newquay rentals

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
Nigel Goodwin
Posts: 707
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:50 pm
Location: Newquay Cornwall
Contact:

newquay rentals

Post by Nigel Goodwin »

For fun, I thought I would investigate how bookings are going with various OTA's. I am also worried about where my bookings have gone.

I looked at a week, Sat - Sat for 4 people, in Newquay Cornwall. HA has a rather vague idea where Newquay is, and seemed to return properties all over Cornwall. The following shows the number of properties available - the total is an estimate based on a search in the middle of November.

My general conclusion is that there is a rather depressing (for owners) amount of availability. Weather? Brexit? Election?

I currently have 10 free weeks out of a total of 36 in July/August (4 properties x 9 weeks). Could do better. but not completely against the trend. I have TA on subscription, airbnb on 60 day cancellation. I do not advertise on HA, too much pain.

TA total 610 rentals

10 june 148
17 june 150
24 june 150
1 july 173
8 july 159
15 july 184
22 july 141
29 july 85
5 aug 43
12 aug 57
19 aug 134
26 aug 197
2 sept 262

airbnb total 306

10 june 18
17 june 39
24 june 34
1 july 39
8 july 44
15 july 54
22 july 36
29 july 22
5 aug 19
12 aug 44
19 aug 33
26 aug 55
2 sept 79

HA total ?600

10 june 385
17 june 514
24 june
1 july
8 july
15 july
22 july 338
29 july 182
5 aug 115
12 aug 170
19 aug 285
26 aug 350
2 sept
AndrewH
Posts: 1499
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:17 pm
Location: Kefalonia, Greece
Contact:

Post by AndrewH »

Of the three, it looks like AB&B, although it has only half the number of listings compared to the other two, gets the most results for owners. At a glance, neither TA or HA are up to much taken over all, but TA, although pricier from the guest's perspective, does generally better than HA. It's an interesting comparison.
e-richard
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 11:33 am
Location: Algarve, Portugal
Contact:

Re: newquay rentals

Post by e-richard »

Nigel Goodwin wrote:My general conclusion is that there is a rather depressing (for owners) amount of availability.
Sad though it is, I would guess that a large proportion of apparent availability may well be down to lazy owners not updating their calendars.

Its because of these types of owners(*) that the OTAs are going to ridiculous lengths to try and take over our business and run it the way they think travellers prefer. IMHO, their intentions may be laudable, but their execution is laughable - and that's being polite. (see for example a parallel discussion on responding to enquiries)



(*) I also believe that 99.99% of the owners in this category do not and have never visited LMH !
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
Perran
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun May 31, 2015 12:17 pm
Location: Cornwall

Post by Perran »

We have a house in Perranporth and use two local agents and get plenty of bookings although there is a fairly hefty commission on that. Over 5 years the numbers have steadily increased.

I noticed there is a specific site for self catering in Newquay which is associated with Camel Homes Estate agents it might be worth a look. Here is the link. I read about it from another post on the forum.
https://www.selfcatercornwall.co.uk
A Perran
User avatar
barbersdrove
Posts: 985
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:48 pm
Location: crowland south lincolnshire

Post by barbersdrove »

I think Airbnb is doing the business for renters if my experience is anything to go by. I'm with OD and TA (subscription) and Visit East of England and now Airbnb. Enquiries had dried up none from OD for weeks and never any really good quality ones anyway, None from TA, a couple for VisitEofE. Since having my properties on Airbnb 10 days ago, 5 enquiries, 1 refused, 4 confirmed bookings 2 for over a week.
A cream cake a day keeps the wrinkles at bay:)
Nigel Goodwin
Posts: 707
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:50 pm
Location: Newquay Cornwall
Contact:

Post by Nigel Goodwin »

Perran wrote: I noticed there is a specific site for self catering in Newquay which is associated with Camel Homes Estate agents
Thanks for the link. I have used Camel Estates in the past for winter lets, they were helpful.

