44111 IT for Tourism Managers - UniBG “Accommodation & Sharing Economy. Web Guidelines” UniBg...

The “Accommodation & Sharing Economy. Web Guidelines” UniBg 2016-2017 workshop – Final report – page 1

44111 IT for Tourism Managers

The “Accommodation & Sharing Economy. Web Guidelines” 2016-2017 workshop’s approved participants

1. Lara Bellesi Italia 1019618 2nd year

2. Noa Benvenisty Israele 1042426 2nd year 3. Alessia Cimmino Italia 1048462 1st year

4. Rahman Fazl Ur Pakistan 1036897 2nd year 5. Kamila Guessoum Algeria 1048580 1st year

6. Simone Lopatriello Italia 1048314 1st year 7. Sandrine Nkoualong Sandjon Camerun 1048516 1st year

8. Alessandra Vernieri Italia 1048323 1st year 9. Vikas Yadav India 1030699 2nd year

The “Accommodation & Sharing Economy. Web Guidelines” 2016-2017 workshop’s deliverables

The final report as well as the final presentation have been published on the Web on June 9, 2017.

The “Accommodation & Sharing Economy. Web Guidelines” 2016-2017 workshop’s final calendar day and location time subject

Friday, February 24, 2017 (11am-1pm) Meeting Room Rosate

2 > 2 Coming to terms with the Bergamo B&B & Co. association. Introduction

Friday, March 3, 2017 (2-5pm) 5 Rosate

3 > 5 The workshop’s tasks and calendar organized

Friday, March 10, 2017 (2-5pm) 5 Rosate

3 > 8 Framing the problem. The Sharing Economy. Available literature. Family accommodation in the Bergamo area

Friday, March 17, 2017 (12-5pm) Costa San Gallo-Santuario, San Giovanni Bianco (Bergamo)

5 > 13 Visiting the Adelché B&B

Saturday, March 25, 2017 (12-5pm) Via Silvio Pellico 11, Mozzo (Bergamo)

3 > 16 Visiting the Dorotina B&B

Friday, April 7, 2017 (12-5pm) 5 Rosate

3 > 19 Discussing the work done. Planning further actions

Friday, April 28, 2017 (12-5pm) Via Rebetta Bassa 4, Bergamo

4 > 23 Visiting the Dimora Le Nove Fate

Thursday, May 10, 2017 (4-7pm) 5 Rosate

3 > 26 Planning final actions. Discussing results. Designing the final presentation and report

Monday, May 29, 2017 (3-4pm) 5 Rosate

1 > 27 Solving controversies. Checking the final presentation and report

Monday, May 29, 2017 (4-7pm) 5 Rosate

3 > 30 Public presentation of the workshop’s results. Members of the Bergamo B&B & Co. association attend

Roberto Peretta. Milano, June 9, 2017



The “Accommodation & Sharing Economy. Web Guidelines” 2016-2017 UniBg Workshop

Final Report

Lara Bellesi Noa Benvenisty

Alessia Cimmino Rahman Fazl Ur Kamila Guessoum Simone Lopatriello

Sandrine Nkoualong Sandjon Alessandra Vernieri

Vikas Yadav

Bergamo, May 29, 2017



TABLE OF CONTENTS THE FRAMEWORK

1. Introduction

2. Sharing Economy and its impact on Tourism

2.1 How and why it works

2.2 Response and actions

3. Web Presence: what is it?

3.1 What to do to increase the web presence?

THE DESTINATION: BERGAMO 4. Family-run accommodations in the Bergamo area

4.1. Information from the Official Bergamo Tourism Website

4.2 Information from Airbnb

5. The ‘Bergamo B&B and Co.’ association

6. The ‘Unconventional Guests’ project

7. The workshop and its method

THE PLACES AND OUR WORK 8. Adelché B&B

8.1 Introduction and target

8.2 Analysis of the Web Presence

8.3 Suggestions

8.4 Conclusions: a website

9. Dorotina B&B



9.3 Suggestions

9.4 Conclusions: content for the new website

10. Dimora ‘Le Nove Fate’

10.1 Introduction


10.3 Suggestions

10.4 Conclusions: social media planning

THE RESULTS 11. Re-usability of our work



THE FRAMEWORK

1. Introduction

The University of Bergamo 2016-2017 workshop, worked on the web presence of three non-hotel

accommodation structures located in the province of Bergamo. Ten students from PMTS 1st and 2

nd

year worked in this workshop, led by professor Roberto Peretta.

With the participation and the cooperation of the B&B owners: Mrs. Maria Grazia Mapelli for B&B

Adelché, Mrs. Cinzia Fradusco for B&B Dorotina, and Mr. Raffaele Rota for Dimora Le Nove

Fatte, a professional work has been performed by Sandjon Sandrine Nkoualong, Noa Benvenisty,

Vikas Yadav, Alessia Cimmino, Alessandra Vernieri, Simone Lopatriello, Mohsin Ehsan, Lara

Bellesi and Kamila Guessoum under the supervision of Professor Peretta.

Our aim as Master students in tourism was to analyse the web presence’s weaknesses of the non-

hotel accommodation structures that participated in this workshop, trying to get web visibility and

value improvements to achieve success and profits.

This presentation will take around 30 minutes, where suitable and effective solutions will be

suggested to the owners’ business on their web presence issues.

2. Sharing Economy and its impact on tourism

The Sharing economy is an economic model, driven by network technologies, that enables things

and skills to be shared or exchanged in ways and on a scale not possible before. Individuals are

proposing to share temporarily with tourists what they own - for example, their house or car - or

what they do - for example meals or excursions -. It is not limited to tourism and can be found in

many areas of social and economic activities, although tourism has been one of the sectors most

impacted. In the sharing economy, suppliers share their resources temporarily with consumers,

either free or for a return - financial or non-financial -. Virtually anyone can share almost anything,

from products and property - e.g. an apartment, a car, a bicycle, travel equipment - to time, skills

and competencies -e.g. cooking and photography skills, knowledge of a town, places to see -. The

creation of online platforms has made sharing easier than ever. In the past decade, many companies

managing such platforms have emerged on the market. A well-known example of a platform is one

on which people can book accommodation that is to say: Airbnb. The sharing economy has had a

positive impact on tourism, as well as a negative one. 1

1 The sharing economy and tourism Tourist accommodation, European Parliament Briefing, September 2015



These are the positive impacts:

Easy access to a wide range of services, that are often of higher quality and more affordable

than those provided by traditional business counterparts, has been provided. Advocates of

the sharing economy claim that the sharing economy allows more flexibility.

