2019 Bookings up or down on 2018
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We usually take a lot of bookings in March for the spring/summer - this year hardly any. Also, more last minute enquiries who I suspect are wanting big discounts since they don't go on to book - our last minute rate is at the most 20% off which I guess isn't enough.
Jo
Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
rosebud wrote
I find people often expect a pro rata weekly rate divided by 7 and although I try and use the usual percentage rates (70 or 75% for 3 nights) I am often given the impression that people are insulted.
For some years now the market wouldn’t usually give me anyone booking the remaining mid week days even if I lower the price a lot.
I have a Saturday changeover, and even people we know will sometimes say they would like to book a weekend.....in the high season....which would kill off two weeks valuable income if I said yes.
Hi Rosebud, how do you manage your prices for all your short breaks?2 thirds of my bookings in the past 12 months have been for periods shorter than a week.
This is a marked change from past experience - 2 years ago 39% were for under a week.
I have lowered short term rates in the winter .. partly to offer similar prices to others on AirBnb
My minimum stay is generally 3 nights.
I find people often expect a pro rata weekly rate divided by 7 and although I try and use the usual percentage rates (70 or 75% for 3 nights) I am often given the impression that people are insulted.
For some years now the market wouldn’t usually give me anyone booking the remaining mid week days even if I lower the price a lot.
I have a Saturday changeover, and even people we know will sometimes say they would like to book a weekend.....in the high season....which would kill off two weeks valuable income if I said yes.
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Well the end of the month came and so did 12 April, has it improved? Well not for me that's for sure. Since January I have had only 2 more weeks booked and inquiries are virtually non existent.
I'm getting too old for this.............
https://www.algarvevillaforrent.com
https://www.monchiqueportugal.info
https://awesomealgarve.com
https://www.algarvevillaforrent.com
https://www.monchiqueportugal.info
https://awesomealgarve.com
DittoCodliveroil wrote:Well the end of the month came and so did 12 April, has it improved? Well not for me that's for sure. Since January I have had only 2 more weeks booked and inquiries are virtually non existent.
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
We're in an unusual situation as we are trying to sell the villa so I only firmed up bookings at the end of Jan (we thought we had a buyer who wanted to exchange in June but it wasn't to be).
I was so lucky that of the 8 enquiries (yes, only 8 received for this summer!) I had 2 who wanted to wait and see if we were letting out this summer, thankfully one was a fortnight's booking and the other 3 weeks (both direct bookings). We then had 2 one week bookings from repeat clients and finally 4 bookings from Tots to Travel, one of which was a 2 weeker.
I'm not with air bnb or bookingcom however the others such as TA, homeaway etc are not producing any enquiries at all.
It is confusing as Ibiza is supposedly such a strong rental market AND in theory there should be less properties available as unless you have the expensive, and very hard to get licence, it is illegal to rent out.
I'm very grateful for our 3 and 2 weekers.
Mousie
x
I was so lucky that of the 8 enquiries (yes, only 8 received for this summer!) I had 2 who wanted to wait and see if we were letting out this summer, thankfully one was a fortnight's booking and the other 3 weeks (both direct bookings). We then had 2 one week bookings from repeat clients and finally 4 bookings from Tots to Travel, one of which was a 2 weeker.
I'm not with air bnb or bookingcom however the others such as TA, homeaway etc are not producing any enquiries at all.
It is confusing as Ibiza is supposedly such a strong rental market AND in theory there should be less properties available as unless you have the expensive, and very hard to get licence, it is illegal to rent out.
I'm very grateful for our 3 and 2 weekers.
Mousie
x
Spring has been good for us so far but mostly last minute bookings on AirBnB and booking.com. I think quite a number of groups of electricians and the like which have boosted our takings. We only have 3 weeks across 2 properties booked over the summer holidays. traditional OTA sites are doing nothing, HA used to give 3-400 hits a month at this time of year, I just checked and we got 30 hits.
- NeatandPicky
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- Posts: 156
- Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:10 pm
- Location: Algarve
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Plan B!
I was hoping that people were hanging on to see the Brexit outcome and then book. Obviously not, they must have chosen to book local or not go anywhere.
Like others I have had zero success with the OTA's this year, even with 18 listings, 2 websites, a blog, 50 or so classified listings and over 5000 links out there and it still stinks.
