| We have all taken vacations and stayed at marvelous | | | | "Wal-Marting" of America. Wal-Mart moved into small |
| independently owned boutique resorts and bed and | | | | towns, people start shopping at them. All of a sudden |
| breakfasts. We marvel at their attention to detail, their | | | | their neighbors who owned small businesses went out |
| value, their friendliness, and the hard work and long | | | | of business. Downtowns declined, property values |
| hours the owners put in to make us happy. Many of | | | | went down, Wal-Mart got rich and people said, "what |
| us have probably said because of a good experience, | | | | happened to our town?" Every time they shopped at |
| "I would love to open a bed and breakfast or small | | | | Wal-Mart, they were responsible for the decline in their |
| resort someday." | | | | own towns. |
| This year more than ever, small independent resorts | | | | The same is true with small resorts. Everyone loves |
| and B & B's need your vacation dollars. Not only | | | | staying at them. But, this year, the year of the |
| have they always had to compete against the large | | | | staycation may drive your favorite small resort out of |
| impersonal chain hotels and motels while having a | | | | business and you will have no one to blame but |
| fraction of their advertising and marketing budgets, but | | | | yourself. Small resorts need your help more than ever. |
| they have always had much higher operating | | | | They need for you to get relaxed and pampered at |
| expenses because of the great amenities they have | | | | them. They need for you to forgo vacations overseas. |
| for their guests compared to chains. | | | | Stay in the US and support fellow Americans with |
| This is not the year to decide to cut back on | | | | your vacation dollars. |
| vacationing at your favorite boutique resort or B & | | | | And don't just go on weekends. Everyone wants to |
| B as they may not be around next year. | | | | go to a boutique resort on a weekend. For instance |
| We have all called to make reservations at a favorite | | | | nice small resorts turn away hundreds of guests |
| place, only to sadly find out it went out of business and | | | | wanting to stay with them on Valentine's Day because |
| thought, "that was such a nice little resort, we have | | | | they are full. Go before Valentine's Day. Go midweek. |
| such wonderful memories there, I wonder why it went | | | | Go off season on vacation. That is how you will help |
| out of business." They went out of business because | | | | small resorts and B & B's. |
| people stayed at chain hotels on their vacations. | | | | This is the year to vacation at your favorite |
| Many people don't appreciate small businesses in | | | | independent hotel. Vacation in the good old USA! |
| America. It is like what happened with the | | | | |