If you’ve got availability for this Christmas and New Year and you’re worried that you won’t fill it, our stats should give you some hope.
We recently looked at the top-100 dates and durations clicked on in your SuperControl availability calendars during the past seven days; and Christmas week came in at number 10. A seven-night stay starting on 21 December was clicked on 816 times. In total, 8% (3,562) of the top-100 clicks were for dates over Christmas and New Year. So, there are some guests still looking for availability over the festive period.
What your guests want
During the week 8-15 October, of those looking for a break over Christmas and New Year, almost two-thirds were looking for a week-long stay:
The start days they looked at varied. However none of them wanted a Saturday:
To fill the available gaps over Christmas and New Year, all of the tips we shared about being flexible with your start dates and durations in How to attract last-minute bookings still apply. But, as this is such a key time of year, there are a few more things to consider to help you to stand out from the crowd.
Focus on the holiday experience
Break it down into two areas and be sure to enthuse prospective guests about your property’s suitability for their festive get-away:
1. What can your accommodation provide that will make people choose it over others?
Can it accommodate large groups? Then it could be the perfect location for a large family to get together to celebrate. Think of the advantages for your guests – no last-minute panic to clean the house in readiness for hoards of visitors; a bed for everyone (no one has to sleep on the floor); the beds are all made up for you; no laundry to do when everyone leaves; plenty of room for everyone to sit around the table and enjoy a Christmas feast, then room to chill out and relax and play some family games after.
Is it small and cosy? It could be the perfect escape for couples that want to get away from it all.
Is the location the main attraction? Are you in or close to one of the world’s most Christmassy cities? Do people come to enjoy festive markets, midnight mass, processions, street entertainers, pantomimes or concerts? Or are you located by the sea? Where guests can go for blustery, coastal walks or welcome the new year in on the beach?
2. What can you do to remove the stress of organising a festive break away from home?
Think about ways you can help to create your potential guests’ perfect Christmas and New Year.
- Do you decorate the property for them? What do you provide and are there any restrictions on guests bringing their own decorations as well? Add a page just for Christmas and New Year to your website and link to it from your home page (see Mulberry Cottages example below). Show potential guests what your property looks like all dressed up for Christmas, add lots of photos and include quotes from reviewers that have stayed at your property over the festive season before.
- Can you take delivery of parcels before arrival if guests want to do their present shopping online? This means they could have them sent direct, which makes packing and travelling easier.
- Find out which local pubs, bistros and restaurants are open over the festive period. Are they still taking bookings? Get a copy of their menu to send out.
- Is there a local supplier that can deliver fresh organic vegetables? What about a free range turkey or goose? It’s worth checking before sending these details in case they are unable to fulfil any more orders in time for Christmas.
- Pay particular attention to the kitchen equipment needed for preparing a festive meal and reassure prospective guests that the kitchen is a well-equipped and convenient space in which to prepare a festive feast.
- Are there local caterers that still have availability to cater for your guests in the property throughout the festive period? If not all, what dates can they still do?
- It’s likely you have built good relationships with your local suppliers; reciprocal marketing on both sides is usually much appreciated. Can you take this one step further and negotiate a discount with them on your guests’ behalf?
Include these details in your correspondence and provide links to everything you can think of that will make the guests’ lives easy and help them to have a fantastic, memorable time.
And finally …
Make sure you’re prepared for Christmas and New Year 2016. Far more people plan their festivities well in advance than leave it till the last minute, so make sure you have set your prices for the year ahead and you could well get lucky. Visitors to your website that already have plans for this year but love what you have to offer might just be tempted to book with you for 2016! Good luck.
