When a booking request is WAY to early

[bananacake]

I received a booking request for June 2011.

Is this normal?? isnt it a bit too early to make a booking request so much in advance?

[la vache!]

It is quite early, but I get booking requests occasionally like that, it isn't unusual to have bookings over a year in advance.
I have a permanent booking for the last week in May for one group of clients in my big house.

[Eileen2]

Yes Bananacake this does happen. Quite often I find an advance booking such as yours is usually for a special event such as a retirement or wedding. I took our first booking for August 2011 last November, apparently it's for a special birthday treat.

Eileen.

[Bellywobble]

I've got one for next June too. He wanted to book this summer but had left it too late and said he would be in touch about next year. I replied suggesting he booked early and he took me at my word and booked!

[vrooje]

I agree with the others: it's not the norm, but it's not suspicious, either. I don't have any bookings for 2011 yet, but last season I took a booking for June 2012. Some guests like to plan ahead!

[christinedavid]

Why should it be suspicious? I have already booked our skiing accommodation for February half term next year and we usually book our holidays at least a year in advance. Part of our summer holiday this year was booked 2 years ago! You have to book early to be sure of getting what you want, so take it as a compliment that they really want to stay in your property.

[Jimbo]

We had an enquiry recently (from a previous guest) asking if it was possible to temporarily ringfence all three gites for a couple of weeks in summer 2011 to allow her time to contact family members around the world to confirm their availability. Would have been a bit iffy if we hadn't known her, but our returnees get special privileges. And yes, we've had occasional bookings for the following season.

Jim

[Margaret]

We have had a booking for August 2011 since September 2008. They are paying by monthly installments November 2009 to November 2010.

[dublin13]

i had an odd 1 yesterdy through owners direct. looking for jan 2011 but asked that we send on the information about the villa by post. i know people book ahead but wanting posted info seemed a bit odd

[Ju]

We've got a booking for August 2011. I treat them as a normal booking and get the normal deposit amount. I may email them in September just to make sure we are agreed on dates and that their contact details haven't changed.

[Hells Bells]

February 2011, and Christmas and New Year booked already. It's never too soon, unless you are thinking about selling up, moving there yourself, etc etc.

[Margaret]

With enquiries from Responsible Travel we are regularly asked to post a brochure. We email to explain that we don't have one and they need to look at the website.

The non-internet market is, in my opinion, seriously underrated. We have people phone up for information who are not on the internet. When we bought our last house with apartments, we sent a postcard to all the previous guests and many of those were not on the internet. Internet is still not a pre-requisite for booking a holiday.

Even more to the point, we have just taken our first ever booking from a letter enquiry. It asked for a brochure and we don't have one. I did put the letter to one side and, I am ashamed to say, forgot about it until the lady phoned to ask if I had received it. I promised to write back, and enclosed print outs of pages from our website. She phoned the next day to book 2 weeks in September, worth more than 1,000 Euros.

I am planning to have a brochure printed, when I can find the time and money!

[Hells Bells]

Margaret, I did a simple leaflet to leave in some of the village shops which got me my first French booking for the following year, and a last minute (literally moved in the same day) weekend booking for a french holiday weekend.

[Margaret]

We have a simple leaflet, 2 sides A5, German and English versions, which we put out for guests to take away with them. We also have a box on our front fence with the German version for the walkers who pass us on the way to the National Park a few yards away. But that is a completely different animal from a brochure.

[bananacake]

well living in the mid east and coming from both a middle east and italian background where both cultures leave things like booking a holiday to the last minute - this one came as a total surprise!

i think i should update my 2011 and 2012 calendars!

thanks all for your feedback