The appreciation of these platforms by tourists for personalisation, authenticity and contacts

with local citizens.

The help to respond better to peaks and troughs in demand for tourism services. Airbnb

itself has claimed that ‘travelling on Airbnb results in significant reduction in energy and

water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste, and encourages more sustainable

practices among both hosts and guests’.

These are the negative impacts:

The fact that sharing economy provides unfair competition and reduces job security

A threat to safety, health and disability compliance standards.

Tax evasion

Hoteliers have to deal with environmental protection, labour law, municipal tourism fees,

consumer protection, various taxes - value-added tax, taxes for cities, environmental

protection, safety, etc.- while many hosts on online sharing platforms do not comply with

the same rules and laws. In a New York report, at least 72% of Airbnb rentals violated some

laws.

Laws which prohibit people from running a business in a residential area.

Hoteliers that have claimed they have lost revenue because of the rise of accommodation-

sharing platforms. A recent Boston University study12 estimated that Airbnb reduced hotel

revenue in the market studied (Austin, United States) by 8-10% between 2008 and 2014.

The greatest impact was on lower-priced hotels and hotels lacking conference facilities.

However, there are almost no comprehensive studies on the ecological impact of home sharing.

2.1 How and why it works

Many tourists use internet, smartphones and tablets to plan or purchase travel. They demand

sustainable tourism products, as well as individual and authentic tourism experiences. Furthermore,

the economic crisis, unemployment and reduced purchasing power, have pushed many to pay

increasing attention to prices and value for money. All these factors have favoured the development

of the sharing economy. The most commonly known sharing economy model is a peer-to-peer

model in which peers, mostly individuals, offer and request goods and services. The platform then

acts as an intermediary between them.



2.2 Response and actions

The response to the sharing economy remains fragmented in the EU. Some activities have been

regulated at local level. Neither the European Commission, nor the Parliament have taken an

official position so far, though a recent report from the Transport and Tourism Committee touches

upon the issue. The Commission has announced that it plans to assess the role of platforms in order

to see if any changes or new legislation is needed.

3. Web Presence: what is it?

To understand what is the meaning conveyed by “web presence”, suppose a business owner

standing behind the counter of his or her brand new store.

A new store with nice pictures on freshly painted walls, shelves filled with attractive and high

quality products and a cash register that is ready to ring up the next customer.

However, the only problem with this nearly perfect store is that any single customer enter in several

days!

This scenario is perfectly adaptable to a beautiful and well-structured website that has been filled

with amazing files and images, but any visitor visits it.

Both the physical store and the website have failed to establish a presence. In other words, no one

knows who or where you are.

3.1 What to do to increase the web presence?

If any customer can easily find your business online, this means that you do not exist. To overcome

this issue, a business strategy must be developed. To make your business pop up while customers

surf the web four options are worth following:

1. Goals

The very first step should be to set the objectives of your business to differentiate it from the other

competitors and to capture leads.

2. Website

Creating an online presence is the most basic reason for building a website. This means building a

site that includes your business information, highlights what makes you special, and gives

consumers a way to contact you. Think of your website as your hub. It is what people will see when

they look for you. Your website should clearly answer to these questions that most of the web

surfers ask themselves, “What do you do?” and “Why should I trust you?”



Your website home page should be the driver of your whole business since it is where the

consumers will make a split second decision on whether they will stay to learn more about your

business or go to a competitor.

3. Social Media Account

Another option for attracting customers is social media. Social networks such as Facebook and

Instagram can help you connect with worldwide internet users. For this strategy to work, your

website should serve as a central hub. The hub sends consumers to your respective social media

profiles to build the connection.

To build a strong online presence, the most important aspect is your website.

It is your hub and your first impression!



THE DESTINATION: BERGAMO

4. Family-run accommodations in the Bergamo Area

The accommodation facilities in Bergamo, which is part of the Lombardy region, are regulated by

the regional law 27/2015. Concerning the non-hotel facilities, they can be Bed and Breakfasts,

Holiday Houses, Guest Houses - foresterie or locande- , Farm Houses and Mountain Huts. Each

type of accommodation has different characteristics and has to respect defined standards. The first

part provided is the accommodation data derived from the official tourism website of Bergamo, and

the second part provided is the data derived from the Airbnb website for the Bergamo region.

4.1 Information from the Official Bergamo Tourism website

According to the official tourism website of Bergamo, the total number of non-hotel

accommodation facilities found are :

Bed & Breakfast: 318;

Holiday Houses: 166;

Guest Houses :148;

Farm Houses: 141;

Mountain Huts: 53;

Camping: 10;

The total number of non-hotel accommodations according to the above data is 836 spread in the

radius of 40kms around the centre of Bergamo. According to the mapping data provided by the

official website of Tourism Bergamo and using the calculations from Google maps, the area

covered by these accommodations in and around Bergamo region is up to FOPPOLO in the north,

FONTANELLA in the south, VILLA D ADDA in the west, COSTA VOLIPINO in the east.

4.2 Information from Airbnb

Another perspective of non-hotel accommodations is taken from the data derived from the Airbnb

website in relation to family accommodations in the Bergamo area. These are in total of

approximately +300 accommodations that were found in and around the Bergamo region with

mostly falling into price category of 50-70 Euros per night for two adults. When type of

accommodation filter is applied, the results are the following:



Apartments: 185;

Private Rooms: 187;

Shared rooms: 2.