Comparisons are always difficult. Pricing comes into it a lot. It seems some local agencies, such as BlueChip (and Camel), are offering big discounts (20-25%), while I am holding my nerve and only discount within 7 days.

I am sure that, if it was advertised at the same price, I would get more bookings if I was on commission with TA, HA and airbnb. But would I have more in my pocket after all the expenses and hassle? I try to price £1 below the big OTA's for similar properties (it is very competitive here with hundreds of apartments).
Nigel Goodwin
Posts: 707
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:50 pm
Location: Newquay Cornwall
Contact:

Post by Nigel Goodwin »

I guess my main point was to try and do a comparison between OTA's for a significant area. My personal situation was a secondary matter.

With my data science hat on, I don't think there is much evidence that any OTA is doing significantly better than any other, choice comes down to other factors like payments and cancellation policies. As I have a 60 day cancellation policy with airbnb, it works quite well for me, but I can't say it is generating a flood of enquiries.
Perran
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun May 31, 2015 12:17 pm
Location: Cornwall

Post by Perran »

Thanks for your responses Nigel, I didn't mention I found the analysis very interesting and spent the morning doing something similar for Falmouth.

As a management accountant this sort of thing is right up my street. 8)
A Perran
Nigel Goodwin
Posts: 707
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:50 pm
Location: Newquay Cornwall
Contact:

Post by Nigel Goodwin »

Perran wrote: spent the morning doing something similar for Falmouth.
Did you come to any conclusions? It is very difficult to do so, unless there is a very obvious outlier.
Perran
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun May 31, 2015 12:17 pm
Location: Cornwall

Post by Perran »

Well my starting point was looking at your 36 free weeks and low occupancy having quite a few free weeks myself. We use TA and OD but not Airbnb so I only did the figures for those two. We heard a few scare stories about Airbnb but looking at what you say it looks promising particularly if you have a good cancellation policy.

Pricing is really the key here you need to get it right and I was interested in your £1 below option. There are so many other variables also.

Based on this I think I will have a closer look at Airbnb and do the figures. What my analysis showed was the massive demand for accommodation in the first two weeks in August which is hardly any surprise!

I had just been turned down by an agent who said there was an oversupply of accommodation in Falmouth and I didn't think that was true. You have to know where you want to be in the market that is which segment you want to appeal to and pitch it at the right level.
A Perran
Nigel Goodwin
Posts: 707
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:50 pm
Location: Newquay Cornwall
Contact:

Post by Nigel Goodwin »

Perran wrote:Well my starting point was looking at your 36 free weeks and low occupancy having quite a few free weeks myself.
I have 10 free weeks out of a total of 36 in July/August. I have 4 properties.

Airbnb is useful for me, it seems to work OK, but only because I have a super strict cancellation policy (60 days). I would never use it with their normal policy. You have to ask for the 60 day policy, and are likely to be turned down unless you have a special reason or are convincing.
Last edited by Nigel Goodwin on Sat Jun 17, 2017 8:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
apexblue
Posts: 2249
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:58 pm
Location: UK

Post by apexblue »

Nigel are you charged 5% on the 60 day cancellation?

We have changed to any day arrival and short breaks except August. Seems to be working.
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.
Nigel Goodwin
Posts: 707
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:50 pm
Location: Newquay Cornwall
Contact:

Post by Nigel Goodwin »

apexblue wrote:Nigel are you charged 5% on the 60 day cancellation?
Yes, it is 5%. Not sure what booking fees the guest pays, but...

I was dealing with an enquiry from 'Melanie' from airbnb yesterday, then another enquiry came from 'Melanie' this morning from TA for the same property same week.

I am on subscription with TA, so can see tel. numbers etc. there is no commission or guest/traveller fees.

I phoned, and we chatted, and she said that booking through airbnb was about £90 more than the price quoted on TA. I explained that as I am on subscription with TA she can book directly with me and have a good meal or two for two with the savings.

Maybe people will gradually realise what exhorbitant fees are charged by large OTA's.
Post Reply