How to attract business tourists?

How to attract business tourists?

Today’s world of business is asking lot of traveling, business people have to travel long distances and to go to other countries and cities in order to meet their business partners and associates. The common characteristics of this group of traveler are:

• they are looking for accommodation mostly for a day, maybe for 3-5 days,
• they have higher budgets, and they are less concerned about costs
• travels alone or with colleagues in the company
• part of their work performed in spare time

For people involved in tourism it is important to recognize business tourists and attracts them. Airports, hotels, car rental agencies, restaurants adapt and extend its offer to business people.

Hotels have gone farthest. They have areas so-called "lounge bars" aimed for gathering and socializing of businessmen. Hotels with more stars have one or more meeting rooms, conference rooms equipped with the necessary equipment, Broadband fast internet and telephone or fax lines are on their disposal. Business tourists can choose whether they prefer to work in a hotel rooms or in the areas of special purpose.

Apartments for business people

Someone who saw their chance to attract this well paid guest are the owners of private apartments. These apartments are a solution for all requirements andneeds of businesspersons.

• their renting is very flexible - for one to several nights, even several hours
• apartments have access to the Internet and telephone. Some of them have computers, laptops, fax, scanner, printer and photocopier on disposal.
• in apartments can be created and  organized a space for working and conducting business. Apartments are quiet, intimate, offers a pleasant atmosphere unhindered by crowds and noise, also there can be organized meetings in friendly and even familial environment.
• Reservations and payment are very simple - company that sends the employee abroad can booked and paid by Internet or by some financial services as Western Union or Paypal
• in the apartments can be arranged meals for one or more people. If the business people do not want to cook, the owner can hire catering service or restaurant.
• parking places - Most of apartments provide parking space for their guests.

When the work is completed this visitors often want to go out and explore the city. For these tourists, apartment accommodation is a great solution. Unlike a hotel, here they have a large space, and everyone can undisturbed to attend to their work or entertainment.

Why to Stay in an Apartment?

Visiting Serbia is always a good idea. Natural beauty, clean air, tasty food... Either you decide to see country side, or it's capitol - Belgrade - you can count on a holiday to remember.

Belgrade offers many things to see, a lot of places for picnic, sightseeing, restaurants with Serbian specialties... But, first of all, you have to find a place to stay.

Accommodation in Belgrade

In Belgrade, you can choose between:

1. hotels
2. hostels
3. apartments

It depends on your travel budget, but also on your way of life, and a purpose of your trip.

Hotels offer comfort, neat, air-conditioned rooms. Cleaning is on a daily basis, and you can count on TV, WiFi and minibar. Also, friendly stuff with a knowledge of English and probably another foreign language.

In the other hand, you are limited on a small room, and you have to eat in a hotel or some other restaurant.

 

Hostels are known as a kind of accommodation that suits best to the young people. You can never know who will be your roommates. If you are looking for adventure, new friendship, or traveling with a lot of friends, you could consider hostel. But, if you are looking for a peaceful holiday to enjoy, it would be vise to skip it.

Belgrade apartments

Apartments offer you the opportunity to plan a perfect holiday. You will get comfort, safety and intimacy, just like in your own home. This is a big plus if you are on a family trip.

Private apartments in Belgrade have an equipped kitchen and all necessary appliances, so you can prepare your meals, coffee, and other refreshments.

Also, you can count on

• equipped kitchen, with basic devices
• free WiFi or high speed cable net
• cable TV
• air conditioner

If you are traveling by car, or planning to rent a car in Belgrade, be sure to find apartment with parking lot.

Depending on purpose of your trip, there is a large offer of apartments in every part of the city - center, New Belgrade, Kalemegdan, Dorcol...

You can find an apartment that perfectly fits you. They can be single room, or with one, two or even three bedrooms. Single room apartment is suitable for two persons, and one-bedroom apartment for four or five people. If you share the renting costs, and with some internet research, renting can cost you less then 15 eur per person.