The geographical area of accommodations is spread in the radius of 60kms around the centre of

Bergamo towards all the directions when zoomed out the map. When accommodations are

concentrated in the main area of Bergamo 20kms of radius from the centre of Bergamo, the total

number of offerings came out to be 145. Most of the accommodations provided basic amenities, and

when the filter is applied for English speaking hosts, the numbers are 105 out of 145 and in some

cases minimum stay of two nights are obligatory. Availability for the accomodation in the high

holiday season of July and August is usually 90% as per book-it-early rules. The dates inserted are

taken from the end of July and the full month of August. If the above given data from the tourism

website of Bergamo, are compared with that of Airbnb in regard to the non-hotel family operated

accomodation services in the region of Bergamo, it is possible to say that in the radius of 40 kms

from the centre of Bergamo the listed accommodations on the official tourism website are around

852 as compared to the Airbnb that came out to be approximately +300.

5. The «Bergamo B&B & Co.» association

Bergamo B&B & Co. is a local association gathering 33 family-run, non-hotel accommodation

structures in the city of Bergamo and its province. Founded in 2013 and now well consolidated, the

Association focuses on developing a network of solidarity and exchange among the owners of

B&Bs and holiday houses on the territory, helping them to establish and manage their activity.

Special attention is paid to the promotion of family-run hospitality in close relationship with the

territory and the local culture by means of the promotion of local products and tourist attractions.

Furthermore, the Association aims to enhance the host-guest personal relationship and to reinforce

the links and partnerships with local public and private institutions. Its future plans include the idea

of gathering all non-hotel accommodation structures in Bergamo and its territory. Bergamo B&B &

Co. offers plenty of advantages to its member structures. First of all, it provides enhanced visibility

to them, both on the local territory and on the web through the Association’s website2 and the social

media such as Facebook and Instagram. Secondly, frequent meetings are organized to share

experiences, suggestions and best practices among the members with the purpose of acquiring basic

knowledge concerning the use of technological tools for both marketing activities and services

2 http://www.bbbergamo.info/



provided to the guests, and offering consultation services for potential associates. Moreover, the

Association gives communication to its members about meetings and seminars on the issue of

‘Tourism and Territory’ such as the ‘Unconventional Guests’ workshop. Finally, agreements with

local entities are established for convenient prices for example, common laundry, while the

bargaining power of the single structures with local public and private institutions is enhanced for

example, to obtain funds.

6. The ‘Unconventional Guest’ workshop

‘The Unconventional Guests’ is a workshop created by an idea of Concetta d’Emma, who is herself

an unconventional guest. This workshop has been joined by the B&B association & co. and aims to

increase awareness among the owners of the b&bs and hotels about the guests’ eating habits which

are constantly evolving today. Indeed, the demand of vegan, vegetarian, gluten and lactose-free

food is growing rapidly day-by-day. What about the offer though? Often, mainly in small family

run businesses, this issue is not taken seriously, so the offer does not satisfy the demand. In the

seminar ‘Exploring food tourism’ held by Roberta Garibaldi at BIT Milano 2017, Concetta d’Emma

explained to the audience the benefits that a structure could gain, by caring a bit more about the

unconventional guests. She talked about the importance of the breakfast. Apart from being the most

important meal of the day, this moment is the most instagrammed. Furthermore, the breakfast topic

represents the 70% of the reviews of all types of accommodation in the tourism industry, and it is

the most remembered by the customers. All the UGC3, present on social media, increases the

visibility of the structure, and even though it cannot be controlled, it can influence the customers’

journey. Indeed, the new tourists - who book everything online and are social media friendly -

before choosing the accommodation, search for information and media content everywhere on the

net, especially on Instagram and Facebook. Today, unconventional food is very popular and it is

clear if you search for #veggie #vegan #glutenfree hashtags on social media. Surely, the costs of

such breakfasts are a bit more expensive than classic and traditional ones, but as Concetta d’Emma

explained, the costs will be paid off when the structure will be known as the one that provides

healthy and unconventional food, satisfying all kind of demands by customers. This means that

b&bs’ owners should take advantage of this by offering something that makes the guests feel at ease

without considering them a burden.

3 User Generated Content



7. The workshop and its method

As we already mentioned, our workshop aims to improve the Web communication of three family-

run accommodations which are B&B Adelchè, B&B Dorotina and Dimora Le Nove Fate. In order to

carry out our project at our best, the group organized the workshop in different meetings:

General meetings at the University of Bergamo where we shared ideas, we discussed the

Sharing Economy spreading phenomenon and the importance of Web Communication.

Also, during our first meeting we tried to understand what Bergamo B&B association is and

how it works, entering in contact with its members.

Specific meetings at the structures involved in our project, because it is important to learn

by actually doing things; in fact, we took photos and videos, we gave our suggestions about

how to improve their Web visibility and potential, and finally we shared our media outputs

on Facebook. In addition, the owners of the B&B gave us useful information about their

structures and gave us a great hospitality, creating a cosy atmosphere where we could feel at

ease;

Individual meetings at the structures; we created three groups, and each of them met the

owner of the accommodation in an individual way to show practical suggestions and

contents, creating an effective web strategy.

After having analysed the weaknesses and strong points of our structures, we provided different

contents and suggestions according to their needs:

In the case of Adelché, we created the website of the B&B, using WordPress;

In the case of Dorotina, we provided contents for the new website and some

suggestions on how to enhance its Facebbok page;

In the case of Dimora Le Nove Fate, we offered suggestions about how to improve

the Website, the efficiency of its Facebook Page and we launched its Instagram

profile with a specific and practical plan.

The following sections of this report describe each accommodation following these points:

introduction, analysis of the Web Presence, suggestions and conclusions. Finally, during our

workshop, we created a Facebook group, ‘Accommodation & Web: workshop 2016/2017’ in order

to communicate with each other, to organise our meetings and to share our ideas and opinions. The

group is composed of all the students taking part in the workshop, the professor responsible for the

workshop, Professor Peretta, and the B&Bs’ owners.



