For a holiday home owner, this needs to be seen!

This Christmas we raised a toast to another very successful year and, in spite of the current economic climate, we are looking forward to an even bigger and better 2012.

As I write, in the last week of December, we are ending the year up by an amazing 30% on forward bookings for 2012 compared to this time last year all within what I think you’ll agree is really a pretty shoddy economic climate.  25% of these bookings are repeat bookings, people who have travelled with us before.  This is my favourite stat because I truly care that we are delivering on our promises.

So this is a thrilling end to the year which I think reflects the energy, enthusiasm, value and commitment that the Tots Team demonstrate.  For families who book with us we deliver peace of mind and save them stress and time and for holiday home owners we represent a successful partnership that brings not only bookings but advice, support and a stronger, more successful business proposition.

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Original post can be found at Holiday Home Rental Site (Tots to Travel)

More new properties added in December than ever before

I am delighted to announce that December has been our “best month ever” at www.totstotravel.co.uk, with over 25 more fantastic, family friendly holiday homes coming on board this month.

This growth, in preparation for the 2012 season, indicates the growing success of a formula that works in partnership with property owners in supporting them to create profitable holiday home businesses.

I am convinced that in these torrid economic conditions, it is partnership that wins over isolation, and innovation that wins over stagnation. The temptation within this climate is to retreat, to cut back on your marketing and to leave things up to lady luck.

In my opinion, that is the opposite of what you should be doing.

Now’s the time to find new and exciting ways to delight your clients and new ways to reach the market…and that’s exactly what we’re busy doing here at Tots HQ.

We’re busier than ever trying new things, innovating and being courageous, you’ll see the results of all our hard work over the next few weeks and months…

Click here to find out more about successfully letting your property

Moreover, now’s the time to find your property’s niche and to examine what you could do differently to stand out from those property owners who have opted to do nothing new.

So congratulations, and welcome to all our new partners who have been courageous in trying something different for the 2012 season!

Merry Christmas & a happy and fully booked 2012

Social Media, do you 'get' it?

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a training session being offered through Tots to Travel with leading Social Media expert Karen Skidmore, hope some of you were able to catch it.  It was a good one with great advice for those starting out and those who are already using it, but not really sure how to do it effectively.

If you think Social Media is just for the kids to Tweet and watch silly videos on You Tube, you are very wrong.  It is not the latest thing, it is THE thing which will only keep growing!

A few months ago I posted a video regarding the power of social media, but Im sure the numbers are now out of date.  But just gives an idea of the power that these platforms can have for a business and can give access to your target market.

Some interesting things that came from this webinar were:

• 1 Billion people use social networks, most using a variety but the main ones remain Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Linked In.

• The average Facebook session lasts 37 minutes

• 400 million use Facebook daily

• The largest growth of users of Social Media are Women aged 30 to 45!

Cant you afford to miss out!  If you need advice or help, I can help, just ask.

Holiday property owners - free training alert!

No More Empty Weeks: Discover how to harness the power of Social Media to fill your holiday home ... without wasting your time with stuff that doesn't work

The problem with using the likes of Facebook and Twitter in the same breath as marketing is that many of you probably switch off instantly.

Facebook is what the kids use, all day and all night it seems.  Merrily sharing photos of what they did last night and flirting with people they haven't even met (scary stuff for parents to get their head round .. and being one myself, I know this all too well!)

Twitter seems to be what celebs and famous footballers use to get themselves in trouble.  Newspapers are continually using tweets and making them into headlines, only to be caught up in some silly legal case.

So why on earth would you want to even consider using sites like Facebook and Twitter to promote your holiday home?

Surely social media is a waste of time?  And you just don't have time to spend tweeting, poking and sharing funny videos of cats!

This is why I am really excited to have persuaded Karen Skidmore to share some Social Media secrets with us all.

Karen Skidmore is a leading web tech marketing specialist based in the UK and I have spent time learning from her on how Social Media can make a difference to our own marketing here at Tots to Travel.

