From events to surveys, awards and all things B&B-related, 2018 was a very busy year for eviivo and our customers, who were in a staggering number of press articles both online and in print as a result. In total eviivo customers were featured in over 300 press pieces through 2018 thanks to our PR efforts – putting them in front of hundreds of thousands of potential UK guests!
The first big circle on the eviivo calendar was the 24th March 2018, aka the inaugural National B&B Day, which eviivo sponsored in partnership with the B&B Association and a number of other industry sponsors and contributors. It was publicised by VisitBritain, BT News, Blackpool Gazette, The Herald Scotland, Scottish Field, and many more! There were even radio interviews to gain publicity on BBC Radio Shropshire, BBC Essex, BBC Gloucestershire and BBC Humberside.
In honour of B&B Day, we asked B&Bs across the country to do something a little special. Glade End Guest House in Marlow offered a free stay to unpaid carers and got local press coverage, meanwhile, Allington Manor got a write up from Trip Reporter. MPs got involved, including the MP for Eastbourne, showing their support for local B&Bs in their constituencies, which was fantastic to see on such a public platform.
To celebrate B&B Day, eviivo launched the Great British B&B Breakfasts cookbook in conjunction with the Family Holiday Association, who give struggling families some respite by providing seaside holidays. The eviivo cookbook received coverage from national press, such as The Daily Mail, The Sun and Waitrose Magazine, as well as online publications, such as Scottish Field Magazine and Travel Begins at 40.
After B&B Day, awards season build up began. In April, the AA Bed & Breakfast Awards, one award of which was sponsored by eviivo, hit the headlines in The Mirror and Mail Online!
In October, we celebrated the annual eviivo Awards, which gained a lot of traction for the ceremony itself, as well as the individual properties shortlisted. The shortlist for Tastiest Breakfast was announced in Mail Online, which was great coverage for the properties nominate. In addition, the awards were attended by a number of journalists, including the travel editor for Mail Online, Ted Thornhill, who wrote about the night.
There was also awards coverage in Travolution, Travel Mole, MSN News, Ideal Home, Luxury B&B Magazine, Northern Ireland Travel Magazine, London Post, The Sunday Post, Eastern Daily Press, Archy Worldys, among many, many others.
The winner of the Star Amongst Stars award was featured in Country Living, and the winner of Tastiest Breakfast was applauded in Times & Star. Most Beautifully Presented was celebrated in Bromsgrove Advertiser, Malvern Gazette, and Worcester News – to name but a few!
Multiple Hidden Gems winners got press: Lys-na-Greyne, was featured in Society Aberdeen, Alnmouth Cottages made the Northumberland Gazette, and Rosslyn House was covered in The Whitby Gazette.
We also carried out a number of surveys in 2018, including one asking B&B owners the weirdest breakfasts they had been asked to prepare, which received press in national papers, such as The Mirror and The Metro. Another consumer report, detailing eviivo’s most haunted properties, also appeared in The Mirror.
We’re absolutely thrilled with the coverage that our properties got in the press in 2018! Publicity for B&Bs and small independent hotels is hard work but we’re glad that our customers have been putting in the effort to raise awareness of their businesses and the independent accommodation sector. Here’s to even more positive press in 2019!