THE PLACES AND OUR WORK

8. Adelché B&B


Located in the heart of Valle Brembana near to the San Pellegrino thermal baths, Maria Grazia, the

owner of Adelché, welcomes its guests in a relaxing and restful atmosphere offering the possibility

to explore the entire valley with ease. She personalized and adorned the three guest rooms in a

typical medieval style with a charming decoration that differs from one room to another. It is

interesting to see how each room bears the names of a medicinal plant that can be all found in the

surrounding nature.

Right from the doorstep, the eco-friendly interior structure is immediately noticeable. In addition to

its ethical actions towards the environment, Maria prepares to its guests a homemade breakfast

made of organic and healthy local products. Since the satisfaction of the guests is the priority of the

house, Maria Grazia and Mario held a course on how to prepare vegan, gluten and lactose free

breakfasts enabling them to provide such breakfasts to unconventional guests.

A strength for the B&B.

B&B Adelché is an ideal place for couples and families for a brief stay ranging from about two to 3

days. A market segmentation can hardly be done, since the location of the accommodation opens a

wide range of potential customers. However, active people, especially families and couples, of an

age range that varies between 30 and 75 represent the majority of the bookings.

Given the fact that we live in a digital world where the first point of interaction between customers

and service providers is taking place through the web. Today, the tourism industry is evolving and

becoming more technically advanced, our aim now is to know how B&B Adelché is represented

online, and are there any improvements that can be added to boost its web visibility?


The Adelché web presence analysis will help us determine how Maria Grazia’s business is

perceived when someone searches for family accommodation services on her area. Maria Grazia

uses actually very basic web communication tools such as:



A non-updated Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BB-Adelch

An old and ancestry website construction http://ww.adelche.it/

With regard to the website, the structure has a lot to do with how well it will be positioned in the

search engines. No need to look for expensive webmasters who create website content with

JavaScript and Flash that search engines such as Google can barely index. An ingenious, modern

and economic way would be the use of WordPress, which naturally embraces search engines, and

gives a pleasant and attractive shape to the website. Concerning the search engine visibility,

Adelché got a score of 11% concerning its search engine visibility on https://moz.com/local, a free

online rank checker. This is due to the lack of keywords usability, a poor social network activity

and an absence of online promotion and advertisement. Ultimately, Maria Grazia joined

Booking.com, where a fair number of customers left really good and encouraging reviews. This

resulted with a fantastic score of 9.3/10. Concerning her presence on TripAdvisor, Maria has

received the TripAdvisor certificate of excellence and she is ranked at the 1st place among the 3 best

B&B of the San Giovanni Bianco area. Moreover, she got the TripAdvisor Golden Level for her

ecologic initiatives. Clearly, what Maria Grazia has done so far on the web platforms, is not

negligible at all, but an improvement on her online visibility is strongly advised.

8.3 Suggestions

Website

Starting with the initial landing page we could find five different language options which is a well-

meant service for potential customers, however, when clicking on either of the language buttons the

landing page is not being translated one to one (pictures are missing and layout is different).

Instead, the user is being transferred to a new page. The same counts for all the other subpages (Le

camere, servizi etc.), the only pages that are translated into the different languages is a general over

view page, when clicking on either of the subpages all content is in Italian. When considering the

menu buttons they stay in Italian no matter which language is chosen.

On the how to reach us page, the customer can find the description in Italian and English only,

however not in any of the other three languages. The translation of the directions should not be all

on the same page instead it should be on each page based on the selected language.

Based on these findings considering the different languages we are suggesting translating each

menu button as well as the respective content of each topic and also ensuring the layout and style of

each page is consistent with the same page of each language. Secondly, we would advise to move

https://www.facebook.com/BB-Adelch

http://ww.adelche.it/

http://codex.wordpress.org/Search_Engine_Optimization_for_WordPress

https://moz.com/local



the language options to the right top corner of the home page as it is done on a standard website.

Probably in terms of simplifying the layout and readability, replacing the single buttons with one

drop down menu might be a useful change.

Going further to the menu buttons, besides the translation we suggest altering the shape and design.

Currently, they are in ovals, a shape that cannot be found anywhere else on the homepage and hence

creates visible confusion for the end user. Instead of using this shape, it might be more beneficial to

implement a horizontal or vertical menu just consisting of actual words.

As the next step, we focus on the photographic content of the home page where we noticed that the

indoor pictures especially of the rooms are of bad quality and do not transmit the quality and spirit

of the B&B Adelche. Instead, they are giving the impression of a run down and old-fashioned hotel.

Furthermore, the quantity of pictures is insufficient; we suggest having at least 4 to 5 pictures of

each room also showing the bathrooms and the potentially nice views from the window.

Furthermore, the customer needs to be able to enlarge the picture in order to get the proper

impression of the quality of the room. Choosing a place to stay for holiday is always related to

emotions, feelings and only pictures are able to address those feelings, thus, the quality, and size of

the pictures is of inextricable importance.

The photos in the photo gallery should be chosen carefully, quality needs to come before quantity.

The way a photo gallery needs to be structured has to allow the user to increase the picture and as a

next step receive an arrow either left or right to continue to the previous or following picture

without having to return to the overview page. Also, the over view page itself can be structured in a

more attractive manner.

As a fourth topic we would like to focus on the text and fonts of the home page, firstly, we noticed

the white writing of the name on the picture of the landing page as the picture itself is very bright,

the white writing is conflicting with the houses in the background and furthermore writing on the

picture is not consistent with modern layout style and norms. A solution would be to increase the

transparency of the picture in order to increase readability. To make the landing page more elegant

we would suggest removing the multiple pictures and replacing them with one expressive picture.

Fourthly, we would like to focus on the writing and fonts in general the homepage consists of a bold

font with different shades of brown, which does not support the professional impression of the

business. Instead of varying between different fonts, colours and sizes one consistent professional



font in black would support the looks and professionally of B&B Adelche. The font of the content,

however, may differ from the menu buttons.

