What with the credit crunch and the economy in decline, I thought letting our property in Puglia, Italy next year would be more difficult, (and it may prove to be so)
but we have taken three bookings so far. We advertise on Holiday-Rentals.co.uk where our bookings have come from.
Advertising with them is less than £200 per year and it has paid for itself with our first booking.
Can anyone else recommend other websites they advertise with and have had a good response for 2009?
www.euronaissance.com
2009 rentals, how's it going so far?
Pambon
We're in Umbria and rather lucky that Ryanair have added yet another flight to Perugia, I'm not sure if that soon makes 5 days per week, I've lost track. Umbria is so centrally located that guests drive here both from Florence and Rome, some even from Milan.
We're in Umbria and rather lucky that Ryanair have added yet another flight to Perugia, I'm not sure if that soon makes 5 days per week, I've lost track. Umbria is so centrally located that guests drive here both from Florence and Rome, some even from Milan.
Chianti
Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !
Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !
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The Olive Grove
- Posts: 750
- Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 2:19 pm
This is the first year for us as we only started to advertise in February and that was offering the villa with work in progress, so we are unable to make a direct comparison with this time last year. So for us any booking received before February has to be treated as a bonus.
So far we have 3 weeks booked for February and 2 for September, but we are still uncertain for the future and our earlier review of prices made us be cautious rather than bold.
Here's hoping that the various press comments about holidays being the last thing people sacrifice and that we all have something to celebrate at the end of 2009!!
So far we have 3 weeks booked for February and 2 for September, but we are still uncertain for the future and our earlier review of prices made us be cautious rather than bold.
Here's hoping that the various press comments about holidays being the last thing people sacrifice and that we all have something to celebrate at the end of 2009!!
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The Olive Grove
- Posts: 750
- Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 2:19 pm
Thanks Chianti - we deliberately turned away booking for May and June last year as the pool was being built. We did end up with almost 7 weeks of booking for July and August. We're not really worried, as we don't HAVE to let for our survival, but a little extra is always helpful.
It seems to us down here that the main season really is mainly July and August. Anything outside these months is a bonus, and really most "touristy" things are shut outside these months anyway, so it is only the people wanting to avoid this sort of thing that come then.
It seems to us down here that the main season really is mainly July and August. Anything outside these months is a bonus, and really most "touristy" things are shut outside these months anyway, so it is only the people wanting to avoid this sort of thing that come then.
Olive Grove
I'm glad you're not worried and hope too, as Jenroy mentioned that people rarely give up their holidays.
Why isn't June part of your high season? For us, all 3 summer months are and I prefer June because the flowers are so fresh and new, before the sun frazzles them, by August they look like burnt offerings.
I'm glad you're not worried and hope too, as Jenroy mentioned that people rarely give up their holidays.
Why isn't June part of your high season? For us, all 3 summer months are and I prefer June because the flowers are so fresh and new, before the sun frazzles them, by August they look like burnt offerings.
Chianti
Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !
Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !
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The Olive Grove
- Posts: 750
- Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2007 2:19 pm
I really don't know, but down here in Puglia none of the touristy type things seem interested in business outside those two months. I'm pretty sure most of the Italian owners down here wouldn't dream of filling their pools before the end of June, although we intend to make ours always available to the really hardy Brits, but warning it could be very cold. My daughter and her partner were swimming in it only last week!!
Well our bookings are up for this time of year - usually don't get going at all until after Christmas. had two bookings for large groups which is interesting - glad we made our second gite a flexible one for 4 or 8.
As I always say though we can't say how the season has been until the end of the season 2009 - let(s hope by then we will all have had a good year!
As I always say though we can't say how the season has been until the end of the season 2009 - let(s hope by then we will all have had a good year!
Well done Enid, that's what you were looking for wasn't it?enid wrote:Well our bookings are up for this time of year - .... had two bookings for large groups which is interesting ..
Our bookings are up on last year too which is strange considering this so-called c****t c****h. Got 2 more weeks than this year already and had another enquiry today! (But people do book earlier for large groups)
Kathy
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
We are up on bookings too and looking OK for the moment. I consider it a little odd in the overall view of things.
Traditionally, we don't really start taking bookings until after Xmas apart from a few repeats for high summer.
We have remained in £s, not increased the prices for next year and have pool heating now which extends the season. We lose out on the exchange rate, but our thinking was, if we could fill more beds, it could work in our favour or at least even out. I don't want to lose our UK market.
We will only find out this time next year if our choices pay off. It's all a guessing game isn't it ? We all know our target markets and each accomm./country/ area, is different, so what applies to one does not necessarily apply to another.
Like Enid, we take large groups and this could be a reason, but it hasn't affected us before this year ie. encouraged early bookings.
I don't know if any of the factors above have anything to do with our unusually early bookings but I am most grateful, whatever the reason.
Traditionally, we don't really start taking bookings until after Xmas apart from a few repeats for high summer.
We have remained in £s, not increased the prices for next year and have pool heating now which extends the season. We lose out on the exchange rate, but our thinking was, if we could fill more beds, it could work in our favour or at least even out. I don't want to lose our UK market.
We will only find out this time next year if our choices pay off. It's all a guessing game isn't it ? We all know our target markets and each accomm./country/ area, is different, so what applies to one does not necessarily apply to another.
Like Enid, we take large groups and this could be a reason, but it hasn't affected us before this year ie. encouraged early bookings.
I don't know if any of the factors above have anything to do with our unusually early bookings but I am most grateful, whatever the reason.
Olive Grove
The concept of only 2 months of summer being high season, when June is in fact the nicest month, is hard to understand. Does it relate more to the period in which most Italians take their holiday, as apposed to when foreign tourists do? By stretching the season wouldn't they make more money? I think I've seen this sort of scheduling up here on ther odd property but wouldn't dream of doing so. The main difference between our areas is that; Umbria is greener and it's for that reason that many come, not for swimming and certainly not for the sun & sand. In June the flowers are at their best. Does having only 2 months high season mean you have to put prices up that bit more during shoulder periods?
The concept of only 2 months of summer being high season, when June is in fact the nicest month, is hard to understand. Does it relate more to the period in which most Italians take their holiday, as apposed to when foreign tourists do? By stretching the season wouldn't they make more money? I think I've seen this sort of scheduling up here on ther odd property but wouldn't dream of doing so. The main difference between our areas is that; Umbria is greener and it's for that reason that many come, not for swimming and certainly not for the sun & sand. In June the flowers are at their best. Does having only 2 months high season mean you have to put prices up that bit more during shoulder periods?
Chianti
Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !
Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !