Marketing to non-Brits

[Fritz]

My project this year is to buy a 'luxury' villa in Biarritz and market it as a 'resort destination' rather than the traditional country retreat. Two reasons really, the market for gites in the SW seems very competitive; almost everyone moving here wants to do one and also the property will be my retirement home when life in the country gets too hard. So, has anyone any advice on going for a more international customer - say from the US, Japan, Germany or even China (I understand these are the markets the French want to exploit)?

I have no illusions about the standard of accomodation required and will certainly hope to be very competitive pricewise.

Any advice v welcome.

[Val_2]

My friend used to rent a self contained unit on the side of her house to the german market and what they had to provide was nobodys business. Things like a deepfreezer,instant easy to use central heating,two bathrooms min,all the latest kitchen gadgets and extremely good quality furnishings right through to the patio furniture outside. She even had to provide a large box of provisions for when they arrived and be on hand 24/7 if they needed anything but she made a lot of money out of it and people did return year after year.If you wish to attract this market then you must spend to accumulate and buy the very best things you can afford, the english and french are not so fussy and will make do with tat in a lot of cases.