Fifthly, we took a closer look at the room details. The idea of giving each room the name of a

different plant is a nice idea to transfer the spirit of accommodation to the customer, however,

linking the definition of each plant into the room description instead of providing details about the

room itself and its facilities can be a turn down for potential customers visiting the home page.

The next menu button we analysed was the useful links, which did not turn out to be as useful as

intended. The simple collection of links to other home pages is not useful without giving any

context of what can be found on that page. We are suggesting inserting one-line introductory

sentences per item to tickle people interest. Furthermore, the home pages behind the links should

not run into error pages such as sports in Valle Brembana.

The idea of such links in general is very clever as it can be used as a free of charge advertising tool

and marketing tool making the area around the B&B more attractive for customers.

Facebook Page:

When our team found and analysed the Facebook page of the Adelche B&B, we concluded that the

page is outdated and need some restructuring, in order to be more aggressive and attractive on the

social platform to increase its visibility on the web.

We found out that some photographs presenting the facebook page of B&B Adelche are dark and un

professional and very less of them presenting the guests and not interactive, the posts on the page

are not that frequent and there is only one video to tell you about the B&B which is according to us

is not that communicative. The video is only made of picture frames and not interactive with very

poor quality pictures.

About suggestions, we would like to say that eventual required solutions would be to hire a

professional photographer for some nice pictures that can be updated on the official Facebook page.

The need to organise the posts more frequently with omitting more information for your targeted

customers. The need to make a new video for that has to be more interactive with your customers

and can display information with video and audio.



Conclusion

After analysing the web presence, we proposed some suggestions as a beginning of a strategy to

enhance the online communication of this B&B; we thought that by reconsidering the structure of

the official website and by bringing, some modifications to it would make it appear modern and

sophisticated. In this regard, Kamila has built a representative sample of the web site that you can

find at this link https://adelche.wordpress.com.

In addition, we thought that a particular attention should be payed to the Facebook page by

regularly updating it and by providing content such as pictures and videos. All these suggestions

will definitely help the property to enhance its visibility on the web-based platform and improve its

credibility



9. Dorotina B&B


B&B Dorotina is a cosy apartment in Mozzo, a town in the province of Bergamo, surrounded by

green areas. Cinzia Fradusco who makes this place more familiar and welcoming runs the structure.

In fact, among its strong points, we can find the hospitality of the property owner and the strategic

position of the B&B, close to the cities of Bergamo, Milan and Como and to the green landscapes of

Parco dei Colli and of the Bergamo Valleys. According to what Cinzia told us during our first

meeting in Mozzo, the main target are families, mainly Italian and French who stay for 3/7 days. In

winter, another target is represented by people who work in the nearby areas and stay in the

structure for a longer period, 3 weeks or a month.


The online channels used to communicate its presence to the users are:

The website of B&B Dorotina: http://www.bebdorotina.com/, whose update and change is

scheduled in May. In fact, it is an old-fashioned and static website.

Airbnb, but it is not used anymore because of a problem that occurred related to the direct

booking. In particular, there was a problem of synchronization of the calendar that showed

the availability of rooms even if these rooms were already reserved.

TripAdvisor, but the latest review dates back to 2012. Nevertheless, the three reviews on

this platform describe the structure as excellent, characterized by a strategic position, a calm

atmosphere, a rich breakfast and a great hospitality.

The Facebook page of the bed and breakfast should improve its communication, by

organizing posts in a better way to engage people.

Homely Days, a branch of Expedia, is considered the main channel of communication by

Cinzia.

9.3 Suggestions

Building a strategy: in order to help B&B Dorotina to attract more tourists, we need to build and to

find the right marketing strategy. As we know, tourism is one of the sectors that has been mostly

affected by the evolution of technology and clear examples are found in the spread of online

http://www.bebdorotina.com/



bookings through OTA, search engines, banners and so on and so forth. Many hotels, apartments

and bed and bed and breakfasts rely on OTA because it helps you to increase the number of

bookings and visibility, but at the same time it requires high costs related to its commissions.

It is useless to compete with OTAs but your structure could get more direct bookings, reduce

intermediaries and improve customer loyalty if it were able to use and to invest your money in the

best way. Among the tools to achieve these objectives, we have selected the channels which need a

continuous personal contribution but that are cheaper and that can be efficient if they are managed

in the right way. They are:

The website

The Facebook page

The Website suggestions:

Your website should be considered as the first door of your bed and breakfast, like

the hotel halls some years ago.

It is the place where a customer gets his/her first impression. As a result, it should be

clear and modern in order to generate a positive perception. On the contrary, a user

visiting your website could think “it isn’t cared for at all, I can’t imagine the rest”.

As an important showcase, you should add many pictures which describe your

structure and the surrounding in the best way. To achieve that, it should show photos

with a good quality.

It has to be responsive which means it should be usable through all digital devices

(computer desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.). In fact, in many cases, the

purchase process is composed of these phases: first, you look for info on your

smartphone or on your tablet, then, when you have finally found some interesting

you move to the PC to see pictures in a higher size and, maybe, to book.

It should provide contents to trigger engagement among users, but first you have to

know who your target is. This means to select a typology of clientele and understand

its wishes and needs in order to attract it.

In addition, by using the B&B Facebook page, you have to guide the user to your

website in a strategic way thanks to the publication of promotions and offers to boost

his or her willingness to book.



It is essential to provide with contents and services targeted to determined people.

In the case of Dorotina, the website could create a page for families, showing the

different itineraries and activities to do in the area. In addition, it should publish on

Facebook the main events that can be interesting with a link to the section “Events”

of your website to have more information.

The presence of a booking engine to enable direct bookings. Even if it represents a

high cost per year, it could be a good investment to manage the reservation in a

direct way.

It has to be modern, responsive and secure.

It has to show rooms rates at the best price available, avoiding the risk to offer a

higher price than the OTA.

Once people have booked, you should offer them more services to buy at a low

additional cost trying to sell something more.