Karen is hosting a live session on Thursday 24th November where she will be teaching you how to use Social Media to help fill those dreaded empty weeks.

Click here to check out the details.

Even if you have been dabbling with various Social Media tools for the past few months (or even years), then I know you will learn stacks that will make a difference to your online marketing.

Marketing on the web allows you to reach out to new customers right around the globe.  And having spent time with Karen, I know that using the right Social Media tools in the right way, can make a big difference to your online marketing success.

If you can't make it live, then make sure you register so you can receive the recording and watch back at a time to suit you.

Here's the link and make sure you register - see you there!

What makes you different?

If someone asks you what is different or special about yourself, a confident person will immediately be able to list off a few things, intelligent, attractive, good listener etc, but a not so confident person will struggle, not seeing the strengths in themselves.  In life to 'sell yourself' in an interview or similar situation you need to be able to identify what makes you different or strong.  What makes you different, and stand out from the crowd?

In terms of marketing your holiday home, you need to do the same.  Here in the Algarve there are literally thousands of competitors with all the same things as you, therefore you need to establish a few points about your property that make it different and focus on promoting these things that set you apart from your competitors.  These are your USP's (Unique Selling Points / propositions) and every property has them.

Your USP's could be a feature of your property or a service you provide.  Your USP's should appeal to your target market in order to make you stand out.  For instance, if you are appealing to the family market, one of your USP's could be you have a gated/fenced pool area or your outside area is fenced.  If appealing to a 'couple's market' you may highlight the proximity to bars and restaurants etc.  You dont necessarily have to have anything different or special, you just need to be able to highlight these 'selling points' to your target market.

The accidental holiday home owner

Image: Simon Howden

Due to the current economic situation, a new kind of holiday home rental owner has emerged, I like to call them, 'the accidental holiday home owner' and there are plenty of them about.  They are different from the usual holiday home owner who's second home is their love, and sometimes their passion.  Many have bought their homes as a second home, to be used as a side business, extra income maker until they retire to their dream home.

But the new 'accidental holiday home owner' is different, most have bought their homes as an investment.  In the case of Portugal, many bought during the property boom with a view to a quick profit but have found themselves stuck with a property they cannot sell and so have turned their mind to holiday lettings in a view to retain and reclaim their investment.  This is not what they had planned, and they have had to be resourceful and more importantly learn new skills and understand a new type of market. They have a different agenda than your normal holiday home owner with a much stronger focus on the financial side of the business.  But in order to achieve your financial needs, you need to have a clear plan.   I have a couple of Home owners through my role as a Letting Expert with Tots to Travel who are exactly this type of home owner and have had to change their direction and do something completely different to their original plan and they are doing it quite well.  They have found their niche (the family market) and know what they want to achieve and are learning as they go.

But not all in this position can be so lucky, if you are in the unfortunate position of having invested only to find your investment effectively trapped in the downturn with payments to be maintained it can be terrible.  They never imagined or wanted to be in the 'holiday letting' market and are like a fish out of water.  Holiday lettings can be time consuming, especially for the inexperienced or those who do not want to do it, property management companies can be an effective solution but finding the right one, especially for your budget is not always easy.

If you are feeling out of your depth and need some help, now is the time to ask; with only a few weeks left before the critical new year booking season.  To find out how I can help, contact me, to discuss your options and a way forward.

Now is the time!

With only a few weeks left in the year, this is a critical time for planning for next years rental season and having everything in place ready for the peak booking time in early January.  These early weeks are critical for most home owners in terms of getting a good start on the year's bookings and for some can make or break a year's success!

So are you ready?  Do you have a clear plan?

What are your targets?  It is very important to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and an plan of how to get there.

Who is your market?  Are you happy with that market or do you want to make a change, maybe upwards or 'across'?

Do you have all your marketing ready, are you getting enough exposure where you want it?

Have you reviewed  your performance of this year and identified how to improve for next year?

If you are struggling with any of these issues, or are new to the letting game, I can help.  Maybe you do great during high season but bookings slump once September comes and the school holidays finish and you want to change that.  What a difference that could make to your income, right!

In my role as a Letting Expert with Tots to Travel, I have helped several owners this year boost their profits by filling their empty 'out of peak' weeks by assessing their individual property and providing them with a highly detailed and bespoke strategy report full of advice that can be used across all of your marketing channels.

 If you are interested in finding out more, email me (details on my contact page) and find out how I can help.

How was your season? Time to review

Now the leaves are changing, the nights are chilly and its time to review.  This time of year is a time to review, as we approach the end of another year, many of us are reviewing and evaluating how this year has been, both in business and personal terms.

If you are a holiday home owner, new or old, you will no doubt be taking stock of your performance over the season.  Did you do better or worse, or stayed the same?  Did you see a change in the market?

Every year it is essential for any 'serious' holiday home business owner to sit down and plan for the next year.  And now is the time to do it, you need to make important decisions that you can implement before the booking season starts in January, if not even December as people make those plans for that all important yearly get-away.

You need to consider:

What were your problems?  Were they customer based, environment based, monetary based or otherwise?
Where were your successes?  Did you have better feedback, more returning guests or increased profits?
What marketing did you do?  Was it effective?

What do you want to achieve next year?  How will you build on your successes?

I would love to hear your feedback, if you would like to share.  Either pop a comment on the blog or drop me an email at christine.amorim@totstotravel.co.uk

Adeus!

5 Things a Holiday Home Owner should do!

Now these may seem basic things but you would be surprised how many people do not get this right.  If you have read some of my recent posts, you would see that I have been looking for a holiday rental for a late season break and these are the things I have come across, not in a huge amount of listings but enough to correspond to probably 10% of listings have one of more of these issues going against them.  For me, these are a complete turn-off and tell me that the owner is not bothered about their listing, so what is their service like from that point.

1. Photos - I cannot say this enough, good photos are essential! Most people do not look past the photos, that is what draws them in to look at the other information.  If the photos are unclear or just plain bad, people will go away.

2. Links and emails - must be correct and working, several times I have come across email addresses that do not work or links to websites that go nowhere.  In the case of the email addresses, I think it is essential in this modern age of smartphones etc that people take enquiries via email.  For me as a customer, I do not want to have to phone a home owner if I am looking at several options.  This is an instant put-off for me.

3.  Use a marketing mix - this means using several forms or sources of marketing.  The best idea is to mix and match with a large scale advertiser or listing site, such a Owner Direct or Holiday Lettings and a smaller, more niched advertiser.  It is not wise to advertise through only one advertiser, you run the risk of not being seen by a big enough market and also that they may not do well for you, amongst other things.

4.  Identify your customers - In terms of who you market to, select a type of customer who your property appeals to, put yourself in their shoes, be realistic.  If your property is half way up a mountain on a dirt track, you will not appeal to beach lovers or young families, no matter how nice your property is furnished and decorated.  Find a niche or selection of customers who you appeal to and aim your marketing at them, don't try to sell to everyone, as you may end up selling to no-one or at least lose potential sales.

5.  Assess the market - every year, sometimes more often, you should assess the competition, what makes you different, what are your unique sales proposition (USPs), are you effectively selling these?  Also assess the pricing, has the market pricing changed, has it risen or reduced?  In whatever case, try to understand why that is and how you should react to that.  If prices have dropped, don't just follow suit but instead add value to your rental through adding services or facilities.


It is vital that you get the first step (the customer looking at your listing) right, otherwise everyday you are potentially losing leads and bookings, can you afford that?

For a FREE book on how to fill your empty weeks, click here

Adding a touch of luxury to your holiday home

I was in town the other day and wanted to have a coffee.  There are many, many cafes in my town, you know how the Portuguese love coffee!  And I went to one I had never tried before but always looked at.  It is quite new, probably two years old, had a nice facade with nice tables and chairs outside and big umbrellas.  It all looks very nice, and as I sat there I looked around at the other customers and the corrolation of customer type to image, really rang true.  This cafe had a more upmarket look to it, with its furniture and large (expensive looking) umbrellas and servers.

