Moving to direct booking, a scary prospect or the new norm?

More and more holiday property owners are starting to choose to take their bookings direct or away from single source marketing agents. For most the reason is control, they want to have more control who stays at their house, more control over the price they get, and more say over how the property is marketed. Others simply don't want to have to pay the amount of commission the other agencies charge. In the past though this has been a daunting task and still is for those who maybe don't have the time or technical know how. The way you market your property is key in finding the right balance between the types of guests you'd like to attract and getting "bums in seats".

@winscombecourt - There's no need to go abroad when you can stay in a luxury home like this

For me I always think it's down to how the property owner would like the home to be branded and of course the style of the property itself, some houses will suit being marketed on AirBnB, whereas for others Airbnb will not release the house’s full potential. Creating a direct booking website and establishing your own marketing for a Holiday home is admittedly difficult to start, it can take some time to bed in and find the right direction.

Many owners this year are a little worried after what was an incredible year last year (albeit quite stressful with the uncertainty of COVID and reopening our businesses), This year has been for some a little slow. Because last season was so successful a lot more people are deciding to invest in second homes and holiday properties, couple that with other countries reopening (without the need for testing before you fly) less people are deciding to holiday in the UK and going abroad this year.

www.roundlodgedorset.com - an example of our clients website

That being said, I believe we are comparing what was an extraordinary season last season, with what appears to be a normal year this year, making bookings appear slower when in fact they're on par with those before the pandemic. However, if you have a holiday property and are concerned about the bookings you're receiving we can always provide you with one of our consultation services. we will visit your property discuss your concerns and your thoughts and then will write you an in-depth report on what we believe maybe holding you or your bookings back and how potentially we think you might be able to progress or improve going forwards. You can get in touch with us by email social media or by giving us a call - we are a friendly family run company who really have a passion for what we do and we would love to visit your property to really help you and your home succeed.

The future of holidays is evolving - how do you plan on staying relevant?

At Key Turner Management we pride ourselves in our Consultation services and management as well as marketing, branding and website design, tie that in with our sister company Key Turner Direct Bookings and we can support you from start to finish. With many years’ experience in the holiday property industry and a lifetime of experience in the hospitality sector. We help many holiday property owners nationwide, providing consultations for owners just starting out or those who need advice with existing holiday properties. You can read more about our services here or give me (Emma) a call on 07846329129, I look forward to working with you.