Register to get 3 free articles
Register to unlock the article and receive our free newsletter. Join 26,000 other hotel leaders and stay in the know.
Want unlimited access? View Plans
Already have an account? Sign in
Hotels in the south west of the UK are reportedly set to be holiday “hotspots” this year, with booking levels averaging 70.7% in July and 66.5% in August.
According to Profitroom, data for September indicates an average booking level of 50.2%, which reportedly means hotels in the region will be “holding out for a balmy autumn to encourage bookings”.
Kirsty Beasley, UK market development manager at Profitroom, said: “A ‘healthy’ booking level depends on individual hotel circumstances, but it usually sits somewhere between 50 and 80%.
“So, while 70% is certainly good, it’s not as high as we’d be expecting given international travel is so difficult at present and that we’re anticipating so many UK holidaymakers flocking to coastal hotspots and rural hideaways – something the South West is famed for.”
Jane Pendlebury, CEO of HOSPA, added: “The data is somewhat surprising. Of course, ordinarily most hotels would generally be pleased with that level of booking, however given the present circumstances surrounding holidaying abroad, I’d have thought that the South West, a prime location for coastal and rural UK ‘staycations’ would be experiencing even higher levels.
“Those averages obviously don’t tell the full story, but it does suggest that there’s certainly room for those seeking to get away – as well as opportunity for hotels to improve their margins.”
Beasley added: “Given the wide scale reporting of the staycation boom, I imagine many people are probably discounting the idea of a holiday in the UK at all fearing that everywhere is already fully booked. This situation is only exacerbated by hotel booking platforms that simply tell guests that they’re ‘fully booked’ or that a rate is ‘unavailable on that date’, as they run the risk of putting off guests from persevering with a booking.
“Hotels should be looking for a booking engine that presents the next date available. That way, even if their preferred dates aren’t bookable, guests can still see tempting offers, dates and packages but without having to guess availability through trial and error.”
