2010 Ski Season Bookings

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Beanie
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2010 Ski Season Bookings

Post by Beanie »

Is anyone else finding they're getting bookings in earlier than usual for next season ?

We've started to get bites which have all converted (apart from one which clashed with another) much earlier than we would normally and I'm wondering if it's anything to do with the fact that they're largely from the Eurozone countries ..

We've made an effort this year to focus our marketing in these countries and 3 out of the 4 enqurires/bookings were from Germany & the Netherlands. The Brit was after the Feb half term week which had already gone.

Usually our ski season bookings don't start coming in till Aug / Sept (bar Xmas, NY & Feb half term).

Is it just that Germans & Dutch are more flush or just more organised ?

How are others finding next season's bookings ?

And while I'm at it - is anyone else finding their Christmas week is slow to off load ? We turned down a few enquiries pre this Christmas as we weren't sure if we'd be using it ourselves, but when we released it in mid Jan - NYE went straight away but Xmas is still sat there. Normally we can sell it fairly quickly.

Wondering if it's anything to do with our change-over day falling on Boxing Day. Next year's going to be a delight with the 25th on a Sat.

Beanie
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Mountain Goat
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Re: 2010 Ski Season Bookings

Post by Mountain Goat »

We've had a few for next season, but nothing fantastic, just rebookers needing a month to decide.

Christmas and NY generate continuous enquiries, but nothing firm as yet. If it isn't flogged by Sept we might get a little uneasy.

I'd say a Boxing Day changeover would kill any Christmas rental, Beanie, at least from the UK.

Our aim is to rent two weeks, either singles or double over C'mas / NY, but steer the Christmas week to finishing 28 or 29, so the NY week can start in time for NY. In other words we're flexible. There are enough 2-week punters out there to do that.

We've got someone just about to firmup for 2 weeks over Christmas/NY 1010...hooves crossed.

MG
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Beanie
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Re: 2010 Ski Season Bookings

Post by Beanie »

Yes, in hindsight, I wish we'd hung out for a two-weeker but the family who took the NY week booked for that plus two weeks in July at the same time so I got all excited as it was was of the first '09 bookings and we just weren't sure how this year was going to pan out.

MG, I certainly don't think you'll still have your place avail for the holidays by Sept but I think there's a danger we could have given the second week is no longer available. Can only hope that some nice local family think about it and then don't mind having to get out by 10am the day after C'mas. hhmmmm , yeah, that's not going to happen is it :( Perhaps if they're non-drinkers ....

We did look at being more flexible but a different change-over will affect the rest of the season's bookings as they tend to just roll every Sat. Saying that, we usually bagsie a week or 2 for ourselves in Jan so could've 'rectified' the days during our booking. Hmmm, yes, we definitely didn't think this one through very well.

Oh, well, let's hope there's some tee-totalling, early rising Swiss families not too far away that might think about booking for the C'mas week.

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Post by Margaret »

Beanie - snap! That is exactly our situation. We have just taken another Dutch booking for February, giving us 4 out of 9 apartments booked for the last week in Feb. I understand that the Dutch took a long time to decide when their half term week was going to be and people have started booking as soon as the decision was made. In 2010, the Bavarian holiday week is the same as the UK, as far as I can figure out, namely 3rd week in February. I have a hopeful looking enquiry for 2 apartments for that week too, German this time. Looking back, last year we didn't even get our first skiing season enquiry until mid July and no bookings until August (I am excluding Christmas/New Year from the skiing season as it is a bit different). In our area, there is always a lot of pressure on the main 2 February weeks and perhaps people have finally realised that they need to book early to get their choice of accommodation.

Christmas and New Year is the same too. We have 5 out of 9 apartments booked for New Year - Germans and Brits. But for Christmas, we just have one booking from a British family who come every year. Normally by now both would be booked out completely. We have completely flexible changeovers normally but for this year we are insisting on New Year bookings not starting until 27th or later. So far that has not stopped us getting New Year bookings. Until now there have been very few enquiries even for Christmas and usually we are full with Brits.

Just goes to show that this year is not fitting what was a fairly clear pattern in previous years - for us anyway.
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Beanie
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Post by Beanie »

That's interesting, Margaret. Yes, our Dutch enquiry was for the last week in Feb, so that would now make sense given what you've said about their half term.

We've got a Belgium family (regulars) in for the half term week (with an English guy just being pipped by a day) and a German family for a week in Jan - so very international flavour this coming season.

Will be interesting to see if this unusual trend is continuing for others - Martha, Helen ?

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Margaret
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Post by Margaret »

The German half term is usually spread over a month from late January. For us the main one is the Bavarian 'Fasching' (carnival) week.
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Post by Cassis »

We've had absolutely no ski bookings yet. Not one. Zilch.
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Post by Hells Bells »

:lol:

My half-term week went within a week of this February's finishing, the people staying this year rebooking for their fourth time. I had a disappointed queue of four people waiting in line for their decision, which they couldn't make immediately, dur to one of their daughters exam dates. No enquiries as yet for any other dates.
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Post by Rocket Rab »

Oh, well, let's hope there's some tee-totalling, early rising Swiss families not too far away that might think about booking for the C'mas week.

Soooooooooooo tempted, Beanie! :lol:
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Mountain Goat
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Post by Mountain Goat »

Teetotal, though, Rab.... :lol:

MG
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Rocket Rab
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Post by Rocket Rab »

Well, true, the rablets do enjoy a drop of Fendant with their roesti, but we turn down the heating when we go skiing. 8) Will that do?
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Post by Martha »

Great news Beanie!

Enquiries in general are hotting up though nothing definite yet, so it looks like your strategy is paying off. I'm starting to look into Dutch, German and Belgian sites too. Would you mind letting me know which are working for you?

We are doing a Sunday changeover unless we can get two weeks. We'll plan to take the week after ourselves - though it's been taken by Russians the last two years for Orthodox Christmas, in which case we'll go the week after.
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Beanie
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Post by Beanie »

Hey Martha

Surprisingly, the enquiries have mostly been from Holiday Rentals, which has been poor for us in the past. No idea if it's their review system which have kick-started things (I may have to fetch the plate to eat my words on regarding that ... although I do still think they can be abused, but let's not go there). A couple were from their German site.

Am still in the 2 month trial period of Homelidays but that's a total damp squib so far, and their calendar's a pain to update.

Good idea on the Sunday change-over. In hindsight, we definitely should've done that.

Update: have emailed our NYE group to see if they want to change their arrival/departure day to the Sunday (depends if they've booked flight/ferry, of course).

Good point about the Russian Orthodox Christmas, Martha, perhaps we could try to target some Russians for that week after and then we'll pick up the next week or so in order to 'rectify' the change-over day. Anyone know any good sites for attracting Ruskies ?

Beanie
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Post by christinedavid »

Things are very slow in Bulgaria. We have Half Term booked. Had some apparently serious enquiries for Christmas and New Year, but not booked yet.We are only 20-30 minutes away from the centre by minibus(transfers provided), but it seems to put people off.
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