Your bookings for this year?? holidaylettings
Discussion
My holiday let has started to pick up customers recently - at the moment around 10 nights down on this time last year. We were down considersbly more nights a couple of months ago.
Main problem is very few bookings for the summer holidays at the moment - only 1 week booked but normally have 3 weeks booked by now. Just reduced the price for first 2 weeks of summer - only a few weeks left until then so seeing if that brings in customers.
I think a lot more people are looking but want big discounts and are being very choosey.
There is also a lot of competition that are reducing their prices by up to 50%. The park where my caravan is currently reducing their prices by 25% for the summer - this is bringing them close to my prices and therefore providing greater competition.
Main problem is very few bookings for the summer holidays at the moment - only 1 week booked but normally have 3 weeks booked by now. Just reduced the price for first 2 weeks of summer - only a few weeks left until then so seeing if that brings in customers.
I think a lot more people are looking but want big discounts and are being very choosey.
There is also a lot of competition that are reducing their prices by up to 50%. The park where my caravan is currently reducing their prices by 25% for the summer - this is bringing them close to my prices and therefore providing greater competition.
Edited by Pabl0 on Wednesday 6th July 10:36
For the pat 7 years we have been fully booked for the summer holidays before the end of May.
This year, we still have 3 weeks available. Even with big discounts for late booking, we still have empty properties.
Seems to be a pattern in the Lake district certainly.
We have also had our share of 'timewasters' this year as well. Strangest recently was a £750 cottage reduced to £600 for late booking, we were offered £550 by a guest who said that was all they could afford if we could let them have it at that price they would book immediately. So..£550 better than nothing - we accepted their offer, only to get a reply that they needed to think about it, followed by a response that 2 days before the holiday they could now only afford £450. Oh well - It will stay empty.!
This year, we still have 3 weeks available. Even with big discounts for late booking, we still have empty properties.
Seems to be a pattern in the Lake district certainly.
We have also had our share of 'timewasters' this year as well. Strangest recently was a £750 cottage reduced to £600 for late booking, we were offered £550 by a guest who said that was all they could afford if we could let them have it at that price they would book immediately. So..£550 better than nothing - we accepted their offer, only to get a reply that they needed to think about it, followed by a response that 2 days before the holiday they could now only afford £450. Oh well - It will stay empty.!
Most villas in Spain are all fully booked for the summer holidays with a falling off as you go inland. To be honest, I was surprised given the prices still seem high to me (usual summer holiday rip-off)so I now tend to take the kids out of school and go in Feb and September.
One of the factors abroad is the flights seem to be far more expensive, mainly due to taxes. It will get worse for me as BMIBaby are pulling out of Cardiff and they are usually cheapest.
One of the factors abroad is the flights seem to be far more expensive, mainly due to taxes. It will get worse for me as BMIBaby are pulling out of Cardiff and they are usually cheapest.
Can't speak for gites or villas but this year people are leaving it very late to book or not even booking and turning up unannounced and taking pot luck.Also people just haven't got the money this year.
I've heard of some campsite owners bartering prices when customers have challenged the price.
I've heard of some campsite owners bartering prices when customers have challenged the price.
LuS1fer said:
One of the factors abroad is the flights seem to be far more expensive, mainly due to taxes. It will get worse for me as BMIBaby are pulling out of Cardiff and they are usually cheapest.
Flights seem to have risen hugely over the past 10 months. I'm a regular long hauler, and seem to be paying about 20% more now for tickets to the US. I'm not sure if it's taxes or because British Scareways have a monopoly on the route I use - for the first time ever I'm considering a change in Canada, adding about 4 hours each way.Maxf said:
LuS1fer said:
One of the factors abroad is the flights seem to be far more expensive, mainly due to taxes. It will get worse for me as BMIBaby are pulling out of Cardiff and they are usually cheapest.
Flights seem to have risen hugely over the past 10 months. I'm a regular long hauler, and seem to be paying about 20% more now for tickets to the US. I'm not sure if it's taxes or because British Scareways have a monopoly on the route I use - for the first time ever I'm considering a change in Canada, adding about 4 hours each way.Definitely down this year, which is odd as plenty of folks will have learnt by now that 'staycations' aren't any cheaper than going abroad particularly if you have kids. Surprisingly, I still have a week at the end of August still available which normally would have gone by the end of April.
As others have said, plenty of last minute enquiries even took a booking last Sunday for a week with less than 24 hours notice! Having said that, there are going to be plenty of families disappointed this year if people think they can leave it until now asking for availability in July August. Certainly people are getting bolder in their requests for discount but there are ways of asking for it e.g. 'Tell me what discount I can expect for xxx week', is not going to get them what they want!
As others have said, plenty of last minute enquiries even took a booking last Sunday for a week with less than 24 hours notice! Having said that, there are going to be plenty of families disappointed this year if people think they can leave it until now asking for availability in July August. Certainly people are getting bolder in their requests for discount but there are ways of asking for it e.g. 'Tell me what discount I can expect for xxx week', is not going to get them what they want!
We have a property in south of france. Pre-empting the recession we reduced our prices by 10% for this year and are booked through from May to October far quicker than last year. Overall income is up due to more bookings, but it is very price sensitive. Even with reduced prices people still want to negotiate even after being quoted. If you don't, you won't get the business.
The one we rent out in Murcia Spain is pretty much booked solid through the summer, we had it on Holiday Lettings last year and didn't do so well, it's on Owners Direct this time and we've been really pleased with the response. It has also been booked pretty much at full price, £850 per week.
smifffymoto said:
Probably because most sites are shut,especially on the coast.
I have driven to the South of France at least 13 to 14 times now with my own caravan and have never found any sites shut in early oct. The "Keycamp" type of stuff has normally disappeared by then but many are open 11 months of the year.smifffymoto said:
If you're that keen to stay pick a site and contact them direct. You also say South of France,can you narrow it down a bit?
We're looking at the South to South Eastern sector. We've stayed on aprox 15 different sites in the area over the years and I am looking at anywhere probably about Antibes area.this year has been ok so far, starting renting in april (which was early) and now booked through to end of august, cant complain, slightly better than last year and definately better than 2009, however have spent some money on making the villa better each year, added WiFi this year, and british freeview sat channels last year, worth remembering to keep updating furniture etc etc if you want to attract repeat renters
Simon Brooks said:
this year has been ok so far, starting renting in april (which was early) and now booked through to end of august, cant complain, slightly better than last year and definately better than 2009, however have spent some money on making the villa better each year, added WiFi this year, and british freeview sat channels last year, worth remembering to keep updating furniture etc etc if you want to attract repeat renters
Simon if you don't mind me asking, in which country is you villa located?Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff