Plummeting pound sparks invasion of UK

[Big Sis..]

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/new ... 99683.html

''Visitors are flocking to Britain from eurozone countries to take advantage of low prices''

[la vache!]

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/new ... 99683.html

''Visitors are flocking to Britain from eurozone countries to take advantage of low prices''

I'm not surprised that for short breaks in the winter the UK is very popular, especially with the sterling being weak. But it'll be interesting to see how many Europeans spend their summer holidays there...

[Nightowl]

I've got 2 August bookings for a week each so far, and had several enquiries for weeks in August which haven't booked. One on the go right now for the second week of Aug.

Last year I got one family in for 3 weeks in Aug and several one weekers - August was fully booked in both flats. I seem to remember the weather being pretty up and down but they all said they had a great time. I think people know what to expect from british weather (ie expect the unexpected.....). So if the euro rate is favourble I think europeans will come here! The UK has such lovely countryside and the popular holiday spots will always be busy in summer I reckon.

[Giddy Goat]

I suspect that London is a different market though Nightie, for a summer break - foreign visitors don't mind the weather so much since they are not coming to London primarily for the sun, but for the sights? If they get good weather it's a bonus! Not too sure how the foreign market will view the rest of the UK - except for hotspots like York, Bath, Edinburgh etc. I'd be very surprised if the favorable exchange rates make a significant difference to the influx of tourists from abroad to self-catering holidays in the UK to rural/coastal areas but am happy to eat humble pie if proved wrong.

On the other hand, I feel sure that the UK market for S/C hols will be booming as we approach the summer.

GG - who's no expert!

[losttheplot]

The weakness of the pound is the silver lining in the recession misery for us, we have 4 peak summer weeks booked and are getting bookings for the April and May weeks that have been hard to sell in the past 2 years. I am sure that it's not just me that feels in a pretty precarious position having invested in property that's no longer gaining in value. However, I am now really glad we didn't go for the short term letting route and have been using our flats for holiday lets.

There was a recent programme on Radio 4 called Anglomania that was about the German's love for England, aparently 1 million Germans holiday here every year and they love our pubs, beaches, countryside and (even) the warmth of the people! I recommend getting adverts on German websites (through Holiday Rentals for example) to tap into this market.

Our UK enquiries are pretty last minute some good to reasonable weather this spring/ summer should give UK owners some relief and help us through this gloomy time.

Lost the plot

[Giddy Goat]

we have 4 peak summer weeks booked and are getting bookings for the April and May weeks that have been hard to sell in the past 2 years.

Hi LTP, good to hear from you again! Glad about your findings and puts paid to my theory luckily! Long may it continue.

[Cassis]

some good to reasonable weather this spring/ summer should give UK owners some relief and help us through this gloomy time.

Do you know something about the weather that we don't?

Hope you get some good weather to kick-start the season.

[harcourtv57]

Lost the Plot - we are hoping the same - the weather last year certainly didn't do anything for the usual last minute short breakk enquiries we get - and having had lots of previous German visitors hope this will continue to improve this year

[Christine Kenyon]

Our bookings for 2009 are pretty good, but can't honestly say we've experienced an increase in overseas bookings. It may be that they go through agencies rather rather than owner/managers.

[Big Sis..]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/j ... weak-pound

''Meanwhile, holiday home website holidaylettings.co.uk says that inquiries for UK holidays in 2009 are up 48% year on year as people try to economise by taking a self-catering holiday closer to home.''

[Windy]

Our bookings for 2009 are pretty good, but can't honestly say we've experienced an increase in overseas bookings. It may be that they go through agencies rather rather than owner/managers.

Yup - we're at 100% of where we were last year at the end of January already and we still have most peak weeks left! These last 2 weeks have been manic and I was on holiday in France for the last one!

Only one European enquiry though which looks like a booking but isn't paid yet. Maybe they don't come so far North West as the Lakes Christine???

Perhaps Ros's ferienmiete site is worth a look then!

[Big Sis..]

Perhaps Ros's ferienmiete site is worth a look then

Thats odd Im just in the process of listing with them Windy ....[and they werent my site Brenda recommended them] i just found the link for someone .

Ive had a booking from France,Belgium and just had one from Germany off my existing sites[Portside, Spain Hols, and Homelidays] so maybe we all need to think along those lines.

[la vache!]

I listed there and have had a few enquiries (although for weeks already booked). Big plus - it is free if you do a link exchange. I've now in the process of doing a German version of my website just to help out (a proper translation by a native speaker, naturally )

[Big Sis..]

Right Im gonna do a proper headed one so people can see it maybe you can add this Susan.
This is when its soo important us being on LMH
This years hard for everyone and recommendations might just make a difference.

[Christine Kenyon]

Yup - we're at 100% of where we were last year at the end of January already and we still have most peak weeks left! These last 2 weeks have been manic and I was on holiday in France for the last one!

Only one European enquiry though which looks like a booking but isn't paid yet.

Well done, Windy. I just wonder if we're seeing an influx of UK enquiries (rather than European enquiries) because of the rising Euro - rather than the plummeting pound. We've got over 35 weeks at each cottage so far, so ... and I'm afraid that I'll sound like a true Brit at this point .... maybe we don't need that many Euro bookings. Just a thought. I'm certainly not planning to advertise on sites targeting the Germans or French.