The Holiday Homefront, September 2021
Welcome to the September 2021 issue of The Holiday Homefront and this month's collection of advice and information that all good holiday cottage owners need to continue to improve their businesses. Here's a summary of all this month's recommended articles. Where relevant, click on the title to open and read the full article.
Why are UK holiday costs so expensive?
It turns out there is a good reason for the prices charged by UK holiday cottage owners that goes beyond the sheer greed that the media would like to portray. Despite the occasional media article suggesting otherwise, it's not just because accommodation owners are greedy and inflating prices. Read this concise explanation about the factors that UK tourism accommodation providers have to consider when setting prices.
Sadly, a return to VAT 20% in the UK, putting it above rates in many EU countries, doesn't get a mention. Another consideration is that soaring UK house prices in popular UK holiday destinations mean higher tariffs are necessary to achieve a reasonable return. Nevertheless, it's worth a read, even if only you have sufficient information to justify your prices when asked! Click on the title to view the article.
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Welcombe Mouth on the beautiful and remote Hartland Peninsula in North Devon.
Inside Location, Location, Location star Kirstie Allsopp's stunning homes in Devon.
Well! This is the first time we have drawn your attention to an article in Hello Magazine. However, we thought you couldn't resist the opportunity to see the interior designs created by Kirsty Alsopp for her Meadowgate Cottage on the North Devon coast near Welcombe.
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Do You Have A Flare For Marketing?
Summer Booking Trends to Learn From Booking.com
Whether you love the Booking.com website or loathe it, Booking.com's research into summer booking trends highlights some helpful evidence holiday cottage owners could all use to boost bookings for next year.
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Seven ways to boost your holiday let profits
Little details make a big difference in a competitive market – here's how to stand out. Here's an example of our own. If you have a woodburner, make sure it has a roaring fire going when you take a photograph or get your photographer to photoshop in a fire. Look at the difference in atmosphere in the above two images. Which do you find the most appealing?
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Glaven Cottage in Holt, Norfolk
Proposed second home crackdown met with caution in North Norfolk.
After St. Ives voted to ban the sale of houses as holiday homes, it is hardly surprising that other councils are considering a similar approach. Interestingly, the St. Ives ban on new second home ownership appears to have contributed to a rise in local house prices rather than a hoped-for decline. There's a lot more thinking to think about on this issue. On a personal note, I hope legislators will differentiate between properties, let as short-term rentals all year round (thus providing an economic impact), from second homes that their owners for a few weeks in the year. I would also hope that it will be recognised that if excessive limits are placed upon self-catering accommodation, one way to sustain visitor numbers will be through building large hotels. These will be far more intrusive upon the landscape and the local vernacular than traditional cottages!
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