Of course, there are also some disadvantages - you have to clean apartment and to make a bed. But, also, you can enjoy your coffee on a balcony, prepare healthy meal from vegetables that you bought on a local green market... 

You can live just like a Belgradian for a few days, and it could be a great experience and wonderful memory!

How to Spend Less Money, but More Time in Belgrade

There are a lot of articles about things you should visit in capital of Serbia. But, just like every big city in a world, Belgrade also has some secrets, some thing that you should avoid in order to travel cheaper and longer.

Accommodation and Food

Find a good place to stay. If hotels are to expensive for your budget, and hostels are not your cup of tea, staying in apartment is a good solution. You can find a lot of cozy, well equipped apartments, with air condition, internet and cable TV. It doesn't have to bi in very center of the city, you can walk downtown or use a public transport. The price vary depending on apartment size, but also location is very important and can make a big difference. It's always better choice to spend seven, then five days, in city like Belgrade. The only thing you should do is to plan ahead and make a smart choices.

Don't eat at expensive restaurants. The food in downtown restaurants sometimes is going to be double the price of food that you can find elsewhere. It is great experience to have a meal at Kalemegdan, or Skadarlija. But, you can find a lot of small, not so famous restaurants, with tastier food and smaller prices. These are the places where local people eating, and they have to offer high quality, or they will lose customers otherwise.

It's smart idea to use websites like Foursquare to check what are Belgradians rating highly, or try some adventure and walk into random restaurant, a few blocks from downtown.

Water is free. You don't have to buy water in Serbia, you can drink it from faucet, or from drinking fountains in public places. Also, you can take a plastic water bottle with you, and fill it on these spots. You can find at least four or five drinking fountains in center of Belgrade, in Knez Mihajlova street. When you're in a restaurant or coffee shop, you can ask for a glass of water, it's free of charge.

Act Like a Belgradian

If you have to exchange money, don't go to the bank. Maybe it looks like the safest place, but exchange rates are the worst, for sure. You should use exchange offices instead, there are a lot of them in Belgrade. They will offer a better rates, especially if you have a bigger amount of money to exchange. You can't pay in foreign currencies, only dinar is accepted in Belgrade, and the rest of Serbia as well.

The other way is to use your card to make payments, but if you want to buy some souvenir from a street vendors, you are supposed to have cash.

Don't use a taxi, unless it is the only option. Public transport in Belgrade is not so great, but it's good enough if you are a small budget traveler. It can take you more time, but you will always get the place you want to visit. When you are going to spend more than few days in Belgrade, or travel in a bigger company, you should consider rent a car as a reasonable option. When you share costs, it is cheaper than a taxi, and more convenient than public transport.

Visit a local tourist office. Maybe it should be the first stop on trip to Belgrade. People that work there are supposed to know the answers on every question that you might have. They get paid for that, so do not hesitate to ask. Here you can get a information:

• about city events
• advice about accommodation and restaurants.
• get a discount cards
• information about places that you can visit for free

Anyway, it is a good place to start your visit.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about renting apartments for short stay in Belgrade

Apartmentsfor a short stay experienced tremendous growth in popularity in Belgrade. Its existence complete the offer of accommodation capacities, in addition to traditional capacities like hotels, hostels, camps. We listed some of most common questions that visitors asked.

Which is the period of renting apartments for short stay?

Apartments can be rented:

• on a daily basis,
• per day,
• for a few days,
• month and
• a few months

Is it possible to prepare food in the apartment?

This is one of the main advantages of private apartments. They usually have fully equipped kitchen equipped with all necessary household appliances. Just to avoid misunderstandings, refrigerators are empty, but it is possible to arrange with owners to put some food before guest arrival

What about clean towels and bed sheets, how often they are changed?

Clean towels, bed sheets and blankets are understood. Usually, bed sheets are changed once a week, and towels can be changed as needed, but those can be renegotiated with the owners.

