did someone say it had gone quiet?

[tansy]

Did I imagine it or did someone say hat booking enquiries have gone quite?....they certainly have here.... I haven't had one now for over a month

What is everyone else experiencing?

[Alan Knighting]

Tansy,

Things are very slow here too. One or two enquiries a week at the moment. It's been pretty quiet all year. Many local owners report the same thing.

Alan

[la vache!]

Tansy,
I've had the opposite, for the last 2 weeks I've had a rush of bookings and am now booked in all cottages from end May to beginning September, which makes this my best year. The number of visitors to my website is actually higher than in January, which is strange, no idea why. Most booking are coming from VF and HR (none from FC quelle surprise).
Sue

[Ju]

We were quiet for the last month, but this week we've had alot of enquiries. It certainly seems to go in waves.

Visit France have given us the most bookings, but we've had a few enquiries from holiday lets this week. FC haven't worked as well as they did last year.

Ju

[Fraise]

The last couple of weeks have been very quiet. I've had 2 enquiries so far this week

www.thepetitmanoir.com

[jimadept]

People are still booking for the summer, but I imagine most of us are fully booked up to September already - which would explain why Susan has got a spate of bookings. I just got a booking in for 4 - 16 Sept and one a couple of weeks ago for a week in October (half term?). I don't expect to get a whole lot more until nearer the time, and I am pretty much planning to shut up shop at the end of October anyway. Low rents + high heating costs + unenticing climate.

[la vache!]

Jimadept,

People are still booking for the summer, but I imagine most of us are fully booked up to September already

I know of gites is this area that still have availability in August, so please don't make it sound like my cottages are a last resort and I am only getting bookings because places such as yours are fully booked ! My cottages principally attract families, so it sometimes difficult getting problems outside the school holidays. We don't have the same climate as you either, there is very little guaranteed sunshine in Brittany!

[jimadept]

This wasn't meant as a negative comment, simply based on what I'm hearing from other owners. The main booking season for the summer is January - March, thoughout the European travel sector. May will therefore by definition be quieter.

cheers, Jim

[tansy]

we have 1 week in June, 1 week in July and the dreaded last week of 28th August- 3rd September week left...maybe I will get a last minute - I would love to sell the last 3 weeks!

So unless someone actually puts in the actual dates we have I think I'm possibly going to have to do a special offer...

I do have a few weeks in September still available as well...do I take it all the enquiries you are getting are for peak time still?

[Normandy Cow]

I wouldn't panic about the two weeks you have in July and August - I am sure you will get last minute bookings for them, so I wouldn't drop the prices just yet....
Isn't the week commencing 28th August a bank holiday weekend? If it is, then you will definitely have no problem selling that...
And I would have thought you would start to get September bookings much nearer the time - often people (without school-age children) who have not had a chance to get away during July/August peak periods will start to think about last minute bookings.

[Fraise]

Aaagh!I've still got that last week in August as well.It's the only peak one still left but for next year I'm downgrading it ,not peak any longer!I've got Sept and October bookings but have space in June- can't work out why as it's lovely here then. Oh well,such is life.I've got one week in July vacant as well- the irony is I've had lots of enquiries about it but people want it as part of 2 weeks and of course either side of it is booked!Doh!!

www.thepetitmanoir.com

[Emdee]

We have 2 weeks in June free and the same one in August too!

How bizarre.

I feel special offers coming on - anything's better than nowt.

[la vache!]

Fraise,
its interesting what you said about the 1 week left and refusing 2 week bookings - does anyone only permit 2 week minimum bookings in Peak weeks? I have never been brave enough to do this, but this year unfortunately the 1 week bookings came in first and I had to turn away subsequent 2 week bookings, which I prefer! I wouldnt worry about last week in August or September yet, I don't usually get bookings until July or even August for September, most people know they don't have to book months in advance for that time of year,
Sue

[paolo]

I had a couple of cancellations in August and would normally fill them very quickly, but this year they are still sitting there. My optimist's' take on this is - don't worry be happy, there will be latecomers like there were last year who ask in July for a week in August, and the later they leave it the more likely they will be to book yours because everything else is full. My pessimist's view is rather different.

[alexia s.]

Sue,
I think most people require minimum 2 week bookings in peak season. I do, but I accept 1 week from US visitors because I know that they usually only have that week. I do have 1 regular visitor(retired) from California who comes for 3 weeks each time, so that helps compensate.