As many pubs & clubs ponder the future, there are a few considerations that must be part of the planning process. No doubt the last few weeks and months have tested the reserve of many, there are still many questions yet to be answered like when will we open again? Will our customers return and if so can we expect the same level of support prior to the changes?

Unlike many new businesses, there is a silver lining for community clubs and pubs in that many still have a strong marketing database and platform to start from, however many of you have probably encountered what your customer will be facing – a change of habit.

The stats tell us that most of us enjoy a good coffee in Australia.

However the past few weeks through reduced incomes and isolation, many have weaned themselves off their usual 3-cups-a-day habit. This will either leave you a frazzled mess, or many find themselves questioning their need for the frequency consumed prior.

So where do we start? Do we target our existing database or is this a time to venture a little further and capture a new market? Certainly your existing customers will be the first move and let’s hope that the trust gained over many years is still relevant when we return. However,  there are opportunities to expand the horizon and cast the net a little further.

We have seen many businesses leverage new opportunities during these trying times, who would ever have thought that clubs and pubs would have to rely on home delivery? And when we reopen, do we continue with this or revert our attention back to our old habits?

A recent report from Deloitte highlights the additional opportunities abroad and perhaps a different market for some. With international and interstate tourism cut to the bones and probably facing ongoing restrictions for some time, there lays a great opportunity for those who may have preferred to travel prior.

Perhaps less often talked about (until now) but accounting for the largest part of tourism demand in Australia are visitors who travel within their home state (note: to be considered a ‘visitor’ you need to have travelled more than 40km from home).

Is local tourism the new opportunity for pubs & clubs?

Intrastate visitors spent $68 billion in 2019.

The most stringent outbreak control measures, such as the ‘stay close to home’ edict (at the time of publishing, lifted to 50kms) have eliminated even this important category of travel – which for many regions around the country are the lifeblood of their tourism industry.

There may also be potential for some Australians to increase their spending on intrastate trips in the early stage of the recovery as they redirect (at least some) of the spending they would usually be making on interstate and overseas trips.

The retained spending is a potential opportunity for many hospitality venues as many are forced to stay close to home.

Coupled with the Brisbane Local Government Area (LGA) migration statistics reported by the ABS that shows 26.5% of the population have a different residential address vs. the prior year.

There are now new opportunities on the doorstep of many hospitality venues in Brisbane. If you’re reading this from outside Brisbane and want info specific to your LGA – send us a message and we will happily put together your own report.

Certainly we suggest the maximum effort to re-engage your existing membership or customer base, however if there is anything we can learn from the recent external changes is that there are various ways and perhaps new business opportunities to be leveraged for smart operators.

So while you are dishing out takeaways, offering drive through services and home delivery to stay afloat – we both applaud [and urge] you to use this time to refine your core product, but also turn your thoughts to what new opporutnities lay ahead for pubs and clubs post-Covid-19.

If you would like to chat about what opportunities are available for your hospitality venue, get in touch with Team DNS.