And it got me thinking about holiday rental homes and how exactly the same thing happens.  Its known that people like to go upmarket with their holidays if they can, they like to spoil themselves and will almost always choose something which is nicer than home.  This has rung true this year with Tots as we have seen people choose to spend slightly more money on booking a nicer type of place, rather than save that difference for a dinner out or a night of babysitting.

So my thought is, if you make those little 'luxe' touches, which do not cost a lot but could move you 'up' in the eyes of your customer base, that can only bring a better 'type' of customer who is willing to spend some more money on those extra touches.

Even simple things like,

• Change light fittings to something more modern or elaborate (but not expensive if you shop around).  
• Paint one wall in the bedroom a different colour to give some life and also a theme, to add pictures or prints to (use your own photos of the local area, costs very little and adds a sense of 'holiday')
• Add bathrobes to the master bedroom, one off cost, which can be recuped several times and gives that  'boutique hotel' feel.

Recently I have been looking for a holiday rental for a late season break and the places I have seen, some I just wonder how they get bookings, examples are fuzzy photos, so I have to look really closely (and think Im going blind).  Child friendly properties with an unenclosed pool within a metre of the door of the house or low walls with a long drop on the other side.  Lounges with really old looking and cluttered furniture.  And then you have the bright, airy, modern dining rooms with painted walls and simple blinds.  Luxury, doesnt mean elaborate, just means to take the time, make it simple but pleasant.  

How to do it - clear photo, lots of light and simple furnishings. 

How not to do it.

If you are a holiday home owner looking for help to fill those empty weeks, get yourself a Free copy of Wendy Shand's book, 'Empty Weeks? How to get more bookings and make money from your holiday home.'

What does 'family or child-friendly' mean?

This is a question as a Mum of two and as a Letting Expert I am constantly looking at.  At Tots to Travel we are continuously gathering feedback from our customers, parents and assessing the market for the latest trends and ideas in this area.

Recently, I have been looking for a place for a late season holiday, a rental house or a hotel and am surprised by some people's idea of 'family-friendly'.  Firstly, if you are family friendly, there must be fencing on the pool or some way to allow the children to be outside but not have access to the pool.  As a parent, I want to be relaxed, not always worried about the pool.  To that extent, if the pool is not enclosed somehow, I wont even consider it, next.  Secondly, provide a decent cot and highchair as the absolute minimal basics, doesnt have to be expensive, but not an ancient family heirloom which looks like it will collapse if I put my child in it.  Do not charge me for it, in that case I think you really dont want me there.  If there are stairs in the property, especially near bedrooms or basement, please provide some form of protection.  Think of me as I try to feed my one year old child with grown up cutlery that she will bite and hurt her mouth, as I try to make a tiny meal in a huge bowl and end up feeding her out of a tea cup!  Imagine me packing for my two children and how much kit we will have to bring, something as simple as providing swimming/beach towels saves me a lot of space and weight.

What got me thinking about this was in my search for accommodation, I specifically searched 'family friendly rentals in .........  And there was nothing I would choose as family-friendly.  The worst I think was the house, lovely and new as it was, up a very steep hill in the countryside, with an unenclosed pool, right outside a door.  The property was walled from the photos I could see but the wall was low, low enough for my two year old to lean over and potentially fall down a very steep hill.  Im always wary with properties in the countryside, if they are not very well fenced for a child to get out and get lost.  This isnt lazy parenting, it's being safe.  It only takes a second for a child to wander out of a property or fall in a pool, next to a door.  Parents deserve a holiday too, and shouldnt go on holiday to worry about the new environment they are in.  

