Lay My Hat

My first guests for this year - due in two weeks - have just emailed to say they are (very reluctantly) cancelling and postponing to next year. Not because of any concerns regarding when they are here (rural SW France) but because they feel that the flight down will be too risky. They feel that the airlines are not doing enough to protect their passengers and also cancelling flights at the last minute. So my guests just don't want the stress - can't say I blame them.
Having spent weeks thinking about what I need to do to keep them safe, I now feel quite bereft! Even stripped back, the cottage will look lovely.
So I'm opening up my calendar.
Mind you, I'm hoping if anyone does book that they will be driving down!
Is anyone else finding that, now flights have resumed, their guests are still cancelling because of health risks associated with the travelling itself?

SPJ wrote:Is anyone else finding that, now flights have resumed, their guests are still cancelling because of health risks associated with the travelling itself?

Yes.

Not just renting holidaymakers, but second home owners too who don't let out their properties.
Some are worried about risk of infection en route, others won't risk the possibility of having to go into quarantine or lockdown here or back home in the UK (and elsewhere).
Some have to think about the future of their jobs or are trying to keep their own businesses afloat.

Absolute madness here! I have had FOUR inquiries within the space of an hour for the first weeks of August - a dutch woman via HFD, wanting a week. Two French people wanting the same week (one via HA and the other via an agent) and an English family wanting 2 weeks coming over via the tunnel (via my website). OH and I have opened a book on the number of inquiries by the end of the day!

Hope you get a booking from it. My experience is lots of interest but just tyre kicking

We have successfully replaced all the UK cancellations with French and Belgium clients mostly via HA/Abritel/Homelidays channels. People seem to like the "perceived" security of these channels, and we all know that is not necessarily true !
Also August 2021 is already sold to UK visitors so we cross our fingers for their safety and no return of widespread lockdown, however with the current performance of the shambles of English government who knows ?

Marks wrote:Hope you get a booking from it. My experience is lots of interest but just tyre kicking

I had 10 inquiries over the space of a few hours, including 2 who did online booking, one through HFD and one through HA. All of that took some untangling it was all happening so fast.

I've learnt a lesson. I took my first inquiry and she only booked for a week, later on, I had others wanting a fortnight. Next year I'll say only 2 week bookings for July / August.

Sorry Marks yours are tyre kicking. Over half of mine were French enquirers - which we're not really geared up for. One Dutch (who has booked) and 2 British, both of whom were definites.

The general opinion amongst the Brits I know here and back in the U.K. is that they’d only fly to/from the U.K. for a family emergency.

My mother and sister have postponed any visits to us until 2021 as my mother’s 84 and my sister is a care worker at an old people’s home. Both continue to self-isolate to protect themselves back in the U.K. and see being packed into an aircraft with 100 plus strangers who might not have been following any COVID precautions as far too risky.