How to Attract Tourists to Your Restaurant

It’s no surprise that restaurants benefit from the travel industry, but according to restaurant.org, “Across all dining segments, about one in every four dollars spent at restaurants comes as a direct result of travel and tourism”. That’s right, approximately 25% of all revenue in the restaurant industry comes from travelers!

Make sure your restaurant’s online presence is traveler friendly by following these best practices:

Reviews

Whenever I’m traveling, I want to eat at the best place that city has to offer, which is why I review heavily on reviews when making a decision. Google recognizes how important these reviews are for people like me, and will even filter local search results for “best [food] + city” to only show businesses with a 4+ star rating. See an example below for “best philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia”.

Need help getting more good reviews? We recommend this article from Search Engine Land, “Local Businesses: How to Get Good Online Reviews That Build Business”.

Details, Details, Details

Do you offer free WiFi? Is your restaurant family friendly? Pet friendly? Do you accept credit cards? These are all deciding factors that need to be addressed on your website and listings that have extended fields like Yelp and Zomato.

It’s also a good idea to mention details about your location that may be appealing to tourists in your description. If you are within walking distance to a certain landmark or popular destination, the proximity alone might be the reason somebody stops by for a bite.

Content Strategy

Since tourists rely so heavily on the internet to find things to do in the area, it’s a great idea to create content that will get your restaurant in front of those “fun things to do in [city]” searches. If your restaurant regularly hosts events or concerts, it’s important to make sure they are promoted not only on your website, but on local event sites popular in your area. If you need help finding these sites, a simple search for “things to do in [city] this weekend will get you started.

Additionally, make sure your influencer outreach strategy includes notable critic and professional review websites such as Eater, Zagat, LocalEats and Yelp. While every review is important, a shout out from a professional critic or a mention in a best of list can really put your restaurant on the map.