Themed Holiday Ideas dot com

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
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kevsboredagain
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Re: Response from Themed Holiday Ideas to unfair remarks!

Post by kevsboredagain »

themedholidayideas wrote:Themed Holiday Ideas has worked hard over the past few years to build up an impeccable reputation,
Cold calling tactics would contradict that statement. It puts your company in the same bucket as all the others calling us from Indian call centers promising off season bookings.
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Bassman
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Post by Bassman »

+1

They contacted us a while back and if perhaps they had mentioned what they hoped to theme us with i would have shown more interest and for example if its horse riding which stable do they use. Or offer free listing up until the first booking, no they just want my money
Dotty
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Re: Booking From Themed Holiday Ideas

Post by Dotty »

jim22 wrote:I registered with Themed Holiday Ideas just before Christmas. They approached me in much the same way as people on this forum are saying, checking availability with me first and explaining that they need accommodation for guests while they arranged different activities. I was a bit sceptical but I was quite impressed with the website and the idea, so went for it as it was only £58 for 3 adverts and free Facebook advertising on their Facebook Holiday Club page. They put my property under 3 themes for the Poitou Charente area in France where my property is. I am relieved and very happy to have received a number of enquiries, one of which has now resulted into a paid booking, so I have made my money back and a profit, even if nothing else comes from it. I don’t know how many bookings they provide owners with in general, but SHAUN, I can tell you it is not a scam. If they create the adverts, put them up on the website, and some people, like myself, get bookings from it, then it is most definitely not a scam. I think it’s a gamble, yes, but then again so is all advertising. I listed my property with Chez Nous 2 years ago and got nothing back after paying a lot more than £58! I’m sure there are owners on Chez Nous that get bookings but I wasn’t one of them. What works for one property owner doesn’t always work for others.
My experience with the ad has been completely different. I'm now 1 year on and still haven't had an enquiry from THI. My ads on THI site were merely set up as a complete cut and paste of my (then) OD text (it dates from before OD changed their site) with resultant formatting errors which made it appear a complete jumble and which they weren't prepared to fix - that was down to me.

jim22 - as a first time poster can I politely suggest that you read the forum rules here,
viewtopic.php?t=22
especially rule 4
limetree
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Post by limetree »

Just reading this has reminded me that I took up their offer last year and I haven't had any enquiries from it either. Whilst it may not be a scam, they were certainly keen enough to spend time selling the benefits of advertising with them and once they got my money no further contact from them.
TeachFirst
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Post by TeachFirst »

These people contacted me yesterday and I came straight on here to check out other property owners' opinions - which have just confirmed my own gut feeling. Ah, the joys of LMH!
Dotty
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Post by Dotty »

Still nothing from them for me!
Dotty
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Post by Dotty »

FYI, an update, 2 years after listing with THI. This morning I received 3 renewal notices (for the 3 'separate' themed ads I paid for 2 years ago):
Dear XXXXXX,

Your listing -Villa in Laroque des Alberes, Pyrenees Orientales, Languedoc-Roussillon, France posted on 16th 02,2015 for 730 days.

It's going to expiry after 10 day(s). If the listing expire, it will no longer appear on the site.

If you want to renew, Please login to your member area of our site and renew it as soon as it expire. You may like to login the site from....
Absolutely ZERO enquiries from them, either directly or via my website, in those 2 years. For a supposedly professional company based in the UK the wording above hardly inspires confidence.

Will I renew?......hmm let me think about it....NO NEVER!!!!
gunnyandbob
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THI

Post by gunnyandbob »

We were cold called today by Sam. Sounded good and came on here to see what the score is, and will not be taking up her offer, £68 admin fee. Part of the problem is we were scammed before, never got any enquiries.
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Nemo
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Post by Nemo »

Just had an unknown number ring me. A lady called Sam. Didn't say who she was with but I remembered this. Thought she was a guest to start with. She'd found one of my properties via Independent Cottages, then started asking about other properties. Then, we offer photography courses and I'm just looking to offer accommodation where they book direct with you. We just put a link to your website on ours so they can book direct. I hesitate as by now I've realised she's cold calling me but say fine. You hesitate, she says? Yes Sam. I don't know if you realise how many cold callers we owners get, trying to sell us something, so I wasn't sure what it is you're offering. I'll send you an email with what we do she says, then if you can reply with your April availability. My availability is on my website says I, it's always up to date. Fine she says, I'll just look at your website then and slams the phone down in my ear.
Sam, Sam, how can you still be in business I wonder..... If you do ever drop in on this, then take a lesson in manners will you? Slamming the phone down is never a good idea and just allows us to keep writing that here for all the other owners to read about you and your company. :roll:
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

I had a message left on the phone by Sam yesterday. From the message I thought she was a genuine guest wanting to book in April (not Easter week she said). But possibly May.

We finally spoke today and after a nice chat, she did go on to explain she was looking for accommodation for some photography courses. She said students on the courses always ask about accommodation and so they thought it was easier to check out some properties where commission is not paid and list them for their course students to contact direct. This honestly sounded ok so far, and Sam seemed very nice (I am summarising the discussion).

After further pleasant discussion when I asked about what sort of photography and whether it was beginners or knowledgeable photographers, Sam then did mention they also offered cycling holidays and other themed holidays. At this point a bell was ringing in my head.

I asked her what the cost to me was, and she was certain that she would not make any money from any bookings as guests would book direct, but they could produce a 3 page advert on their website at a cost. I would just be put in touch with their website designer.
To clarify, I said, “do you want me to pay you to list my website on yours? Because I don’t need to spend any more on my advertising as I get my bookings “.....She then became very flustered and said this conversation was going nowhere and she ended the call.

Just thought it would be helpful to let everyone know they are clearly contacting people again. I have no idea if it is worthwhile advertising with them, but unusually I was quite taken in for most of the call that this was a genuine enquiry.

I would have much preferred to have had an open discussion from the outset, and would have given their site some research and thought, but sadly I don’t think I would feel comfortable now. Pity. I’m always willing to consider new advertising sites.
Drax
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Post by Drax »

Last Friday (12th October) I had a message left on my answer-phone by a lady called 'Sam' saying she was interested in booking my cottage in April or May but she wanted to ask me some questions first.
She left me her phone number asking me to phone her back stating she would be at home for the rest of the day but was going away for the weekend, returning on the following Tuesday.
I phoned her back but no one answered so I left my details on her answer-phone.
Since then 'Sam' has not contacted me.
It would appear that 'Sam' is 'trying her luck again'.
Keep your powder dry.
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