Just because you provide a cot and highchair, does not mean you are family-friendly.  Think about the customer, put yourself in their shoes, how can you make their life easier and give me a great family holiday that they will rave about and recommend to others.  After all, isnt that what you want?  And let's be honest, if you are not willing to add some family touches, dont advertise yourself as 'family or child-friendly'.  There are many more customers out there that you will appeal to.

If you think you are 'child-friendly' or want to find out how to appeal to this evergrowing market, Wendy Shand has written a FREE book full of great advice and tips developed from feedback from customers, her own experiences as a letting expert and as a parent. To get your FREE copy, go to www.freeholidayletsbook.com

What do guests really want from their holiday rental property?

This is a very interesting article I wanted to share, written by one of my fellow Letting Experts, Lindsay over at www.holidaypropertyexpert.com/holidaylettings/lindsay

It is based on feedback from holiday makers about what they really want when they go away to a holiday rental:

We had a very interesting debate on the Tots to Travel Agents forum recently, as we began discussing what guests really want from their self catering property. The opinions were very mixed, which when you consider that us “Mums on the Ground” are spread across France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, is not really surprising. However, we even discovered very unique experiences from different sides of the same country, something which made for quite a thought provoking debate…

Read what we found out at http://holidaypropertyexpert.com/holidaylettings/lindsay/2011/09/what-do-guests-really-want-a-6-point-debate/

Some food for thought I think, as you plan for next season!

How important are holiday letting websites?

If you are currently considering the purchase of a holiday home which you are going to rent for income or if you already have a holiday rental home and are maybe reviewing the effectiveness of your current choices, this is a really interesting article looking at some of the options you have, well worth a read.

http://www.jamesdearsley.co.uk/2010/12/how-important-are-holiday-letting-websites-to-your-overseas-property-purchase/

What I particularly liked and thought was great advice was to go with a large advertiser with international coverage rather than a local agent but also to add a niche market - something which sets you apart from the others and let a market segment find you effectively, rather than being lost in the 1000s of other similar properties. 

Algarve Summer Season

So this has been a funny old holiday rental season, twisting and turning to the climax that is August.  The newspapers and authorities cant agree if there are more visitors or not or whether expenditure has increased. 

Holiday home owners have started the year with the usual flood of enquiries, only to find it shortened and slowing sooner than normal.  Many have found a large increase in late bookings and for shorter periods, reflecting what the surveyers found that people are shortening their annual holidays and booking later.  Some others in the upper middle to luxe ranges are finding they are busier than ever, with people making repeat bookings within the year.

Here in the East Algarve especially, the season has started late and is quieter than normal.  A big piece of our market on this side in the Portuguese and Spanish, being so close to the border.  But many of the Portuguese are not taking holidays due to the financial crisis, but rather holding onto their money for the future tax and price rises due at any time.  All the portuguese that I know who regularly come down for holidays, they are not coming, but are either staying at home or taking holidays closer to home and for shorter periods.  It is busy, but not as busy as previous years.

Are you a holiday home owner or summer business?  How has your season been?

Are you empty weeks costing you money, want to learn how to fill them?  Wendy Shand's free book can help, have a look at www.freeholidayletsbook.co.uk

Why good photos are essential

"A picture is worth a thousand words"

This is not more true when selling a property, whether it be a holiday rental home or a house to sell.  Good photos always make the difference in this case.  Time and time again, when photos have been changed and improved, sales have dramitically increased.

Good photos must be truthful and show the property as it really is.  Using the right light and angles to get the best coverage is essential.  The best thing to do would be to use a professional, but not everyone has the money for that or wants to. 

If you are doing it yourself, here are some tips:

• Use a good quality digital camera
• Take the photos at a time of good light, around the middle of a clear day is best, not too early or too late, unless you are going for a particular look, such as 'sunset'.
• Make sure curtains and blinds are open to give the most natural light.
• If taking pictures of bathrooms, make sure the toilet seat is down and the area is tidy and organised, without too many personal effects.
• Set the scene - when taking photos of equipment, try to have someone using it.  For instance, if taking a shot of the pool, have someone (preferably someone who appeals to your target market, so if families is your market, have a child and parent).
• Again, if taking shots of dining or seating areas, make it look comfy and relaxing, maybe place a glass of wine and plate of bread and cheese to help people imagine what their holiday will be like.
• Always take a picture of the view of surroundings, unless they are completely unsuitable.  Potential guests want to see where the property is to give them a better feel for the place.

