2007 Bookings - Earlier than usual?

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Thought this should go on a new thread...

I think before I start expounding my ill founded and loud-mouthed views

on this, and with a reservation that does not come in any way naturally

to me, I ought to canvas opinions. Now, SusanAH and I seem to be of the

same view, ie that bookings for 2007 are coming in earlier than

previous years. On a straw poll, how many would:

• Share this view;
• Not share this view;
• Could not say or have no opinion;
• Genuinely cannot tell Stork from butter.

[Eslier]

Yes, I agree.  Bookings for 2007 are very good and well ahead of this time in the last couple of years. Not just repeat bookings either - many new clients.

[Miki]

Can't tell Stork from Butter but I think one or the other can fly ?

One year in the mid 90's we had no bookings by the middle of March,

(blamed mostly on the very poor £ to Francs) and ended up with around

32 weeks for 2 gîtes, a few years later, we had 22 weeks by end of March for 3 gîtes and had..........51 weeks bookings that year.

Bottom line in all this, is infamous....It's not how but how many...full, is full enough,  when, can often count for nothing. [;-)]

Never, ever known two successive seasons to mimic each other

but with luck, good advertising and hard work, the end result is really the

only thing that counts.

At the end of the day ........we get by [:)]

Best way to ensure full in peak, normally capable by most is to pool ones overs (bookings one cannot take) with a few other gîtistes and not be too insular in ones outlook to sharing bookings.

[les Favets]

First time ever in 5 years we have had a booking  2 weeks ago for 2007, still whilst seeing to clients this year.

Les Favets

www.ruralfranceholidays.com

[Coco]

Trouble is Miki, I haven't bothered doing that for these last two weeks when we've been full because I've found that this whole summer it's been a one-way stream of traffic - I've passed on my "overs" but haven't been given any back - even when I've discovered others have been full.  Green eyes?

[Miki]

Oh I agree totally. It has to be  reciprocal or there's not much point.

Although with B&B,  I do use a couple of local B&B's,

among others who do not advertise too much and get sufficient demand

for their needs. So, if for instance, a potential guest wants to book a

5 night stay and we only have 4 nights, we will then tell the client

that we only have 4 nights available here but, not to worry, we can

reserve them the other night locally. This will very often benefit, the

client, the local B&B and of course, us. One simply learns who to

exchange with and who to utilise, as and when when the individual case arises.

Giving overs away to another B&B or Gîte owner, who does not

offer any back, is not good business policy at all. We do give the odd

night or week away if someone is struggling but at the end of the day,

we pay out a lot of money annually to advertise for us to gain clients,

not in general for our local competition to gain by it, unless of

course, they are willing to offer us the same kind of deal.

Trouble is, we ourselves are pretty long in the tooth when it comes to

reservations, the need to advertise, how to do this and that etc, so generally when we are full, that is when

the others tend to call us to see if we have a room. And that is one reason why

we never bother to sign up with tourist offices, unless you know anyone

personally there, or get on with one of the staff etc, you will

normally only get enquiries when you are full anyway. !

You have done well to be full the last 2 weeks, we have only been

filled at weekends the last week (shut the week before) but from this

Wednesday, we have been full and will be for most days now until Nov

5th ( vacances scolaire of course and the Route du Rhum in Saint Malo) and no rooms available the following weekend. 

It is as busy for us this week as it was in peak summer, due to the

Route du Rhum. If we had 50 rooms for Thursday, tonight and 

tomorrow  it would barely be enough.......

[Maddie]

We are either too expensive, have rubbish marketing or in a blooming awful location because each year we are getter fewer and fewer bookings.  Then again, maybe it just seems that way because we are getting a lot more last minute bookings!

[Coco]

What's the "route du rhum" ?  "Rhum" being my favourite tipple, and St Malo one of my favourite places, it sounds most enticing!!!

Know what you mean about the tourist offices.  We're with two local ones.  One is never open, so we've never had anything from them and the other has, as you say, only really contacted us during August when we were already full.  However, yesterday I did have a lady pull into the courtyard asking if we could accommodate three couples for a weekend in January because she's having "a bit of a do" and can't put everyone up.  She was sent to us by the local tourist office!!! [:D]  And there was I thinking we would probably have no one at all in January!

[Cassis]

We're thinking of dumping the tourist offices as well.  Had one booking from the Alençon office and the three times the Mamers office referred someone we were full.  The Fresnay sur Sarthe (Alpes Mancelles) has never referred anyone.

We had a couple of fellow B&B owners from near the Begian border come to stay with us a couple of weeks ago and they had lost our address.  They went in to the Alençon tourist Office and asked for directions to the B&B in Ancinnes.  The girl said she did not know of any B&B in Ancinnes.  Terrific! [:-))]

[Miki]

Coco,

We have just struggled back from Saint Malo, believe me, the town is

absolutely heaving and as we were leaving, the queues to get in were

backed up, way, way back from Intra Muros. The free buses running

people in from designated parking areas were all full in each

direction....It really is a terrific place to be at the moment. It is

vibrant and full of people having a good time. If you want to eat in

one of the restos, book ahead. The tented village is huge this time,

much bigger than 4 years ago.

The route du Rhum, what is it ????......jeepers woman, clue : Ellen

MacArthur won in record time last time in the single hull division (now

a multi hull lady) ? and

Michel Desjoyeaux on Géant took victory in the 60 foot ORMA multihull class.

It is a yacht race held every 4 years and goes from Saint Malo to

Guadeloupe. The boats start leaving the inner port at 09h00 tomorrow

and at the same time on Sunday, other classes will depart as well. Best

vantage points are Pointe du Grouin near Canacle or further west at Cap

Frehel.

I really do wish we could be there tonight or tomorrow but

unfortunately we can't get away but if you or anyone can, go and enjoy

the wonderful ambiance around the inner port, in the village, as well

as of course, mingling with the crowds in Intra Muros and enjoy a

nice meal and then a Café calva at midnight near the Porte St Vincente (or Café Rum in your case !) !

[Renaud]

"Miki" Can't tell Stork from Butter but I think one or the other can fly ?

That is on a par with

What is the difference between a buffalo and a bison?

You can't wash your hands in a buffalo.

[Miki]

You are Australian then Renaud ? [:D]

[Coco]

Miki

No sooner had I posted my question than the route de rhum was featured on a reportage on France 3 news last night!!  Now I feel dumb.  Shame we won't have time to get over there to see it. 

[Miki]

They had police yesterday at the entrances to Cancale, some were

stopping any more motorhomes etc from taking up all the possible

available parking spaces. There was no parking at all available for

many yesterday and people were walking a fair way to get to the Pointe

du Grouin, to watch the start of the mono hulls. I guess the same must

be for Saint Malo and for both again today as well. although Saint Malo

have the Park and Ride scheme which runs all through the summer and on

high days and holidays !