Charla from Rockies Rentals in Canmore, Alberta describes how her company began, and some positive advice for the hospitality industry.

Q: Share with us some information about Rockies Rentals, and what makes it an experience for guests?

Rockies Rentals is a Short-Term Rental Management Company located in Canmore Alberta. We manage fully furnished vacation rental homes (AKA AirBNBs) ranging from 1-6 bedrooms. We put a great deal of "heart" into our properties, so that our guests truly feel like they are at home. We provide well stocked kitchens, lots of games/books, and a variety of spaces for guests - cozy corners to read a book, large gathering spaces to share great meals or enjoy a movie. We also offer free grocery delivery, among other things.

 Q: Tell us about the history, and how you created Rockies Rentals? 

It started with a Love Story - we met in 1996 while studying Hotel Management in Ontario. After graduating, we moved to Banff, Alberta to work in the hotel industry. Fast forward a few years, and we were married, bought our 1st home, and our 1st Rental Investment property in Canmore, Alberta. The Vacation Rental Industry was quite new back then. We fell in love with the concept of combining a comfortable home with hotel quality experience. Today, we have 18 properties in Alberta and Ontario ... and growing.

Q: As an independent property, what are some of the challenges you face?

In the face of COVID-19, all past challenges seem like a walk in the park! In an average year, staffing in a Resort Town is always a big challenge. Normally, people come and go on a staggered schedule. We have a different challenge --- the small and close-knit team feels like family. If one person decides to move on, they *all* decide to move on ... because work no longer seems fun when your friends are gone, and making new friends can seem daunting. We've embraced it. It's nice to hear from staff that check back in with us when they return to the area. We know the Rockies Rentals Family meant a lot to them during the time they were here.

Q: How has your business changed over the past month, and how have you adapted since the beginning of COVID-19?

We have always had the ability to operate remotely, so the new work practices weren't much of a change. And sanitizing is a regular part of our cleaning procedure, so not much changed there, either. ... But we very quickly became a Mid-Term Fully Furnished Rental Company. We have been using this quiet time to make some updates to our business operations by implementing new ideas, testing new software, and the like.

Q: What advice would you give to those in the hospitality industry, especially during this challenging time? 

Try to remember why you joined the hospitality industry. Remember how much you love serving guests, and being the gateway to happy vacation memories. This is nothing more than "The Great Pause". Our guests will return; and when they do, we will all be immensely eager to connect with humans again.

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