Is it too late for my summer bookings?

[mon269]

I’m being quite brave here by starting my first own thread.

Thing is, I can’t really complain about the number of bookings we’ve had this year. We’ve had all weekends booked in February, 9 days confirmed in March and the same number for April. All in all, not bad, considering we started renting last July and that the other houses in the same town have only booked about 1 weekend each so far. However, this is quite bad compared with your levels of bookings.

We will be closing for 3 weeks in April for refurbishment in the ground floor and that’s going to cost dearly. This is why I want to make the most of this coming summer and as per today, it’s not looking good. We’ve had 2 enquiries and none of them converted into bookings and seeing that most of you are fully booked for summer, I am asking for some advice.

We advertise on a number of Spanish listing sites, a number of free sites and for the last couple of weeks we’ve been on the 1 month free trial in Homelidays. We also have our own website, which I will be putting up for review later (I’m dreading it). I was considering an advert on OD for 6 months and see how that works.

I believe it’s not too late to try and get those summer bookings and I would appreciate any advice you can give me.

Thanks in advance.

[cromercrabholiday]

We've had a funny year and still have peak-time summer gaps, whereas the early part of the year, which is normally poor, we are pretty much booked.

You sound as if you are doing the right things, but those closer to your market may be able to give you some suggestions.

John

[Mouse]

I wouldn't worry. We didn't get our property onto the rental market until April in the first year and we ended up fully booked.

I think there are always last minute bookers too in any market - so my fall back was that if I didn't get too many bookings then I would go out to all the agents on the island and make sure they had my details for those still seeking accommodation.

However it didn't come to that. So do take heart, I'm sure things will be ok for you.
As you are very strong with the spanish market are there any publications you could advertise in? Or the newspapers in the largest city to you?

best of luck!

Mouse
x

[alifrank1]

Hello mon

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I only started advertising from the second week in January this year. I had quite a few bookings in the first few weeks then it went dead. I was begining to panic but suddenly had three firm bookings in the last week. I still have a lot of free space in August but I'm sure it will fill as time goes on.

From what I can see with the other owners on LMH, the French properties seem to have bookings well in advance whereas the Spanish market can be last minute. (I hope I'm not shouted down about this)

I think it pays to go with Owners Direct, I have certainly got most of my bookings through them.

Keep your chin up, I'm sure it will happen

Alison

[mon269]

That’s a lot of encouragement. Thanks guys. I guess I just need to be patient and see how it goes.

I will follow your advice.

[Guest3]

Don't worry Mon...in our first year we only started advertising late January and our first booking was for Easter week....from then on (that year) the bookings kept coming in....most of them last minute bookings. However, following on from that, the last 3 years our peak weeks have been booked by late Autumn the previous year.

Alison said

From what I can see with the other owners on LMH, the French properties seem to have bookings well in advance whereas the Spanish market can be last minute. (I hope I'm not shouted down about this)

I totally agree Alison...we still get quite a few last minute enquiries, even though we have an availability calendar (on all our listing sites including our own website) which says 'unavailable'!

[mitsi]

It's interesting the you say the French market books earlier as this is now my 3rd season and I'm finding it as frustrating as ever! We are slightly up on last year - 2 bookings but for both gites for 3 weeks. They were just before and just after xmas and since nothing. 1 or 2 enquiries but no replies. I don't think we are over priced for the area but we don't seem to get many out of season bookings at all and not before mid July (certainly not the last 2 seasons.)
My worry is that people are put off by the fact that both Gites are 3 bedroomed which puts off smaller families, having said that in high season most of our families have been 2 adults and 2 children. We've tried to word the ads to show the versatility of the gite with the ground floor bedroom but no takers. Also out of season we can offer exclusive use of facilities (i.e only one gite in use, as any booking is better than nothing.)Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[alifrank1]

Hi Mitsi

well firstly I could be wrong about the French market booking earlier than Spain, it was just one theory I came up with browsing through the posts! I'm often wrong about these things, but it makes me feel better thinking that way

Secondly may I say your Gites look fabulous, I would certainly want to book!

I did notice though that when I went onto your site there was a big white square until I clicked on the Gites button, is that just my computer?

The first sentence you have written is "Each gite can accommodate up to 8 people comfortably and are fully equipped." That's great for people looking for large parties but I'm wondering if you should write something to the effect of "accommodating from 2 - 8 people? Although you word it quite plainly on other pages it could be that if a small party are looking, they may not go further than the front page. Not sure what else to suggest but I'm sure some else will think of something

[Hells Bells]

I've listed on a site for cyclists, and hope to get some out-of-season interest, as we are close to many of the big climbs of the Tour de France.

[Pamela]

I just want to say that as the previous writer mentioned you could change it to read suitable for 2-8 people.

When we were looking for a self contained apt. in UK for this summer I did not bother to look at websites that read 'for 6-8 people.' So that is a point.

[brenda]

Hope you are right Ali about Spain bookings coming in later than those for France this year.

Had a good week of enquiries/confirmed bookings late Feb but not a murmer since. Still got Easter free that is VERY unusual.

[mitsi]

Hi
Thanks for the replies, most of the ads have been for 1 to 8 people but not the website so I shall get that changed and emphasise the flexibility.

[mon269]

Our experience is similar to yours Brenda, a lot of noise during February, but very quiet since. Let’s hope it gets better.

[Partridge]

That's better than me, I had a 'whisper' in January and nada since

[gpck]

Most of the enquiries we're getting for Florida are still for Easter. We still have most of June and all of July, August & September available... So don't worry too much about the summer yet - there's still time (we hope )...