May and June stays.
- charles cawley
- Posts: 1205
- Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:53 pm
- Location: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Borders
May and June stays.
Speaking to contacts in two large booking agencies, they confirm that May stays and total rental income were significantly down and June looks to be going the same way. The first four months of 2017 met 2016 performance but tailed off in late April. July and August look up to scratch and the Autumn is looking promising, for CHL.
Some say the timing of Easter is part of the reason, but the dip is marked and significant. I put it down to less demand generation due to major agencies not advertising at Christmas making the mistake that Google can generate demand. Instead, we were left pursuing fewer guests for bookings but paying higher click bids.. which have, now, mercifully dropped to year on year lower pay per click levels.
A burst of unseasonal TV and newspaper advertising happened in late April and the first half of May. It went quiet. Then, yesterday, more unseasonal ads from Home Away appeared on the TV. The major booking agencies are feeling the heat. Sykes' discounting is notable: one good quality holiday cottage in Framlington was advertising with a 35% discount for a June stay. I have not checked other large agencies with auto discount systems.
Something seems to be happening, related to the way legacy marketing and advertising works in tandem with the Internet. I suspect people are having to learn very fast.
Some say the timing of Easter is part of the reason, but the dip is marked and significant. I put it down to less demand generation due to major agencies not advertising at Christmas making the mistake that Google can generate demand. Instead, we were left pursuing fewer guests for bookings but paying higher click bids.. which have, now, mercifully dropped to year on year lower pay per click levels.
A burst of unseasonal TV and newspaper advertising happened in late April and the first half of May. It went quiet. Then, yesterday, more unseasonal ads from Home Away appeared on the TV. The major booking agencies are feeling the heat. Sykes' discounting is notable: one good quality holiday cottage in Framlington was advertising with a 35% discount for a June stay. I have not checked other large agencies with auto discount systems.
Something seems to be happening, related to the way legacy marketing and advertising works in tandem with the Internet. I suspect people are having to learn very fast.
No web-site for now.
Advice about holiday letting
Advice about holiday letting
An acquaintance with top quality properties in top quality locations (France) is maintaining his prices on HA but halving them (50% the HA rates) on airbnb. He is practically full from April through September 2017. On HA his minimum stay is 7 nights, on airbnb 2 nights. The number of reviews from airbnb just for the month of May (9) indicate that at least many of the bookings are, indeed, coming from the grossly reduced prices.
It is difficult to know what is really going on. Just looking at HA I thought that he was full on top prices - which doesn't make sense today. In fact, the few properties I see which are full have all reduced min stays to 3 nights, which makes me wonder if they are all on airbnb.
If everyone slashes prices the owners with mortgages are going to be out.
It is difficult to know what is really going on. Just looking at HA I thought that he was full on top prices - which doesn't make sense today. In fact, the few properties I see which are full have all reduced min stays to 3 nights, which makes me wonder if they are all on airbnb.
If everyone slashes prices the owners with mortgages are going to be out.
- charles cawley
- Posts: 1205
- Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:53 pm
- Location: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Borders
First time in 12 seasons we have minimum stays of 3 nights with flexible start days except August. May bookings down but so was Jun last year this Jun looking better.
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....
The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
here in France we are putting it down to political instability across Europe - we have only UK/French regulars in our gites for next 5 wks, with just 1 w/end(French) of B&B bookings for June after this w/end - no new bookings at all for June is a first in 14yrs - Legislative election in France 11 & 18 June & of course UK election next week - dependent on results of both we hope that things will start to pick up by end of June with new enquiries from UK & France for both gites & B&B - so far empty for middle 2wks of July & 1 gite is empty from 4th August for rest of season. Dutch & Belgians we hope will fill July/August gaps otherwise. Have also dropped prices dramatically on airbnb & made min stay of 3 nts for both gites on all OTAs.
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- Posts: 231
- Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 1:12 pm
- Location: Lake District