-hmm because, you know, we've got a 65% repeat rate. people come every year because they're like what they're finding. Yeah.

Okay. That's what we need is that combination. Isn't it? It's bringing everybody back.

[00:30:48] Jenn: brilliant. Well, I can't wait to come for a pizza party. That's definitely on my list. So can you tell us Bob, where people can find you.

Yes. LinkedIn, I'm always there. I'm always talking to people, so that's always great.

[00:31:22] Bob: Okay. My. Take care. Bye.