Lay My Hat

Ive had absolutely zero enquiries for 2020 over the Christmas/New year period. This is extremely unusual for me despite already being booked up for summer, my first booking isn’t until April but I usually get some enquires for some time this time of year.

Strangely, Im a little quieter than normal for this winter, yet im booked up already for xmas and NY 2020/21

I didt have a Christmas booking this year either. First time in about four years at least

We usually get a booking or 2 in December then enquiries pick up in Jan-Feb. So far nothing at all. It's very quiet. I'm wondering if people are waiting to see what Brexit is going to mean for them before they commit. Or it could be that ABB & the like have made people more likely to leave it late to book as they're always going to find something. Our market is very saturated at the moment.

Joanna wrote:We usually get a booking or 2 in December then enquiries pick up in Jan-Feb. So far nothing at all. It's very quiet. I'm wondering if people are waiting to see what Brexit is going to mean for them before they commit. Or it could be that ABB & the like have made people more likely to leave it late to book as they're always going to find something. Our market is very saturated at the moment.

Agree with you on the Brexit thing. It hasn't affected me previously but as it is a certainty to finally happen, however it happens, is now confirmed. If bookings don't start coming in again until February then I guess Brexit was the reason.

I finally had my first enquiry, via HA, for mid Feb but no response so far.

Do not see why Brexit is to blame.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... 31-january
Government advice. https://www.gov.uk/visit-europe-brexit

Personally I feel it would be shortsighted of the EU to impose a visa requirement on the Brits when you see what the rest of the world is available without full visa requirements.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requ ... h_citizens

This is actually the first year we haven't made a booking for a skiing holiday in France in early Feb.

I'm fully expecting the airport experience to be even more unpleasant than usual for at least the first few weeks post Brexit, whether from sheer EU bl**dymindedness or just bureaucratic ineptitude.

If I'm wrong we'll book late. If I'm right then it'll be Canada.

Do not see why Brexit is to blame

It's not the travelling that would affect us but the uncertainty over people's jobs and also exchange rates. Brexit may not make any difference at all, but I suspect that many in the UK are still waiting to see what happens before they decide whether they want to commit to go abroad, stay in the UK or even stay at home.

Very Very quiet, can't remember a year like it. I was wondering when someone would highlight it here.

Brexit? maybe in part but around 50% of our guests have been from France/Germany/and Scandinavian countries for the last few years so Brexit may not be the whole story....

We have reduced prices, in case that was affecting inquiries. Still nothing.

Think, we may take advantage of the slack if things dont look up and do some travelling of our own this year!

Economic issues could be an issue. The picture of the UK that is being painted is mixed. House prices up, car sales down, unemployment down, high streets closing down. It is a mixed bag and headlines like these will never give a clear picture of what is actually happening.
Time to accept last minute reservations....Time to look for customers from other countries?

A growing trend. I expect a lot more are making a commitment without singing up to this campaign.
https://westayontheground.blogspot.com/ ... -2020.html

I did wonder about the Greta effect...hmmm.

Just check share price for Ryanair and easyjet, both up. So peaple expect to fly in 2020?

For us 2020 is looking promising so far, very early to tell of course. We were mostly full through the festive period and January is doing ok, which is always a pleasant surprise.

Generally Q1 is looking way better than 2019, which it has to be said was an all time low.

So far this year whilst we are seeing good volumes from domestic visitors (Scotland) the rUK is definitely not yet booking. On the plus side european bookings are stronger than normal (thank goodness for the Germans!). Our average length of stay is also significantly up for bookings taken to date.

I should mention we only operate units that sleep 2 so not typical for this forum and we sell from 2nights up all year (with higher minimums in the peak season)

For what its worth most of the bookings so far have been direct or via booking.com

Bookings are down compared this time for the last 2 years:

Now: 11 wks 1 day
2019: 14 wks
2018 :15 weeks 3 days

However I am sure bookings will come later.

Number of Europeans is edging up compared to last 2 years. Repeats also up so that's good.

Jenny

Our experience last year was that people are booking later in the year, closer to their holiday dates. In 2017 the mean time between booking and arrival was 107 days, last year it was 61 days. Last year 40% booked within 30 days of their arrival