Furthermore, a good booking engine could be able to interface with the OTAs sites

and update every time the availability of the rooms, avoiding overbooking problems.

Your contacts and the address of your structure should be visible on every page of

the website to allow users to contact you. This can be found at the bottom of the page

or on the sidebar. In addition, visitors should find all information they need easily:

room rates, breakfast hours, check-in/check-out hours.

Rooms rates must always be specified in a clear way as a sign of transparency.

They have to show if the price is referred per night, which services are included (ex.

Wi-fi, bike rental, air conditioning, etc.) and which are additional (ex. Parking).

If you want to launch a promotion, don’t forget to be clear and not to leave anything

to interpretation. You should indicate the period (from/to), if the dates are included,

which rooms are subjected to the offer and if children have to pay.

Your website should show the page “where we are” which provides a Googlemaps

page plus a description of different itineraries to do and how to reach the main points

of interest close to the area including the distance (railway stations, bus stations,

airports, highways, touristic attractions, etc.)

The owner should be able to modify the website, to add photos and change contents

when he or she wants.



The website must always be updated.

It should offer at least two languages, in our case, Italian and English.

The Facebook page suggestions:

the Facebook page of your B&B should always be updated and provide a lot of photos

and videos about the structure and the places to visit. You should provide the link of your

website and the possibility to contact you in a direct way (call-to-action button: ex book

now, call now).

Publish posts with eye-catching titles to stimulate discussion and shares among users.

In addition, trigger engagement asking something to them, such as their stories or their

opinions (ex. How would you describe our BeB breakfast in one word?).

Organize your posts according to your target and share articles and events of the

destination. You should provide info about your special offers with the possibility to learn

more through the link to your website.

Facebook Ads could be a little investment to spread your contents, reaching in a safe

and cheap way only the people you want to attract (your target).

You must remember that who has been your customer, is your best customer, and so,

you should take care of him also after the check-out with messages, promotions, and maybe

to ask him or her to like your FB page and to post on your page the picture they have taken

or to leave a review.

9.4 Conclusions

The new website of B&B Dorotina should display the following sections:

HOME

“B&B Dorotina is an elegant and relaxed structure in Mozzo, only 15 minutes from the city of

Bergamo by car. It takes its name from one of the fractions of the town, Dorotina, and it is the

perfect place where you can relax and spend a great time with your family. It is also an important

starting point to visit the wonderful places surrounding the area: the cultural city of Bergamo, the

Parco dei Colli, the Bergamo valleys and the lakes of Como, Iseo and Garda.”

ABOUT US

In this section, you can write the idea at the basis of your bed and breakfast and its story. You can

also add information about Dorotina district. For example, “B&B Dorotina is a family run bed and

breakfast since… I decided to turn this place into a b&b because… Dorotina is one of the district

of Mozzo…”



WHERE WE ARE

(Google Maps -> change photo of the B&B on google research)

“B&B Dorotina is only 15 minutes far from Bergamo city centre by car through SP342.

The good public transportation service ATB links the place to the railway and bus station of

Bergamo, by taking the line n.9 at the close bus stop (a bus leaves every 40 minutes and in 25

minutes you can reach Bergamo).

It is close to the International airport of Orio al Serio, only 12 minutes by car through SS671.

Also, you can reach the cities of Milan and Como, through A4 highway, only 1 hour away by car.”

FAMILIES

“Thanks to our 2 rooms, a double room and a twin room, and to its charming atmosphere, B&B

Dorotina is the right place to stay with your family.

There is the possibility to rent bicycles as a free service to do excursions and visit the luxuriant

green areas and parks which surrounds the area.

When you get back, you can relax on the balcony or in the garden while your children can have fun

playing table tennis.” (You should give more information about the itineraries to do, the services

offered).

ROOMS AND PRICES

In this section you can write the characteristics of your rooms and show their rates. The prices have

to be clear and you should add all the services that are included at the price indicated. Then, you

should indicate all the other services which require an additional cost.

PROMOTIONS

In this section you can provide your special offers and promotions, but they have to be clear and

always updated.

GALLERY

You should only show high quality pictures to stimulate users’ imagination and expectations.

BOOK NOW

You provide with a booking engine, giving the possibility to book directly from your website or to

check the availability of your room.



CONTACT US

Address: Via Silvio Pellico 11

24030 Mozzo (BG)

Phone Number: +39 035 618218

Mobile phone: 334 8693650

Email: [email protected]

Follow us: Link to your Facebook page.

Link to the Bergamo B&B association .

Don’t forget that this information that have to be shown on every page of the website at the bottom

- footer - or on the lateral part – sidebar -.

BREAKFAST

“B&B Dorotina is grateful to offer you a good and varied breakfast every morning with the

possibility to personalize it to satisfy the needs and wishes of our guests. We love cooking and take

care of our visitors and for this reason we offer homemade cakes, fruit salads, accompanied by

croissants and drinks that can make your breakfast an enjoyable experience. A particular attention

is given to unconventional guests to serve the best breakfast according to their needs and

preferences”.

LOCAL PRODUCTS

If you use typical products, let people know. You can explain who are the producers, the quality of

products and the reason of your choice.

EVENTS

In this section you can present the offer of events for your target. It is essential that it is always

updated and that are shared also on the Facebook page.



10. Dimora Le Nove Fate

10.1 Introduction

Dimora ‘Le Nove Fate’ is a beautiful bed and breakfast placed in Fontana, in the scenic hills

surrounding the oldest part of Bergamo Città Alta. The Dimora is located outside the busy city, in

the charming and peaceful countryside, just outside the town and very close to the ‘Parco dei Colli’,

at the beginning of the Brembana Valley. It is an ancient farmhouse, finely restored with special

respect to nature. Indeed all rooms are protected by natural radiations. In total, there are six rooms,

two studios and a hall. Raffaele and Maria Luce started their activity in 2008 and since then, they

have hosted lots of people from all parts of the world, especially from Germany, Switzerland,

France and Italy. The strong identity of the Dimora is built around the tale of nine fairies, which is

possible to find written on the walls and wardrobes of the colourful rooms. The interior design of

the Dimora is curated in all its details, such as the style, the original staircase, the wooden furniture

and objects that remind of the story of the nine fairies. One of the specialties that the Dimora offers

is the breakfast based on local food. Raffaele and Maria Lice also pay attention to the

‘unconventional guests’ by offering them homemade gluten free and vegan cakes and sweets. It

result clear from this brief introduction that Dimora Le Nove Fate is a magic and unique place, with

an ideal combination of comfort, nature, art, culture, gastronomy, entertainment and sports.