Pool Safety - is everyone's responsibility

Now you may read this post and think it doesnt apply but this is an issue that every parent has a fear of, although it is something which affects expat mums like me on a more regular basis.  Probably most of us knew of someone who had a scare at some time with their children.  Every year children die or are injured because of this, Im referring to water safety and drowning - the silent killer.  But unfortunately it is not the beaches and the sea which are the dangers, its the swimming pools, on most occasions private swimming pools.  In 2010 a BBC show claimed that there was 236,000 swimming pool accidents in Europe alone and in 2009, 17 children died in pool accidents in Portugal. 

Have you ever been on holiday, to a private villa and there has been an unprotected pool, I can imagine the stress it has caused you.  I once looked at a house to rent and outside the bedrooms was a pool, just the thought of that scenario caused me to worry, even though the door has locks. 

Every year the APSI, the Portuguese version of CAPT (Child Accident Protection Trust) runs a campaign to highlight the dangers and force the Government and local councils to enforce protection laws, but every year more children die.  It is completely unnecessary and can be avoided by erecting a fence, this of course, does not negate parental responsibility but gives more time before tragedy strikes.

If you are a holiday home owner who rents their home out to families, this is a big draw when trying to attract this market.  This will always put you ahead of others, without this safety precaution.  I myself would not rent a holiday home if there was free access to the poolside, its too big a risk to take with my children's safety.

This is an issue that affects every parent, whether it is at your local pool or for your summer holiday once a year. 

For more information about this please see http://www.apsi.org.pt/ (for portugal) or http://www.capt.org.uk/ (in the UK).
Or for child-safe holidays, see http://www.totstotravel.co.uk/

Social Media and Holiday recommendations

Hi All,

Once again I am banging on about the social media revolution and how it can affect your business.  Hays Travel recently conducted a survey of holidaymakers looking into how they choose their destination and information sources used.  Over half the respondents said they had used social media platforms to gain information about their destination and accommodation.  Many people also went further looking at local activities and attractions, restaurants, nightlife, beaches and children's activities. 

The two most used sources for this information were review websites, (eg.tripadvisor) and social media platforms of Twitter and Facebook, for the majority.  The use of these two sources far outweighs the use of the traditional Travel Agent.  People are looking predominantly personal reviews and recommendations, something that Travel Agents can not always give.

Yet another reason to get on-board with social media.  If you need any help, Im happy to advise.

For the full article, please visit
http://blog.sunshine.co.uk/britons-social-media-holiday-recommendations/

Empty Weeks?

Do you have a holiday home which is sitting empty and costing you money?  Would you like to see your property more used and therefore making you more money?

Tots to Travel founder and Lettings Expert, Wendy Shand has written a book, 'Empty Weeks? How to Get More Bookings & Make Money from your Holiday Home', where she shares her years of experience on what makes a holiday property more sellable.  With tips and advice on how to prepare your property in the most customer-friendly way, how to niche market yourself to stand out from the crowd and where to market your property to get maximum exposure. 

She has FREE copies to give away now, just go to http://www.freeholidayletsbook.com/ or have a look at our Property Owners site at http://www.holidayhomerentalsite.com/ for more tips and advice.

Take a look, you have nothing to lose.

Christine

Algarve Holiday Home Study

Hi All,

I am doing a study on the impact of the financial crisis on private holiday rentals (ie, self-catering, privately owned units) and would like some feedback.

If you are a holiday home rental owner and have a moment, I would much appreciate if you could take my survey.

It is short, will only take a couple of minutes of your time. If you would like to know my findings, please email me.

