BabyQuip and Xplorie Partner to Enhance Family Experiences
July 20, 2021
Xplorie and BabyQuip have announced a new partnership. BabyQuip is the world’s largest baby gear delivery platform deploying quality baby equipment to over 600 locations in the US and Canada, with an awesome 98 percent 5-star rating from over 50,000 very happy parents!
Xplorie’s partnership with Baby Quip enhances the family travel experience even further. Guests can book online in advance and if there’s something they forgot, orders can be simply be placed through the Xplorie enable voice assistant for immediate delivery or an Xplorie Destination Guide. In fact, 62% of BabyQuip parents say renting baby gear saved their vacation!
“Being a parent myself, I wanted to create a way for families with young kids to be able to enjoy all of our curated local experiences as easily as possible and this partnership is the perfect way to do just that,” said Matthew Loney, President and CEO of Xplorie. “Guests will be able to select any of our local experiences, order their baby gear and take the family out to see the sites.”
The rebound of the travel industry has been fast fuelled by family travel as working from home and online schooling became the new norm, schedules are more flexible, and spending quality time with family takes a higher priority than ever before.
A Vrbo travel trends report shows that 82% of families already have travel plans for 2021 with 65% stating they will travel more frequently than they did pre-Covid and 33% saying they will spend more. Occupancy levels rose to 70.2% in June 2021, 20% higher than in June 2019, and further research shows families will be the most common travel group going forward, with 77% opting for a traditional family road trip to a nearby destination.
Guest expectations are at an all-time high and families traveling with kids do not want to be confined to the small spaces of a hotel room and share public amenities. Families are looking for a home-away-from-home that caters to all their needs as parents and is safe, spacious, and fun for the kids! Vacation rentals are the best way for families to enjoy wide-open spaces, family-friendly amenities, and the comforts and conveniences of home.
What value do your homes offer families traveling with young kids? Parents traveling with young children will choose family travel options that cater to all the comforts of parenting, from breakfast to bedtime (and everything in between). Here are our top tips to create a safe, fun, and kid-friendly vacation rental.
Safety: Child-proof your homes to accommodate travelers with babies and toddlers on the move. Take a minimalistic and practical approach in your décor and stay clear of ornaments and breakables, install window locks and remove any blind cords from reach, and secure all electrical outlets. Ensure the home is stocked with the required safety equipment, provide your guests with PPE supplies and be sure to store your cleaning products away from little fingers. If your vacation home has a pool or hot tub, make sure the property meets all local safety requirements. Finally, do a walk-through of your homes through the eyes of a paranoid parent!
Kitchen & Laundry: A fully-equipped, child-friendly kitchen and in-house laundry is a top priority when choosing a vacation rental for a family vacation. Pack your kitchen from the perspective of a parent, safety latches the lower cabinets, offer modern kitchen necessities and feeding solutions that make mealtime a breeze, and secure your laundry space with a lockable door to avoid accidents.
Bedrooms: Sleep time is another top priority for every parent and sleeping arrangements are often one of the first questions asked. While it’s important to keep a balance (not all your guests want kid-themed rooms), create an inviting space for families with children and offer your guests sleep-related amenities to ensure the whole family can rest, relax and recharge.
Attractions & Activities: The guest experience goes way beyond a family-friendly vacation rental! Help your guests plan their family vacation with local tips and suggestions for kid-friendly restaurants, parks and playgrounds, attractions, activities, and family-friendly tours. Enhance the guest experience a step further by offering your guests backpacks and baby carriers for exploring the trails, strollers for getting the little ones happily through the attractions, and even car seats delivered to the airport for their rental car.
Kid-Friendly Amenities: If you’ve got the space (even a garage will do), a games room with streaming services, foosball, pinball, video games, and board games is always a hit for families with older kids and teens. For families traveling with babies and toddlers, go the extra mile and offer playtime solutions, toys and books so your guests can pack light for their vacation and keep the little ones entertained. If you prepare welcome baskets for your guests, include some blowing bubbles, playdoh, crayons, and crafts for the kids along with the treats for mom and dad, and don’t forget the office space for parents working from home!
Marketing: Now your properties are prepared to cater to families traveling with kids, it’s time to market your homes as family-friendly rentals. List your property as family-friendly, add filter options on your website for family-friendly rentals and kid-friendly amenities to make it easy to find the property, highlight these features in your property listing descriptions and headings, use clear images for parents to visualize the home and promote your local knowledge, expertise and ability to offer your guests a completely kid-friendly vacation package.
Preparing your properties to attract more families gives you a competitive advantage, the opportunity to get more bookings and rave five-star reviews from relaxed, happy parents whose family travel was made easy. Xplorie and BabyQuip have partnered up not only to make it easy for parents but also to make it easier for its participating partner properties to provide an enhanced guest experience that will keep parents coming back year after year.
“We’re incredibly excited about our partnership with Xplorie”, said Fran Maier, CEO of BabyQuip. “Solving a traveler’s baby gear problem at the point where they’re looking for local experiences is a great match.”
The Xplorie-BabyQuip partnership officially launched on July 20th.