The web presence of the Dimora has to be improved from different point of view. We have

analysed the Official Website4 of the Dimora and the two social media official accounts, Facebook

5

and Instagram6, run by the owner Raffaele. First of all the website is well ranked because if you

digit “dimora le nove fate” on Google, it appears at the first position after the advertisement placed

by Booking.com. Generally speaking, the website is well structured and has a strong identity,

highlighted by its graphics. The strength of the identity is also given by the presence of the story of

the Nine Fairies, which is very easy to find and is related to the structure’s name. Furthermore, there

are a lot of pictures which help the potential customers to have a clear idea of how the place looks

like. The weaknesses of the website are: the language slot which is not visible at first sight, the lack

of events and not being mobile-friendly. Also, the most important features of the structure, which

are peculiarities that few b&bs have and that would make Dimora outstand from the competition,

are not even mentioned.

4 http://www.lenovefate.com/ 5 https://www.facebook.com/lenovefate/ 6 https://www.instagram.com/le_nove_fate/



Talking about Facebook, there are two different pages. The official one is the one linked in the

website. It has 84 likes, 10 reviews and it is updated by Raffaele. The other one is a ‘place’ and not

a page. It has been automatically created before Raffaele launched the official one, and it has 137

liked, 18 reviews and no posts.

Talking about Instagram, there is an official account run by Raffaele but it has only 56 followers

and two images.

10.3 Suggestions

Starting from the website, generally speaking it looks good and it has a very strong identity but

there is something to improve: the user does not see immediately where to switch the language and

so the position of the languages ‘‘ should be moved in a more visible part of the website; the logo

of the website, and the logo of the business card are quite different and the one of the website has 3

different font and it should be modified; there are some important information scattered everywhere

in the site that should be put on the homepage because they are peculiarity of the Dimora, that

differentiates it from the competition, such as the possibility of renting a bike, the possibility of a

shared dinner with the owners and the possibility to book massages at the Dimora. For the same

reason, the section ‘trentacinque euro’ and ‘Bergamo b&b and Co.’ should be also put in the

homepage. Then, the section ‘Home’, where the story of the ‘Nine Fairies’ is explained, should be

modify since it looks only a block of words and therefore is not so aesthetics. The section

‘Accommodation’ is well-structured since it presents all the rooms and apartments of the Dimora,

giving all the necessary details. The section ‘The Gallery and Testimonials’ lacks of testimonials. It

would be important to add some reviews and a link of TripAdvisor in this part in order to give

potential customers the possibility to know what other people say about the Dimora. The section

‘The Events and the News’ is empty and should be fill up with events in the area, including Milano

and Brescia events. We suggested or to put the events directly on the website, - which is better but it

needs time – or to link the Facebook page which is more easily manageable. In this sense, Facebook

should be upload everyday in order to attract more and more tourists to stay in the area since we

think that events can encourage potential customers to come to the Dimora and in general to

Bergamo.

Talking about Facebook, we tried to find a solution for the issue of the two different pages, but it

seems almost impossible. Therefore we suggested to improve the quality of the official Facebook

page by adding pictures of the Dimora and by adding all types of information about the services

offered by the Dimora to the customers. For this reason, we became administrator of the page with

the purpose of updating it and so improving it.

Talking about Instagram, we started to manage the official account since it had only 3 images and a



few followers. We basically turn the page into a professional one, adding the link of the website and

the address of the Dimora, and of course being a professional page, there is also the possibility to

contact Raffaele by phone or by e-mail, and the possibility to get the directions to the Dimora. From

that moment on, we started posting pictures about the Dimora, Bergamo and the food offered to the

customers. Finally we started using strategies to get more followers and be more visible.

10.4 Conclusions: social media planning

To help Raffaele to improve the Web Presence of the Dimora, we launched the Instagram profile,

connecting it with the Facebook page, and we published some pictures and increased the number of

followers. Therefore, we decided to make a social media plan that starts from the day after the Final

Presentation of the workshop until the end of July. In this way, Raffaele can have some useful

guidelines and some ideas about what to publish, learning how to keep his pages as much active as

possible. We also suggest to post the material in the social media plan in the morning or around

6pm, since we noticed from the analytics that these are the times of the day in which, followers are

more active. We strongly suggest him to try his best updating the pages on a regular basis, since we

already obtained some good outcomes, doubling the number of followers in only three days.

Day to Publish+ location+ hashtags Picture Description

30th of May San Pellegrino Terme #dimoralenovefate #beer #beerghem #birra #instabeer #beerpong #beerlovers #beerme #beertime #beerbar #beergasm #beerpic #sanpellegrino #bergamo #visitbergamo #drink #igersbergamo #foodtaste #foodporn #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia

Siete pronti per la rassegna dei birrifici artigianali Bergamaschi? Arriva ‘Beerghèm’ dall’1 al 4 Giugno! Are you ready to taste some typical Bergamo beer?’Beerghèm’ event will take place from the 1st to the 4th of June!



8th of June Dimora Le Nove Fate #dimoralenovefate #bedandbreakfast #bedroom #room #interiordesign #colours #parquet #relax #panoramicview ##bergamo #visitbergamo #drink #igersbergamo #foodtaste #foodporn #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia

Vi presentiamo Calipso, la nostra camera matrimoniale che vi dà la possibilità di ammirare il magnifico panorama della campagna bergamasca. Perché aspettare? Vienici a trovare! We introduce you Calipso, our double room from which you can admire the amazing view on the Bergamo hills. What are you waiting for? Come visit us!

