2009 - how's it going?

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apexblue
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2009 - how's it going?

Post by apexblue »

Just wondered if everyone in UK same as us - 11 weeks of repeat bookings for 2009 before Xmas but no enquiries over Xmas period.

www.northwalesholidaylets.co.uk
goosie
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Post by goosie »

Well done you! We have 7 weeks and 2 weekends booked but as we only started renting in February last year we have nothing to compare this with. Like you, no enquiries over Christmas but I think someone said that January is when it all starts - so we are wondering whether to advertise on another site - maybe OD?
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apexblue
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Post by apexblue »

Goosie - we've just dropped OD - only 4 bookings in the 6 months which I don't think is good but someone else said is good and they would keep them!

We are looking at extra paid advertising - only with holidaylets who we get most of our bookings from - looking at homelidays to corner European - all the others seem too expensive.

www.northwalesholidaylets.co.uk
Christine Kenyon
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Post by Christine Kenyon »

Our bookings for 2009 are on our par with 2008. Great influx of enquiries (and more importantly bookings :lol: ) over the last two weeks. But that's what I would expect in January. In a way that was my test for 2009.
goosie
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Post by goosie »

Just reviving this thread as I overheard a conversation in the supermarket yesterday where someone was telling her friend how they were holidaying in the UK this year because of prices abroad and her friend said she knew of several people doing that. The pound signs kerchinged in my eyes!

We are now booked every weekend between now and 3 July (with 8 being week bookings) and have four weeks booked in the summer, and a couple of weekends booked at the end of the year. This is significantly further ahead than we were last year - though we did very well, most bookings were taken in the four or five weeks before the holiday started. We are also noticing an increase in groups of friends booking together which I assume is a way of sharing the cost.

I wondered whether others were doing as well and if you'd noticed a change in pattern of bookings in the UK?
Christine Kenyon
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Post by Christine Kenyon »

Hi Goosie. Glad to hear that it looks like 2009 is going to be a good year for you. Hope those bookings keep flooding in.

It's a similar situation here in the Lake District. We are now fully booked (apart from the week of 29 August) until mid September in all three cottages. And others in our village are reporting a similar level of bookings.

Because of where we are located, we would normally be full from April to September at least, but this year bookings have come in earlier than we would expect and we're also full for March which is unusual.
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apexblue
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Post by apexblue »

So pleased to hear everyone is doing well.

We are booked until Oct, apart from 7 weeks, on the main cottage and bookings are up on last year on the other two.

Things have gone quiet this week though.....
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....

The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
harcourtv57
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Post by harcourtv57 »

Hi glad to hear everyone is doing well. We had more enquiries and bookings than is ususal at the start of the year. However, these bookings were different in that they were all for shoulder periods and a lot of short breaks rather than whole weeks - means more income for us - but also more work! We still have peak season summer weeks free and only a three night booking over the two week Easter holiday. But we are being optimistic as last year we had a lot of last minute bookings for late availablity. And this morning have had an enquiry for Christmas and New Year. I think more people will be holidaying in UK this year because of the Euro but they are looking for shorter breaks rather than a 2 week traditional holiday.
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Vera
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Post by Vera »

I know it's been discussed before but i really can't see the point of posting on threads comparing bookings if the posters location and/or property type is not displayed.

Here in Spain, busy Winter and Summer but quiet Spring, only one night in April booked.

Compared to last year at this time the 1 bed unit is the same number of nights booked, the 2 bed is 25% down.
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christinedavid
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Post by christinedavid »

Errrr, Vera
This thread is in the UK and Ireland section :?
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Vera
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Post by Vera »

Whoops, sorry about that, eating humble pie while i get my coat.

Still would like to see people display their places though!

OH has just said "I told you it was in the UK section"
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christinedavid
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Post by christinedavid »

What you say is very true though. Added to which, there does seem to be rather a lot of French owners on here in comparison to the rest of us.
Margaret
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Post by Margaret »

We have only recently started letting our house in the Welsh borders again so don't really have much to compare with. Things were dreadfully quiet but have suddenly woken up a bit this week - I just hope it is not temporary. At the moment, we have just one week booked in June. I am horrified at the low prices of many houses around.
Jules
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Post by Jules »

Well here in Cornwall, I would say things aren't too bad. Bookings were good before Christmas - repeats getting their favourite weeks and a few new bookings. It has been quiet for the last month or so apart from a few enquirers wanting short cheap breaks. The favourite response seems to be "is that your best price" so negotiating us down seems to be the order of the day.

Tend to think that bookings for the shoulder season will be more last minute this year. People will wait and see how their finances are holding up and what the weather looks like and then look.
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