What about cleaning the apartments?

Guests can count on clean apartments before arrival. Additional cleaning while guest are staying can be arranged, but must be paid by guests.

Is it possible to invite friends in the apartment?

Of course, that is the main advantages of apartments before hotels and hostels.

Is there phone and internet connection in the apartments?

In most cases there is a phone and the fast internet connections, such as ADSL, wireless or cable internet.

Who will pay for any damages?

The guests are required to maintain the apartment, fixtures and installations and have to compensate damages they caused.

What happens if the guests lost the apartment key?

Cost of replacing locks and making new keys is on their behalf.

Pats?

In most of the cases, pats are not allowed, but of course, owners are very flexible and arrangements can be make.

At what time guest can come and leave the apartments?

In any time! Flexibility is huge advantage, it is possible to arrange with the owners arrival in early mornings, of late night hours, often they wait guests and personally give them keys of the apartment. You can’t find that option with hotels. At the end of the stay, keys can be handed to the apartment owner or at the previously agreed place.

At the end, few words about payment

Payment is in most cases in advance, when guests takes the keys. It is possible to pay partially, but always in advance for the days ahead. Payments can be made in cash and credit cards.

What includes in the price of the apartment?

·         stay in the apartment

·         cleaning

·         overheads (electricity, heating, water, etc),

·         telephone in local net,

·         internet and cable TV

Belgrade

Capital city

Belgrade is capital, and also the largest city of Republic of Serbia. 1 650 000 citizens live within borders of Belgrade. This old and full of history city is situated on the confluence of two big European rivers, Sava and Danube, it also lies on the spot where Pannonian plain touches the mountainous part of Serbia, northern Balkans.

Position

Because of its position, Belgrade is beneficial for international traffic, especially from western parts of Europe to Black sea, eastern Mediterranean and Asia.

History

History of Belgrade is long and culturally diverse. Throughout the history Belgrade had been occupied by Illyrians, Thracians, Dacians, Celts, Romans, Hungarians, Austrians and Ottomans. Before the Slavs occupied Belgrade in 7th century, the name of this city was Singidunum( Singi is a Dacian tribe, and Dunum means city or a fort ). Belgrade or Beograd ( as the Serbian name suggests ) actually means “white city”, it is believed that the city got its name from the white stones of Tašmajdan.

Belgrade story

In  year 1284., Belgrade became part of Serbia for the first time. Despot Stefan Lazarević made Belgrade a capital of Serbia by the beginning of 15th century. 

Belgrade was burnt to the ground 40 times, but it has always managed to remain an important European metropolis because of its size, wealth and people who have always fought for it. 

History could be experienced in the city itself, because it contains many important historical and religious objects, monuments and museums.

Importance

Capital of Serbia holds a big importance for south Slavic Christian orthodox culture. Around Belgrade you can find many interesting sacral objects and locations, such as temple of Sveti Sava in Vračar, which is still in construction because it is enormous and very decorated. Church Ružica in Kalemegdan is quite old and church Sveti Marko, famous for its exterior. On the other hand, Belgrade also has a muslim community, where you could find a mosque built in Ottoman times, called Bajrakli. Some of the most visited museums in Belgrade are Vojnimuzej( Army museum ), Museum of Belgrade, Cvijićev muzej ( Jovan Cvijić is a well-known scientist ) , Etnografskimuzej ( shows how life of Serbs used to be ) and Museum of Nikola Tesla.

Tourism

Most visited tourist attractions in Belgrade include Kalemegdan – a fort located on the confluence of Sava and Danube rivers, Knez Mihajlova street ( a long pedestrian street with stores and cafes, Skadarlija street , also a pedestrian area, but famous for its bohemian vibe and numerous “kafana”, bars and restaurants, Zemun which is a part of Belgrade with beautiful architecture from the time of the Habsburgs. Of course, in Belgrade there are many hotels and apartments to welcome tourists.