Please follow this link: Algarve Holiday Home Survey

Many thanks

Perfecting your environment

Hi

This is an interesting video about perfecting the holiday environment and something everyone can consider, whether it be in your own home to increase your own comfort but more importantly, in your holiday home for your rental guests.

http://www.holidayhomerentalsite.com/2011/05/19/perfecting-the-holiday-environment/



Video posted on Tots to Travel Owners website.

Are you using social media? If not, you should be, see this for why.

Do you use social media, eg facebook, twitter etc, WHO DOESNT?  See this video, for why you should, especially for business, it is the way forward.  Amazing

http://youtu.be/omSKo1OW6CU

If you need help, just ask.

What is niche marketing and how can it help you?

What is niche marketing and how can it help you?

Niche marketing means developing and marketing your product or service at a specific sector of the market, thereby satisfying your target markets specific customer needs.  Marketing by companies generally falls into two categories, mass marketing or niche marketing.  Mass marketing is normally used for a general everyday product and the sources of marketing are mass media such as, TV, billboards and newspapers.  With niche marketing the marketing sources are much more targetted at their specific customer base using methods such as, social media, emailing and traditional mail-outs to their client base.  Niche marketing is particularly used by smaller businesses who understand they cannot compete with the big brands or multi-nationals, but can on a smaller, specific market base.

How can niche marketing help you?

Well depending on your product and size of your company and resources, such as marketing budget, niche marketing may be a much more effective way to reach your customers.  But you need to know how to do and especially, what your customers want. 

Do you know what is your target market specifics?
Do you understand your customers needs and wants and buying behaviours?

The problem for many holiday rental home owners is that they do not understand the need for effective marketing or have the skills to do it.  They use mass marketing, such as holiday listing websites and find themselves lost amongst 1000's of other homes all the same as theirs, unable to make themselves stand out and therefore sell and improve their rentals.  Having a marketing mix and niche marketing is the way forward.  It doesnt need to take too much time, but a little effort and some information could go a long way.

If I can help you in this way, please contact me and I will be happy to help.

Trends in the holiday markets

In this post from the Tots to Travel website, the TUI boss talks about recession and how holidaymak​ers are behaving this season.  Useful information for holiday home owners.

http://www.holidayhomerentalsite.com/2011/05/10/riding-out-the-recession/

Are you ready?

So now we are into May and the summer peak season is just around the corner.  Are you ready? 

Is your property all prepared for your guests, any replacements or maintenance work done?

More importantly have you sold the weeks you need, is your property getting the interest it deserves.  In these tough times, market positioning is so much more important.  In the past, you could almost sell a holiday rental in the algarve with minimal effort. Not so easy these days, with fewer customers looking for a lot of value.  So what do you do?

There are several things you can do

1. Assess your marketing, are you targeting the right customers?
2. Is your property appealing to the customers you want?
3. Are you offering value and quality against your competition?

Be aware, lowering your prices, will not necessarily bring more customers!

If you need any further advice, please contact me and I can help.

What makes a family friendly hotel

Have a look at this article.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.all-vacation-travel.com/what-makes-a-hotel-family-friendly/&ct=ga&cad=CAcQARgAIAEoBDAAOABA3qSL7gRIAVgAYgVlbi1QVA&cd=KwHlueUe0Dk&usg=AFQjCNGTZ2CllwX9zbSGsiwgnUPhv-Bagg

Tots to Travel

Tots to Travel is multi-award winning family travel company. They specialise in family-friendly self-catering accommodation with all the equipment you need. All properties are vetted for child safety and suitability.

On the other side, Tots agents are trained to provide advice and support to home owners on how to market their property more effectively, therefore increasing their bookings and profits.

Wendy Shand started Tots to Travel in 2005, after on a 'family' holiday her two year old son fell into an unenclosed swimming pool. She realised their was a vital need for a service that offered safe, genuinely family friendly holiday accommodation. The company has gone from strength to strength and is growing at a high rate, this year they look to turnover £1 million. Not to mention the array of awards and nominations and almost constant coverage in the media.