16th of June Cascate del Serio

#valbondione #valseriana

#nature #waterfalls

#cascatedelserio #mountain

#adventure #bergamo

#visitbergamo #in_lombardia

#vscobergamo #igerslombardia

#volgoitalia #igersbergamo

Non perderti uno spettacolo della natura, possibile da ammirare solo 5 volte all’anno e per soli 30 minuti: le cascate del Serio, le più alte d’Italia! Valbondione ti aspetta il 18 giugno 2017 dalle 11.00 alle 11.30. Make sure you don’t miss a natural spectacle: Serio’s Waterfalls, the highest in Italy! They can be admired only 5 times a year for 30 minutes. Valbondione is waiting for you on June, 18th from 11 to 11.30 am.

21st of June Bergamo #dimoralenovefate #summer #summertime #summer2017 #summerday #summers #nature #view #landscape #flowers #sun #bergamo #visitbergamo #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia #igersbergamo

L’Estate è arrivata! Venite a trovarci per scoprire le nostre bellezze nella più bella stagione dell’anno! Summer is here! Come and discover our beauties in the most wonderful season of the year!

29th June GAMeC #dimoralenovefate #art #gamec #gamecmostre2017 #andywarhol #arts #contemporaryart #artstudent #museum #artgallery #bergamo #visitbergamo #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia #igersbergamo

Chi non ama l’arte? Oggi vi proponiamo l’esclusiva mostra su Andy Warhol, in esposizione alla GAMeC solo fino al 30 luglio! Who doesn’t love art? Don’t miss the exclusive Andy Warhol exposition at GAMec only until July, 30!



7th of July San Vigilio #dimoralenovefate #funicolare #sanvigilio #panoramicview #landscape # funicolarebergamo #bergamo #visitbergamo #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia #igersbergamo

Sapevate l’esistenza della “Città Alta” di Città Alta? Potrete raggiungerla con la funicolare di San Vigilio per godere di uno spettacolo ancor più unico! Did you know about ‘the Upper Town’ of the Upper Town? You can easily reach it by San Vigilio Funicolar to admire an even more unique view of Bergamo!

15th of July Dimora Le Nove Fate #dimoralenovefate #bedandbreakfast #bedroom #room #interiordesign #colours #parquet #relax #panoramicview ##bergamo #visitbergamo #drink #igersbergamo #foodtaste #foodporn #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia

Chi ha voglia di rilassarsi sul nostro comodissimo divano? Si trova nell’ “Elanor” matrimoniale e vi sta aspettando. Who wants to relax on our comfy sofa? It is waiting for you in our ‘Elanor’ room!

23th of July Parco Faunistico Le Cornelle #dimoralenovefate #parcofaunisticolecornelle #cornelle #zoo #parcofaunistico #animalpark #animals #kangaroo #animali #funnyfaces #bergamo #visitbergamo #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia #igersbergamo

L’Australia è lontana? Il Parco Faunistico Le Cornelle dista solo 10 minuti dalla nostra dimora! Is Australia too far? The Cornelle Animal Park is only 10 minutes away from our B&B!



30th of July Dimora Le Nove Fate #dimoralenovefate #bedandbreakfast #bedroom #room #interiordesign #colours #parquet #relax #panoramicview ##bergamo #visitbergamo #drink #igersbergamo #foodtaste #foodporn #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia

Buongiorno followers! Sapete una cosa? Siamo nel pieno della stagione estiva, ma abbiamo ancora disponibilità qui nella nostra Dimora. Dai, cosa aspettate? Prenotare direttamente dal nostro sito web è semplicissimo, basta un click! (Link in bio) Good morning followers! You know what? We are in the middle of the summer season, but we still have availability in our Dimora. C’mon what are you waiting for? Book directly through our website is very easy, is just a click away! (Link in bio)

3rd of August Valcalepio #dimoralenovefate #winelovers#wine #grapes #winetourism #tourism #whitewine #redwine #winelover #winetasting #winefestival #panoramicview ##bergamo #visitbergamo #drink #igersbergamo #foodtaste #foodporn #in_lombardia #vscobergamo #igerslombardia #volgoitalia

Venite a degustare il Valcalepio rosso, un vino DOC bergamasco che è l’orgoglio della nostra città. Chiedeteci i migliori produttori locali e non ve ne pentirete! Come taste the Valcalepio redwine, the pride of our land. Ask us to know more about the best wine makers in the area.



RESULTS 11. Re-usability of our work

At the end of this workshop on Accommodation, Sharing Economy and Web Guidelines, we can

confidently say that it was worth it since we produced a splendid work that can be used for several

purposes.

First of all, it will help all the B&Bs involved in this project to improve their capabilities and

overcome the weak points that we highlighted. The practical suggestions that we provided during

our visits to the different B&B structures and that we mentioned in our report, can be used by the

owners of these B&Bs to enhance their web presence and leverage their online content. As a result,

thanks to the good management of social media tools and the adjustment of their respective

websites, in a way that will fit the expectations of the savvy customers, they will attract many

guests as possible to their structures.

Then for us, students, who participated in this workshop, it has been a fantastic occasion not only to

apply what we have learned until now but also to step outside our reality, experiencing a new one,

which is actually what is awaiting us at the end of this MA course. We saw how things really work

in practice. Also, this workshop enabled each one of us to develop a certain degree of autonomy and

the necessary skills for the management of similar structures in the tourism industry. For sure at

the end of this workshop, we can proudly assert that we are ready to ensure the management of the

web presence of B&Bs that are facing such challenges and overcome them all with ease by using

the same approach we have used in our work.

What is more, the work we produced can be used as model to inspire ideas for the future students of

this master course and not only.

44111 IT for Tourism Managers - UniBG “Accommodation & Sharing Economy. Web Guidelines” UniBg...

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