I have reasonable success in the past with sending out a mass mail with an "offer" to all in my address book, it has usually resulted in a booking or two.
So I am going to do it again, but this time I have a better plan.
I will not just advertise my property but others too, say 5 or maybe 7 on one mailing. Each property to have one "best" Photo a title and a short description of what special offer they are offering and a link to your website url or contact form or whatever.
I would only send say 1 mailing per month and rotate top spot, and have an option for recipients to unsubscribe.
This would not cost anything just some effort and meeting a few criteria in expanding the mailing list.
Not sure what the mail "header" would be yet, open to suggestions. I would send this out as soon as I have it all together, this coming week if possible.
Anyway if you are interested PM me your email address and we can communicate better our ideas to get this thing going.
Like others I have had zero success with the OTA's this year, even with 18 listings, 2 websites, a blog, 50 or so classified listings and over 5000 links out there and it still stinks.
I have reasonable success in the past with sending out a mass mail with an "offer" to all in my address book, it has usually resulted in a booking or two.
So I am going to do it again, but this time I have a better plan.
I will not just advertise my property but others too, say 5 or maybe 7 on one mailing. Each property to have one "best" Photo a title and a short description of what special offer they are offering and a link to your website url or contact form or whatever.
I would only send say 1 mailing per month and rotate top spot, and have an option for recipients to unsubscribe.
This would not cost anything just some effort and meeting a few criteria in expanding the mailing list.
Not sure what the mail "header" would be yet, open to suggestions. I would send this out as soon as I have it all together, this coming week if possible.
Anyway if you are interested PM me your email address and we can communicate better our ideas to get this thing going.
I'm getting too old for this.............
https://www.algarvevillaforrent.com
https://www.monchiqueportugal.info
https://awesomealgarve.com
https://www.algarvevillaforrent.com
https://www.monchiqueportugal.info
https://awesomealgarve.com
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- Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:10 pm
- Location: Algarve
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Good question.CSE wrote:email old contact email addies with adverts. Remind us how that fits in with GDPR?
This mailing will only use email addresses, no other personal data so it will be perfectly legal and comply with GDPR if done correctly......and it will be. Here is an article, just one of many available, that can explain it better than I can.
https://medium.com/swlh/5-simple-steps- ... fc023ccd37
I'm getting too old for this.............
https://www.algarvevillaforrent.com
https://www.monchiqueportugal.info
https://awesomealgarve.com
https://www.algarvevillaforrent.com
https://www.monchiqueportugal.info
https://awesomealgarve.com
Mmm interesting.
In that article you link too there is another link to this information.
https://blog.woodpecker.co/cold-email/g ... egulation/
The one you link to IMHO is standing on dodgy ground.
The one i linked to explains better how GDPR is supposed to work. Note IANAL, but even they seem to stray into fantasy land when it comes to who and how you send marketing emails.
In that article you link too there is another link to this information.
https://blog.woodpecker.co/cold-email/g ... egulation/
The one you link to IMHO is standing on dodgy ground.
The one i linked to explains better how GDPR is supposed to work. Note IANAL, but even they seem to stray into fantasy land when it comes to who and how you send marketing emails.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
I agree with Greenbarn, that GDPR appears to apply differently when the emails are "business to business" as opposed to "business to private individuals". For the latter, I believe the GDPR rules are stricter with regard to obtaining the recipient's consent.
GDPR is a product of the European Union intended to protect EU citizens. So it seems to me that emails transmitted to anyone anywhere from a non-EU country are not affected by GDPR. They are simply not subject to those regulations.
I receive far too many unsolicited emails, mostly telling me how badly my website is doing and the miracle they can work to improve it. I don't like spam, but I know that there is no one to complain to, because the emails are sent from countries which do not have a "GDPR" equivalent of their own. I know I am a business and not a private individual, but even then the emails are contrary to GDPR, because I have never had any previous contact with the senders.
GDPR is a product of the European Union intended to protect EU citizens. So it seems to me that emails transmitted to anyone anywhere from a non-EU country are not affected by GDPR. They are simply not subject to those regulations.
I receive far too many unsolicited emails, mostly telling me how badly my website is doing and the miracle they can work to improve it. I don't like spam, but I know that there is no one to complain to, because the emails are sent from countries which do not have a "GDPR" equivalent of their own. I know I am a business and not a private individual, but even then the emails are contrary to GDPR, because I have never had any previous contact with the senders.