Tots to Travel started with properties in France, nowadays the business has expanded into Spain, Italy, Portugal and the UK.

So if you are looking for a truly family-friendly holiday with all the equipment you need, look no further. If on the other hand you are a homeowner looking to enter into this growing, lucrative market, they can help you.

Wendy Shand has also written a book, 'Empty Weeks: How to get more bookings and make money from your holiday home'. She has a limited number of FREE copies, go to http://www.freeholidayletsbook.com/ to get yours while stocks

http://www.totstotravel.co.uk/
http://www.holidayhomerentalsite.com/

Hi All,

Have a read of this article, in order to save money, more people are taking shorter breaks.  Is this something you cater too?  For holiday rental owners, it has its pros and cons but in these conditions, I see it being a growing bracket of the market.

http://m.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1369732/Were-broke-long-holiday-Families-downsizing-breaks-save-money.html

www.holidayhomerentalsite.com

Importance of......

making a first impression on your customer should not be underestimated, not only meet their expectations but exceed them, isn't that what you expect from a holiday rental, hotel room, or any customer experience?

http://www.holidayhomerentalsite.com/2011/03/13/making-the-right-first-impression/

Adding value

When and where you market your property is very important. What is more important is what makes your property stand out from the 'crowd', and how you highlight that, especially if you are advertising on a 'advertising portal' such as owners direct or holiday lettings. In this case, you are one of hundreds in an area, how do you make yourself stand out? What is not always best is to compete on price, you are far better off competing on value and product quality, if you are not selling as you would like, look at the product you are offering, dont just assume lowering the price will bring more business, it rarely works and can have the opposite effect, where customers will avoid you as they think something is wrong with your property if it is too cheap.

www.holidayhomerentalsite.com

Is your holiday home family friendly?

Is your holiday home really family-friendly?

What does that mean these days? Well it is a developing sector of the market, one you should not ignore, unless your target market sector is the complete opposite, as in stag dos or fishermen etc. But often this market can be targeted alongside many other market sectors, for example golfers. They are parents too, why not put the two together and many others, do not pigeon hole yourself to one type of customer, but on the other hand, selling to everyone can have adverse effects too.

Nowadays, being family friendly means more than providing a cot and hi-chair, it's providing a family-friendly environment and addressing the needs of your customer. In this way, not only do you attract the right customers but you can also charge better rates than the others because you add value to your product (your holiday home).

www.holidayhomerentalsite.com
www.totstotravel.co.uk

Free Book Offer:

Empty Weeks: How To Get More Bookings and Make Money From Your Holiday Home

I wanted to let you know that Wendy Shand, multi-award winning holiday lettings expert and founder of Tots to Travel has written a new book.
The book is entitled ‘Empty Weeks: How to get more bookings and make money from your holiday home.’ and you can get a copy for free.

Wendy’s book is filled with practical tips, advice and case studies to support holiday home owners achieve a longer and more profitable letting season. Covering 5 countries, over 300 properties and business growth rates of 80%, Wendy and her team have plenty of experience in how to fill up those empty weeks that end up costing you money.

She’s only got 1000 to give away for free so logon on to request your copy log onto www.freeholidayletsbook.co.uk

Hi there!

Hi

Welcome to my blog, my name is Christine and I live in the East Algarve. I am an agent for Tots to Travel and work at home mum. Through my work for Tots to Travel, I offer advice to holiday home owners on how to increase their bookings and make more money from their property.

I have been trained by Wendy Shand, founder of Award-winning family friendly travel company 'Tots to Travel' and renowned Holiday Lettings Expert. I have been in the Algarve for almost 3 years and have experience in hospitality.

Through this blog, I hope to offer advice and comfort to holiday letting owners.

If you would like to contact me for more information on how I may help you, please feel free to email me on christine.amorim@totstotravel.co.uk

Bye

www.totstotravel.co.uk
www.holidayhomerentalsite.com