For over 10 years, Grand Welcome has been a trusted leader in the vacation rental management industry, offering exceptional accommodations, impeccable service, and outstanding experiences. By Lizzy Yeserski
For over 10 years, Grand Welcome has been a trusted leader in the vacation rental management industry, offering exceptional accommodations, impeccable service, and outstanding experiences. Now, with the vacation rental segment booming (and projected to hit $58 billion in 2022), Grand Welcome is set to embrace exponential growth – and they plan to achieve that growth almost exclusively through franchising.
“The sky’s the limit,” said Kevin Drudge, vice president of business development. “We operate in 20 markets, six states, and have hundreds of properties that we manage. We’re really poised for success. We’re flourishing.” Drudge foresees the company exceeding goals in 2021 and notes that Grand Welcome could easily host several hundred franchisees within its national network.
Grand Welcome spearheaded franchising initiatives in 2020 and, despite a global pandemic, signed on five new franchisees for an impressive start. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted people to rethink travel plans. “Over the next couple of years, in particular, people just don’t have confidence in traveling internationally. They’re going to want to stay domestic,” noted Drudge. He expects property rentals to be the “way of vacationing future” because of a lingering public reluctance to book hotels. Before the virus, the short-term rental segment was the fastest-growing piece of the vacation industry and, at this point, its popularity is increasing even more rapidly.
One of Grand Welcome’s most attractive incentives for franchisees is its low overhead, quick-start model. “Literally, you can sign a franchise agreement and be open in a month,” explained Drudge. “There’s no location, you can run it from home, no employees as you get started, and then you can layer in a very limited number of employees even as you grow and scale it. So from that standpoint, and the opportunity to earn financially, the business is very rewarding.” Franchisees have the flexibility to grow as big as they want, with the backing and full support of Grand Welcome’s brand.
This comprehensive support includes hands-on training and powerful marketing campaigns, complemented by concierge-level guest relations teams. Most notably, Grand Welcome has developed trailblazing technology that allows a franchisee to run a full-service property-management business from just about anywhere. Their highly customized software handles everything, such as vendor management, accounting, staffing, and reservations. As soon as Grand Welcome signs a new property into the system, guest bookings become automated across roughly 20 different online booking sites affiliated directly with the company, including Airbnb, Vrbo, and HomeAway.
Not only does the company’s innovative software optimize operations and help immediately generate revenue, but it also empowers franchisees to focus on other business goals, such as ensuring 100% satisfaction of their property owners and guests. Grand Welcome’s streamlined approach and integrated marketing also enable franchisees to pursue and acquire additional locations.
Drudge attributes the company’s overall success to it running like a mom-and-pop operation, even while being a multimillion-dollar corporation. When Brandon Ezra, CEO and founder of Grand Welcome, launched in 2008, his mission was to supply high-revenue vacation rentals with five-star service and establish a local presence wherever the company operated. To continue that vision, the company encourages franchisees to become part of a town’s fabric by getting involved with community organizations and charities. Giving back is at the heart of Grand Welcome’s objectives, which adds to the rewards of ownership for franchisees.
Grand Welcome stands by its commitment to shepherd franchisees to total fulfillment. “We know the business, and we can certainly help others learn it and be successful with it,” said Drudge. “Quite frankly, because we have the corporate and established business, we can really prop up the franchise business the right way. All the bells and whistles you would expect from an established company, we’re able to offer as a new franchisor.”
Now’s your opportunity to secure prime territory in the surging billion-dollar vacation rental industry. Visit grandwelcomefranchise.com today to learn how you can become part of the Grand Welcome family!
– Lizzy Yeserski